Outline: The chapter breaks down into three sections.
The Prologue of the Physician
The Promise of Pentecost
The Prophecy Passes
1. The Prologue of the Physician 1:1-3
Acts 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
a. Note that Theophilus (God-lover) is addressed concerning what Jesus began to do. Now he is continuing.
b. See the apologetical force regarding this. The phrase "by many infallible proofs" is ev polloi tekmeriois - Luke is the only NT writer to use this. There is no term for "infallible" in the Greek. TEKMERION is used once in the LXX: 3 Maccabees 3:24 Therefore, fully convinced by these indications that they are ill-disposed toward us in every way, we have taken precautions lest, if a sudden disorder should later arise against us, we should have these impious people behind our backs as traitors and barbarous enemies. The word here, according to Liddell & Scott’s Classical Greek Lexicon say it is "a sure sign or token" from Heroditus, or "a positive proof" in Plato.
c. In Luke’s usage, though, he indicates the nature of the proof: over forty days after his "suffering" (Greek: pascho), he spoke of the kingdom. Let us suppose that you came to church every week over the last five weeks, since March 10, 2002. And for argument’s sake, say that you only saw me in the pulpit. Would you have any reasonable doubt that I was a living person? Jesus appeared to his disciples on at least four separate Lord’s Days and taught them. It may be that he was with them other days, but at least those days.
Gary Habermas of Liberty University debated Antony Flew on the resurrection. In the debate, which is an interesting example of "pure" evidential apologetics, Habermas said four facts are hardly disputed, even by critical scholars: "Jesus’ death due to crucifixion, the subsequent experiences that the disciples were convinced were literal appearances of the risen Jesus, the corresponding transformation of these men, and Paul’s conversion experience which he also believed w as an appearance of the risen Jesus" (p. 25)
d. I would only point out here that Luke goes beyond this kernal of evidential factuality - he says, "He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Jesus "presented himself’ PARISTEMI - pari,sthmi In Luke’s writing it often has a sense of judicial presentation: For example earlier in Luke 1:
"I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. AND Luke 2:22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’ Acts 9:41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. Acts 27:24 and he said, `Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar;
e. My conclusion is that Luke strongly indicates that Jesus stood before his disciples, not only the twelve but more than 500 brethren (1Co 15), so that no one could rationally dispute the resurrection in that day. One example of the evidential veracity that John gives is the well-known passage on doubting Thomas. Not much is given about Thomas in the gospels, but his character can be surmised from these glimpses.
HE HAS A BIT OF A SARCASTIC COMMENT IN THE LAZARUS STORY: John 11:16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
THE WELL KNOWN WORDS ARE TO THOMAS: John 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
HE IS A MISSOURI KING OF PERSON: John 20:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
JESUS ENCOURAGES US, WHO DO NOT TOUCH THE NAIL PRINTS, YET CONFESS HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION: 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
f. What about the kingdom of God: The Psalmist declares in Psalm 103:19: "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all." In Mark’s gospel we read the Kingdom has come near in the person of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15). The kingdom of God, or as it is called in Matthew’s gospel, "the kingdom of heaven" is a major theme throughout the NT. It is a spiritual kingdom, that is not "a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." It is a kingdom which bars the great and the powerful and the famous from entering based upon their reputations; and this kingdom bars the self-righteous from entering because of their deeds. But this same kingdom receives little children, tax-gatherers, prostitutes and other repentant sinners, simply through faith in the king. As Calvin put it, "the apostles were well taught by the one and only Master before they took upon them to teach the world. Therefore, whatever they set forth by speech or writing concerning the kingdom of God were speeches uttered by Christ. Now in this word he sums up the aim of the teaching of the gospel, namely that God should reign in us. The beginning of the kingdom is regeneration, the end and fulfillment of it is blessed immortality."
g. The Ascension - the doctrine of the ascension is indicated in this passage. We believe that the ascension was the exact time when Christ sat down and the right hand of God. Also, the resurrection-ascension is exaltation phase of Jesus ministry. Note the Larger Catechism:
WLC 53 How was Christ exalted in his ascension? A. Christ was exalted in his ascension, in that having after his resurrection often appeared unto and conversed with his apostles, speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God,(1) and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all nations,(2) forty days after his resurrection, he, in our nature, and as our head,(3) triumphing over enemies,(4) visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men,(5) to raise up our affections thither,(6) and to prepare a place for us,(7) where himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the world.(8)
2. The Promise of Pentecost
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
a. The theme of Acts: the book has many themes in addressing the apostolic ministries of (primarily) Peter and Paul. Clearly several things are prominent:
i. The continuation of what Jesus began doing in the earthly ministry through his ordained and empowered messengers.
ii. The spread of the gospel to the "end" (singular) of the "earth" (eschatou tes ges e.g., Rome).
iii. The ministry expansion from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, to the "end" of the "earth."
iv. The empowering of the apostolic messengers by the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost.
v. The theme according to John Calvin is "the beginning of the reign of Christ, and, as it were, the renewal of the world is being depicted here." -- "an account of the reign of Christ beginning with his triumphant resurrection and exaltation, and continuing until his gospel has reached Rome itself, as Christ our king, puts all enemies under his feet."
b. Verse 6: Notice the disciples question: "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
i. It is amazing, the disciples are not to know, the angels and the Son do not know, but Dallas Theological Seminary graduates do know. Peter doesn’t know, but Hal Lindsey does; John doesn’t know but Edgar Whisenant does!
ii. The APOKATHISTANO of the Basiliei (Restoration of the kingdom)
CF: Mark 9:12 Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?
iii. Times and seasons - cronous he kairous
KAIROS of Time, the right point of time, the proper time or season of action, the exact or critical time, Lat. opportunitas, ’time and tide wait for no man,’ Pind.; to let the time go by, Thuc.; "to be in season," Id. "at the most critical times," Xen., etc.
Paul writes to Timothy to Preach the Word - eukairos akairos - in season and out of season.
WLC 191 What do we pray for in the second petition? A. In the second petition (which is, Thy kingdom come,(1)) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan,(2) we pray, that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed,(3) the gospel propagated throughout the world,(4) the Jews called,(5) the fulness of the Gentiles brought in;(6) the church furnished with all gospel-officers and ordinances,(7) purged from corruption,(8) countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate:(9) that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted:(10) that Christ would rule in our hearts here,(11) and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him for ever:(12) and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.(13)
3. The Prophecy Passes 12-26
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 "for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry." 18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. 19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms: ’Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ’Let another take his office.’ 21 "Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 "beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." 23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 "to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
a. In the ten days between the Ascension and Pentecost they were obedient to Jesus by waiting, praying and studying: 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
b. First note the apostles, so lacking in Biblical discernment prior to this are now able to see Word clearly. Not only had Jesus been instructing them, He had given them the Spirit in an extraordinary way, so that they could perform the ministry: in understanding and proclaiming the Word, and it exercising the keys of the kingdom.
John 20 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
c. Secondly observe the language that Peter uses regarding the Bible: 1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
i. Scripture is what the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David.
ii. Some deny that Reformers and Calvin even held to verbal plenery inspiration, saying that B.B. Warfield invented the doctrine. Hear Calvin’s comments:
’Such expressions of speech procure a greater reverence for Scripture, when we learn that David and all the prophets spoke solely under the direction of the Spirit, so that they themselves were not the source of the prophecies but rather the Spirit who used their tongues as an instrument. Since therefore our dullness is such that we ascribe far less authority to Scripture than we ought, we should take careful note of expression of this kind and make ourselves familiar with them, that our faith may be confirmed by constantly remembering the authority of God" (41).
d. Peter quotes from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8.
i. Psalm 69:25 Let their dwelling place be desolate; Let no one live in their tents.
ii. The entire Psalm is Messianic and typological with referents to the crucifixion. It is an impreccatory psalm.
iii. Psalm 109: 8 Let his days be few, And let another take his office.
iv. Judgment on the enemies of Messiah, Judas, specifically is highly covenantal:
9 Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow. 10 Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places. Etc.
v. Psalm 109 precedes Psalm 110 and an important literary consideration is that of the place of the Dixit Dominus inter-canonically. Psalm 110 holds the place of the linchpin between the Psalms 107, 108, and 109 which are "plea for deliverance" Psalms and the following three (Hallel) Praise for Deliverance Psalms (111, 112, and 113).
The basic meaning of the apostles replacing Judas has to do with the position given them by Christ, indicated in - Matthew 19:28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Also, in Revelation we read of the new city: 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
In conclusion, we should be strengthened by the doctrines which find their historical setting in this passage: The resurrection, demonstrated by infallible proofs; the ascension to the Father’s right hand to intercede for us and to reign until all his enemies are subdued; the glorious, visible return of Christ when death shall be vanquised; the baptism by the Spirit through which all Christians are united to one another and Christ; the apostolic heralding of the gospel which is the glorious reconstitution of Israel and is the means of gospel going from Jerusalem to the very end of the world.
