Our Bible Lesson Column

From: The Springing Well: Volume 5 (1902)

Acts 1:8 • 3 min. read • grade level: 11

Golden Text: — “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”—Acts 1:8⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8). Read Acts 1:14¹⁴These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (Acts 1:14).

Reading on the New Testament Lesson

1, 2. “All that Jesus began both to do and teach.” Thus Luke speaks of the things which he, by the Spirit, had written in his gospel. This book gives an account of the things which Jesus continued to do and teach by His Spirit through His disciples, and He is still doing and teaching by the same Spirit through His willing ones.

3. “Being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” At least ten or twelve times between His resurrection from the dead and His visible ascension He appeared to individuals or companies of His disciples, and it would seem that He was always speaking about the things of the kingdom of God.

4, 5. “Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Although they had been with Him almost constantly for two or three years, the greatest and best teacher that ever lived—for “who teacheth like Him?” (Job 36:22²²Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? (Job 36:22))—they were not qualified to go forth as His witnesses till specially endued, as it is written in Luke 24:49⁴⁹And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49), “Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.”

6-8. “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” The kingdom which the God of Heaven will set up (Dan. 2:44⁴⁴And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)), God being the Author of it and heaven the character of it, and therefore called in the gospels both the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, will be a kingdom under the whole heaven or on the whole earth (Dan. 7:27²⁷And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:27)), with Israel as a righteous nation in their own land as the center, and the whole earth filled with the glory of the Lord (Isa. 60:21: 11:9; 27:6⁶He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6): Rom. 11:15¹⁵For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15)).

9. “And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” In Luke 24:50, 51⁵⁰And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. ⁵¹And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:50‑51), it is written, “And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and it came to pass while He blessed them He was parted from them and carried up into Heaven.”

10, 11. “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner.” It is just possible that the two men in white apparel were the same two who appeared with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration, and there spake of His decease which He was about to accomplish. The steadfast, heavenward look of the disciples makes us think of Stephen, and to desire that, like him, we might be able to “look up steadfastly into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus” (Acts 7:55⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55)).

12-14. They returned to Jerusalem from Olivet with great joy, and were continually praising and blessing God (Luke 24:52, 53⁵²And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: ⁵³And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. (Luke 24:52‑53)). What a contrast to their feelings after His death when they, not looking for His resurrection, were filled with sorrow, and He had to rebuke them for their unbelief

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