The Book of Acts is a sequel, written by Luke, to his gospel account. Here, Luke continues his story of the life of Jesus with a history of the young Jewish church.
Acts 1:1-3
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 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.
Theophilus means, literally, "Lover of God." Is Theophilus a particular individual who has, presumably, taken "God-lover" as a nickname? Or are Luke's letters directed to anyone who wishes to be a lover of God?
The first few verses summarize the earlier letter, the gospel of Luke (also written to Theophilus.) There is no reason to doubt that we are getting a second letter, carefully written, possibly for one individual, but with a larger audience in mind.
The first few verses summarize the earlier letter, the gospel of Luke (also written to Theophilus.) There is no reason to doubt that we are getting a second letter, carefully written, possibly for one individual, but with a larger audience in mind.
Acts 1:4-5
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."
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."
In this transition to the future, Luke prepares us for the rest of the book. We, the modern reader, have accepted that the Holy Spirit will play a role in this book but the idea of the Holy Spirit as main character was rather new to the Jewish believer of that day. The Holy Spirit is a relatively minor representation of God in the Old Testament.
Acts 1:6-8
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:6-8
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The kingdom of God has been a major theme of Jesus’s ministry. The disciples are still fixated on the future restoration and the kingdom of Israel. But God has other plans. Does this paragraph reflect some angst, some concern of the early church, that Jesus was to come back -- but hadn’t (yet)?
Someone else has pointed out that verse 8 is the theme for this letter -- we will watch the disciples become witnesses, first in Jerusalem, but then quickly spreading out through Judea, into Samarian and eventually to “the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:9
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
What was this like?? Did he really go into a cloud? Or fade out? or...? (C. S. Lewis apparently has a comment on this but I can't find it.)
Acts 1:10-11
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Were the men really dressed in white? Is this just describing their clothing? Or something else?
Will it really be the same? (How similar?)
The simple followers of Jesus were addressed as people of Galilee, a rural northern region of Judea.
Will it really be the same? (How similar?)
The simple followers of Jesus were addressed as people of Galilee, a rural northern region of Judea.
Acts 1:12-14
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
A Sabbath day's walk is about 3/4 mile (about 1,100 meters)
I always appreciate Luke mentioning the women. Here he even mentions Mary, the mother of Jesus. (Joseph, Jesus's father, has presumably died by this time?) The upstairs room is that of John Mark, according to tradition; see Acts 12:12-13.
Acts 1:15-20
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus- he was one of our number and shared in this ministry." (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, "`May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, "`May another take his place of leadership.'
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus- he was one of our number and shared in this ministry." (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, "`May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, "`May another take his place of leadership.'
One hundred and twenty is probably quite a lot of people, given that Jesus was recently crucified.
From an NIV footnote, the term translated "believers" here may mean "Greek brothers".
Did Judas fall headlong? Or hang himself? Or both?? Matthew 27:3-10 records that Judas committed suicide by hanging himself.
These quotes are from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8.
Is this a (typical) stretching of the Old Testament? Is there any reason for someone to believe these scriptures spoke of Judas? Or is there some principle Peter is trying to state? Whichever, Peter is getting ready for the next step. (Notice the eager anticipation that Jesus might return at any moment and we need "twelve" when he comes!)
Is this a (typical) stretching of the Old Testament? Is there any reason for someone to believe these scriptures spoke of Judas? Or is there some principle Peter is trying to state? Whichever, Peter is getting ready for the next step. (Notice the eager anticipation that Jesus might return at any moment and we need "twelve" when he comes!)
Acts 1:21-26
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Who decided these qualifications? They are pretty strong requirements! The two, Justus and Matthias, appear here without introduction. Why don’t we hear, before this, of these two? I want to know more!
The casting of lots is a bit weird. Why not vote? Does the “casting of lots” (introducing some type of randomness) somehow allow God to get involved?
So Judas is replaced. Some argue that Peter is in a hurry and God really wanted Judas replaced by Paul. But is it really such a big deal that there are 12? We don’t really hear about the twelve much after this. (Some argue that the disciples hurried in finding the 12th apostle; had they been patient, they would have eventually appointed Paul. I find this a bit unrealistic.)
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