Monday, December 16, 2019

Pentecost in the Book of Mormon?

We read about the day of Pentecost 50 days after the Lord's resurrection in Acts. He had already promised the disciples that they would get the Holy Ghost when he had left. In the Book of Mormon, we don't read anything about Pentecost. I'm not even sure if the gift of the Holy Ghost was introduced with Christ as it happened in the Old World, or if it was already there along with Mechizedek Priesthood authority.

But I did notice some parallels between events in 3 Nephi 19 and Acts 2. In Acts 2:1-4
  • The disciples are gathered 10 days after Christ's ascension to heaven
  • There came a sound from heaven and there appeared "cloven tongues like as of fire"
  • They were filled with the Holy Ghost
  • They began to speak with other tongues
In 3 Nephi 19
  • The disciples and the multitude are gathered the next day after Christ's ascension to heaven (3 Nephi 19:1-4)
  • "They were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven" (3 Nephi 19:14)
  • "The Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire" (3 Nephi 19:13)
  • Jesus prays in another tongue (3 Nephi 19:32-34)
As pointed out here, there is also an intertextual connection between Acts 3 and 3 Nephi 20, the respective chapters after these events.

Forced parallel? I honestly don't know if this was intentional by Jesus or Mormon or not intentional at all. But regardless, there were similar events occurring in the old and new world, at about the same time, to the benefit of the people living there and experiencing it. 

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