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Acts Lesson Twenty-five

Acts Lesson Twenty-five: Acts 12:1-19 – Persecution Intensifies

About that time King Herod cruelly attacked some who belonged to the church, 2 and he killed James, John’s brother, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church. 

6 On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord  appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” Then the chains fell off his wrists. 8 “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did so. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what took place through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 After they passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and immediately the angel left him. 

11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. 13 He knocked at the door in the gateway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gateway. 

15 “You’re crazy!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, “It’s his angel!” 16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. 

17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Report these things to James and the brothers,” he said. Then he departed and went to a different place. 

18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. (HCSB)

In this passage, two significant things occur. 

  • First, the persecution against the church reaches a new level of intensity. 
  • Second, the transition from Peter and the Apostles being the main participants to Paul in the remainder of Acts occurs. 

The passage itself contains two storylines. 

  • The first is the martyrdom of James.
  • The second is the arrest and subsequent miraculous escape of Peter.

James is Martyred – verses 1-5.

Before we get into the passage itself, let’s have a detailed look at the main protagonist in this narrative, King Herod. Here are details about King Herod, which should shed additional light on the events in this passage.

  • This is Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great.
    • The Herods were Edomites, descendants of Esau.
      • In a sense, we see Esau persecuting Jacob once again.
      • James is another form of the name Jacob.
    • The picture here is a time of tribulation the Jews will endure in the last days.
      • In Matthew 20:20-23, James and John were promised a baptism of suffering.
      • James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred.
      • John was the last to die and lived a life of suffering.
  • He was the nephew of Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.
  • The family was despised by the Jews, who resented having Edomites rule over them.
  • Herod the Great had Agrippa’s father, Aristobulus, executed because Herod the Great feared an assassination attempt.
  • Herod the Great then had Agrippa, and his mother sent to Rome, where he could grow up and be educated along with the children of Roman aristocracy.
    • The friendships he developed during this time eventually led to his ruling over a swath of the Jewish kingdom nearly as large as the one Herod the Great ruled.
    • In 37 A.D., the emperor Caligula gave him the title of king.
      • He initially ruled over the lands of the Transjordan and the Ten Cities (Decapolis) north of Galilee.
      • In 39 A.D., his area of rule was expanded to include Galilee and Perea, areas formerly under the control of his uncle, Antipas, who had been sent into exile.
      • In 41 A.D., his former classmate, Claudius, now installed as the emperor, gave his control of Judea and Samaria.
      • He was now “king of the Jews” as he ruled over all of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, the Transjordan, and the Decapolis.
  • Much, if not all, of his good fortune, was due to his friendships with Caligula and Claudius.
  • Because of the fact that the Herod family descended from the Edomites, the general population hated them, which drove Agrippa to try and gain favor with the Jews by doing them “favors.”
  • The events in this passage likely took place in the spring of 42 or 43 A.D., at the height of his power and influence.

In verse two, we read that Agrippa had James killed with the sword. Although it is not necessary for understanding the passage, we don’t know which method, Roman or Jewish, was used to kill James.

  • Roman method – beheading.
  • Jewish method – because Jewish customs forbade beheading as a desecration to the body, they would thrust the sword through the body.
  • Because Agrippa would be concerned with gaining favor with the Jews, it would seem more likely that the Jewish method would be preferred.

Since Agrippa saw that he, indeed, did gain favor with the Jews for the execution of James, he decided to arrest the ringleader, Peter, as the next person to be tried, convicted, and executed. However, because he didn’t want to offend anyone, he decided to postpone the trial until after the Passover festival was complete, as a guilty verdict and subsequent execution during Passover would be considered a desecration.

Assigning four squads of four soldiers to each squad was standard Roman practice. This would involve changing the guard every three hours throughout the twelve hours of the night to ensure that alertness was maintained. Looking ahead to verse six, we also read that Peter was bound with two chains. It’s possible, given historical records, that Peter was chained to the guards. Why would Agrippa use such a large contingent for a peaceful prisoner? It was probably likely that the Sanhedrin had informed Agrippa of Peter’s previous Houdini-like escape, and he didn’t want a repeat performance.

We also see the spiritual characteristics of the church on display during Peter’s imprisonment. They were earnestly praying for him during this time. This is a lesson for all of us, regardless of the trials or difficulties we may be going through. Bring it before the Lord in humble supplication. Often, that is the only thing we are able to do, but at the same time, the most effective.

We could ask one question before moving on to discuss the deliverance of Peter. Why was James allowed to be martyred, and Peter was rescued? Both were faithful servants of God and needed by the church. The only answer is the sovereign will of God. This was the very thing that the church prayed about after their experience with persecution in Acts 4:24-30. Herod had attempted to “stretch forth” his hand to destroy the church in Acts 4, but God stretched forth His hand to perform signs and wonders and to glorify Jesus, Acts 4:28-30. God allowed James to be killed but kept Peter from harm. Almighty God was in control, not any person.

The Rescue of Peter – verses 6-19.

Possibly the most striking statement in this passage is found in verse six, “Peter…was sleeping.” 

How could Peter possibly be sleeping when he knew the next day he was to be executed?

  • The prayers of the church surely provided comfort to him. They were praying day and night for about a week.
  • Faith in the Word of God and Jesus’ promises were the key.
    • Let’s review what Jesus told Peter in John 21:18-19.
      • Peter would not die until he was older.
      • Peter would die by crucifixion, not by the sword.
    • Peter’s faith in what Jesus told him allowed him to be at peace and understand that against all odds, he would not die at this time.
  • We should all ask ourselves if we have the same sense of peace as we face the trials, almost certainly not a threat of execution, in our lives. How we act reflects the level of faith we have in God.

In verses seven to eleven, we see Peter obeying what the angel told him to do. At first, Peter thought he was having a dream, and the events were not real. It wasn’t until after they passed through two sets of guard posts and the gate leading to the city, passed the first street, and the angel left him, that Peter finally realized that this wasn’t a dream, he was free! He proclaims that the Lord sent the angel to rescue him from the clutches of the enemy. He then makes his way to the house where the believers had gathered in prayer for him during the Passover festival. 

This was a sensible choice for two reasons. First, surely Peter understood that the prayers of the saints were heard in heaven and directly contributed to his release. Second, he wanted to let them know their prayers were heard and answered. There are four points connected to the prayers of the believers.

  • Many people were involved in praying.
  • They were praying earnestly.
  • They prayed day and night for about a week.
  • They prayed specifically for Peter’s release.

The scene at Mary’s house is almost comical. Peter knocks on the door; a servant named Rhoda recognizes his voice but is so overwhelmed with joy that instead of opening the door, she runs and tells the others that Peter is at their door. Their response indicates a couple of things.

  • A lack of faith in the power of their prayers.
    • They had prayed for about a week for Peter’s release.
    • Peter was now knocking on the door, but they didn’t believe it was him.
  • Their belief in angels.
    • The Jews believed in guardian angels.
      • Matthew 18:10.
      • Hebrews 1:14.
    • Each person had a guardian angel as their spiritual counterpart.
      • They believed that the angel appeared immediately after the person’s death.
      • This is why they responded to Rhoda with the phrase, “It’s his angel.”

Verse seventeen has three components.

  • Peter gives them the details of his miraculous deliverance.
  • He tells them to report what had happened to James and the brothers.
  • He departs from them and goes to “a different place.”
    • He could have done this for two reasons.
      • To avoid the likely wrath of Agrippa.
      • To prevent the gathered believers from being connected to his escape.
    • We don’t know where the “different place” was located.
      • It could have been a safer place in Jerusalem.
      • It could have been a location outside the city.

The narrative now switches from the events surrounding Peter to the consequences of his escape.

  • When the guards woke up, Peter was gone, but there was no indication of how his escape occurred.
  • A search was made to find Peter, but it was not successful.
  • Herod then had the guards interrogated to find out how Peter escaped. 
    • One has to wonder whether Peter’s previous escapes had entered Agrippa’s thoughts.
    • Agrippa’s plan to curry additional favor with the Jews had now come undone.
  • We also see evidence of Roman law coming into play.
    • A guard that allowed a prisoner to escape was subject to the same penalty the escapee would have suffered.
    • The fate that befalls the guards leaves little doubt that Agrippa had intended to execute Peter.
  • With his plan unraveled, Agrippa now makes his way back to his residence in Caesarea, likely embarrassed and in a foul mood.

Applications

  • Believers are to pray. Although Peter’s situation appeared grim, there was a large group of believers who gathered to pray for about a week for his release. The same is expected of us. No matter how dark the situation may appear, we are to bring our prayers before God. We see once again in this passage that the early church was a church of prayer, a model that should be part of every New Testament church.
  • Believers are to have peace regardless of the circumstances, trusting that God is in control and He will work according to His sovereign plan for the good of all. If we are absorbed with feelings of anxiety or worry, it indicates that we don’t trust God. Rest in the assurance of His Word. Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us. Do you believe that?
  • No matter how others hurt us, actual or intended, remember that it isn’t our place to retaliate. God will bring judgment in His time according to His plan. We’ll read in the next section that Agrippa met a swift end after his failed attempt to execute Peter. We are to follow Jesus and leave judgment to the Lord.
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Acts Lesson Twenty-three

Acts Lesson Twenty-three: Acts 11:1-18 – The Jerusalem Church Accepts the Gentiles

The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message also. 2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who stressed circumcision argued with him, 3 saying, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them!” 

4 Peter began to explain to them in an orderly sequence, saying: 5 “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. 6 When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 7 Then I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat!’ 

8 “‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing common or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!’ 9 But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call common.’ 

10 “Now this happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. 12 Then the Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house. 13 He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. 14 He will speak a message to you that you and all your household will be saved by.’ 

15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift that He also gave to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?” 

18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!” (HCSB)

After the conversion of Cornelius and his household, Peter travels back to Jerusalem to relay what had occurred in Caesarea among the Gentiles.

The majority of this passage is a repeat of the events that occurred in chapter ten. Instead of reviewing those portions, this lesson will concentrate on the few but important differences. If you’d like to review chapter ten, please look at Acts lessons twenty-one and twenty-two.

Peter heads back to Jerusalem after spending several days with Cornelius. By the time Peter makes it back to Jerusalem, the events that unfolded were already known. In verses two and three, it becomes clear that not all the believers were happy about what occurred in Caesarea. This will be our first discussion point.

The Circumcision Sect is Not Happy

The term “those who stressed circumcision” is pointing to a strong legalistic segment within the Judean church. Let’s discuss what is known about this group and the general resistance to the inclusion of Gentiles into salvation.

  • Just as many religious leaders in Judaism were entrenched in legalism, the same problem existed to an extent within the young church. We need to remember that those who comprised the early church were almost entirely made up of those who converted from Judaism.
    • They represented a conservative minority within the church.
    • They were dedicated to protecting the Jewish perspective on Christianity.
  • At this point, many Jewish Christians viewed it simply as a smaller movement within mainstream Judaism.
  • The issues of Jewish purity and their purity laws and customs would be prevalent in the practices and thought processes of these early Jewish Christians.
    • They followed Jewish dietary customs about what could and couldn’t be eaten.
    • Not associating with Gentiles, especially during mealtime, as their food would be considered unclean.
  • This group didn’t have any issue with:
    • Sharing the Gospel.
    • The outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
    • Baptism in the name of Jesus.
  • The new believers didn’t understand the relationship between the Law and grace, Jews and Gentiles, and Israel and the church.
  • There were many converted priests in the Christian church, and these men would likely be zealous for the Law.
  • They felt that any Gentile who became a Christian must also convert to Judaism and follow the procedures to become a full Jewish proselyte.
    • Follow Jewish dietary customs.
    • Become circumcised.
  • The group’s concern was not that the Gentile believers were baptized; it was that Peter shared a meal with them.
    • By sharing a meal with them, Peter demonstrated his acceptance of them being Christian brothers and sisters.
    • However, they were not circumcised, going against Jewish custom.
  • This group may be the same one mentioned in Acts 15:5.

The Issue of Cornelius

There is one additional nugget of information regarding what Cornelius told Peter when the latter arrived in Caesarea. In his vision, Cornelius related how the angel told him that Peter would speak a message that would result in his and his household’s salvation. This would explain their eager anticipation in hearing the message Peter brought. 

Another important to consider as Peter relates the events that occurred in Caesarea is that Peter never mentions the centurion’s name. Who he is isn’t important to the Judean Christians. However, the fact that he was a Gentile is the key sticking point. 

Gentile Pentecost

Peter relates how the Holy Spirit descended upon the household, the same as how the Spirit descended at the Jewish Pentecost in Acts chapter two.

  • Peter remembered what Jesus had told the disciples.
    • John baptized with water.
    • They would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
  • This is the third “Pentecost” event described in Acts.
    • Jewish Pentecost in Acts 2.
    • Samaritan Pentecost in Acts 8.
    • The Gentile Pentecost in Acts 11.
  • The fact that God would pour out the Spirit on the Gentiles was a crucial point as Peter explained the event in Caesarea.
    • It was a testimony that God had truly saved the Gentiles.
    • If God approved of the Gentiles, how could Peter feel any different?
    • The word “hinder” in verse 18 means “to oppose” in the original Greek.
      • Peter couldn’t oppose the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Christian family.
      • Anyone who would oppose their inclusion would be opposing God.
  • At this point, there wasn’t much the “circumcision group” could say as a rebuttal. 
  • However, this isn’t the last time that Gentile inclusion and not following Jewish customs and traditions would be an issue to the church.
  • There were three questions that persisted for years until they were brought before the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
    • What lifestyle was appropriate for Gentiles coming to Christ directly from a pagan background?
    • How do the Gentile believers relate to Jewish Christians?
    • How should the Jerusalem church handle these individuals?
  • Although it may appear on the surface that the church successfully dealt with the issue of including Gentiles into the family of God, history shows that the transition wasn’t smooth. The main issue in the socio-political framework was the inclusion of members of the very group who were occupying and controlling Israel.
    • From the 40’s until the Jewish revolt in AD 70, the situation became increasingly tense.
    • During that time, the main issues weren’t food laws and circumcision.
    • To welcome Gentiles as equals could, and was, viewed as fraternizing with the enemy.
    • This would eventually bubble over in AD 70 with the Jewish revolt and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.
  • In the rapidly changing world we live in today, it is important to keep that point in mind. The church must be faithful to God while navigating the changing socio-political landscape.

Applications

  • Legalism has no part in a biblical church or the lives of followers of Jesus. Yes, there are specific guidelines and doctrines we need to follow (the red letter passages in the New Testament are a good place to start), but just as Jesus pointed out the lack of understanding of the Pharisees, we need to make sure we don’t do the same things. 
  • When confronted by fellow believers, we need to maintain a calm demeanor and exhibit patience, and be directed by the Spirit. This is precisely what Peter did in this passage. The pre-Pentecost Peter would likely have had a confrontation with the circumcision sect. However, the Spirit-led Peter was able to calmly explain the events that transpired and point out that God’s hand was leading the Gentiles into the family of God.
  • Discussion and debate within the body of Christ are ok if…it doesn’t become divisive. We must all agree on the “majors” of the faith and not let the “minors” create disunity. This is especially true across denominational lines. As an example, whether we baptize someone by immersion or sprinkling will not change whether they are saved or not. Only faith in our resurrected Savior will restore our broken fellowship with God.
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Acts Lesson One – Introduction and the Promise of the Holy Spirit

Acts Lesson One – Introduction and the Holy Spirit

With this lesson, we will embark on a lengthy journey through the Book of Acts. It is a fascinating account of the birth of the church and the early missionary journeys to spread the Gospel. In our modern world, with so many gadgets and gimmicks used in the church, it is refreshing to go back to the basics and see how the Gospel spread through faithful servants empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Before we begin the first lesson on the Book of Acts, let’s look at background information to establish the basic facts or positions surrounding the entire book.

Author – There is almost universal acceptance that Luke wrote both Acts and the Gospel by his name. There is no reason to doubt Luke’s authorship of the Book of Acts.

Date – There are three main positions regarding the dating of Acts.

  • Sometime between A.D. 57-64.
    • Because of the book’s abrupt ending, which doesn’t talk about the outcome of Paul’s arrest.
    • Nero’s persecution of Christians is not mentioned in the book.
    • The writing doesn’t indicate that Luke was aware of Paul’s epistles, which could have influenced or been included in Acts.
  • Sometime between A.D. 70-90.
    • Because verse one states, “the first narrative” in reference to his Gospel, Acts must have been written after it. 
    • Since Acts was written after Luke’s Gospel, a dating of the Gospel is critical to identifying the dating of Acts.
      • From the structure of the Gospels, it appears that Luke borrowed material from Mark’s Gospel, which is dated around A.D. 65. 
      • Allowing for a reasonable period of time between Mark and Luke would point towards a date after A.D. 70 for Luke’s Gospel.
      • Most scholars who support a middle dating place Acts between A.D. 70-80.
    • Scholars and theologians who support late dating are in the minority. However, there is a split within the “late date” camp.
      • A.D. 95-100
        • The basis for this dating is on references to the information contained in Antiquities by the Jewish historian Josephus, published in A.D. 93. 
        • However, the connection to Josephus’ book is weak at best as the references pertained to commonly known Jewish events.
        • The favorable picture between Christians and Roman authorities doesn’t fit this later dating as imperial persecutions had begun.
      • A.D. 125-150
        • This dating is based solely on the language contained in Acts when compared to writings by the Apostolic Fathers.
        • Understandably, this is the weakest position.

The most convincing dating of the book is somewhere between A.D. 70-80.

Recipient

There are numerous possibilities that scholars and theologians have wrestled with through the centuries, some more believable than others. The origin of “Theophilus” in Greek means “lover of God.” So does this mean that it could have been written to a group of people and not an individual? That’s a possibility. However, “Theophilus” was a widely used name at the time Acts was written. Additionally, the phrase “most excellent” would also suggest a single person and not a group of people. Although we can conclude that Acts was most likely originally written to one person, there is no arguing that its final destination was intended to the broader Christian community.

Purpose – To reinforce the certainty of the Gospel message and the early church through a historical account of followers of Christ.

Themes

  • World Mission
  • Providence of God
  • Power of the Holy Spirit
  • Restored Israel
  • Inclusive Gospel
  • Faithful Witnesses
  • Relationship to the World
  • Triumph of the Gospel

We should also read Acts on three levels.

  • It is the story of the early church.
  • It is a book about Jesus.
  • It is a book that continues today with the principal characters being us, present-day believers in Jesus who continue to carry out His mission to reach the lost.

Acts 1:1-11

I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach  2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.  3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said,“is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” (HCSB)

Verses 1-3

This section presents the introduction of the book from Luke to Theophilus. I won’t restate the discussion on the recipient raised in the introduction to the book, but I will expand a bit on the style presented in the first.

Book dedications were common in Greek culture. Luke had dedicated his Gospel to Theophilus in Luke 1:3, and now he continues that trend in the first verse in Acts. Luke summarized his Gospel in the first verse with the concise statement, “about all that Jesus began to do and teach.”  Looking at that statement, there is one key observation centered around the word “began.” This implies that the work is not finished. As we take our journey through Acts, we’ll see that the work that Jesus began continued, and it continues today. The work will not be finished until Jesus returns. The summary ends at the beginning of verse two with the phrase “until the day He was taken up.” 

Beginning in the second half of verse two, the “new” story begins in Acts. 

  • There was a period of instruction given to the apostles to carry on the work He began.
  • This was a transition period as Jesus handed over the keys to them.
  • Luke points out that the same Spirit that empowered Jesus during His earthly ministry would now empower the apostles as they continued the work. 
  • Jesus taught them directly during His earthly ministry. Now, they would be taught and led by the Spirit.

Starting in verse three, Luke presents the fact that Jesus rose after His crucifixion and is alive. The phrase “after He had suffered” refers to the trial, crucifixion, and death of Jesus. However, His death was not the end. After He rose on the third day, He appeared to His followers repeatedly over a period of forty days. The imagery from the wording of the passage is not that Jesus was with them for the entire time; rather, He came and went during the forty-day period. The fact that Jesus appeared to the apostles during this time was essential for their primary role in Acts of being witnesses to His resurrection.

  • Acts 1:22
  • Acts 2:32
  • Acts 3:15
  • Acts 5:32
  • Acts 10:39-41
  • Acts 13:31

Here is a summary of Luke’s argument that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah.

  • The resurrection is a fact – the disciples knew Jesus had been raised from the dead.
  • If the resurrection is a fact, it proves Jesus’ deity. Jesus claimed to be divine before His crucifixion. God would not have raised Jesus from the dead if His claim to deity was false.
  • A divine Christ must speak the truth because God is truthful and must speak truthfully.
  • If Jesus speaks the truth, we can trust everything that He teaches. We can trust the Bible because Jesus taught it was the Word of God. We can believe that God has forgiven our sins because Jesus taught that God would do that for all who believe in Him.

The reference to forty days has strong ties to Old Testament events and the period after Jesus’ baptism.

  • Moses spent forty days on Mt. Sinai receiving the law.
  • Elijah spent forty days on Mt. Horeb.
  • Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness was forty days.
  • Now Jesus will spend forty days preparing His followers to carry on the mission.
  • Forty days also fit the dating of Pentecost.
    • Resurrection on the third day.
    • Appeared for forty days.
    • Approximately one week in the upper room.
    • Pentecost, fifty days after the crucifixion.

What did Jesus speak to His followers about during this time of instruction? It is likely from looking at other conversations that He had in the Gospels that Jesus used the Old Testament to show that He was the expected Messiah. His followers would now carry on the work He had started.

Verse 4

The original construction of this verse in Greek sheds light on what Jesus’ followers had been doing. The verse literally means “stop departing from Jerusalem.” This implies that they had been coming and going from Jerusalem. Jesus tells them to stay in the city and wait for the Father’s promise, introduced in Luke 24:49 and explicitly revealed in the following verse.

There is a lesson here for us. How often do we try and rush off and do things before the proper time? Or even worse, how often do we try and do things in our strength and not in the power of the Holy Spirit? 

Verse 5

Here Luke presents a reminder to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with reference to the water baptism that John the Baptist was conducting in the Jordan River. However, the reference here is to the one-time occurrence of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. John’s baptism was one of repentance and is still used today to signify a person committing their life to Christ and entering into the spiritual family of God. In contrast to the water baptism, new converts to Jesus would now receive the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. As we move through Acts, we will see this pattern repeated in various sequences. However, two things are essential to the conversion experience; repentance and the gift of the Spirit.

Verses 6-8

These verses tie neatly together with the disciples asking when the kingdom will come, Jesus rebuking their speculation, and refocusing them on the task He give them.

Although initially, the location of the conversation is vague, it becomes clear over the next several verses that this conversation is the last one that takes place between Jesus and His followers. It occurs right before His ascension and takes place on the Mt. of Olives. Because of Jesus’ previous comments to His followers about the coming of the Spirit and the fulfillment of God’s promises, the disciples had come to the conclusion that the final appearance of God’s kingdom could be right around the corner.

However, Jesus redirects their attention to the task at hand for all of His followers. 

  • They are not to worry about when that would occur.
    • That is solely in line with God’s purposes and authority.
    • Even Jesus had no knowledge of when this would occur.
  • To speculate on dates and times is pointless.
  • The return of Jesus doesn’t revolve around speculation about the timing.
  • It does revolve around God’s purpose.
    • Salvation of the lost in the world.
    • The quickest way to the return of Jesus is worldwide evangelism.

Verse eight puts the disciple’s question in the proper perspective. The restoration of the kingdom would involve a worldwide missions movement. Jesus’s statement is looking towards the future, both imminent and long-term. Jesus promised His followers two things.

  • They will receive power through the Holy Spirit.
    • Jesus’ followers receive divine power once they repent and place their faith in Him.
      • This applied to the original disciples.
      • It applies to us today.
    • The Greek word used for power is the same word that described the miracles that Jesus performed in the Gospels. Jesus’ followers receive the same power that He used when performing miracles.
  • They will be Jesus’ witnesses.
    • The geographical picture presented in verse eight is a rough outline for the entire book.
      • Jerusalem
        • Jerusalem is central to Luke’s Gospel.
          • The temple scenes of Jesus’ infancy.
          • The long journey to Jerusalem.
          • Jesus’ passion in the city that killed its prophets.
        • The story of Jesus led to Jerusalem.
        • The story of the church led from Jerusalem.
      • Judea – Understood as the Davidic kingdom to include the coastal territories and Galilee.
      • Samaria – Because of its non-Jewish population.
      • The ends of the earth – In the setting of the Acts, it would be understood as Rome since that is where the book ends. However, the same phrase is found in the prophets to mean distant lands. Our understanding today is that it represents the entire world where people live. The ends of the earth will not be fulfilled until all people groups have been reached by the Gospel.

Christians are constantly faced with two temptations regarding missionary work.

  • One is the temptation to idleness.
    • Jesus has saved me, so I’m good.
    • I have a nice church.
    • Everything is comfortable.
    • I’ll just sit back and wait for Jesus to return.
  • The second temptation is the one that the disciples were getting caught up in, thinking they could do the Lord’s work in the world’s way and their own power.
    • Establish the kingdom politically.
    • Put Christians into high positions in the government.
    • Impose our vision of society on the world.
    • Although we shouldn’t accept the evil in the world, it is foolish to think we can change things without God’s power.

Verses 9-11

The passage ends with the disciples witnessing Jesus’ ascension and the encounter with the angels.

Some things to note about the ascension.

  • It is found only here, in Acts 1:2 and Luke 24:51.
  • It is closely related to many New Testament passages that speak of Jesus’ exaltation to the Father. Two examples are:
    • 1 Timothy 3:16
    • 1 Peter 3:21
  • It depicts Jesus’ final departure of the resurrected Lord from the earth, ending the forty-day period of appearances.
  • There are connections with other biblical narratives.
    • The taking up of Enoch.
    • The taking up of Elijah.
    • The cloud that enveloped Mt. Sinai.
    • Clouds were often associated with theophanies.
      • The transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36.
      • The same picture occurs here as Jesus is surrounded by a cloud as He ascends.
  • It also gives further basis for the witness of the disciples who testify to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension as first-hand witnesses.
  • Luke stresses this point no fewer than five times in these three verses.

Now that the ascension is complete, two angels appear on the scene. There are several points to note about this.

  • Angels often accompanied heavenly visitations as interpreters of the event.
    • The significance of the empty tomb in Luke 24:4-9.
    • The disciples who stood looking into the sky in this section.
    • They addressed the disciples as “Men of Galilee.”
      • A strong Galilean witness is a central theme in Luke-Acts.
      • The women of Galilee witnessed the crucifixion.
    • Although it is understandable that the disciples would stare at the sky in amazement, the rebuke of the angels is necessary.
      • Events of a high spiritual experience are not the end.
      • It was time to act on what they had seen and become witnesses and testify to the truth of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
      • The rebuke was followed by a promise, Jesus would return in the same way that He departed, on the clouds.

Applications

  • Have we placed our faith and trust in a  resurrected Jesus and received power from the Holy Spirit? 
  • Do we study God’s Word so that we understand and can speak to the deity of Jesus? It doesn’t necessarily mean we need to memorize all the prophecies in the Old Testament about Him, but we do need to have an understanding and know where to look as we witness to the lost around us.
  • Do we wait until the correct time in our ministry endeavors and do them in the power of the Holy Spirit and not from our desire?
  • We should never pay attention, get involved with, or think we know when Jesus will return. Jesus was clear that He didn’t know when that would occur, so how can we make ourselves higher than Jesus?
  • Are we involved in mission work of some type? This doesn’t necessarily mean we need to go live in another country. However, it does mean that we are prepared and intentional about sharing the Gospel message to those we interact with and not being lazy Christians.