What happened at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended?
At Pentecost, a Jewish feast day, the nation of Israel was gathered, and the Holy Spirit came down with power. This was Israel’s renewed offer to experience the Spirit’s power for miracles, signs, and wonders, just as Jesus had done, with Jesus as the baptizer and Israel as the baptizees.
Les explains that Pentecost was a Jewish feast day, so it was the nation of Israel that was gathered. The Holy Spirit came down with power, giving Israel a valid offer again to experience the Spirit’s power to perform miracles, signs, and wonders as Jesus had done. This was the nation’s prospect: believing Jews could carry on what Christ had been doing for three years, manifested by being placed into the very power of the Holy Spirit. Les connects this to chapter 1, verse 8, “you shall receive power,” where Jesus would be the baptizer and Israel the baptizees. He then contrasts this with 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul writes to the basically Gentile church at Corinth with a strictly Pauline term.