ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:1 Preparation for Witness. Acts 1:1 opens with the account of the Spirit’s descent at Pentecost. Chapter Acts 1:1 relates the preparation for that event, which occurs in Acts 2:1. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:2 THE DAY WHEN HE WAS TAKEN UP refers to Jesus’ ascension (Luke 24:51). The beginning of Acts 1:1 parallels the final words of the book of Luke 1:1 (Luke 24:36). THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. As Jesus gave instructions to his disciples, the Holy Spirit empowered them to rightly unders... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:3 Only Acts 1:1 mentions the specific 40-day period of resurrection appearances. This number recalls many biblical events, such as Israel’s wilderness wanderings and Jesus’ temptations. The phrase KINGDOM OF GOD occurs only six times in Acts 1:1 (Acts 1:3; Acts 8:12; Acts 14:22;... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:4 PROMISE OF THE FATHER. The new and greater empowering of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 3:15; Luke 24:49). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:5 BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT looks forward to Pentecost (see ch. Acts 2:1). John contrasted his “repentance” baptism with Jesus’ “Holy Spirit” baptism (Mark 1:8). Throughout Acts 1:1, baptism and the gift of the Spirit are closely related. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:6 The disciples assembled at the Mount of Olives (v. Acts 1:12). They asked Jesus when he would RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL. Perhaps they still expected a military and political kingdom. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length,... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:7 THE FATHER HAS FIXED BY HIS OWN AUTHORITY. God the Father determines history’s events. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:8 This verse states the key theme of Acts 1:1. It begins with the Spirit’s empowering of the witness to Jesus. Then it provides a rough outline of the book: JERUSALEM (chs. Acts 1:1), JUDEA AND SAMARIA (chs. Acts 8:1), and the END OF THE EARTH (chs. Acts 13:1). YOU WILL RECEIVE P... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:9 A CLOUD is often associated with God’s presence (Luke 9:28). AS THEY WERE LOOKING ON, HE WAS LIFTED UP. Jesus’ visible ascension into heaven indicates that he has a physical human body. He will someday return in the same body (Acts 1:11). The eternal Son of God remains fully Go... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:10 TWO MEN. Angels in human form, as their WHITE ROBES suggest (compare John 20:12). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:11 WILL COME IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU SAW HIM GO. Jesus’ return, like his ascension, will be bodily and visible. See note on v. 9. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:12 A SABBATH DAY’S JOURNEY was the maximum distance one could travel on the Sabbath without it being considered work, according to later Jewish tradition. The rabbis set the limit at 2,000 cubits (about 0.6 miles or 1 km). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img");... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:14 The WOMEN likely included those who ministered to Jesus’ followers (Luke 8:2), traveled with them from Galilee (Luke 23:55), and witnessed the crucifixion and empty tomb (Luke 23:49, Luke 23:55; Luke 24:2). Jesus had four BROTHERS—James, Joses, Judas, and Simon ... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:15 In Acts 1:1, PETER is the spokesman for the apostles. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:16 THE HOLY SPIRIT SPOKE BEFOREHAND BY THE MOUTH OF DAVID is one of the clearest statements in Scripture that the Bible is the inspired word of God. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:18 THIS MAN ACQUIRED A FIELD. As Matthew 27:3 records, Judas brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders. The chief priests then purchased the potter’s field with Judas’s money. This was considered the same as if Judas had made the purchase. HE BURST OPEN... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:20 Judas’s death fulfills Psalms 69:25. LET ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE. Matthias’s selection (Acts 1:26) as the twelfth apostle was a direct fulfillment of prophecy (see v. Acts 1:16; Psalms 109:8). These leaders parallel the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel in the OT (see Luke 22:3... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:23 The group turned the matter over to the LORD, praying that Jesus would reveal his choice. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 1:26 The LOTS were probably marked stones that were placed in a pot and then shaken out (compare 1 Chronicles 26:13). This does not mean that people should cast lots to make decisions today. There is no such command in the NT. On the 12 APOSTLES, see note on Matt. 10:2. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var... [ Continue Reading ]