Jesus Sends the Holy Spirit
The event of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2, marks a pivotal moment in the history of redemption and the life of the church. It is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit, signaling a new era in which the Spirit indwells, empowers, and unites believers.
The Promise of the Spirit in the Old Testament
The prophets anticipated a day when God would pour out his Spirit on all people, transcending the limitations of ethnicity, gender, and social status. Joel prophesied, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). God’s presence would be intimately experienced by all his people.
The Psalms, too, anticipate the work of the Messiah and the coming kingdom, often in shadows and prophecies. Since Christ had not yet appeared, he is spoken of generally in types related to the character of the Davidic king. In some psalms, however, traditionally called ‘messianic psalms,’ Christ is spoken of directly and clearly. These messianic psalms include Psalms 2, 22, 45, 72 and 110. The expectation of a Spirit-anointed Messiah is especially clear in passages such as Psalm 2 and Isaiah 11:2, where the Spirit rests upon the coming king.
Jesus’ Promise of the Spirit
In the Gospels, Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure by promising the coming of the Spirit of Truth. In John’s Gospel, Jesus comforts his followers, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). This Spirit of truth is the guide that rests in the awakened believer. He is not of this world, so he cannot be understood by this world. But the Spirit of truth is the ultimate and triumphant guide for all believers.
Jesus further clarifies the Spirit’s role: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). The Spirit’s ministry is to illuminate the truth of Jesus, empower the disciples for witness, and guide them into all truth (John 16:13).
After his resurrection, Jesus reiterates this promise: “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). After the ascension of Jesus, the disciples are to wait in Jerusalem for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise, which will equip them for their mission.
The Pentecost Event in Acts 2
The fulfillment of Jesus’ promise occurs on the day of Pentecost, a Jewish festival celebrating the firstfruits of the harvest and the giving of the law at Sinai. Acts 2 records: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4). The Spirit’s coming is both audible and visible, signifying a new manifestation of God’s presence among his people.
The immediate result is the disciples’ proclamation of the “mighty works of God” in various languages, enabling Jews from every nation to hear the gospel in their own tongue (Acts 2:5-11). Here is a reversal of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). The universal scope of the gospel and the Spirit’s role is uniting diverse peoples into one body.
Peter’s Explanation and the Fulfillment of Prophecy
Peter, filled with the Spirit, addresses the crowd and interprets the event in light of Joel’s prophecy: “But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…’” (Acts 2:16-17). Peter identifies Pentecost as the inauguration of the “last days,” the era of the Spirit’s outpouring onto us.
Peter’s sermon centers on the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus, declaring, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing” (Acts 2:32-33). The sending of the Holy Spirit is the direct result of Jesus’ exaltation; it is Jesus himself who pours out the Spirit upon his people.
Theological Significance of Pentecost
Pentecost marks several key transitions in redemptive history. First, it signifies the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises regarding the Spirit’s universal outpouring. No longer is the Spirit’s presence limited to prophets, priests, or kings; now, every believer is indwelt and empowered by the Spirit.
Second, Pentecost inaugurates the new covenant community, the church. The Spirit unites believers to Christ and to one another, forming a new people of God. Paul later writes, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit’s indwelling is the distinguishing mark of the new covenant (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Third, the Spirit empowers the church for mission. Jesus had told his disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Spirit’s coming equips believers to proclaim the gospel boldly and to bear witness to Jesus in word and deed.
Conclusion: Ministry of the Spirit
The implications of Jesus sending the Holy Spirit are important for believers to grasp today. Jesus did not pick and choose who could experience the Spirit. This is a gift offered to every person. Whether we receive it or not is up to us. As Paul writes, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9). But we all come from one Creator, and our souls thirst for the Living Water offered by Jesus Christ. Once we receive Christ and the Spirit of Truth is recognized within us, we understand our adopted place in the family of God.
The Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates hearts, sanctifies, and produces spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). The call is to walk by the Spirit, to be continually filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and to bear witness to Jesus until he returns. The Pentecost event reminds us that God has not left his people as orphans but has come to dwell with and within them, equipping them for holy living and faithful witness. This experience is the birthright of every believer. It is an alignment of our spirit with the Holy Spirit, and everything changes.