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105-828: According to the Book of Acts , Paul of Tarsus and Silas preached at the synagogue in Berea, and many of the people there believed. Historically, the Bereans (also called Beroeans, Barclayans or Barclayites) were a Protestant sect following former Scottish Presbyterian minister John Barclay (1734–1798). Founded in Edinburgh in 1773, the Berean Church followed a modified form of Calvinism . It had congregations in Scotland , London , and Bristol , but mainly merged with

210-695: A companion of the apostle Paul in three of the letters attributed to Paul himself; this view is still sometimes advanced, but "a critical consensus emphasizes the countless contradictions between the account in Acts and the authentic Pauline letters." (An example can be seen by comparing Acts's accounts of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–31, 22:6–21, and 26:9–23) with Paul's own statement that he remained unknown to Christians in Judea after that event (Galatians 1:17–24).) The author "is an admirer of Paul, but does not share Paul's own view of himself as an apostle; his own theology

315-518: A date in the early 2nd century is possible. There are two major textual variants of Acts, the Western text-type and the Alexandrian . The oldest complete Alexandrian manuscripts date from the 4th century and the oldest Western ones from the 6th, with fragments and citations going back to the 3rd. Western texts of Acts are 6.2–8.4% longer than Alexandrian texts, the additions tending to enhance

420-474: A harmonious church is quite at odds with that given by Paul's letters, and it omits important events such as the deaths of both Peter and Paul. The mid-19th-century scholar Ferdinand Baur suggested that the author had re-written history to present a united Peter and Paul and advance a single orthodoxy against the Marcionites (Marcion was a 2nd-century heretic who wished to cut Christianity off entirely from

525-586: A member of The Twelve. On Pentecost , the Holy Spirit descends and confers God's power on them, and Peter and John preach to many in Jerusalem and perform healings, casting out of evil spirits , and raising of the dead . The first believers share all property in common , eat in each other's homes, and worship together. At first many Jews follow Christ and are baptized, but the followers of Jesus begin to be increasingly persecuted by other Jews. Stephen

630-534: A particular loved one, or in honor of a living person on a significant occasion, such as their Confirmation day. In German-speaking and other Central European countries, and also in overseas congregations originating from these countries through migration, green branches are also traditionally used to decorate churches for Pentecost. Birch is the tree most typically associated with this practice in Europe, but other species are employed in different climates. In

735-716: A petition for all of those in hell, that they may be granted relief and even ultimate release from their confinement, if God deems this possible. In the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria , it is observed at the time of ninth hour (3:00 pm) on the Sunday of Pentecost. The Second Monday after Pentecost is the beginning of the Apostles' Fast (which continues until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29). Theologically, Orthodox do not consider Pentecost to be

840-657: Is a legal holiday in many European, African and Caribbean countries. The term Pentecost comes from Koinē Greek : πεντηκοστή , romanized:  pentēkostē , lit.   'fiftieth'. One of the meanings of "Pentecost" in the Septuagint , the Koine translation of the Hebrew Bible , refers to the festival of Shavuot , one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals , which is celebrated on

945-428: Is accepted, a trip that has no mention in the letters). There are also major differences between Acts and Paul on Christology (the understanding of Christ's nature), eschatology (the understanding of the "last things"), and apostleship . Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday , Whitsunday or Whitsun ) is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting

1050-621: Is accused of blasphemy and stoned . Stephen's death marks a major turning point: the Jews have rejected the message, and henceforth it will be taken to the Gentiles. The death of Stephen initiates persecution, and many followers of Jesus leave Jerusalem. The message is taken to the Samaritans, a people rejected by Jews, and to the Gentiles . Saul of Tarsus , one of the Jews who persecuted

1155-587: Is around 62 AD, the time of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, but most scholars date the work to 80–90 AD on the grounds that it uses Mark as a source, looks back on the destruction of Jerusalem, and does not show any awareness of the letters of Paul (which began circulating late in the first century); if it does show awareness of the Pauline epistles, and also of the work of the Jewish historian Josephus, as some believe, then

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1260-532: Is called the " Third Day of the Trinity ." The Afterfeast of Pentecost lasts for one week, during which fasting is not permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday. In the Orthodox Tradition , the liturgical color used at Pentecost is green , and the clergy and faithful carry flowers and green branches in their hands during the services. All of the remaining days of the ecclesiastical year , until

1365-441: Is considerably different from Paul's on key points and does not represent Paul's own views accurately." He was educated, a man of means, probably urban, and someone who respected manual work, although not a worker himself; this is significant, because more high-brow writers of the time looked down on the artisans and small business people who made up the early church of Paul and were presumably Luke's audience. The interpretation of

1470-591: Is difficult to explain why early Christians later adopted this Jewish festival if there had not been an original Pentecost event as described in Acts. He also holds the description of the early community in Acts 2 to be reliable. Lüdemann views Acts 3:1–4:31 as historical. Wedderburn notes what he sees as features of an idealized description, but nevertheless cautions against dismissing the record as unhistorical. Hengel likewise insists that Luke described genuine historical events, even if he has idealized them. Biblical commentator Richard C. H. Lenski has noted that

1575-465: Is for all mankind. The Gentile church is established in Antioch (north-western Syria, the third-largest city of the empire), and here Christ's followers are first called Christians. The mission to the Gentiles is promoted from Antioch and confirmed at a meeting in Jerusalem between Paul and the leadership of the Jerusalem church. Paul spends the next few years traveling through western Asia Minor and

1680-473: Is intended as a work of "edification", meaning "the empirical demonstration that virtue is superior to vice." The work also engages with the question of a Christian's proper relationship with the Roman Empire, the civil power of the day: could a Christian obey God and also Caesar? The answer is ambiguous. The Romans never move against Jesus or his followers unless provoked by the Jews, in the trial scenes

1785-536: Is less emphasis on the liturgical year , Pentecost may still be one of the greatest celebrations in the year, such as in Germany or Romania . In other cases, Pentecost may be ignored as a holy day in these churches. In many evangelical churches in the United States, the secular holiday, Mother's Day , may be more celebrated than the biblical feast of Pentecost. Some evangelicals and Pentecostals are observing

1890-478: Is lowered down the walls in a basket. But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory: for example, according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus, but according to Luke it was the Jews (2 Corinthians 11:33 and Acts 9:24). Acts speaks of "Christians" and "disciples", but Paul never uses either term, and it is striking that Acts never mentions Paul being in conflict with

1995-791: Is one of the Great feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church , a Solemnity in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church , a Festival in the Lutheran Churches , and a Principal Feast in the Anglican Communion . Many Christian denominations provide a special liturgy for this holy celebration. Since its date depends on the date of Easter , Pentecost is a " moveable feast ". The Monday after Pentecost

2100-549: Is particularly typical, and distinctive to the heritage of the Moravian Church. Another custom is reading the appointed Scripture lessons in multiple foreign languages recounting the speaking in tongues recorded in Acts 2:4–12 . For some Protestants , the nine days between Ascension Day , and Pentecost are set aside as a time of fasting and universal prayer in honour of the disciples' time of prayer and unity awaiting

2205-520: Is reflected in Peter's speech to the Roman centurion, Cornelius (Acts 10:36). Peter states that "this one" [οὗτος], i.e. Jesus, "is lord [κύριος] of all." The title, κύριος, was often ascribed to the Roman emperor in antiquity, rendering its use by Luke as an appellation for Jesus an unsubtle challenge to the emperor's authority. As the second part of the two-part work Luke–Acts, Acts has significant links to

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2310-464: Is shown sitting in the center of them). At the top of the icon, the Holy Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, is descending upon them. At the bottom is an allegorical figure, called Kosmos , which symbolizes the world. Although Kosmos is crowned with earthly glory he sits in the darkness caused by the ignorance of God. He is holding a towel on which have been placed 12 scrolls, representing

2415-452: Is sung during liturgical celebrations on the feast of Pentecost. Trumpeters or brass ensembles are often specially contracted to accompany singing and provide special music at Pentecost services, recalling the Sound of the mighty wind. While this practice is common among a wide spectrum of Western denominations (Eastern Churches do not employ instrumental accompaniment in their worship) it

2520-617: Is the commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and Paul. The liturgical celebrations of Pentecost in Western churches are as rich and varied as those in the East. The typical image of Pentecost in the West is that of the Virgin Mary seated centrally and prominently among the disciples with flames resting on the crowns of their heads. Occasionally, parting clouds suggesting the action of

2625-562: Is the geographic movement from Jerusalem, centre of God's Covenantal people, the Jews, to Rome, centre of the Gentile world. This structure reaches back to the author's preceding work, the Gospel of Luke , and is signaled by parallel scenes such as Paul's utterance in Acts 19:21, which echoes Jesus's words in Luke 9:51: Paul has Rome as his destination, as Jesus had Jerusalem. The second key element

2730-472: Is the roles of Peter and Paul, the first representing the Jewish Christian church, the second the mission to the Gentiles. The Gospel of Luke began with a prologue addressed to Theophilus; Acts likewise opens with an address to Theophilus and refers to "my earlier book", almost certainly the gospel. The apostles and other followers of Jesus meet and elect Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot as

2835-566: Is used in Acts 10, and Mark's account of the accusation that Jesus has attacked the Temple (Mark 14:58) is used in a story about Stephen (Acts 6:14). There are also points of contacts (meaning suggestive parallels but something less than clear evidence) with 1 Peter , the Letter to the Hebrews , and 1 Clement. Other sources can only be inferred from internal evidence—the traditional explanation of

2940-515: Is used) after Easter Day . It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks , as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31). The Catholic Church believes the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the same time, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14). Pentecost

3045-504: The Acts of the Apostles . The author begins by noting that the disciples of Jesus "were all together in one place" on the "day of Pentecost" ( ἡμέρα τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ). The verb used in Acts 2:1 to indicate the arrival of the day of Pentecost carries a connotation of fulfillment. There is a "mighty rushing wind" (wind is a common symbol for the Holy Spirit) and "tongues as of fire" appear. The gathered disciples were "filled with

3150-647: The Congregationalists after Barclay's death in 1798. A new Protestant Christian group began in the 1850s in the United States under the tutelage of Dr. John Thomas. The name " Christadelphian " was chosen as it is believed that those who believe and obey the Commandments of Christ and the Bible as the inspired word of God, are "Brethren in Christ". The original group split, with one group continuing with

3255-604: The Day of Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit ), the expulsion of Christians from Jerusalem and the establishment of the church at Antioch . The later chapters narrate the continuation of the message under Paul the Apostle and concludes with his imprisonment in Rome, where he awaits trial . Luke–Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah of the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church;

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3360-682: The Eastern Orthodox Church , Pentecost is one of the Orthodox Great Feasts and is considered to be the highest ranking Great Feast of the Lord, second in rank only to Pascha (Easter). The service is celebrated with an All-night Vigil on the eve of the feast day , and the Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast itself. Orthodox churches are often decorated with greenery and flowers on this feast day, and

3465-577: The Gospel of Luke . Major turning points in the structure of Acts find parallels in Luke: the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple parallels the opening of Acts in the Temple, Jesus's forty days of testing in the wilderness prior to his mission parallel the forty days prior to his Ascension in Acts, the mission of Jesus in Samaria and the Decapolis (the lands of the Samaritans and Gentiles) parallels

3570-460: The Italian peninsula , rose petals were and are thrown from the galleries over the congregation, recalling the tongues of fire. (see below ) In modern times, this practice has been revived, and adapted as well, to include the strewing of origami doves from above or suspending them, sometimes by the hundreds, from the ceiling. The singing of Pentecost hymns is also central to the celebration in

3675-611: The Kingdom of God and teaching freely about "the Lord Jesus Christ". Acts ends abruptly without recording the outcome of Paul's legal troubles. Prior to the 1950s, Luke–Acts was seen as a historical work, written to defend Christianity before the Romans or Paul against his detractors; since then the tendency has been to see the work as primarily theological. Luke's theology is expressed primarily through his overarching plot,

3780-470: The Middle Ages , cathedrals and great churches throughout Western Europe were fitted with a peculiar architectural feature known as a Holy Ghost hole : a small circular opening in the roof that symbolized the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the midst of the congregation. At Pentecost, these Holy Ghost holes would be decorated with flowers, and sometimes a dove figure lowered through into the church while

3885-517: The New Testament , the largest contribution attributed to a single author, providing the framework for both the Church's liturgical calendar and the historical outline into which later generations have fitted their idea of the story of Jesus and the early church . The author is not named in either volume. According to Church tradition dating from the 2nd century, the author was Luke , named as

3990-794: The Sabbath according to Leviticus 23:16. It is discussed in the Mishnah and the Babylonian Talmud , tractate Arakhin . The actual mention of fifty days comes from Leviticus 23:16. The Festival of Weeks is also known as the Feast of Harvest in Exodus 23:16 and the Day of First Fruits in Numbers 28:26. In Exodus 34:22, it is called the "first fruits of the wheat harvest." Sometime during

4095-630: The Torah . By this time, some Jews were already living in the Diaspora . According to Acts 2:5–11 there were Jews from "every nation under heaven" in Jerusalem, possibly visiting the city as pilgrims during Pentecost. The narrative in Acts 2 of the Pentecost includes numerous references to earlier biblical narratives like the Tower of Babel , and the flood and creation narratives from

4200-459: The followers of Jesus as a sect of the Jews , and therefore entitled to legal protection as a recognised religion; on the other, Luke seems unclear as to the future that God intends for Jews and Christians, celebrating the Jewishness of Jesus and his immediate followers, while also stressing how the Jews had rejected the Messiah. The name "Acts of the Apostles" was first used by Irenaeus in

4305-478: The gifts and Fruits of the Spirit . Red flowers at the altar/preaching area, and red flowering plants such as geraniums around the church are also typical decorations for Pentecost masses/services. These symbolize the renewal of life, the coming of the warmth of summer, and the growth of the church at and from the first Pentecost. In the southern hemisphere, for example, in southern Australia, Pentecost comes in

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4410-552: The resurrection and exaltation . In his sermon, Peter quotes Joel 2:28–32 and Psalm 16 to indicate that first Pentecost marks the start of the Messianic Age . About one hundred and twenty followers of Christ (Acts 1:15) were present, including the Twelve Apostles ( Matthias was Judas 's replacement) (Acts 1:13, 26), Jesus's mother Mary, other female disciples and his brothers ( Acts 1:14 ). While those on whom

4515-442: The οἶκος ("house") given as the location of the events in Acts 2:2 was one of the thirty halls of the Temple where St. John's school is now placed (called οἶκοι ), but the text itself is lacking in specific details. Richard C. H. Lenski and other scholars contend that the author of Acts could have chosen the word ἱερόν (sanctuary or temple) if this meaning were intended, rather than "house". Some semantic details suggest that

4620-463: The "birthday" of the church; they see the church as having existed before the creation of the world (cf. The Shepherd of Hermas ). In the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria , the "Apostles Fast" has a fixed end date on the fifth of the Coptic month of Epip (which currently falls on July 12, which is equivalent to June 29, due to the current 13-day Julian-Gregorian calendar offset). The fifth of Epip

4725-473: The "house" could be the "upper room" ( ὑπερῷον ) mentioned in Acts ;1:12–26 , but there is no literary evidence to confirm the location with certainty and it remains a subject of dispute amongst scholars. The events of Acts Chapter 2 are set against the backdrop of the celebration of Pentecost in Jerusalem. There are several major features to the Pentecost narrative presented in the second chapter of

4830-481: The "mighty wind"; rays of light and the Dove are also depicted. the Western iconographic style is less static and stylized than that of the East, and other very different representations have been produced, and, in some cases, have achieved great fame such as the Pentecosts by Titian , Giotto , and el Greco . St. Paul already in the 1st century notes the importance of this festival to the early Christian communities: see: Acts 20:16 and 1 Corinthians 16:8 . Since

4935-417: The "we" passages as indicative that the writer was a historical eyewitness (whether Luke the evangelist or not), remains the most influential in current biblical studies. Objections to this viewpoint include the above claim that Luke-Acts contains differences in theology and historical narrative which are irreconcilable with the authentic letters of Paul the Apostle . The earliest possible date for Luke-Acts

5040-426: The Aegean, preaching, converting, and founding new churches. On a visit to Jerusalem he is set on by a Jewish mob. Saved by the Roman commander, he is accused by the Jews of being a revolutionary , the "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes", and imprisoned. Later, Paul asserts his right as a Roman citizen, to be tried in Rome and is sent by sea to Rome, where he spends another two years under house arrest, proclaiming

5145-405: The Apostles ( Koinē Greek : Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων , Práxeis Apostólōn ; Latin : Actūs Apostolōrum ) is the fifth book of the New Testament ; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire . Acts and the Gospel of Luke make up a two-part work, Luke–Acts , by the same anonymous author. Traditionally, the author is believed to be Luke

5250-472: The Apostles" ( Praxeis Apostolon ) would seem to identify it with the genre telling of the deeds and achievements of great men ( praxeis ), but it was not the title given by the author. The anonymous author aligned Luke–Acts to the "narratives" (διήγησις, diēgēsis ) which many others had written, and described his own work as an "orderly account" (ἀκριβῶς καθεξῆς). It lacks exact analogies in Hellenistic or Jewish literature. The author may have taken as his model

5355-425: The Baptist , each time as a sign of God's approval. The Holy Spirit represents God's power (at his ascension, Jesus tells his followers, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you"): through it the disciples are given speech to convert thousands in Jerusalem, forming the first church (the term is used for the first time in Acts 5). One issue debated by scholars is Luke's political vision regarding

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5460-414: The Book of Genesis. It also includes references to certain theophanies , with certain emphasis on God's incarnate appearance on biblical Mount Sinai when the Ten Commandments were presented to Moses . Theologian Stephen Wilson has described the narrative as "exceptionally obscure" and various points of disagreement persist among bible scholars. Some biblical commentators have sought to establish that

5565-424: The Christian missionaries are always cleared of charges of violating Roman laws, and Acts ends with Paul in Rome proclaiming the Christian message under Roman protection; at the same time, Luke makes clear that the Romans, like all earthly rulers, receive their authority from Satan, while Christ is ruler of the kingdom of God . Acts is divided into 28 chapters . The work has two key structural principles. The first

5670-440: The Earth." They then proceed to do so, in the order outlined: first Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, then the entire (Roman) world. For Luke, the Holy Spirit is the driving force behind the spread of the Christian message, and he places more emphasis on it than do any of the other evangelists. The Spirit is "poured out" at Pentecost on the first Samaritan and Gentile believers and on disciples who had been baptised only by John

5775-435: The Easter Season in the Roman Catholic Church, the dismissal with the double alleluia is sung at the end of Mass. The Paschal Candle is removed from the sanctuary at the end of the day. In the Roman Catholic Church, Veni Sancte Spiritus is the sequence hymn for the Day of Pentecost. This has been translated into many languages and is sung in many denominations today. As an invocation of the Holy Spirit, Veni Creator Spiritus

5880-478: The Evangelist , a doctor who travelled with Paul the Apostle . It is usually dated to around 80–90 AD, although some scholars suggest 110–120 AD. The first part, the Gospel of Luke, tells how God fulfilled his plan for the world's salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth . Acts continues the story of Christianity in the 1st century , beginning with the ascension of Jesus to Heaven . The early chapters, set in Jerusalem , describe

5985-404: The Gentiles because the Jews rejected it. This theme is introduced in Chapter 4 of the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus, rejected in Nazareth, recalls the rejection of prophets. at the end of the gospel he commands his disciples to preach his message to all nations, "beginning from Jerusalem." He repeats the command in Acts, telling them to preach "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of

6090-428: The Greco-Roman world at large. He begins his gospel with a preface addressed to Theophilus ( Luke 1:3 ; cf. Acts 1:1 ), informing him of his intention to provide an "ordered account" of events which will lead his reader to "certainty". He did not write in order to provide Theophilus with historical justification—"did it happen?"—but to encourage faith—"what happened, and what does it all mean?" Acts (or Luke–Acts)

6195-407: The Hellenistic period, the ancient harvest festival also became a day of renewing the Noahic covenant , described in Genesis 9:17 , which is established between God and "all flesh that is upon the earth". After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE , offerings could no longer be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem and the focus of the festival shifted from agriculture to the Israelites receiving

6300-465: The Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The timing of the narrative during the law giving festival of Pentecost symbolizes both continuity with the giving of the law, but also the central role of the Holy Spirit for the early church. The central role of Christ in Christian faith signified a fundamental theological separation from the traditional Jewish faith, which was grounded in the Torah and Mosaic Law. Peter's sermon in Acts 2:14–36 stresses

6405-430: The Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance". Some scholars have interpreted the passage as a reference to the multitude of languages spoken by the gathered disciples, while others have taken the reference to "tongues" ( γλῶσσαι ) to signify ecstatic speech . In Christian tradition, this event represents fulfillment of the promise that Christ will baptize his followers with

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6510-414: The Holy Spirit. Out of the four New Testament gospels, the distinction between baptism by water and the baptism by Christ with "Holy Spirit and fire" is only found in Matthew and Luke. The narrative in Acts evokes the symbolism of Jesus's baptism in the Jordan River , and the start of his ministry, by explicitly connecting the earlier prophecy of John the Baptist to the baptism of the disciples with

6615-406: The Holy Spirit. Priests or ministers, and choirs wear red vestments , and in modern times, the custom has extended to the lay people of the congregation wearing red clothing in celebration as well. Red banners are often hung from walls or ceilings to symbolize the blowing of the "mighty wind" and the free movement of the Spirit. In some cases, red fans, or red handkerchiefs, are distributed to

6720-527: The Holy Spirit. Similarly among Roman Catholics , special Pentecost novenas are prayed. The Pentecost Novena is considered the first novena, all other novenas prayed in preparation of various feasts deriving their practice from those original nine days of prayer observed by the disciples of Christ. While the Eve of Pentecost was traditionally a day of fasting for Catholics, contemporary canon law no longer requires it. Both Catholics and Protestants may hold spiritual retreats , prayer vigils , and litanies in

6825-424: The Jerusalem church and places Paul under the authority of the Jerusalem church and its leaders, especially James and Peter (Acts 15 vs. Galatians 2). Acts omits much from the letters, notably Paul's problems with his congregations (internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead), and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem (Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that

6930-408: The Jewish rejection of the Messiah and the role of the Holy Spirit, in ways that are stylistically different from the rest of Acts. The majority of scholars prefer the Alexandrian (shorter) text-type over the Western as the more authentic, but this same argument would favour the Western over the Alexandrian for the Gospel of Luke, as in that case the Western version is the shorter. The title "Acts of

7035-472: The Jews); Baur continues to have enormous influence, but today there is less interest in determining the historical accuracy of Acts (although this has never died out) than in understanding the author's theological program. Luke was written to be read aloud to a group of Jesus-followers gathered in a house to share the Lord's supper. The author assumes an educated Greek-speaking audience, but directs his attention to specifically Christian concerns rather than to

7140-458: The Messianic kingdom by Israel, and God's sovereign establishment of the church for both Jews and Gentiles. Acts agrees with Paul's letters on the major outline of Paul's career: he is converted and becomes a Christian missionary and apostle, establishing new churches in Asia Minor and the Aegean and struggling to free Gentile Christians from the Jewish Law . There are also agreements on many incidents, such as Paul's escape from Damascus, where he

7245-468: The Roman Catholic Church, all the Sundays from the holiday itself until Advent in late November or December are designated the 2nd, 3rd, etc. Sunday after Pentecost, again traditionally reckoned inclusively . Throughout the year, in Roman Catholic piety, Pentecost is the third of the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary , as well as being one of the Stations of the Resurrection or Via Lucis. In some Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, where there

7350-462: The Spirit had descended were speaking in many languages, the Apostle Peter stood up with the eleven and proclaimed to the crowd that this event was the fulfillment of the prophecy. In Acts 2:17 , it reads: "'And in the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams." He also mentions ( Acts 2:15 ) that it

7455-437: The Western tradition. Hymns such as Martin Luther 's " Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott " (Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord), Charles Wesley 's "Spirit of Faith Come Down" and "Come Holy Ghost Our Hearts Inspire" or Hildegard von Bingen 's "O Holy Spirit Root of Life" are popular. Some traditional hymns of Pentecost make reference not only to themes relating to the Holy Spirit or the church, but to folk customs connected to

7560-552: The answer it provides is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it . Luke–Acts can also be seen as a defense of the Jesus movement addressed to the Jews: the bulk of the speeches and sermons in Acts are addressed to Jewish audiences, with the Romans serving as external arbiters on disputes concerning Jewish customs and law. On the one hand, Luke portrays

7665-474: The celebration is intentionally similar to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot , which celebrates the giving of the Mosaic Law . In the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria , Pentecost is one of the seven Major "Lord's Feasts". The feast itself lasts three days. The first day is known as " Trinity Sunday "; the second day is known as " Spirit Monday " (or "Monday of the Holy Spirit"); and the third day, Tuesday,

7770-648: The congregation to be waved during the procession, etc. Other congregations have incorporated the use of red balloons, signifying the "Birthday of the Church". These may be borne by the congregants, decorate the sanctuary, or released all at once. The celebrations may depict symbols of the Holy Spirit, such as the dove or flames, symbols of the church such as Noah's Ark and the Pomegranate , or especially within Protestant churches of Reformed and Evangelical traditions, words rather than images naming for example,

7875-592: The days leading up to Pentecost. In some cases vigils on the Eve of Pentecost may last all night. Pentecost is also one of the occasions specially appointed for the Lutheran Litany to be sung. On the morning of Pentecost, a popular custom is "to ascend hill tops and mountains during the early dawn of Whitsunday to pray. People call this observance 'catching the Holy Ghost.' Thus they express in symbolic language

7980-476: The fiftieth day after Passover according to Deuteronomy 16:10 , and Exodus 34:22 , where it is referred to as the "Festival of Weeks" (Koinē Greek: ἑορτὴν ἑβδομάδων , romanized:  heortēn hebdomádōn ). The Septuagint uses the term Pentēkostē in this context in the Book of Tobit and 2 Maccabees . The translators of the Septuagint also used the word in two other senses: to signify

8085-462: The followers of Jesus, is converted by a vision to become a follower of Christ (an event which Luke regards as so important that he relates it three times). Peter, directed by a series of visions, preaches to Cornelius the Centurion , a Gentile God-fearer, who becomes a follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit descends on Cornelius and his guests, thus confirming that the message of eternal life in Christ

8190-426: The history of the early church which enabled the rapid spread of Christianity. Within a few decades important congregations had been established in all major cities of the Roman Empire. Concerning Acts 2 , Gerd Lüdemann considers the Pentecost gathering as very possible, and the apostolic instruction to be historically credible. Wedderburn acknowledges the possibility of a ‘mass ecstatic experience’, and notes it

8295-468: The holiday as well, such as the decorating with green branches. Other hymns include "Oh that I had a Thousand Voices" (" O daß ich tausend Zungen hätte ") by German, Johann Mentzer Verse 2: " Ye forest leaves so green and tender, that dance for joy in summer air  ..." or "O Day Full of Grace" (" Den signede Dag ") by Dane , N. F. S. Grundtvig verse 3: " Yea were every tree endowed with speech and every leaflet singing  ...". As Pentecost closes

8400-416: The illegal practice of magic (Acts 19:17–19) as well as the amicability of his rapport with Roman officials such as Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:6–12) and Festus (Acts 26:30–32). Furthermore, Acts does not include any account of a struggle between Christians and the Roman government as a result of the latter's imperial cult. Thus Paul is depicted as a moderating presence between the church and the Roman Empire. On

8505-459: The late 2nd century. It is not known whether this was an existing name for the book or one invented by Irenaeus; it does seem clear that it was not given by the author, as the word práxeis (deeds, acts) only appears once in the text ( Acts 19 :18) and there it refers not to the apostles but to deeds confessed by their followers. The Gospel of Luke and Acts make up a two-volume work which scholars call Luke–Acts . Together they account for 27.5% of

8610-690: The lifetime of some who may have been eyewitnesses, annual celebrations of the descent of the Holy Spirit have been observed. In the Roman Catholic liturgy, Pentecost marks the end and completion of the Easter season , and the birth or "great beginning" of the church. Before the Second Vatican Council Pentecost Monday as well was a Holy Day of Obligation during which the Catholic Church addressed

8715-517: The liturgical calendar and observe Pentecost as a day to teach the Gifts of the Holy Spirit . Across denominational lines Pentecost has been an opportunity for Christians to honor the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and celebrate the birth of the Christian Church in an ecumenical context. The main sign of Pentecost in the West is the colour red. It symbolizes joy and the fire of

8820-537: The liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, as at Easter, the liturgical rank of Monday and Tuesday of Pentecost week is a Double of the First Class and across many Western denominations, Pentecost is celebrated with an octave culminating on Trinity Sunday . However, in the modern Roman Rite (Ordinary Form), Pentecost ends after Evening Prayer on the feast day itself, with Ordinary Time resuming

8925-420: The mellow autumntide, after the often great heat of summer, and the red leaves of the poinsettia have often been used to decorate churches then. These flowers often play an important role in the ancestral rites, and other rites, of the particular congregation. For example, in both Protestant and Catholic churches, the plants brought in to decorate for the holiday may be each "sponsored" by individuals in memory of

9030-603: The missions of the Apostles in Samaria and the Gentile lands, and so on (see Gospel of Luke ). These parallels continue through both books, contributing to the narrative unity of the work. However, scholars have noted differences between Luke and Acts, including some apparent contradictions. For example, the gospel seems to place the Ascension on Easter Sunday , shortly after the Resurrection , while Acts 1 puts it forty days later. Such differences have led to debates over

9135-485: The name "The Christadelphians" and the second group adding the word "Berean" to become the " Berean Christadelphians ". The word "Berean" was chosen to reflect the words in Acts 17, "These (Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so." Christadelphians, and Berean Christadelphians believe in

9240-762: The name, such as the Berean Bible Students and the Berean Bible Institute . Churches and institutions who adopt the Berean name, usually do so in order to express their desire to reflect the attitude of the Bereans in Acts 17, committing themselves to "searching the scriptures daily". [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Easton, Matthew George (1897). " Bereans ". Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons. Book of Acts The Acts of

9345-493: The narrative of Pentecost was read. Holy Ghost holes can still be seen today in European churches such as Canterbury Cathedral . Similarly, a large two dimensional dove figure would be, and in some places still is, cut from wood, painted, and decorated with flowers, to be lowered over the congregation, particularly during the singing of the sequence hymn , or Veni Creator Spiritus . In other places, particularly Sicily and

9450-414: The nature of the unity between the two books. While not seriously questioning the single authorship of Luke–Acts, these variations suggest a complex literary structure that balances thematic continuity with narrative development across two volumes. Literary studies have explored how Luke sets the stage in his gospel for key themes that recur and develop throughout Acts, including the offer to and rejection of

9555-668: The newly baptized and confirmed. Since the council, Pentecost Monday is no longer solemnized. Pentecost Monday remains an official festival in many Protestant churches, such as the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden , the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland , and others. In the Byzantine Catholic Rite Pentecost Monday is no longer a Holy Day of Obligation , but rather a simple holiday . In the Extraordinary Form of

9660-558: The next day. Marking the festival's importance, as the principal feast of the church and the fulfilment of Christ's purpose in coming into the world, namely bringing the Holy Spirit which had departed with Adam and Eve's fall, back into the world, all 33 following Sundays are "Sundays after Pentecost" in the Orthodox Church. In several denominations, such as the Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist churches, and formerly in

9765-417: The other hand, events such as the imprisonment of Paul at the hands of the empire (Acts 22–28) as well as several encounters that reflect negatively on Roman officials (for instance, Felix's desire for a bribe from Paul in Acts 24:26) function as concrete points of conflict between Rome and the early church. Perhaps the most significant point of tension between Roman imperial ideology and Luke's political vision

9870-616: The preparation for the next Great Lent , are named for the day after Pentecost on which they occur. This is again counted inclusively, such that the 15th day of Pentecost is 14 days after Trinity Sunday. The exception is that the Melkite Greek Catholic Church marks Sundays "after Holy Cross ". The Orthodox icon of the feast depicts the Twelve Apostles seated in a semicircle (sometimes the Theotokos (Virgin Mary)

9975-651: The promises given to Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob concerning the Kingdom of God. They deny the Doctrine of the Trinity , a central tenet of orthodox Christianity , and this refusal to recognize the triune nature of God has resulted in a major impasse between the Christadelphians and the Protestant, Catholic , and Eastern Orthodox churches. Some groups among the Bible Student movement also adopted

10080-679: The relationship between the early church and the Roman Empire. On the one hand, Luke generally does not portray this interaction as one of direct conflict. Rather, there are ways in which each may have considered having a relationship with the other rather advantageous to its own cause. For example, early Christians may have appreciated hearing about the protection Paul received from Roman officials against Gentile rioters in Philippi (Acts 16:16–40) and Ephesus (Acts 19:23–41), and against Jewish rioters on two occasions (Acts 17:1–17; Acts 18:12–17). Meanwhile, Roman readers may have approved of Paul's censure of

10185-538: The sources for Acts can only be guessed at, but the author would have had access to the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures), the Gospel of Mark , and either the hypothetical collection of "sayings of Jesus" called the Q source or the Gospel of Matthew . He transposed a few incidents from Mark's gospel to the time of the Apostles—for example, the material about "clean" and "unclean" foods in Mark 7

10290-524: The teaching of the Twelve Apostles. An extraordinary service called the "Kneeling Prayer" is observed on the night of Pentecost. This is a Vespers service to which are added three sets of long poetical prayers, the composition of Basil the Great , during which everyone makes a full prostration , touching their foreheads to the floor (prostrations in church having been forbidden from the day of Pascha (Easter) up to this point). Uniquely, these prayers include

10395-410: The three "we" passages, for example, is that they represent eyewitness accounts. The search for such inferred sources was popular in the 19th century, but by the mid-20th it had largely been abandoned. Acts was read as a reliable history of the early church well into the post-Reformation era, but by the 17th century biblical scholars began to notice that it was incomplete and tendentious—its picture of

10500-469: The use of the term "Pentecost" in Acts is a reference to the Jewish festival. He writes that a well-defined, distinct Christian celebration did not exist until later years, when Christians kept the name of "Pentecost" but began to calculate the date of the feast based on Easter rather than Passover. Peter stated that this event was the beginning of a continual outpouring that would be available to all believers from that point on, Jews and Gentiles alike. In

10605-620: The way scenes, themes and characters combine to construct his specific worldview. His "salvation history" stretches from the Creation to the present time of his readers, in three ages: first, the time of "the Law and the Prophets" (Luke 16:16), the period beginning with Genesis and ending with the appearance of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5–3:1); second, the epoch of Jesus, in which the Kingdom of God

10710-444: The works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus , who wrote a well-known history of Rome, or the Jewish historian Josephus , author of a history of the Jews . Like them, he anchors his history by dating the birth of the founder (Romulus for Dionysius, Moses for Josephus, Jesus for Luke) and like them he tells how the founder is born from God, taught authoritatively, and appeared to witnesses after death before ascending to heaven. By and large

10815-517: The year of Jubilee ( Leviticus 25:10 ) an event which occurs every 50th year, and in several passages of chronology as an ordinal number . The term has also been used in the literature of Hellenistic Judaism by Philo of Alexandria and Josephus to refer to Shavuot. In Judaism , Shavuot is a harvest festival that is celebrated seven weeks and one day after the first day of Passover in Deuteronomy 16:9, or seven weeks and one day after

10920-410: Was preached (Luke 3:2–24:51); and finally the period of the Church, which began when the risen Christ was taken into Heaven, and would end with his second coming . Luke–Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah, promised to the Jews, came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to

11025-414: Was the third hour of the day (about 9:00 am). Acts 2:41 then reports: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Some critical scholars believe some features of the narrative are theological constructions. They believe that even if the Pentecost narrative is not literally true, it does signify an important event in

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