Chapter 1
Chapter 1 stands as the divine record of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead and His ascension into heaven. This is an all-important fact, for as the book will show, heaven will be the administrative seat of all operations on earth in this new departure of God in Christianity. The Lord is seen throughout the book acting from heaven as the “Head of the Church” (Eph. 5:2323For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23)) and as “Head over all things to the Church” (Eph. 1:2222And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)), directing everything by the Holy Spirit. Thus, this new vessel of testimony (the Church) that God would form has no earthly center, as did Judaism.
The Introduction
Vss. 1-3—By mentioning “the former treatise,” which is Luke’s Gospel, Luke was intimating that he was now going to continue that narrative in another treatise. This would be a companion to the former treatise, giving us a history of events from the ascension of Christ through the first 30 years of the Church’s existence on earth.
This present treatise was written for “Theophilus,” as was the former treatise (Luke 1:1-41Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. (Luke 1:1‑4)). He was a high-ranking government official. Luke identifies him as such by using the title “Most Excellent.” Tradition says that he held office in Antioch. The interesting thing to note is that Luke does not use that title here in the book of the Acts, as he did in his Gospel. This would indicate that Theophilus was no longer in that public office. Having believed the gospel, did he feel that occupying such a position in government was inconsistent with his Christian, calling and thus, stepped down from that place? We don’t know; Luke does not say.
In his former treatise, Luke recorded “all that Jesus began to do and teach” on earth; now in this present treatise, he gives the things that the Lord continued to do and teach—but from heaven. This, as we shall see, would be done through the members of His body, of which He is the Head. The apostles and other members of His body were merely the human instruments through which the Lord worked. As chapter 2 shows, the first thing He did upon ascending to God’s right hand was to shed forth (send) the Holy Spirit so that the saints would be linked together in one body, and as such, He would direct them in His service.
The Christophanies
Vss. 2-3—Luke then makes reference to the Lord’s resurrection appearances, which have been called, “Christophanies.” In a period of “forty days,” after the Lord rose from the dead, but before He ascended to heaven, He showed Himself to His disciples alive. He appeared in resurrection only to believers; unbelievers will not see Him until He comes out of heaven in judgment at the end of the age (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)). In those forty days, the Lord not only showed Himself to His own with “many infallible proofs” which proved that He had truly risen, but He also spoke to them of “things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” This refers to the moral side of the truth pertaining to the believer’s walk and ways (Rom. 14:1717For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)). The Lord did not give them the Christian revelation of truth at that time—that came out later through the apostles after the Spirit had come to reside on earth in the saints.
These infallible proofs confirmed the fact of the Lord’s resurrection beyond a shadow of doubt. This is important to establish, for the resurrection of Christ is the bedrock foundation of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-231Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:1‑23)). Hence, the purpose of the resurrection appearances was to strengthen the faith of the apostles as to this great fact (John 20:26-2926And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:26‑29)), and thus prepare them to be witnesses of His resurrection (Luke 24:46-4846And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:46‑48)). The “Christophanies” are:
Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:99Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. (Mark 16:9); John 20:11-1811But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. (John 20:11‑18)).
Cleopas and his wife (Mark 16:1212After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. (Mark 16:12); Luke 24:13-3513And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Luke 24:13‑35)).
Ten apostles (Luke 24:36-4836And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43And he took it, and did eat before them. 44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:36‑48); John 20:19-2319Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:19‑23)).
Eleven apostles (John 20:24-2924But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:24‑29)).
Seven apostles at the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-251After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself. 2There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 4But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 6And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 8And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 9As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 20Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? 24This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. 25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21:1‑25)).
Eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee (Matt. 28:16-2016Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:16‑20)).
All the disciples when He ascended (Luke 24:49-5349And, 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. 50And 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. 52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. (Luke 24:49‑53); 1 Cor. 15:77After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:7)).
The Lord’s Parting Command
Vss. 4-11—Luke focuses on the Lord’s last resurrection appearance when He gave the assembled brethren His parting command to “wait” in the city of Jerusalem “until” they had received “the promise of the Father” (vs. 4). They would thus be “endued with power from on high” through the coming of the Spirit (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)). At that time, the Lord said, “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [Spirit] not many days hence.” We know from 1St Corinthians 12:13 that this baptizing action of the Spirit is what formed the Church, the body of Christ. By this act of the Spirit there was an entirely new company of believers on earth, separate and distinct from the Jews and the Gentiles. There are now three distinct companies of people on earth: “the Jews,” “the Gentiles,” and “the Church of God” (1 Cor. 10:3232Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: (1 Corinthians 10:32)).
It is of note that in quoting John the Baptist’s remark concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Lord did not mention being baptized with “fire,” as did John (Matt. 3:1111I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matthew 3:11)). This is because that baptism is a baptism of judgment (of which fire is a figure) on the wicked. The baptism with fire does not refer to the day of Pentecost, but to the time when the Lord, as John said, will “gather His wheat into the garner and burn the chaff with fire unquenchable” (Matt. 3:1212Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)). He will execute that fiery judgment at His second coming—the Appearing of Christ (2 Thess. 1:8-98In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:8‑9)).
Since the Lord spoke of these things on the 40th day after He rose from the dead, and the Spirit would come on the 50th day (Pentecost), as chapter 2 indicates, the “not many days hence” that the Lord referred to were an interim period of ten days.
The Public Manifestation of the Kingdom Postponed
Vss. 6-8—Having announced to the disciples that they were about to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, the disciples asked the Lord if that meant that “the kingdom” as promised in the Old Testament Prophets was going to be “restored to Israel” at that time (vs. 6). We can hardly blame them for thinking this, they had not understood that there was a change about to take place in the dispensational ways of God in which there would be an interposed heavenly calling of the Church, before He undertook to restore and bless Israel.
It is significant that in answering their question, the Lord didn’t deny that the kingdom would be restored to Israel in a literal sense. If it wasn’t going to be—as Reformed (Covenant) Theology mistakenly teaches—the Lord would have corrected their misunderstanding and told them right then and there that a literal restoration of Israel was not going to happen. Surely, He wouldn’t have allowed them to go on thinking that there was a literal kingdom coming when there wasn’t! Not to correct them on such a crucial point would have been deceptive and misleading. The answer He gave assured them that those literal things having to do with the kingdom and Israel’s blessing in it were sure to happen, but “the times” and “the seasons” of it rested with the Father who would bring it to pass “in His own power” and in His own time (vs. 7). For the time present, He said, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost [Spirit] 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” (vs. 8). Thus, the times and seasons for the earthly restoration of Israel were not for them to know; their part was to wait in obedience to His command by remaining in Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. At that time, they would receive power so that they might be effective witnesses for Him and of His resurrection. This present period—when the Lord is rejected and absent from the earth—is not the time for the restoring of the kingdom to Israel, but a time of gospel testimony.
This postponement of Israel’s restoration is not unscriptural; it is alluded to in a number of Old Testament prophecies. Many of the same prophecies that foresee Israel’s restoration also show that there would be a suspension in the Lord’s dealings with the nation, on account of its rejection of its Messiah—before those promises of restoration would be fulfilled (Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27); Micah 5:1-31Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (Micah 5:1‑3); Zech. 11–13:6; Psa. 69:22-3622Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. 24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. 25Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. 26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. 27Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. 29But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. 30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 32The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. 33For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. 34Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. 35For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein. (Psalm 69:22‑36)).
The order in which the Lord speaks of their witness going out from Jerusalem to the end of the earth is really a brief summary of the book of the Acts. Their testimony in “Jerusalem and in all Judea” is given in chapters 1-7. Their testimony in “Samaria” is found in chapter 8, and their witness to “the uttermost part of the earth” is told forth in chapters 13-28.
The Ascension
Vss. 9-12—After the Lord had given them this parting word, “He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” The Apostle Paul states that He was “received up in (not “into” as in the KJV) glory” (1 Tim. 3:1616And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)). This means that He went up in a glorified state. The cloud was not mere vapour, but a cloud of glory. Thus, He made a glorious entrance into heaven. “Two men (angels) stood by them in white apparel” to bear witness of the fact that He had ascended into heaven. They were there to confirm that what the apostles saw was not something they had imagined, but an actual event that took place.
There is now a glorified Man in heaven! The angels that stood by said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (vs. 11). This is a reference to the second coming of Christ—His Appearing. It coincides with the coming of the Lord described in Zechariah 14:4-54And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:4‑5), when He will put His foot upon the Mount of Olives—the very spot where they stood and from which they saw Him ascend. But what Zechariah does not tell us is that the One who will come is “this same Jesus!” However, a study of his prophecy will reveal that it could be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. See chapters 12:10 and 13:6.
In Acts, Luke says that they returned to Jerusalem “from the mount called Olivet” where they saw Him ascend (vs. 12), but in his Gospel he says that the Lord was carried up into heaven from “Bethany” (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)). There is no discrepancy here; Bethany is on the Mount of Olives.
The Waiting Company
Vss. 13-14—The ten days of waiting began. They had to wait for the Spirit to come, for there could be no witness to the world with power until He was given. No company of believers has ever been in this position before or since; this was a unique thing at the inauguration of a new dispensation. Ever since the Spirit came, there has never been a need to wait for Him again. Christians who hold prayer meetings to call for the Spirit to come are denying the fact that He has come; it is ignorance and unscriptural to do so. It was not wrong for this company of believers to pray for the Spirit to come because at that time He had not yet come (Luke 11:1313If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)), but it would be wrong for us to do so today because He has come.
The eleven apostles are mentioned by name, beginning with Peter, James, and John—the three who had been given special experiences with the Lord (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:3337And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. (Mark 5:37)
2And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. (Mark 9:2)
33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; (Mark 14:33)). They were a waiting company of Jewish believers on Jewish ground. They were not part of the Church yet; they needed the baptism of the Spirit for that to be true.
They made good use of their time while they waited by continuing in prayer (vs. 14) and searching the Word of God (vss. 15-20). These are the two great resources of the children of God. It says, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.” Mary, the mother of the Lord, is mentioned among the saints assembled in the upper room. She is not given a special place of honour and distinction among them; she was not an object of veneration as the Church of Rome would make her to be. She is simply seen as one of the saints waiting for the Spirit to come. After this, she is not mentioned again in Scripture. The Lord’s brothers and sisters were also there among the waiting saints. The previous mention of them in Scripture shows that they were unbelieving (John 7:55For neither did his brethren believe in him. (John 7:5)), but they had been converted since. Scripture is silent as to how or when. None of the Lord’s brothers were apostles, though James and Jude wrote divinely inspired epistles.
The Twelfth Apostle—Matthias
When the Lord rose from the dead, He gave the apostles the Holy Spirit as a temporary provision until the Spirit would come to abide in them and with them (John 20:2222And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (John 20:22)). In doing this, He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:4545Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (Luke 24:45)). Peter made full use of this understanding, and by consulting two Psalms of David, he learned that there should be a replacement for Judas. With this in mind, Peter “stood up” among the brethren (“about a hundred and twenty”) and announced that they should have another person replace Judas in “this ministry.”
Verses 18-19 are not the words of Peter, but a parenthesis which Luke inserts to give us some further details concerning the death of Judas. Matthew records that he “hanged himself” (Matt. 27:55And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5)), but Luke tells us here that he fell “headlong” and “burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” Putting these two accounts together, we take it that the rope which he hanged himself with must have broken and as a result he fell down the precipice over which he was hung.
Vss. 20-26—As to Judas, Psalm 69:2525Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. (Psalm 69:25) says, “Let his habitation [homestead] be desolate,” and Psalm 109:88Let his days be few; and let another take his office. (Psalm 109:8) says, “His bishoprick [overseership] let another take.” It was clear from these passages what should be done. Since an apostle has to be one who has seen Christ in life and in His resurrection, they concluded that “beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection” (vs. 22). Not wanting to act independently in this, they appointed two men who had these qualifications—“Joseph” and “Matthias”—and set them before the Lord and left the choice to Him. They cast lots, and “the lot fell on Matthias” and he was “numbered with the eleven apostles” (vss. 23-26).
The casting of lots is an Old Testament practise (Lev. 16:88And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. (Leviticus 16:8); Josh. 18:6-106Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. 7But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them. 8And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh. 9And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh. 10And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions. (Joshua 18:6‑10); 1 Sam. 14:41-4241Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 42And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. (1 Samuel 14:41‑42); Prov. 16:3333The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33), etc.). In keeping with the transition from Judaism to Christianity, this is the last time in Scripture that it is used. With the coming of the Spirit, the Church would have a greater way to be guided (Acts 13:2: 16:7)