THE ASCENSION. ELECTION OF MATTHIAS 1-5. St. Luke's Introduction. He recapitulates the general contents of his Gospel, adding, however, this additional information, (1) that the appearances of the risen Lord were numerous, and (2) that forty days elapsed between the Resurrection and the Ascension.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FORMER TREATISE] i.e. St. Luke's Gospel: see Intro. THEOPHILUS] see on Luke 1:3. BEGAN] The Gospel records the work that Jesus began to do. Acts records its accomplishment. The chief agent in this book is the Ascended Christ Himself, operating through His Spirit, and performing works which were... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS] RV omits 'infallible,' but the Gk. implies that they were reliable and convincing. The 'many' is important, for St. Luke records only four appearances, all in Judaea: see art. 'The Resurrection.' FORTY DAYS] i.e. at intervals during forty days. THE KINGDOM OF GOD] Sometimes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEING ASSEMBLED] rather', 'and while sitting at meat with them': see RM and cp. Mark 16:14. The fact of the risen Lord's eating is attested also by Luke 24:42, where Jesus eats 'before' the disciples; and the sitting at table by Acts 10:41. THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER] i.e. the promised gift of... [ Continue Reading ]
BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST] There can be little doubt that the Apostles had already received baptism, not only from John, but also from Jesus Himself: see John 3:22; John 3:26; John 4:1; John 4:2. But Christian Baptism was not yet, in the full sense, a Baptism 'with the Holy Ghost and with fire,'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ASCENSION. Belief in the Ascension of Jesus follows necessarily from belief in His resurrection. If Jesus rose from the dead not with a natural, but with a spiritual body (and this is undoubtedly the doctrine of Holy Scripture), then it was impossible for Him to remain permanently on earth. The... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS NOT FOR YOU] The Apostles were to be not so much prophets of the future, as witnesses of the past. HATH PUT IN HIS OWN POWER] see on Mark 13:32; There is another possible translation of these words: 'which the Father appointed by His own power.'... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMARIA, etc.] Jesus here revokes the temporary limitation of the mission of the Apostles to the Jews (Matthew 10:5). This passage is one of the many proofs that Jesus intended to found a universal religion.... [ Continue Reading ]
A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM] The visible and corporal Ascension does not necessarily imply that heaven is a place situated above the clouds. The object of the Ascension was not to indicate where or what heaven is, but to assure the Apostles by an unmistakable sign that Jesus had entered it. It is possible... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO MEN] certainly angels, as in Luke 24:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY STAND] It is fruitless to gaze. Go rather and labour, that when He comes again in judgment He may approve your work. IN LIKE MANNER] i.e. in glory, and in His human nature: cp. 'this Jesus' above.... [ Continue Reading ]
waiting Church. 12. Olivet] lit. 'the olive-orchard'; called usually The Mount of Olives. This, the scene of Christ's agony and betrayal, is now made the scene of His triumph. A SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY] i.e. 2,000 cubits, or 6 furlongs.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN UPPER ROOM] RV 'the upper chamber,' probably that in which the Last Supper had been eaten; not, as some have argued from Luke 24:53, a chamber in the Temple. It may have been in the house of Mary the mother of Mark: see Acts 12:12. PETER, etc.] see on Matthew 10:2.; _The brother_ OF JAMES] RV cor... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ONE ACCORD] Unanimity and common action distinguish the Christian community in Acts. This characteristic expression (Gk. _homothumadon_) occurs again Acts 2:46; Acts 4:24; Acts 5:12; Acts 7:57; Acts 8:6; Acts 12:20; Acts 15:25; Acts 18:12; Acts 19:29, and nowh [ Continue Reading ]
PETER] Peter, having been restored by Jesus to the office forfeited by his triple apostasy (John 21:15.), resumes his old rank as leader of the Apostles. This leadership was probably personal, not official: see on Matthew 16:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ELECTION OF MATTHIAS. As the Church was about to be established on a durable and permanent basis, it was necessary that the twelve foundations on which it was to rest (Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14) should be made complete. Matthias, therefore, was chosen to fill the place of the traitor Juda... [ Continue Reading ]
MUST NEEDS] RV 'It was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled.' Just as the scandal and stumbting-block of the death of Jesus was diminished by the discovery that it was foretold in the OT., and was part of the determinate counsel of God (Luke 24:26; Luke 24:46; Acts 2:23; Acts 3:17, etc.),... [ Continue Reading ]
PART] RV 'his portion' (lit. 'lot,' Gk. _klçros_). In Patristic Greek the word designates the clergy. 18, 19. These vv. are, of course, a note by St. Luke, not a part of St. Peter's speech. For the historical difficulties see on Matthew 27:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
BISHOPRIC] RV 'office' (Psalms 69:25; Psalms 109:8). 21, 22. St. Peter names two qualifications of an Apostle, (1) to have followed Jesus from the day of His Baptism by John to the day of His Ascension; (2) to have been a witness of His Resurrection. The former of St. Peter's requirements excludes... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostles might doubtless have added Matthias to their number on their own authority, but instead of doing so they consulted the brethren, thus introducing a popular element into the polity of the Church: see on Acts 6:3. TWO] The disciples (probably because the Holy Spirit had not yet been recei... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PRAYED] This, the first recorded Christian prayer, is probably addressed to Jesus Himself. For, (1) prayer to Jesus was no exceptional thing, but a usual practice of the Apostolic Church (see Acts 9:14); and (2) it was appropriate that He who had chosen eleven of the apostles should be invoked... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS OWN PLACE] St. Peter speaks with merciful reserve, but probably means Hell ('Gehenna'). The same euphemism is found in rabbinical writings.... [ Continue Reading ]
GAVE FORTH THEIR LOTS] RV 'gave lots for them'; RM 'gave lots unto them.' The two names were probably written on tablets, and shaken in a vessel until one of them dropped out. The use of the sacred lot (_Urim_) was common from the age of Moses to that of David, but afterwards it fell into disuse. Th... [ Continue Reading ]