The cross and Pentecost

I really like Mark Driscoll's books. He's the pastor of Mars Hill church here in Seattle and, to me, is one of the "faces" of American Christianity for the next generation. I've previously read his book about his call to ministry and starting Mars Hill, Confessions of a Reformission Rev. His latest book, Death by Love is a look at the theology of "neo-Calvinism," especially its view of the atonement. As usual for Driscoll, it's gritty and refreshingly straightforward, applying the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus to people's everyday lives.

He also takes a slight dig at charismatics in the book. (In Confessions, he actually had a chapter titled: Dear Jesus, Could You Please Rapture the Charismaniac Lady Who Brings Her Tambourine to Church? I couldn't help smiling at that one.) His criticism is that charismatic theology is centered on the Pentecost, whereas Reformed theology is centered on the cross of Jesus. At first, I dismissed that criticism as ill-informed, but after some thought, I definitely am starting to appreciate the distinction. He's not saying, and he wouldn't be right if he did, that charismatics don't look at the cross or appreciate the cross. We do, certainly. Speaking for charismatics, I can say that I very much appreciate the cross because it was where Jesus won our victory.

However, I'm going to defend our attention to Pentecost by pointing out that the disciples had not received everything they needed after the cross. In fact, Jesus makes a point of telling them to wait in Jerusalem:

"After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'" ~ Acts 1:3-5

From a charismatic perspective, we see the cross as purchasing for us the power that Jesus poured out on the church (and continues to pour out) at Pentecost. Pentecost is not the centerpoint, but it is an absolutely vital conclusion to Jesus' victory on the cross. At the cross, Jesus made it possible that his disciples could receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that they in fact received at Pentecost.

To understand the importance of this empowerment, consider Isaiah 61, which Jesus applied to Himself, saying, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor ..." Charismatics apply this verse to themselves as well because the Spirit is now on us, and He has anointed us. Jesus suffered, died, and rose again so that His Spirit would be poured out on the disciples, enabling them to preach and set the captives free through the power of the Holy Spirit. In this view, the Pentecost is the second important reason Jesus came to suffer and die (the primary reason being all the points that Driscoll mentions in his book on the atonement).

To be fair, I want to point out that Driscoll was not making a point of denying the importance of Pentecost. He certainly was not saying that charismatics are unorthodox, and even pointed out that a growing number of Christians with a Reformed theology are in fact becoming charismatic in practice (for example, Sovereign Grace Ministries). And I don't think I actually have much to argue with him about. If anything, I'm just sharing my own thinking and perspective on the relation between the cross and Pentecost, from my charismatic perspective.