DID YOU KNOW IT IS A MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY THAT APOSTLE PAUL AND THOUSANDS OF BELIEVING JEWS KEPT PENTECOST “BEYOND” THE TRADITIONAL 50 DAY COUNT??? If we can scripturally prove the above it should end the Pentecost debate once and for all. The following will conclusively shows after narrowing things down that the Apostle Paul only had EIGHT TRAVELING DAYS to travel 1000 mi. in order to keep the traditional Pentecost at Jerusalem and they were only averaging 30 mi. per day. This makes it an impossibility for the traditional Pentecost. We can actually show, after narrowing things down, that with the traditional Pentecost count, Paul only had 8 travel days in which to travel 1000 mi., which would be an average of 125 mi. per day and about 100 of these miles were on foot, half of which, with animals and an old disciple from Caesarea to Jerusalem. This kills the traditional Pentecost theory because they only traveled 150 mi. in five days from Philippi to Troas, and this by ship, which is an average of 30 mi. per day. After this, the Scripture shows about seven more examples where they were still only averaging about 30 mi. per day for the first 500 mi. This can be verified by reading Acts 20:13 through 17 and measuring the distance between these cities with the map in the back of most Bibles and comparing the days with the mile.This gives us a scriptural precedence of how many miles they average per day by ship, which was the fastest means of travel of that day. If the above statement about the eight travel days and the 1000 mi. can be proven, which I will do shortly, it makes the traditional Pentecost impossible. The Consider this, five of the eight days, from Philippi to Troas, are already gone, and this leaves only THREE days to travel the other 820 mi. This means they would have to average 273 1/3 miles per day. And as I said above, some of these miles would be on foot. Did Paul and company average 273 1/3 miles per day or 820 mi. in three days? Absolutely not because they only averaged about 30 mi. per day for the 1st 500 mi. and this alone should make the honest truth seeker take another look at Leviticus 23:16 and number the 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath instead of the wave sheaf, and that would give them another 50 days in order to have enough time to reach Jerusalem and keep the Pentecost that Paul and the thousands of Jews were keeping. If they used two more of the remaining three days in order to go another 60 mi., this would leave another 760 mi. and only one day to travel it.The reason Paul only had eight travel days with the traditional count is because the Scripture records at least 42 days that there was no travel for the Apostle Paul and company, and this is not even counting some of the seven weekly Sabbaths that would have fallen during this time. When we subtract 42 from 50 it leaves only “eight days” to make the 1000 mi. journey. Here’s how I come up with 42 no travel days to Pentecost. I will also show how that Paul was ahead of schedule and had arrived at Jerusalem at least 10 days before Pentecost which leaves only 40 days with the traditional count but first let’s start at Philippi. They were not traveling during the seven days of Unleavened Bread at Philippi and for those that begin the 50 day count to Pentecost from the 16th of the first month, this would account for six of the no travel days, assuming they left the very next day after Unleavened Bread. The Scripture says they sailed away from Philippi AFTER the days of unleavened bread and came unto them in Troas in FIVE DAYS, where they abode SEVEN DAYS. This would account for another seven days of no travel, a total of 13 NO TRAVEL DAYS. Paul sailed by Ephesus to Miletus and sent for the elders of Ephesus to come down to Miletus and if he immediately sent a runner, it would have taken at least THREE DAYS to go up and find the elders and bring them back down to Miletus where they had a meeting. Verse 17. At any rate, when looking at the map, three days is not unreasonable when counting the trip up, notifying the elders, and then back and then the meeting itself. This is a total of 16 days that they were NOT traveling. They tarried SEVEN MORE DAYS at Tyre, Acts 21:4, a total of 23 NO TRAVEL DAYS. They left Tyre and abode ONE-DAY with brethren in verse seven a total of 24 NO TRAVEL DAYS. They left the brethren and came unto Caesarea and they tarried there MANY DAYS. It is obvious that they made good time finding ships, etc. so they were now ahead of schedule.I will be very generous and only count EIGHT DAYS at Caesarea. I’m not going to pretend that I believe it was only 8 days because we find the word “many” used by the same author of acts and it usually would not be understood to mean less than 40. He uses such phrases as MANY WORDS, and we would not think that this would be eight words. He uses the phrase MANY DAYS, when referring to the Messiah being seen of them “MANY DAYS” and in another place, speaking of the same event, it says, being seen of them 40 DAYS. Another place speaks of being beaten with MANY STRIPES and another place says 40 stripes save one. So we see the phrase “many” being equal to 40 etc. |
The phrase MANY THOUSANDS is also used and when we look at the phrase many stripes, many days, and many words, many thousands, they all refer to more than eight, therefore allowing only eight days is being very generous to say the least. Luke could remember as high as seven days twice, five days once etc. I am sure he could have remembered eight days and by him saying many days, I tend to believe it was more than 15 or 20, or at least enough days that he could not remember, probably 39 or 40 and therefore he said MANY DAYS because they were so many that he did not remember. At any rate, even with allowing only eight days, this still brings us to a total of 32 days that Paul was NOT TRAVELING.The scriptural evidence shows they arrived in Jerusalem at least 10 days before Pentecost. There are no indicators to indicate that they arrived at Jerusalem just-in-time for Pentecost. It says that when they reached Jerusalem the brethren received them gladly and the NEXT DAY (This adds one more day of no travel, a total of 33 days) they went in unto James and the elders who informed them that there were THOUSANDS of believing Jews that would here that he had come up to the feast and advised him to PURIFY himself with four men that had a vow on them in order to show that he was a Law keeper and this he did the NEXT DAY, a total of 34 no travel days. NOTICE: some might try to say that this was Pentecost but the Scripture does not read that way and why purify himself for seven days AFTER Pentecost was over, to show them anything because the multitudes would be left for their journey home by then. Purifying is done BEFORE a feast as it says in John 11:55. The truth of the matter is that Paul arrived in plenty of time to purify himself with these men and the Scripture teaches that Pentecost had not occurred as of yet. Continuing on,Then when seven days was almost finished, some Jews from Asia, (acts 21:27) who had came up for the feast, discover Paul in the temple and stirred up the MULTITUDE that had gathered in for Pentecost, so I will add another SIX DAYS to the 34 no travel days bringing us to a total of 40 NO TRAVELING DAYS and is still not Pentecost. NOTICE: another indicator that Pentecost was not yet is because of the Jews from Asia, which was about 600 mi. away, were still there and so was the crowd or multitude that they stirred up.If you read Acts -21:27 through 24:19 you will find the other two days that Paul was in custody brings the total to 42 DAYS OF NO TRAVELING before the traditional Pentecost, leaving only EIGHT TRAVEL DAYS from Philippi to Jerusalem. At 30 mi. per day, they would need 30 travel days to travel 900 miles and the scripture teaches they did NOT have them.Pentecost had not taken place until after Paul had been arrested and taken to Caesarea where the priest came down AFTER FIVE DAYS and the Jews from Asia didn’t even show up, they probably had started their 600 mi. journey back home after Pentecost. Paul was a Roman citizen and they would not hold him any longer than necessary without allowing him to face his accusers. It is not a five-day journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea and I believe that as soon as Pentecost and the new moon day was over the priest went down to accuse Paul. The Scripture just does not read or indicate that Pentecost was going on before Paul’s arrest or before purification. All of the indicators suggest that Pentecost took place after Paul was taken to Caesarea and this explains the five days before the priest came down to accuse Paul. The Jews from Asia and the other multitudes of people that had come up early would have left after Pentecost was over, same as people do today, not hanging around another seven or eight days after Pentecost,. You will see other indicators when you read it for yourself, with an unbiased mind of course. Also remember that even without the extra days at Jerusalem before Pentecost, it still won’t do away with the fact that he could not have made it for the traditional Pentecost, even for those who count from the traditional Sabbath that falls within the days of unleavened bread. Paul did not wait at Caesarea for many days and then leave so late as to arrive at Pentecost just in the neck of time. The following will show that many Jews went up early for the three major feasts.Paul was no less zealous than the Jews who had already gathered at Jerusalem and did not leave in just enough time to barely get there for service, like some preachers today. The Historian Josephus even tells how they went up seven days early to purify themselves BEFORE the feast of Unleavened Bread.In Josephus wars of the Jews pg. 742 Ch 5- (290) “when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the EIGHTH DAY of the month Xanthicus [Nisan],” The foot note “e” in Josephus says that a week before Passover they went up to Jerusalem to PURIFY themselves, John 11:55 agrees with Josephus, quote:We know that great crowds had gathered for Pentecost when James told Paul, “see how many thousands of Jews that believe” and we read a scriptural account of this in John.John 11:55″And the Jews’ Passover was nigh at hand: and MANY went out of the country up to Jerusalem BEFORE the Passover, to PURIFY themselves” |
This
verse proves my point about the many zealous
Jews that went up before these feasts. I believe
the many that went up before the feast were the devout Jews who were
zealous
of the LAW and we know that Pentecost commemorates
the giving of the law or at least we can prove the law was given on the
day that they called a Chag/Pentecost, which was 50
days AFTER the 7th Sabbath. Ex-32:5Here’s another scripture in John which shows early arrivals for the major feasts.John 12:1 is also in agreement with Josephus. “1Then our Saviour six days BEFORE the Passover came
to Bethany, where
Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2There they made him a supper; Also remember how He went in and out of the temple and back and forth to Bethany each day before they took Him on the 14th?
These Historical quotes from Josephus and Scripture prove that the Jews normally went up to Jerusalem before Pentecost and that’s partly why
James said that they were zealous toward the Law, (Pentecost) and that is why they went up early.Paul was no less devout than these Jews and besides, it had been many years since he had last been up
to Jerusalem and
he said he must by all means keep this feast that cometh up at Jerusalem.
This statement shows that Paul was not going up just to be on time for
Pentecost,
but to witness and fellowship with the brethren,
before Pentecost and the fact that he abode MANY DAYS at Philips house
in
Caesarea shows that he was ahead of schedule and
that he had plenty of time to arrive at Jerusalem a week or two before
Pentecost
to accomplish his intent.Paul desired to keep Pentecost at Jerusalem,
if possible. The
reason Paul said, if possible, is because the
catching of ships was uncertain, not to mention the possibility of
unfavorable
winds and other delays that might occur, and having
to depend on someone else. But having reached Tyre and Caesarea, it is
evident that Paul had a prosperous journey and had
found ship’s without having to wait too long and they had favorable
winds
etc. because the Scripture shows that he was well
ahead of schedule because he stayed seven days at Tyre and many days at
Caesarea and this he would not have done, had he
not made good time. The
following is those who after finding out that it is
mathematically impossible for Paul to have kept the traditional
Pentecost,
and began hollering that Paul did not make it to
Pentecost, instead of rethinking Leviticus 23:16 and number 50 days
after
the seventh Sabbath, I submit the following which
shows he did make it for the intended Pentecost.Paul was warned, by the Spirit at Tyre not to go up to Jerusalem and again at Caesarea
by Agabus the prophet.
This not only shows that Paul and company were
ahead of schedule on their journey to Jerusalem to keep Pentecost but
that
they had not broken the journey from Philippi to
Jerusalem for Pentecost. This is important to show that they
accomplished
their desire to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost but not the traditional Pentecost. All
anyone has to do in order to see that Paul and company were still headed to Jerusalem to keep the SAME
Pentecost that they had set out for, after leaving
Philippi, is to read the running account in Acts chapter 20 through
chapter
21:4 and 21:4 says the disciples at Tyre, through the Spirit, told Paul that he should not
go up to Jerusalem. At this point no one would argue that the push for keeping Pentecost in true from had
changed.The next seven versus shows that two or three days later, after
receiving this warning, Paul reached Philips house in Caesarea and AGAIN received another warning
from Agabus the Prophet, further warning him not to go up to Jerusalem. These warnings against going up to Jerusalem is for the SAME
trip and this shows that Paul left Caesarea to keep Pentecost in Jerusalem, as was his intention from Philippi. Paul made it known Agabus the prophet and everyone that he was going
continue his journey and go up to Jerusalem for Pentecost and was willing to die also, if necessary. There is nothing to suggest
that Paul and company did not make it to Jerusalem in plenty of time for the true Pentecost. Only
someone who does not understand that
the true Pentecost is 50 days after the seventh
Sabbath, with even suggest such a thing, after reading Acts chapters 20
and
21.Over
the years I have given many infallible proofs from
Scripture and even nature itself where Pentecost is beyond the
traditional
50 day count but recently I discovered another
possible evidence which disproves the traditional Pentecost theory of
numbering
1 day AFTER the seventh Sabbath instead of 50 days
after the seventh Sabbath according to Leviticus 23:16, remember
Pentecost
means 50 not 1. At any rate
the following reveals that there were at least 12 days during which the
apostles
did not see him after his resurrection and when you
add these 12 days to the 40 days that they did see him is a total of 52
days which is beyond the traditional Pentecost
count and they still had to go to Jerusalem and tarry for the Holy
Spirit not
many days hence or after that.
When we read Ac 13:30
“But God raised him from the dead:” and Ac 13:31 “And he was seen MANY DAYS of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.” We understand that he was seen MANY DAYS and when we read Acts 1:3 it tells us that the MANY DAYS is 40. One place that says he was beaten with MANY STRIPES in another place it says 40 stripes save one.Let’s turn to Acts 1:3, and zero in on the verse and see if we can understand what it is actually saying. Acts 1:3 says, “to “whom” also He showed himself alive “after” his passion/sufferings by many infallible proofs, being “seen of them” 40 days, “and” speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of the Almighty:” We will now have a question and answer session before I prejudice your minds too much with what I believe.Did he really show himself alive by many infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days? In other words was He seen of them 40 days or was the showing himself alive by many infallible proofs referring to being seen of them several times DURING 40 days? What were the infallible proofs of His being alive? Was it being seen 40 days or sightings or several sightings during a 40 day period? It teaches he showed himself alive “after” his sufferings by “many” infallible proofs. How did He do that? How did he show himself alive and what were the infallible proofs? Which is more of an infallible proof, being seen several times during 40 days or 40 separate conclusive sightings of showing himself alive?To whom did he show himself alive by these many infallible proofs? Is Acts 1:3 specifically speaking of the apostles whom He had chosen, when it says “being seen of THEM” 40 days?Did the apostles see Him alive MANY or MORE in number of times than anyone else??? The Greek words for “many” means more in quantity or more in number and if being seen of THEM 40 days is SPECIFICALLY referring to the apostles whom he had chosen, it will add more days because we know from Scripture that the women saw him a day before the apostles saw him, assuming the first day of the week ends at evening when the apostles were gathered and the doors being shut in fear of the Jews when he appeared to the apostles for the first day of the 40 days. Acts 1:3 specifically teaches He was seen 40 days of the apostles WHOM HE HAD CHOSEN and John 20:19 through 20:14 conclusively shows that He was not seen of the apostles during at least 12 or 13 days and when we add the 40 days that he was seen of the apostles to the 12 or 13 days he was not seen of them it comes to a total of 52 or 53 days, not to mention the days that they were to tarry in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit NOT MANY days hence, which had to be at least 2 more days, totaling 54 days. This is conclusive proof that the true feast of Pentecost is beyond the traditional 50 day count if my interpretation of these verses is true.It is easy to count the conclusive days that he was not seen of the apostles and add them to the days that he was seen of the apostles. I will now show how you can prove the days or times he was not seen. The first day in which he was seen of the apostles was the SECOND DAY after his resurrection at the close of the first day of the week at evening/17th which means he was not seen by the apostles during the first day after the resurrection. He was seen first of the women on the first day of the week, John 20:1 through 18 and then on the same first day of the week at evening, verse 19 which is actually the beginning of the second day of the week/17th to those of us who end the day at evening and this was the FIRST DAY of the 40 days that he showed himself alive to the apostles as Acts 1:3 clearly says. The apostle Thomas was not with them at this time, verse 24 but EIGHT DAYS later he showed himself alive the SECOND TIME to the apostles whom he had chosen and Thomas was with them, verse 26. He was not seen of them DURING THE SEVEN DAYS before the eighth day that he appeared to them the second time. This is a TOTAL OF EIGHT DAYS so far and only TWO times or infallible proofs of showing himself alive. The THIRD DAY of the 40 days or time he showed himself alive or was seen of the apostles was at the sea of Galilee/Tiberias which is a FOUR DAYS journey from Jerusalem according to several web searches on distance’s and it does not say how many days later it was but even if they immediately went straight to the sea without going home etc, and went fishing immediately after traveling the four days journey it was still the next morning that he appeared or showed himself alive to the apostles for the THIRD TIME or third day of the 40 days that he was seen of them, verse 4. The map in the back up my Bible shows the trip to be about 70 miles. At any rate this is a total of at least 12 DAYS that he was NOT seen of the apostles in addition to the 40 days that he was seen or showed himself alive to the apostles. It was actually the NEXT MORNING that the third appearance took place after they fished through the night according to verse 4 therefore we have a total of 12 conclusive days in which he was not seen of the apostles after his resurrection and when you add this to the 40 days that he showed himself alive to them is a total of 52 days. And reading on, John 21:14 actually says “this is now the THIRD TIME that the Messiah showed himself (ALIVE) to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead” or “showed himself alive”. i.e. these 3 appearances where he showed himself alive is 3 of the many/40 infallible proofs or showing himself alive spoken of in Acts 1:3 where it says, Ac 1:3 “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, “being” seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of YHWH:” The “whom” and “them” is SPECIFICALLY referring to the apostles and the 40 days of appearances to them are the many infallible proofs or Certainty’s. Notice he not only showed himself alive after the resurrection but spoke to them things pertaining to the kingdom.At any rate when you add 12 and 40 together it is a total of 52 days which is beyond the traditional Pentecost and they still have to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise which was to be not many days hence. This has to be at least two more days making a total of 54 days, which makes the traditional 50 day from the wave sheaf Pentecost impossible. This shows that we are to number the 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath instead of 50 days after the wave sheaf according to Leviticus 23:16. This is the only way to harmonize these Scriptures along with MANY others.butThe Book of Acts can cause us to think that they returned and went into the upper room and stayed there for several days until the Holy Spirit was poured out but the gospel of Luke says they returned to Jerusalem and were continually in the temple praising and blessing the Almighty, Luke 24:53. In other words they may have went straight to the upper room but not to receive the Holy Spirit at that time according to Luke’s Gospel. And when they did receive the Holy Spirit in the upper room they were scattered abroad and not continually in the temple at Jerusalem. Therefore they could have been weeks of tarrying at Jerusalem before they went into the upper room to receive the Holy Spirit. There could have been weeks before he appeared to them the third time at the Sea of Galilee etc. we do not know but we do know from the above Scriptures that it was above the traditional 50 day count before the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Again, to those of us to end the day at evening, we know that after the resurrection he was first seen of the women and was not seen by the apostles until AFTER the first day at evening. i.e. the 16th day at evening which is the beginning of the 17th day of the first month same as the 7 days of unleavened bread begins on the 14th day at evening which is the beginning of the 15th and the Day of Atonement is on the 9th day at evening which is the beginning of the 10th. Therefore the same first day at evening/16th is the second day/17th. Therefore the 40 days were referring to days in which He SPECIFICALLY showed himself alive to the apostles after the resurrection as Acts 1:3 states, “being seen of them/the apostles 40 days”. Either He was seen of the apostles 40 days or he was not. We know from the above that he was not seen of them 40 days in a row and there were days that he was not seen of them at all.Side note: The traditional count always consist of 50 days therefore you would not have to count to Pentecost because it would always be on the same day. The scriptural Pentecost is 101 or 102 days dependent on whether there is a one or two days new moon and therefore you have to count for it because it does not always fall out on the day next to the Sabbath as indicated by Josephus. If this did not happen it would be on a fixed date same as the other two feast and there would be no need to count to Pentecost, you would know what date it is every year, especially for those who correctly begin the count from the 16th. And those who begin the count from the Morrow after the traditional Sabbath that falls within the days of unleavened bread will always know it to be on a Sunday and they will not have to count either. The true Pentecost keepers will have to count even if they calculate ahead. The 40 days that He was seen or showed himself alive to the apostles were infallible proofs of his resurrection. i.e. being seen so many times. He was seen of them on 40 different occasions from the time of his resurrection to his ascension into the heavens. If Acts 1:3 is not referring to the number of times he was seen by the apostles as proofs of his resurrection and only referring to a number of days from the time of his resurrection would not be proofs. i.e. just saying he was alive for a distance of 40 days before he ascended up and not being seen of the apostles 40 different days is not as much proof. His appearing to the apostles on 40 different days or occasions was the infallible proofs of how he showed himself alive.This is not speaking of a distance of 40 days to show proof of his being alive but the number of times he appeared to the apostles and spoke to them things pertaining to the kingdom.Joh 20:16 the Messiah saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.Joh 20:17 the Messiah saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my G-d, and your G-d.Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Master, and that he had spoken these things unto her.Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came the Messiah and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when the Messiah came.Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came the Messiah, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.Joh 21:1 After these things the Messiah shewed himself “again” to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. Joh 21:14 “This is now the “third time” that the Messiah shewed himself (ALIVE) to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.”Ac 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that the Messiah began both to do and teach, Ac 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: Ac 1:3 To whom also he “shewed himself alive” after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: Ac 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Ac 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Definition of INFALLIBLE PROOFS Strong’s Greek Dictionary 5039. tekmeriontekmhrion tekmerion tek-may’-ree-on neuter of a presumed derivative of tekmar (a goal or fixed limit); a token (as defining a fact), i.e. criterion [or/decisive factor/reason/standard] of certainty:–infallible proof. The TOKEN or Defining a fact was Him being seen a NUMBER of days or times by the apostles whom He had chosen, not a space of time. Infallible proofs must meet certain criteria i.e. a criterion i.e. care of certainty which equals a decisive factor of him being seen ALIVE after the crucifixion/passion 40 days or times by the apostles. The apostles seen him more in number of times or days than anyone else.He was seen more in number of times or days by the apostles than anyone else. Side note: I believe the word “and” is a conjunctive word tying the speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom to the being seen of them 40 days. i.e. speaking the things pertaining to the kingdom during the 40 days of his appearing to them. I believe 40 days is significant same as the 40 days the Almighty taught Moses in the Mount just before the law was given to Moses on the day of Pentecost which was at the end of 40 days and 40 nights, Deuteronomy 9:11 and Exodus 31:18, the Messiah specifically taught his disciples for the same number of days before Pentecost. Perhaps I will finish this later and add a chapter to my Pentecost book because I have more to say on the subject. |