Acts 1:13

τὸ ὑπερῷον : “the upper chamber,” R.V., as of some well-known place, but there is no positive evidence to identify it with the room of the Last Supper, although here and in Mark 14:15, as also in Luke 22:12, the Vulgate has cœnaculum. Amongst recent writers Hilgenfeld and Feine see in this definite mention of a room well known to the readers a reference to the author's first book, Luke 22:11-12. But the word used in St. Mark and in St. Luke's Gospel is different from that in the passage before us ἀνάγαιον, but here ὑπερῷον. If we identify the former with the κατάλυμα, Luke 22:11, it would denote rather the guest-chamber used for meals than the upper room or loft set apart for retirement or prayer, although sometimes used for supper or for assemblies (ὑπερῷον). Both words are found in classical Greek, but only the latter in the LXX, where it is frequent. In the N.T. it is used by St. Luke alone, and only in Acts. Holtzmann, following Lightfoot and Schöttgen, considers that an upper room in the Temple is meant, but this would be scarcely probable under the circumstances, and a meeting in a private house, Acts 2:46; Acts 4:23; Acts 5:42, is far more likely. ὅ τε Π.: in a series of nouns embraced under one category only the first may have the article, Winer-Schmiedel, pp. 154 157. In comparing this list of the Apostles with that given by the Synoptists we notice that whilst St. Peter stands at the head in the four lists, those three are placed in the first group who out of the whole band are prominent in the Acts as also in the Gospels, viz., Peter, John, and James; all the Synoptists, however, place St. James as the elder brother before St. John. In St. Luke's first list, as in St. Matthew's list, the brothers Peter and Andrew stand first, followed by another pair of brothers James and John; but in Acts Andrew gives place, as we might expect, to the three Apostles who had been admitted to the closest intimacy with Jesus during His earthly life, and St. John as St. Peter's constant companion in the Gospel narrative makes a pair with him. The list in Acts agrees with that given by St. Luke in his Gospel in two particulars (see Friedrich, ubi supra, p. 50, and so too Zeller): (1) Simon the Zealot is called not ὁ Καναναῖος, as in Matthew and Mark, but ὁ Ζηλωτής, cf. Luke 6:15; (2) instead of Thaddæus (or Lebbæus) we have “Judas of James,” cf. Luke 6:16. Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου, “the son of James,” R.V. (so too above Ἰάκωβος Ἀλφαίου, “James the son of Alphæus”), placing the words “or, brother, see Jude 1:1,” in the margin, so too in Luke 6:16. The rendering of the words as Jude the brother of James was probably caused by Jude 1:1, and it is difficult to believe, as Nösgen argues (see also Winer-Schmiedel, p. 262), that in the same list and in such close proximity these two meanings “the son of” and “the brother of” should occur for the genitive, although no doubt it is possible grammatically; see Nösgen and Wendt, in loco. On the other hand, see Felten, note, p. 66. But Winer, to whom the latter refers, is by no means positive, and only expresses the opinion that ἀδελφός is perhaps to be supplied here and in Luke 6:16 if the same Apostle is referred to in Jude 1:1. (Winer-Moulton, p. 238). But the identification with the latter is very improbable, as he was most likely the brother of James, known as “the Lord's brother” (see Plummer on Luke, Luke 6:16, and Salmon, Introduction to N. T., pp. 473, 474, fifth edit.). It is also noteworthy that St. Luke uses ἀδελφός where he means “brother,” cf. Luke 3:1; Luke 6:14; Acts 12:2. Blass, Grammatik des N. G., gives the same reference to Alciphr., ii., 2, as Winer, Τιμοκράτης ὁ Μητροδώρου, sc. ἀδελφός, but at the same time he declines to commit himself as to the passage in Acts and Luke 6. The list, it has been thought, is given here again by St. Luke to show the recovery of the Apostolic band from their denial and flight so St. Chrysostom remarks that Luke did well to mention the disciples, for since one had betrayed Christ and another had been unbelieving, he hereby shows that, except the first, all were preserved (so to the same effect Œcumenius, in loco). There may also have been the desire of the author to intimate that although only the works of a few on the list would be chronicled, yet all alike were witnesses to Christ and workers for Him (Lumby).