1 “The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which He was received up, after that He had given commandment through the Holy Ghost unto the apostles whom He had chosen; to whom He also showed Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God; and, being assembled together with them, He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said He, ye heard from Me; for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 2 “They therefore, when they were come together, asked Him, saying, Lord, dost Thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things, as they were looking, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they were looking steadfastly into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven.”
Golden Text.—“While He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:51.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) To what other work does the author of this book refer? Who then was the author of The Acts? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) How far does the history in the “former treatise” reach? To whom had Christ given commandment? Through what means? Verse 2. (3) To whom had He shown Himself? How long? Of what had He spoken? Verse 3. Note 2. (4) What commandment had He given them? Verse 4. Note 3. (5) What did He say of John the Baptist? Of what other baptism did He speak? Verse 5. (6) At a subsequent meeting, what question did the disciples ask? Verse 6. Note 4. (7) What answer did He give? Verse 7. (8) Then what promise did He make? For what purpose was this endowment? Verse 8. Note 5. (9) After He had spoken these words, what occurred? As He ascended, how was He hidden from their sight? Verse 9. Note 6. (10) As the disciples stood gazing upward, who suddenly appeared to them? Verse 10. (11) What did these “men” (or angels) say to the disciples? Verse 11. Note 7.
NOTES.
1. The book of Acts was written by Luke; the “former treatise” here mentioned is the Gospel according to Luke, as is shown by ch. 1:3, 4 of that book. Theophilus was a person of distinction, as is indicated by the title “most excellent,” which is applied in the former book. Professor Knowling says the title “was appropriated to Romans holding high office.” It is applied to Felix (Acts 23:26), and is equivalent to that of “most noble,” applied to Festus (ch. 26:25).
2. Infallible Proofs.—That which was infallible proof to the disciples of that time was their own eyesight and hearing together with Christ’s opening their minds to an understanding of Scriptures. Luke 24:45. That which is infallible proof to us of His resurrection, is the testimony of the Spirit through them that saw and heard Him. That the Lord deems this sufficient evidence is shown by His upbraiding the disciples for not believing the word of the women who had seen Him (Mark 16:14), and His reproof of Thomas because he did not believe the word of the other disciples who had seen Him. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:29.
3. Waiting for “the promise of the Father” is equivalent to tarrying, “until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49. This is an emphatic reminder of what Jesus had told His disciples before His death,—“without Me ye can do nothing.” See John 15:4, 5.
4. Restoring the Kingdom.—It had already been explained to the disciples that Christ would go away, and come again to receive them to Himself (John 14:1-3), and that when He should “come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him,” then He would establish His kingdom (Matt. 25:31-34). This they understood more fully after the day of Pentecost.
5. Witnesses.—Every true disciple of Christ is a witness unto Him, and the whole earth is a field of witnessing. Such a work needs power; not mere human or natural force, but the power of God. But this power is for those only who will use it in the way He directs through His Word. Jesus Christ is the Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 1:5; 3:14), and every true follower is a fellow-laborer in the same great work.
6. The cloud was the company of angels that came to escort their Commander in His victorious return to the heavenly courts. They were also joined by the trophies which He took with Him in the persons of those who came out of their graves after His resurrection. See Matt. 27:50-53; Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:8, margin.
7. The manner of Christ’s coming is here definitely given, and is a positive refutation of all claims that He comes when individuals die, or that His second coming is in the past. He is present by His Holy Spirit all the time (Matt. 28:20; John 14:15-23; 16:4-16); and when He comes again in person, it will be “with clouds, and every eye shall see Him.” Rev. 1:7; see also Jude 14, 15.
