Acts 1:14, commentary and pictures

After Jesus was taken up from Olivet the disciples obeyed His command to wait in Jerusalem in the upper room for the promised baptism of the Spirit, about one hundred and twenty gathered for ten days until Pentecost including the eleven apostles, the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brethren who now firmly believed He was the Son of God. They continued together with one accord in earnest, persistent, humble united prayer and supplication, praying to the Father in Jesus' name with highest expectation that the promise would be fulfilled. While they waited they searched their hearts, confessed and forsook sin, humbled themselves before God, and put away envy, strife and division until they were of one heart and mind and consecrated to receive the Spirit. Their petitions were heard in heaven where Christ added His intercession for the gift, and the Spirit was poured out in fullness filling the place and every heart, giving boldness to witness and converting thousands in a day who became of one heart and soul. The same preparation brings the same blessing now, even more abundantly in the latter rain, when believers put away dissension, consecrate themselves to God, and gather together to pray earnestly for the daily baptism of the Spirit for the work of carrying the gospel to the world.

Setting and Participants

After Jesus was taken up and a cloud received Him out of sight, the disciples obeyed His command not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, returning from Olivet to Jerusalem and going up into the upper room to continue with one accord in prayer and supplication. Jerusalem was the place appointed for this waiting because it was then a great center of influence where light from heaven was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the witnesses who were to bear the gospel message. Their waiting in united prayer was for power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth, which came when at Pentecost they were filled with the Holy Ghost.

Those who continued together included Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. About 120 people were gathered together as they awaited the Holy Spirit. Mary the mother of Jesus was with the believers in that waiting time, one who had seen Him in His sufferings and not in His glory and who witnessed His ascension. Afterward the disciples and Mary spent the night talking about His acts and the recent events.

Jesus' brethren had previously been unbelieving and had lost much through unbelief, doubting even when Jesus appeared in Galilee. Through the events of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension they now firmly believed that He was the Son of God and the promised Messiah, and their faith was established. The verse covers the ten days between Christ's ascension and Pentecost, spent in earnest united waiting, prayer, and supplication for the promised gift.

The verse belongs to the account of Christ's commission, the promise of the Holy Spirit, the angels' message to the waiting disciples, and the fulfillment of the promise, including the preparation for the work Christ gave them. It is part of the important history of the early church during and immediately after Pentecost, to be studied carefully with the experiences of Paul and the other apostles because God's people now must pass through similar experiences and order their special work by its lessons. The days of prayer in the upper chamber came after the night of communion with Jesus, the meeting on the mountain in Galilee, and the parting scene upon Olivet with the angel's promise, and before the power and glory of Pentecost and going forth on the mission.

This shows that communion with God must come before doing God's work, matching Moses' forty years in mountain solitude before delivering Israel, the burning bush before going to Pharaoh, the mount before receiving the law, the cleft of the rock before executing justice, and Pisgah before laying down his life. It matches Jesus resorting to mountain solitude in night prayer before the ordination of the apostles and the Sermon on the Mount, the transfiguration, the agony and cross, and the resurrection glory.

United Prayer in Faith

To continue with one accord in prayer and supplication was to continue together in earnest, persistent, sincere, humble, fervent united prayer with one purpose. The believers were united in faith and spirit and agreed with one another, emptied of self and filled by Christ so that their prayers could be one. They did not advance speculative theories about how the promised blessing would come, but prayed and supplicated together in unity, making earnest asking and seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness their first business and calling. This prayerful unity is where strength for difficult work that taxes energies to the utmost is found, for living a soldier's life of aggressive warfare marked by perseverance and endurance and for enduring trials. It required putting away everything that caused division and strife, and it prepared them by unity and readiness to receive the Holy Spirit for the work God had given them.

They prayed in faith with highest expectation of the fulfillment of the promise, with unclouded faith knowing Jesus was the Son of God, and with joy and expectation. They prayed to the Father in Jesus' name, trusting His promise that requests would be heard and joy made full. They trusted that Jesus was at God's right hand interceding for them, and their united petitions were joined by Christ's intercession in heaven, who after His ascension and inauguration claimed the gift of the Spirit to pour out at Pentecost. Because heaven was now connected with their risen, ascended Friend who would return, prayer had become communion with Him and held new interest, offered with firm confidence that petitions would be answered.

Their waiting united prayer during the ten days after the ascension was joined with praise as they waited for the Holy Spirit. After Jesus' death they often prayed together where they met for worship, and that united prayer was consistent with private prayer, not a substitute for it.

Heart Searching and Unity

While they waited for the promised gift they spent the ten days in earnest united prayer searching their hearts and putting away whatever might hinder the promise. This searching was an individual work of examining one's own case, confessing and forsaking sin, putting away sin and idols and sacrificing every idol, cleansing the heart for the Spirit's indwelling, humbling the soul before God, strengthening faith, sacrificing self, and emptying self of bitterness, estrangement, selfishness and peculiar traits of character, until consecrated and sanctified. Time spent in such prayer and self-searching is well spent, and receiving the outpouring may require seeking God earnestly for several days.

They repented by confessing their own sins rather than one another's, confessing sins to God and making confession one to another, and drawing together in holy fellowship. They placed themselves and all their possessions upon the altar of sacrifice, with fasting, and continued with one purpose until the Spirit was poured out. Their ten days of supplication joined heart-searching with putting away differences and drawing nearer and nearer to God.

Continuing together required putting away everything that caused division and strife, settling differences and alienations, and putting away envy, malice, desire for the highest place, bitterness and estrangement, to live in tender love with one heart and mind. As they prayed their differences were swept away and they became of one mind, united in faith and spirit and agreed with one another without advancing speculative theories about how the promised blessing would come. They were of varied talents and capabilities yet with one purpose, setting aside their differences as they waited together in Jerusalem in expectation of the promise.

All that ten-day time was required to bring them to an understanding of what it means to offer earnest, effectual prayer. That meant drawing nearer and nearer to God, confessing sins, humbling the heart before God, and by faith beholding Jesus until changed into His image. When the blessing came it filled all the place where they were assembled and endowed them with power to go forth to do effectual work.

Their unity in heart and mind in humble, contrite prayer preceded the fulfillment of the promise and prepared their consecrated hearts to receive the Spirit, with every heart filled. That unity brought them into close relation to God, enabling Him to work powerfully for them and through them. It also prepared them to speak helpfully and encouragingly to others and enabled them to bear witness that God sent His Son to save sinners.

Spirit Poured Out in Power

Their continued petitions on earth were heard in heaven, while Christ in heaven after His ascension and inauguration added His intercession, claiming the gift of the Spirit to pour out upon His people. Their continued supplication prepared the way for the Spirit, long restrained until the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension were accomplished and held in restraint for ages, to be poured forth in fullness and power upon the church for communication to the world. As they prayed for ten days in united earnest prayer for the fulfillment of the promise of the impartation of the Spirit, joining prayers offered for ages for that gift, none of which was forgotten, the glory and power of God came among them and heavenly intelligences worked with them. Their continued prayers brought the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven with power on the day of Pentecost, releasing heavenly influences held in restraint for ages to cooperate with human agencies. The answer produced confession from human lips, humiliation of soul, and songs of praise and thanksgiving mingled with penitence and confession, while all heaven bent to listen, as they confessed sins to God and to one another, placed themselves and all their possessions upon the altar of sacrifice, searched their hearts and put away sin.

Being of one accord with prayers ascending to God brought the coming of the Holy Spirit very soon after Christ's ascension, filling all the place where they were assembled and filling every heart with copiousness and power. This gave wisdom and grace to the whole Christian church, and boldness and courage to speak the word of God. As at Pentecost they were all with one accord in one place, filled with the Holy Ghost, every man heard the Word in his own language, the wonderful works of God in the tongues of devout men from every nation under heaven. So Peter bore straight testimony that the men of Israel had taken Jesus of Nazareth and by wicked hands had crucified and slain Him.

The outpouring converted thousands in a day, who took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry. Believers became of one heart and one soul, re-converted and born again as a living, vitalizing power for God, seeing angels' faces in one another, swallowed up in one interest to be like Christ. With every spiritual pulse beating in harmony they showed kindly helpfulness, brotherly love, and earnest zeal to enlarge His kingdom, overthrowing idolatry, adding new territory to the church, and making barren places praise God. Three thousand people were converted in one day after the Spirit came with great power upon the disciples who had remained in Jerusalem for ten days praying and confessing sin.

Five thousand were converted in one day after receiving the Spirit and proclaiming the gospel with power, following ten days spent in prayer, fasting, and confession of sin with unity coming before the Spirit's outpouring. As they carried the gospel, people were added to the church, made partakers of the divine nature and enabled to escape the world's corruption through the Spirit working among the united in heart and mind. On other occasions many were converted because the message came simply, truthfully, and with life, and the Spirit came upon the gathered company praying for ten days after Jesus' ascension as Christ had promised.

Their prayer was not merely for themselves but burdened for the salvation of souls, seeking power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth and to carry the gospel to the whole world. Their common aim was to follow Christ's self-denial, advance His kingdom, and claim the promised endowment of power to carry the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. By sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer they obtained the endowment of the Holy Spirit, brought into close communion with Him. Then they went forth weighted with the burden of saving souls and filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross, bringing many souls from darkness to light and raising up many churches.

Pattern for Believers Today

Continuing together with one accord in prayer and supplication is where strength is found for the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the real controversy between loyal and disloyal angels in which good and evil angels strive over every man. The battle is not make-believe or mimic, the adversaries are most powerful, not flesh and blood but principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places, and it rests with each person to determine which side shall win. Where the early disciples found their strength in united, persistent prayer and earnest asking, Christ's soldiers today must find theirs, for this prayerful unity supplies power to do difficult work that taxes energies to the utmost, to live a soldier's life of aggressive warfare marked by perseverance and endurance, and to endure trials for Christ's sake. That united prayer leads to being filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking the word of God with boldness with believers of one heart and of one soul, and as the disciples filled with the power of the Spirit went forth to proclaim the gospel, so God's servants filled with unselfish desire to give mercy to those in darkness of error and unbelief are to go forth today in cooperation with Him while He moves upon hearts of unbelievers in regions beyond, in a work like that after Pentecost but with zeal exceeding the early church now when the end of all things is at hand.

The first work for God's people now is to pray together after the ascension pattern for the outpouring and baptism of the Holy Spirit, even a daily baptism. Workers, ministers, companies and gatherings are to kneel and pray together asking God to direct their course rather than relying on human plans or authority, calling upon God for special help and heavenly wisdom to know how to plan and devise and execute the work, and especially praying that the Lord will choose His agents and baptize His missionaries with the Holy Spirit. This calls for frequent seasons of earnest prayer with minds constantly prayerful, in home and church, a chain of praying believers encircling the world, neighbors meeting to pray, those at home gathering children to pray, assembling for prayer and instruction, seeking deeper piety to make the church active, those with responsibility devoting more time to prayer, and wrestling with God until renewal and power for service come and the Spirit comes into every heart. Ten days of united, earnest, effectual prayer were required to bring the disciples to understand what it means to offer such prayer, drawing nearer to God, confessing sins, humbling the heart, and by faith beholding Jesus until changed into His image, until the answer filled all the place where they were assembled and endowed them with power to go forth to do effectual work, and the same earnest seeking enables ministers thoroughly converted in heart and soul and strength to study and preach the Word, rid themselves of high opinion of self, work with intense interest for those who do not know the truth, present the Word more forcibly, and see decided revivals.

Churches that are spiritually dead or stagnant are to follow that example, coming together to plead with God until they receive the light of life, then letting that light shine to those around them. The sustained seeking also shows the need for sustained prayer and the Spirit's guidance before making weighty decisions involving religious principles, fixing how solemn far-reaching principles must be handled. No pen should be put to writing out a decision for the people without extended united prayer, with even greater need now than then, with ten days needing to extend to twenty and nothing less than the descent of the Holy Ghost to settle such questions, so that to toss them before an open conference without prayerful consideration is the greatest folly.

The spirit of intercession among God's people before Pentecost is the model for united, persevering intercession accompanying a great work of reformation and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That same spirit will be seen again and will bring a great reformatory movement with praise to God, healing of the sick and other miracles, hundreds and thousands visiting families and opening the Word of God, hearts convicted by the Holy Spirit, genuine conversion, doors thrown open on every side to proclamation of truth, the world lightened with heavenly influence, great blessings received by true humble believers, and voices of thanksgiving and praise like the reformation witnessed in 1844. Those who refuse to be converted and cling selfishly to earthly possessions when liberal free-will offerings are called for become separated from the company of believers.

The same preparation brings the same blessing now, and the latter rain will be even more abundant than the former rain then. When Christians put away dissension and differences, are of one accord and one mind with prayers ascending to God, give themselves to God for saving the lost, preach the Word of God instead of human speculations, ask in faith burdened not for themselves merely but for salvation of souls to carry the gospel to the uttermost parts, and comply with the conditions through consecration, working in harmony with the Word, exalting the Word and honoring its precepts by consistent action, the blessing will come as very soon after the ascension when every man heard in his own language and thousands in a day took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry. God's people should stay together in that same waiting position now, obeying Christ's command not to leave their post until power comes, established in the Word with feet on the platform of eternal truth taking the Bible as guide, cultivating the knowledge Christ gave about His second appearing, searching the Scriptures, getting ready while wickedness increases, doing the appointed work to carry truth to various places, and gaining intelligent knowledge of the third angel's message to do intelligent work among people of all languages, proving a mighty power is at work with heaven cooperating. Without the Spirit and power of God labor to present truth is vain against moral darkness like a funeral pall covering the earth and all manner of false doctrines, heresies and Satanic deceptions misleading minds, and the Spirit's power is needed to present divine truth effectively.

Learning of Christ requires prayer like theirs and a baptism of the Spirit, for prayer was foundational to the church and its missionary work, and earnest efforts to save souls call for renewed prayer and continual dependence sustaining an ongoing relationship with God. It means humility and dependence in prayer needed for God to work fully, confessing sins and putting away individual devising, selfishness and peculiar traits of character that bar a place in the city of God, seeking repentance, conversion and sanctification of the truth, and planning how to ready people, with men in responsible positions, ministers, officials, physicians, educators and every conference copying this course instead of taking God's place with human requirements, devising and forbidding. Time spent in this prayer and self-searching is well spent, for then the Holy Spirit gives clear spiritual eyesight to discern God's true requirements, changes unconverted hearts, gives heavenly connection with Christ and understanding of human frailty, removes human devising, brings victories, and enables pen and tongue to give truth in purity, with prayer for those preaching the Word and for the Holy Spirit offered frequently together.