1 “The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all 2 that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which He was received up, after that He had given commandment thru the Holy Ghost unto the apostles whom He 3 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 4 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. 6 “They therefore, when they were come together, asked Him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom 7 to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His 8 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 Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 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 11 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) What former work is referred to in this lesson? Who was the author of the book of Acts? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What did that “former treatise” include? Verse 2. (3) What proof have we of Christ’s resurrection? Verse 3. Note 2. (4) What command did Jesus give to His disciples at the close of the forty days? Verse 4. Note 3. (5) How did Christ compare John’s baptism with that which He now promised them? Verse 5. (6) What did the disciples ask Him in regard to His kingdom? Verse 6. Note 4. (7) How did Jesus answer this question? Verse 7. Note 5. (8) What were the disciples to receive as a result of the baptism of the Holy Ghost? What would this power enable them to do? Verse 8. Note 6. (9) When Jesus had thus spoken, what took place? Verse 9. Note 7. (10) As the disciples gazed after the ascending Lord, who appeared to them? Verse 10. (11) What did these wonderful beings say? Verse 11. Note 8.
NOTES.
1. The “former treatise” addressed to Theophilus was the Gospel according to Luke. See Luke 1:1-4. This shows that the book of Acts was written by Luke, the “beloved physician” (Col. 4:14), and companion of Paul (2 Tim. 4:11; Philemon 24).
2. “Many Proofs.”—In past lessons several of these evidences have been given. Paul rehearses some of these proofs in 1 Cor. 15:4-7, a very striking one, to the ordinary mind, being that “He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.”
3. The “promise of the Father,” as shown in verses 5 and 8, was the Holy Spirit. The promise had been made thru the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28, 29) and by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:11).
4. The expected restoration of the temporal kingdom of Israel had yet a strong hold upon the minds of the disciples of Christ, notwithstanding His plain instruction on the subject. It was this ingrained thought that stood in the way of the Jews generally, and kept them from understanding the mission of Christ and the true nature of His kingdom. But this is not nearly so surprising as the present-day delusion among Christians in looking for the same thing—the restoration of a Jewish racial kingdom in Palestine.
5. “It Is Not for You to Know.”—The things that are not for men to know are, as a rule, the very things they are most anxious to know. And this is the cause of much speculation, and “foolish and unlearned questions,” which we are enjoined to “avoid.” 2 Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9. All that we need to know of God’s ways is revealed in His Word. See Deut. 29:29. But because we know not the time of Christ’s coming, is the very reason we should watch, lest He come and find us unprepared. Matt. 24:42-44; 25:13; Mark 13:32-37.
6. “Power.”—According to Luke 24:49, this power was “from on high.” It came in connection with the Holy Spirit, and the purpose was to enable the disciples to be witnesses for Christ. True witnessing is not only telling the truth to others, but living it before men. It all requires power. Christ says, “Without Me ye can do nothing,” and the Holy Spirit is the presence or representative of Christ, which supplies the needy with power. (See also article entitled, “Ye Shall Receive Power,” on page 6 of this paper.)
7. “While They Beheld.”—Christ did nothing in secret. John 18:20. He was manifested to the world. And especially was everything made clear to His disciples. See John 15:15. So His ascension was no exception; He went up in plain view of the disciples, as far as they were able to see Him.
8. “Why Stand Ye Looking?”—It was hard for the disciples to grasp the situation. They could only gaze after their Lord, and wonder. But He had promised not to leave them comfortless (John 14:18), and already the angelic ministers (Heb. 1:14) were on hand with the same comforting message that He had given them before. This time, however, the exact manner of His coming was given them. If this definite instruction were borne in mind, there would be less false doctrine promulgated in regard to the second advent of Christ. The words of the angels accord with Christ’s previous instruction recorded in Matt. 24:23-27. See also Matt. 25:31-46, and 1 Thess. 4:15.
