Part 3 - What is Pentecost?

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven." - Acts 2:1-2, 4-5 KJV

Why were there devout Jews from every nation in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost?

In the Law, God commanded all Jewish males to present themselves with an offering at the temple in Jerusalem three times a year.

"Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:" - Deuteronomy 16:16 KJV

We know the feast of weeks as Pentecost. The Jews call it Shavuot, which means weeks. It is called weeks because it is celebrated seven weeks after Passover (the feast of unleavened bread). The word “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word for fifty. After the completion of the seven weeks, on the fiftieth day, Pentecost was to begin.

When the hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus (Acts 1:15) were filled with the Holy Ghost and began speaking in tongues, the devout Jews from every nation that were in Jerusalem heard them.

"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ...  we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." - Acts 2:6-8, 11 KJV

"And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?  Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice…" - Acts 2:12-14 KJV

To be continued…