Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1, verses 1-12

¹ Christ preparing his apostles to the beholding of his ascension, gathereth them together into the mount Olivet, commandeth to expect in Jerusalem the sending-down of the holy Ghost, promiseth after few days to send it, by virtue whereof they should be witnesses unto hem even to the utmost parts of the earth, ⁹ After his ascension they are warned by two angels to depart, and to set their minds upon his second coming, ¹² They accordingly return, and giving themselves to prayer choose Matthias apostle in the place of Judas

¹The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

²Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

³To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

⁴And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

⁵For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.

¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

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Wesley's Notes

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1:1 The former treatise - In that important season which reached from the resurrection of Christ to his ascension, the former treatise ends, and this begins: this describing the Acts of the Holy Ghost, (by the apostles,) as that does the acts of Jesus Christ. Of all things - In a summary manner: which Jesus began to do - until the day - That is, of all things which Jesus did from the beginning till that day.

1:2 After having given commandment - In the Act 1:3 St. Luke expresses in general terms what Christsaid to his apostles during those forty days. But in the Act 1:4 and following verses he declares what he said on the day of his ascension. He had brought his former account down tothat day; and from that day begins the Acts of the Apostles.

1:3 Being seen by them forty days - That is, many times during that space. And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God - Which was the sum of all his discourses with them before his passion also.

1:4 Wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard from me - When he was with them a little before, as it is recorded, Luk 24:49.

1:5 Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost - And so are all true believers to the end of the world. But the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost also are here promised.

1:6 Dost thou at this time - At the time thou now speakest of?not many days hence? restore the kingdom to Israel? - They still seemed to dream of an outward, temporal kingdom, in which the Jews should have dominion over all nations. It seems they came in a body, having before concerted the design, to ask when this kingdom would come.

1:7 The times or the seasons - Times, in the language of the Scriptures, denote a longer; seasons, a shorter space. Which the Father hath put in his own power - To be revealed when and to whom it pleaseth him.

1:8 But ye shall receive power - and shall be witnesses to me - That is, ye shall be empowered to witness my Gospel, both by your preaching and suffering.

1:12 A Sabbath - day's journey - The Jews generally fix this to two thousand cubits, which is not a mile.

Topics:

Angels

End of the World

Luke, Chapter 24, verses 36-53

³⁶ Afterwards he appeareth to the apostles and reproveth their unbelief, ⁴⁷ giveth them a charge, ⁴⁹ promiseth the holy Ghost, ⁵¹ and so ascendeth into heaven

³⁶And 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 shewed 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.

⁴⁹And, 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.

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Wesley's Notes

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Comments on the book

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24:36 Jesus stood in the midst of them - It was just as easy to his Divine power to open a door undiscernibly, as it was to come in at a door opened by some other hand. Mar 16:14, Mar 16:19; Joh 20:19.

24:40 He showed them his hands and his feet - That they might either see or feel the prints of the nails.

24:41 While they believed not for joy - They did in some sense believe: otherwise they would not have rejoiced. But their excess of joy prevented a clear, rational belief.

24:43 He took it and ate before them - Not that he had any need of food; but to give them still farther evidence.

24:44 And he said - On the day of his ascension. In the law, and the prophets, and the psalms - The prophecies as well as types, relating to the Messiah, are contained either in the books of Moses (usually called the law) in the Psalms, or in the writings of the prophets; little being said directly concerning him in the historical books.

24:45 Then opened he their understanding, to understand the Scriptures - He had explained them before to the two as they went to Emmaus. But still they Understood them not, till he took off the veil from their hearts, by the illumination of his Spirit.

24:47 Beginning at Jerusalem - This was appointed most graciously and wisely: graciously, as it encouraged the, greatest sinners to repent, when they saw that even the murderers of Christ were not excepted from mercy: and wisely, as hereby Christianity was more abundantly attested; the facts being published first on the very spot where they happened.

24:49 Behold I send the promise - Emphatically so called; the Holy Ghost.

24:50 He led them out as far as Bethany - Not the town, but the district: to the mount of Olives, Act 1:12, which stood within the boundaries of Bethany.

24:51 And while he was blessing them, he was parted from them - It was much more proper that our Lord should ascend into heaven, than that he should rise from the dead, in the sight of the apostles. For his resurrection was proved when they saw him alive after his passion: but they could not see him in heaven while they continued on earth.

Topics:

Angels


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Orthodox readings for 13 June 2013

Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1, verses 1-12

Luke, Chapter 24, verses 36-53