J. Deering, AncientPath.net

Chapter 1 Summary Outline:

Introduction
I.    Introduction: the Apostolic Commission Given, 1:1-11

II.    The Gospel in Jerusalem: Origins, 1:12-8:3
    1.    The ministry of Peter, 1:12-5:42

Acts 1:1-5, The Coming Baptist

1:1 I wrote the former account, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 1:3 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. 1:4 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. 1:5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

COMMENTS:
Authorship is uncertain but most scholars point to The Gospel writer Luke as the principle author. The dating is probably A.D. 61 and not later as the book does not mention the burning of Rome, the martyrdom of Paul, or the destruction of Jerusalem. The book is important as it gives us the record of the spread of Christianity from the coming of the Holy Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost to Paul's arrival in Rome to preach the Gospel in the then-world's capital. The book covers approximately 30 years - From an assembly that was entirely Jews, through a time when it was both Jew and Gentile, to a time when it was mostly Gentile based. A really big transition for such a short period of history. The seeds of many church doctrines can be found here as well as the principles for missionary work and general patterns of acceptable Church life.

What a thrill it must have been for this early assembly to be in the presence of the resurrected Christ as He taught them about "matters concerning the Kingdom of God." At that time Jesus commanded His followers to "not leave Jerusalem, but to wait until they were empowered by God's Holy Spirit. The Spirit's presence would come in the form of a "baptism" - The Spirit would come in such a way that they would be under the submission of God's spirit - once gained, never released. The idea behind the "baptism" (following the Greek word used for baptism) would be to take a piece of cloth and place it into a container of dye, once removed - the dye continues to reside in and on the cloth. Such is the relationship of the Holy Spirit and those baptized by Him.

Acts 1:6-11, The Coming Power and Christ's Ascension

1:6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 1:8 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.” 1:9 After he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 1:10 As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them 1:11 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.”

COMMENTS:
During their time with Jesus, as He spoke to them concerning the Kingdom of God, they wanted to know just when Israel would once again see the restored Kingdom of Israel. They were told in response, "It's not for you to know." Jesus went on to explain that they would, however, receive great power through the Holy Spirit and that their job would be as witnesses to and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...(1) In Jerusalem (2) in Judea (3) in Samaria (4) and to the farthest parts of the earth - in that order. The results would be cumulative adding each directive as they moved from the most inner circle of people to the most outer. The paragraph closes with "why are you just standing here looking up into the sky - This same Jesus will be coming back the very same way.

Acts 1:12-14, The Eleven Return to the Upper Room

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away). 1:13 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. 1:14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

COMMENTS:
All eleven apostles journeyed from the Mount of Olives to the city of Jerusalem (we're told it was about 3 fifths of a mile) and to the Upper Room, and they also had with them the "women," Jesus' mother Mary, and His physical brothers. As in the Gospels (post young Jesus in the Temple) there is no mention of Mary's husband, Joseph. You should see the relationship between the number of this small band and the command of Jesus to start in Jerusalem moving into ever widening circles. And so the number of people who follow Jesus will also grow - into ever widening circles. That's the "up" side, the "down" side is that is all they can do is be "witnesses" to what Jesus had done. A time is coming when the Spirit of God will fall upon them and change everything by the Power of God dwelling richly in them when God's Spirit falls upon them at Pentecost. Then... Their ever growing number and widening circles will result in a great harvest of souls of "first, the Jew, and then the Gentile."

Acts 1:15-20, Peter's Message to The Assembly of Believers

1:15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, 1:16 “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 – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” 1:18 (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. 1:19 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.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, and let there be no one to live in it,’ (Psalm 79) and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ (Psalm 109)

COMMENTS:
The first five chapters are dedicated to telling the story of the Apostle Peter. The last time we saw Peter in the progression of the scriptures was in the Gospel of John, Chapter 21. He's still self-involved and looking for answers to his questions. Now, post-ascension, Peter has grown some in the spirit, but his questions reveal that he and the others still don't understand the reasons for which Christ came to live and die. They're still caught up in the fulfillment of things unto the Nation - and not the spread of the Gospel of Salvation. Peter says, "The Scripture had to be fulfilled" is the first statement we hear him say. He quotes from Psalm 79 and 109 saying that David wrote these things by the Holy Spirit concerning Judas. "If we read Psalm 79 or 109, without the illumination of this interpretation, we should never dream that there was a reference in them to Judas, or that there was a reference in them to the Messiah... David was referring to one of his own enemies; but Peter deliberately and quietly quotes the old and familiar passage, and says that it had reference to Judas and to Jesus." ¹

Acts 1:21-26, Matthias replaces Judas Iscariot

1:21 Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us, 1:22 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.” 1:23 So they proposed two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 1:26 Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles.

COMMENTS:
In the previous paragraph Peter puts forth the idea that the position of Judas (Iscariot) needs to be filled to bring the number back to 12. Following ancient Jewish tradition they prayed for God to show them His choice of replacement, (first) and then cast lots choosing Matthias as the replacement. This is the last time this practice would be recorded in the scriptures. It apparently has been removed along with some of the "super" powers of the apostles. We'll speak more about this as we continue in the Book of Acts.

¹ - Morgan, G. Campbell, "The Acts of the Apostles", Fleming H. Revell Company, London and Edinburgh, 1924, p. 19

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