note: Some of the most important books of the Bible are Paul's letters, because they give the New Testament doctrine of the modern day church of this dispensation. However, one cannot understand Paul's letters unless they understand the Book of Acts. Acts cannot be understood unless everything preceding it has been studied in detail. Study this book deeply and pass it on to others!
Acts 1
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
1 I wrote the former account, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach
Luke is the author of the Book of Acts. His former account was the Book of Luke.
The Greek word for "Most Excellent Theophilus" is ὦ Θεόφιλε (o theophile), meaning most excellent lover of God. The ὦ is the Greek letter omega. It is used here and in Acts 23:26, 24:23, 26:25 as official titles for Felix and Festus. Therefore, Theophilus was some sort of Roman official. Ancient writers, including Josephus, also used this title for Roman officials.
Notice the little word "began". The Book of Luke began the narrative of what Jesus began to do and teach, but the work was still continuing through the Book of Acts and into the modern church today.
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
The Greek word for "chosen" is ἐξελέξατο (exelesato), an aorist middle indicative verb, meaning to pick, choose, select, or elect for a specific purpose. The aorist tense means that this selection was a one-time completed action of the past. The middle tense means that God himself emphatically did the choosing. The indicative mood means that this statement is a 100% statement of fact. This one little Greek word supports the doctrine of election and predestination, but it destroys the false doctrine of arminianism. The apostles did not choose God. God chose them.
3 To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.
The Greek word for "proofs" is τεκμήριον (tekmarion), meaning that the proofs were unmistakable and irrefutable. For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus taught the disciples about the Kingdom of God. This was a very advanced Bible study!
4 While he was with them, he declared, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.”
Jesus told the apostles to wait for him in Jerusalem. The Father and Jesus had promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit.
5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The water baptism was a ritual that symbolized the coming baptism of the Spirit. All New Testament believers are baptized with the Spirit at the moment of salvation.
The Greek word for "of the Spirit" is ἐν Πνεύματι (en pneumatic), meaning in, with, by, or of the Spirit. In Greek, it can mean any of the four English prepositions mentioned, although charismatics who do not know Greek falsely claim that there is a difference between "by the Spirt" and "of the Spirit". This is not true. The preposition is the same in Greek.
6 “So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
Joel prophesied that the entire nation of Israel would be baptized with the Spirit before the arrival of the Millennial Kingdom. The apostles wanted to know if this event was about to happen. Their question was actually three separate questions. Was the Time of the Gentiles about to end? Will the Davidic Kingdom now be re-established? Will we now sit on the twelve thrones to judge Israel?
Notice the questions are not "if you", but "will you".
7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.”
The Greek word for "times" is χρόνος (chronos), meaning a sovereign time appointed by God. The Greek word for "periods" is καιρός (kairos), meaning just the right point in time. The Greek word for "know" is γινώσκω (gingko), meaning to know by experience. God had chosen the perfect time period to bring in the eschatological Millennial Kingdom, but it is not within the apostle's personal experience to know the appointed time.
8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”
Notice that Jesus was talking to the apostles, not to modern charismatics. The Greek word for power is δύναμις (dynamos), meaning divine power. God will give to the apostles, not to modern charismatics, divine power to witness to four areas of the world. These four areas make up the outline of the Book of Acts.
Acts 2-8 will be the witness to Jerusalem. Acts 8-12 will be the witness to Judea. Acts 8-25 will be the witness to Samaria. Acts 13-28 will be the witness to the utter most parts of the earth. Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom to open the gospel to these four areas. The Book of Acts records how and when Peter opened these doors to the gospel.
9 After he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Jesus ascended up to heaven, possibly by the Shechinah Glory. His earthly personal mission was now complete, although he will still at work through his body, the church. Jesus was a prophet on earth, but he is currently the Great High Priest, sitting at the right hand of the Father. He will return at his second coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
10 As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them
Angels always appear as men, not as women are little babies or men with wings.
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”
The angels identified all of the apostles as Galileans. The message is stop looking up in the sky. He is not going to return now. He will come back in the same way, but not the same place. Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives, but his return will be at Petra. After Jesus saves the Jews from physical destruction by the attempts of the Antichrist at Petra, then later, he will return to the Mount of Olives.
A Replacement for Judas is Chosen
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away).
Jerusalem was a dangerous place for the apostles, because Jesus was murdered in this city. Luke was Jewish, not Gentile as many claim, so he spoke in rabbinic language, stating that the distance was a Sabbath day away. Acts 3 stated that all of the oracles of God were written by Jews. This means that Luke must be Jewish.
13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there.
The upstairs room has a definite article, meaning that it is a specific upper room. It was most likely the upper room of the Last Supper. Jesus made some of his resurrection appearances in this room. The Holy Spirit will also visit this upper room at Pentecost. Tradition is that this was the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, who wrote the Book of Mark.
14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
The Greek word for "one mind" is ὁμοθυμαδόν, which means to pray with the same passion, the same accord, and the same desire, creating a Christ-like unity between the believers. The apostles, the women, Mary the Mother of Jesus, and the brothers of Jesus all went up into the upper room and continually prayed for the Father's promise, which was the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This was the last mention of Mary in the Bible. She plays no prominent role in church history. The Catholic Church has falsely created her as an eternal virgin and a co-redeemer in Christ. There is nothing in Scripture to support these erroneous views. She was simply a very special human being, a virgin, who God supernaturally chose to deliver the baby Jesus into the world.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said,
Peter took the lead of the apostles. There were 120 believers in the upper room, so it was a large room. If this house did belong to Mary, the mother of John Mark, then God had blessed her with wealth so that she could house the early church.
16 “Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through David concerning Judas, who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus,”
Notice that Peter identified the dual author of Scripture. David (in his prophetic ministry) used his own personality to say exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted him to say.
17 “for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.”
Judas was appointed as one of the disciples. He received his lot and then lost it.
18 (Now this man Judas acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, and falling headfirst he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.
According to Jewish law, the priests had to purchase the field in the name of Judas. Judas hanged himself and died. His dead body defiled the Passover, so he was taken to the Valley of Hinnom and cast off. His belly opened up and his intestines gushed out.
19 This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”)
All of the citizens of Jerusalem knew about the purchase of the field. They also knew from where the money came. Therefore, they called it Hakeldama, which in Aramaic, means field of blood.
20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, and let there be no one to live in it,’ and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’”
The two verses here were quoted from Psalm 69:25 and 109:8. The Greek word for "position of responsibility" is ἐπισκοπή (episkope), meaning one who is bishop, or overseer. These two Psalms predicted that one of the disciples would die and his ἐπισκοπή (episkope) would be given to another.
21 “Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us,”
The twelfth apostle must come from one of the 120 in the room.
22 ‘beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.”
The candidate for the 12th apostle must have been with Jesus from his baptism to his ascension. Paul did not qualify for this office. However, Paul, Barnabas, and James did qualify for a second apostolic group, who had to see the resurrected Messiah.
23 So they proposed two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias.
There were only two candidates who met these qualifications. The first candidate was Joseph, his Hebrew name, meaning Jehovah will add (a son). Barsabbas means son of the Sabbath, Justus was his Roman name. The second candidate was Matthias, meaning gift of Jehovah. Most Jews throughout history and even today carry a Jewish and Gentile name, in order to escape persecution.
24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen”
The apostles praised God for his omniscience, because he knows the hearts, or the personalities, of both men. They did not ask God to choose the man. God had already made this choice before the foundations of the world. They asked God to reveal his choice.
25 “to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
The place that Judas was appointed to was the Lake of Fire.
26 Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles.
It is written in Proverbs 16:33, "The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah." Therefore, this was a divine method of choosing the correct apostle. This was the last time in biblical history that this method was used. Starting in Acts 2, all selections will be made by the leading and the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
Many commentators claim that this was not a valid method. They suggest that Paul was the twelfth apostle. However, this theory is disputed in Acts 6:2, "And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them." Notice the expression "the twelve". According to Luke (who wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit), Matthias was the twelfth apostle. According to Matthew 19:28, Matthias will sit upon the 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. In Revelation 21:14, the name of Matthias will be written on the foundation stone of the New Jerusalem.
Some commentators negate Matthias as an apostle, because he was never mentioned again in Scripture. We must remember that the Book of Acts was basically the history of Peter and Paul. Hardly any of the other apostles were mentioned in Scripture either, unless they came in contact with these two main Apostles. Therefore, this is not a valid argument for negating Matthias as an Apostle.
