Pentecost

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
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Kris
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 5:48 am

Pentecost

Post by Kris »

Hello-- I am trying to debunk something that I had read a few years ago on a Christian website. A statement was made that when Josephus talked about the priests hearing voices saying-- let us depart-- from the temple during the feast of Pentecost, that that was the Holy Ghost leaving the temple-- and then this spirit descended on the Apostles, also during the feast of Pentecost.

Here is Josephus' version:

Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove hence".

And here is the Acts version:

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

It seems like Josephus is talking about the evening of the feast of Pentecost, after the day was done, while Acts is talking about the day of Pentecost-- so the spirit would be leaving the temple AFTER the day was done, so the argument made above would be wrong. But maybe I am wrong? I saw the Acts story occurring in 30's ad and Josephus' account occurring in the 60's ad-- but I would also like to debunk the possibility that these two events could even be connected-- does anyone know what the priests evening ministrations would be? Was Pentecost one day?

Any help or insight on this would be greatly appreciated.
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