Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 6/9/2006

Question
Rabbi,

First, thank you for taking the time to consider this question.  I am a Non-Denominational Christian.  I recently left the Seventh-day Adventist church, which as you may know, keeps the Seventh-day Sabbath of the Torah.  So I somewhat familiar with Jewish beliefs.  But my question is in regards to Pentecost.  And please forgive the ignorance of the Gentile but...
According to Leviticus 23, we find some of the Jewish Feasts and Holyday (Sabbath, Passover, Firstfruits...)  I am trying to figure out which day of the Week Pentecost fell in the year that Jesus was crucified.  Most Christians believe and celebrate this on Sunday, but I would like your expert opinion.  According to Lev. 23:15,16 NIV, in counting the days to Pentecost it says, "From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, an then present an offering of new grain the the LORD."
Was the 'Sabbath' referred to in this text, the Seventh-day Sabbath?
I realize that the Passover always began at sunset of the 14th day, but did Pentecost also occur on the same numeric day every year? (Forgive me if this question is unclear)

Thank you so much,

Scott


Answer
Dear Scott,

Thanks for writing.

If you wish to read up on Pentecost (Shavuot or the Festival of Weeks) in the Jewish tradition, try the several key words in www.jewishencylcopedia.com on-line.

Secondly, I don't have a knowledge of the caledar system that was used during the Second Temple. I do know that there were arguments between the various "sects" or social groups in that time frame about when to begin the offering of the barley crop, and it resulted in beginning the second day of the Festival; others including the Saduccees believed that it began with literally the following Sabbath.

We may never know, and that entire period regard Jesus will probably never satisfy us with precise answers.

Good luck

Rabbi Dov