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IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD
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Miracle of Pentecost
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Miracle of Pentecost
The story of the miracle of Pentecost is also not a historical account, but is understood as a myth. In fact, Pentecost and the miracle that happened on that day are regarded as the “founding legend” of the Christian church.
The story only appears in the Gospel of Luke, where it forms a bridge between the account of Jesus’s life and the emergence of the Christian church.
According to Luke, Jesus’s life on earth ended with his ascension. Shortly before he ascended to heaven, Christ told his followers that they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon [them],” but at first, nothing happened. Ten days later, on the Jewish festival of Shavuot, the apostles were gathered together to commemorate the final presentation of the Ten Commandments to Moses. As they sat there, a miracle happened: they received the Holy Spirit. The whole house filled with a roaring sound, “tongues, as of fire” appeared, and flames flickered above their heads.
In this moment, the disciples received a special gift: they could suddenly speak in all languages and understand all languages. Thanks to this ability, they could now carry the message of Jesus out into the world and reach people from the most diverse nations.