Why is Joel called the prophet of Pentecost?

Answer 1

A:The story of the Christian Pentecost seems to have been inspired by the Jewish Pentecost, or Shavuot, celebrated from the second century BCE onwards in memory of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. It takes place fifty days after Passover, just as the Christian Pentecost takes place fifty days after Easter. Numbers 11:25 tells us that on that occasion, the spirit of God came down on the seventy elders and they began to prophesy in ecstasy, just as Acts was later to say that the disciples began to speak in tongues. In the Christian version, Peter referred to Joel 2:28-32, using the words (Acts 2:17-21):

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. "

Given that the author of Acts was seemingly inspired by the Jewish Passover in writing his account, we could infer that he was also aware of the passage in the Book of Joel. Joel himself knew nothing of Pentecost, but the words attributed to Peter in the Pentecost story create an association as the prophet of Pentecost.

Another Answer:

The Apostle Peter was inspired to quote from Joel as the 1st Pentecost was occurring. The Book of Joel is one of the most dire in Scripture. Perhaps Peter was contrasting the dire times for the newly formed Church of God and giving encouragement that it would prevail (see Revelation 12 for condensed history of the Church through the Ages).

On Pentecost God was starting a new entity, the Church of God. It would be a spiritual body of believers called from many different nations. No longer would God work only with one nation, Israel, the descendants of Abraham. This new body of believers would be empowered with the Holy Spirit to go into all the world, preach the Coming Kingdom of God.

Perhaps Peter's reference to Joel's prophecies was in part a signal that though the task before believers would be challenging, there would always be the constant aid and comfort of God's power through His Holy Spirit? Was God reminding us through this reference to Joel's stark prophetic book that the Church would develop in a hostile environment (see Matthew 11:12).

We can only point to possible reasons Peter was inspired to quote Joel. But because he did, some have dubbed Joel as the prophet of Pentecost.