Shavuot, also known as Pentecost, is a festival deeply rooted in the Torah and fulfilled in the New Testament, a profound celebration revealing God’s redemptive plan for Israel and the nations. This primer explains what the festival is, its connection to Yeshua (Jesus), the timing of its observance and how it’s traditionally celebrated.
What is it?
The name is derived from the Hebrew word שָׁבוּעוֹת Shavuot (“weeks” or “sevens”), is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals (שְׁלוֹשָׁה רְגָלִים shalosh regalim) mandated in the Torah, alongside Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (Tabernacles) (Ex. 23:14–17; Dt. 16:16). Its name reflects the seven weeks (or “sevens”) counted from the offering of the wave sheaf during Passover, culminating on the fiftieth day, which is why Greek-speaking Jews called it πεντηκοστή Pentekoste (“50th”) (Lv. 23:15–16). Shavuot is a multifaceted holiday with agricultural, historical, and spiritual significance, commemorating both the wheat harvest in ancient Israel and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19–20).
Agriculturally, Shavuot marks the “Feast of Harvest” (חַג הַקָּצִיר Chag HaKatsir) or the “Day of Firstfruits” (יוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים Yom HaBikkurim), celebrating the firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Ex. 23:16; Num. 28:26). Israel is instructed to bring offerings of the firstfruits — wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates — to the Temple in Jerusalem as an act of gratitude for God’s provision (Dt. 26:1–11). This act symbolized dependence on the Creator and the joy of His sustenance.
What does this have to do with Yeshua?
But Shavuot is not merely a historical or agricultural festival but a prophetic picture of God’s redemptive work.
First, it is tied to the monumental event at Mount Sinai, where God gave the Torah, including the Ten Commandments (עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת Aseret HaDibrot, “the Ten Words”), to Israel (Exodus 19–20). This moment established Israel as a covenant people, set apart to live in holiness and reflect God’s character to the world (Ex. 19:5–6). Rabbinic tradition holds that this occurred around the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, aligning with Shavuot’s timing, though the Torah doesn’t explicitly state the exact date.
Second, Shavuot is a “second harvest” of souls, first at Sinai, where Israel was formed as God’s covenant people, and later in Jerusalem, where the Holy Spirit empowered the early believers (Acts 2). This dual harvest underscores God’s desire to dwell with His people — first through the Torah and later through the Spirit — inviting both Jews and Gentiles into His Kingdom (Isa. 56:6–8; Jn. 4:22–24).
In Exodus, God descended on Mount Sinai with fire, thunder, and a loud shofar blast, giving the Torah to Israel (Ex. 19:16–20). This event established the covenant, calling Israel to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Similarly, in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in Jerusalem with the sound of a mighty wind and tongues of fire, empowering them to proclaim the Gospel in various languages (Acts 2:1–4).
This outpouring, occurring on Shavuot (Pentecost), marked the fulfillment of God’s promise to include Gentiles in His covenant community (Gn. 12:1–3; Acts 2:39; Rom. 11:17–18).
On that day, Heaven added 3,000 souls to the Kingdom (Acts 2:41) mirroring the “firstfruits” of the wheat harvest, paralleling the formation of Israel at Sinai. Just as the Torah was God’s instruction for righteous living, the Holy Spirit enables believers to live out God’s commands, writing the Torah on their hearts (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10). Yeshua, as the “Word made flesh” (Jn. 1:14), bridges the giving of the Torah and the Spirit, fulfilling the promise of a new covenant that transforms both Jews and Gentiles (Jn. 4:23–24; Gal. 3:28–29).
The Book of Ruth, often read on Shavuot, further illustrates this, as Ruth, a Gentile, is grafted into Israel through faith, prefiguring the inclusion of all nations through Yeshua (Ruth 1:16; Matthew 1:5).
Shavuot thus reveals Yeshua as the ultimate Bondage-Breaker, liberating humanity from sin and death (Rom. 6:6–7). The festival’s themes of liberty, restoration, and acceptance (see “Shavuot expands the Kingdom of God”) align with Yeshua’s mission to redeem and restore all people to God (Jn. 3:16–17). The outpouring of the Spirit empowers believers to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom, sharing the good news with all nations (Acts 1:8).
On which day do we celebrate It?
Determining the exact day of Shavuot hinges on the timing of the wave sheaf offering and the counting of the omer (סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר Sefirat HaOmer), the 50-day period from Passover to Shavuot (Leviticus 23:15–16). There are three main historical approaches to when the wave sheaf is offered, affecting Shavuot’s date.1Tim Hegg, “Counting the Omer: An Inquiry into the Divergent Methods of the 1st Century Judaisms,” TorahResource, 2002, 2009.
Pharisaic (rabbinic) view: The wave sheaf is offered on the second day of Passover (Nisan 16), interpreting “the morrow after the Sabbath” (Lv. 23:11) as the day after the first day of Passover, a festival “Sabbath.” The count begins on Nisan 16, making Shavuot fall on Sivan 6–7, regardless of the day of the week (e.g., June 1–3, 2025). That’s consistent with modern Jewish calendars.2Hegg, 5.
Sadducean, Samaritan and Karaite view: The wave sheaf is offered on the first Sunday after Passover, understanding “Sabbath” from Lv. 23:11 literally as the weekly Sabbath. The 50-day count starts the day after, leading to Shavuot always landing on the first day of the week (Sunday), typically seven to eight weeks later.3Hegg, 7.
Qumran (Essene?) view: The count begins on the Sunday after the entire Passover/Unleavened Bread week, resulting in a later Shavuot, often in mid-Sivan.4Hegg, 9.
Major Christian denominations state that Pentecost is always on a Sunday because it is 50 days after Easter, which is always a Sunday, rooted in the liturgical calendar and biblical tradition. They say this originated from the events in Acts 2, adapting the Jewish feast of Shavuot to commemorate the Holy Spirit’s descent 50 days after Yeshua’s resurrection on the first day of the week (Sunday).5The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Pentecost.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Feb. 2025. Accessed 30 May 2025. (For Christianity’s shift to Sunday as the main worship day, see Samuele Bacchiocchi, From Sabbath to Sunday, The Pontifical Gregorian University Press: Rome, 1977, pp. 122–128, 165–186.)
Denomination
Reason for Sunday Pentecost observance
Origin explanation
Catholic
50 days after Easter Sunday, liturgical calendar
Adapted from Jewish Shavuot, Acts 2 event
Eastern Orthodox
Seventh Sunday after Easter, Great Feast
Fulfillment of Old Testament, Holy Spirit descent
Anglican
Principal Feast, 50 days post-Easter
Biblical account, early Church tradition
Lutheran
Festival, Sunday after Easter week
Jewish roots, Christian fulfillment
Protestant
Often emphasizes Acts 2, Sunday celebration
Historical Church practice, biblical timing
Conversely, Josephus6Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, Ch. 10. and Philo7Philo, The Special Laws, Book II, 162, 176. state the wave offering occurred on Nisan 16, the day after the Passover festival Sabbath (Nisan 15), aligning with the Pharisaic view. Some scholars dispute Sadducean total control of Temple rituals, pointing to a heated calendrical dispute in first-century Judaisms.
Regardless, the focus remains on the spiritual significance of the 50-day count, symbolizing preparation for receiving God’s revelation.
How do we celebrate?
Shavuot is celebrated with rich traditions that reflect its agricultural and spiritual significance:
Torah study: Many Jews stay up all night on Erev Shavuot (the evening before) for תִּקּוּן לֵיל שָׁבוּעוֹת (Tikkun Leil Shavuot, “rectification of Shavuot night”), studying Torah to honor the giving of the Law and atone for the Israelites’ supposed oversleeping at Sinai.
Reading the Ten Commandments: Synagogues recite the Ten Commandments on the first day, emphasizing the covenant at Sinai (Ex. 20:1–17).
Book of Ruth: This book is read, highlighting themes of redemption and inclusion, as Ruth’s story foreshadows Gentile inclusion in God’s people (Ruth 1–4).
Dairy foods: Eating dairy, such as cheesecake or blintzes, is customary, symbolizing the “milk and honey” of the Promised Land and the purity of the Torah (Song 4:11).
Greenery and flowers: Homes and synagogues are decorated with plants to recall Mount Sinai’s blooming and the harvest season.
For Messianic believers, these practices are enriched by celebrating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, often through worship, prayer, and studying Acts 2 alongside Exodus 19–20, seeing Yeshua as the fulfillment of the Torah and the Spirit’s empowerment.
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On Mt. Sinai, on the day of Shavuot, God wrote His law on stone tablets and spoke them to the people. Two thousand years later, on Shavout, God put His law on His disciples hearts and they spoke to the people and 3000 were saved.
Teacher: Richard Agee This is the third in a series of Bible studies exploring the connection in thought and time between Passover, Festival of the Wave Offering (Firstfruits or Bikkurim), Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzot) and the Festival of Sevens (Shavuot or Pentecost). For the background to this presentation, listen to “Timing of the Festivals of Firstfruits & Shavuot — Journey Into the Wilderness of Zin” and “When Was the Wave Sheaf Offering and Yeshua’s Resurrection?” Download a PDF document with a list of Israel’s encampments after the exodus from Egypt and the calendar showing the timing during those first…
There are three primary ways Judaism and Christianity use to determine when Shavuot — Hebrew for “weeks,” “sevens” or Sabbaths — will come. Richard considers another possiblity related to encampments the people of Israel during their exodus from slavery in Egypt leading up to their receiving the 10 Commandments from God at Mt. Sinai. The number of encampments after the people went through the sea and escaped Pharaoh’s army, the connection of those encampments with the weekly Shabbat (seeExodus 16) and the potential for a mistranslation of “day after the Sabbath” and “after the Sabbath, on the first day of…
Yeast is commonly seen as a symbol for pride, something bad. Why does God command us to not eat leavened bread for seven days after Passover then at Shavuot (Pentecost) command that He be offered two loaves of leavened bread? How is the answer to this paradox found in Yeshua’s cryptic instruction to His disciples to beware of the “yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees”?
