April 5, 2014: Acts Chapter 1

The Book of Acts Chapter 1

Originally posted Friday, May 2, 2008

General Comment: The Book of Acts is the second volume of the two volume work by Luke, also the author of the Gospel bearing his name. The edition we have received was written during the last decade of the first century. As previously noted, Luke was most likely a Gentile converted to Christianity in one of the Greek churches founded by Paul. He was highly educated and well read, with a thorough knowledge of the Greek Old Testament through which he has acquired a strong understanding of the history of Israel and Judaism.  He wrote for a Gentile audience, dedicating this second volume to Theophilus who may have been a patron who was looked to as someone who would support the expense of copying and distributing Luke's manuscripts. He also serves as a representative of the new Gentile Christians who were Luke's principle audience.

We will notice in reading the text that Luke continues his close attention to the roots of Christianity within the history of Israel. Many if not most of the new Gentile converts were God Fearers attached to Synagogues and already familiar with Judaism, its cultural and religious history. Luke's purpose particularly in the first part of Acts is to place Jesus within that ancient context as the one who brings all its promises to fulfillment. He also establishes Peter's evangelistic leadership in the Palestinian Church and places him at the heart of bridging the Jewish-Gentile divide nurtured by Jesus' brother, James who was in favor of keeping the church exclusively Jewish. In the second part of Acts Luke's purpose is to follow Paul as the Jewish champion of the early Christian evangelistic efforts among the Gentiles. Luke traces (and moves) Paul's career from its beginning on the Damascus Road all the way to Rome, the capital of the world. In Paul Luke sees the future of the Church rooted in Israel but nourished by a universal perspective that will take the "Way" beyond the legalism of Judaism.

Acts Chapter 1:1-5 The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In John 20:21-22 Jesus commissions the disciples to go into the world to preach the message of eternal life. He breathes into them the Holy Spirit which will be the power of God with them as they carry out their mission. We will see throughout Acts the working of that Spirit as the power moving Christianity's spread as it works in the empowered lives of the Apostles.

Luke opens Acts with a connection (and an addition) to the end of the Gospel (LK 24:44-49). The limited information is a suggestion to the readers that to properly understand the words before them they will need to have read the previous volume of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus continues with the disciples for forty days (meaning an unspecified number) teaching them about the Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit. He had instructed the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high (the Holy Spirit) which he had promised to send. Luke connects this event with the words of John the Baptist who said of Jesus (as prophecy) that he would baptize them with the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promises will be very soon.

Acts Chapter 1:6-11 The Ascension of Jesus

In Luke's expansion of the ascension event of LK 24:50-51 he addresses the community's concern about the delay in Jesus' return. For forty days Jesus taught the disciples about the kingdom of God and the related promise of the Holy Spirit from on high. Because of the strong scriptural relationship between these two events (Isa. 32:14-20) the disciples' question is to be expected. It refers to the timing of the restoration of the kingdom (of God) to Israel. This reflects the early and narrow expectation of both Jews and Jewish Christians: the coming Kingdom of God would restore Israel to its Davidic glory. This serves as an opportunity for Luke to explain the delay in terms of the disciples' true mission which they have misunderstood to be local and directed toward converting the Jews (an accurate portrayal of historical events). They are not to be concerned about the "times or periods" as if this restoration was to come with predicted cosmic signs and wonders as an apocalyptic invasion from heaven. The restoration of Israel will be an earthly one. It will come as a result of the Apostles' earthly mission and they are to focus on that mission. Jesus has not said that the kingdom will not be restored to Israel but he will change the Apostles' perception of what such a restoration might include. Whenever the restoration of Israel might be and whatever form it might take, their field of work will be much broader than Israel. Not only are they to be Jesus' witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea but also in Samaria and to the farthest reaches of the earth. The enormity of the work, Jesus says, will not be done on their own. Until his return they will be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The ascension provides the division between Jesus' earthly presence and the beginning of the Apostles' work. In commissioning and departure they have been passed the mantle as Elijah had done for Elisha. The Apostles' are to reflect the beginnings of God's reign in all they do just as Jesus did. But now they are to expand the boundaries of that spiritual kingdom through their mission to the ends of the earth. The cloud that surrounds the departure and will surround the return is the same cloud that guided the Hebrews in the desert of Sinai, the same cloud from which God spoke to the disciples on the mount of transfiguration. It is the Shekinah, the presence of God.

Acts Chapter 1:12-26 Judas' Replacement

After Jesus' departure the eleven disciples, now an Apostolic circle, returned to the city, a Sabbath day's journey (2,000 cubits = .6 miles) from the Mount of Olives (not from Bethany which is 2 miles from the city - see LK 24:50). The core leadership of this Messianic community now consisted of eleven disciples with Peter as their leader. As part of their circle were included a number of women among whom was Jesus' mother, Mary, and Jesus' four brothers. Together they prayed and awaited the fulfillment of Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit. The mention of the women is expected since Luke has included them among the number who followed Jesus from Galilee. They played an important role of support during Jesus' ministry and will continue to do so. Jesus' brothers are unexpected for the Gospel has portrayed them as "outside" the Galilean believers. Perhaps Luke has included them because he is aware they play a role in the early church, especially James and Jude.

Because of the importance of the number twelve, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, the death of Judas has left the number of Apostles incomplete. With the Apostles' role in the restoration of Israel the number twelve will represent the fullness of that mission: twelve tribes will require twelve Apostles.

At a later gathering of about one hundred twenty believers, Peter stood and addressed them. The Spirit inspired Scripture had foretold Judas' death (Ps. 41:9) and also his replacement (Ps. 109:8), giving the divine mandate for his replacement. Peter establishes the requirements for those who can be considered to join the eleven as the twelfth witness to the resurrection (the preaching role of the Apostle). It will be a man who has been with them since John's baptism until this moment. Of the number who might have qualified two were proposed - Bar'sabbas and Matthias. The decision between the two will be left up to God but the community will participate in the choice through prayer for God's leadership. Using the ancient method of casting lots as a means of discerning God's choice, they cast lots (Prov. 16:33) and the decision went to Matthias and he was added to the eleven. It is interesting to note that neither Bar'sabbas nor Matthias appear again in the New Testament.

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An interesting reference to the Israelite roots of casting lots can be found in Exodus 28:15-30 which describes the ornate Breastpiece of Judgment which was part of the High Priest's vestments. In the breastpiece were placed the Urim and Thummim, apparently two small objects one of which would be withdrawn as a means of discerning God's will in a matter requiring a judgment between two possible choices.