Acts1

The book of Acts begins with Luke addressing Theophilus, recounting Jesus' post-resurrection appearances for forty days and His command to the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Ghost. After instructing them to be His witnesses globally, Jesus ascended into heaven, with angels promising His return. Subsequently, the disciples, numbering about 120, gathered in Jerusalem, where Peter led them to choose Matthias by lot to replace Judas Iscariot, thus restoring the number of the twelve apostles.

The Risen Christ Instructs His Apostles

1
Dear Theophilos: In the first book, I wrote about everything Yeshua set out to do and teach, ​
2
until the day when, after giving instructions through the Ruach HaKodesh to the emissaries whom he had chosen, he was taken up into heaven. ​
3
After his death he showed himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. During a period of forty days they saw him, and he spoke with them about the Kingdom of God. ​
4
At one of these gatherings, he instructed them not to leave Yerushalayim but to wait for “what the Father promised, which you heard about from me. ​
5
For Yochanan used to immerse people in water; but in a few days, you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh!” ​

The Ascension and the Mission Mandate

6
When they were together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore self-rule to Isra’el?” ​
7
He answered, “You don’t need to know the dates or the times; the Father has kept these under his own authority. ​
8
But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y’hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!” ​
9
After saying this, he was taken up before their eyes; and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10
As they were staring into the sky after him, suddenly they saw two men dressed in white standing next to them.
11
The men said, “You Galileans! Why are you standing, staring into space? This Yeshua, who has been taken away from you into heaven, will come back to you in just the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” ​

Waiting and Praying in the Upper Room

12
Then they returned the Shabbat-walk distance from the Mount of Olives to Yerushalayim. ​
13
After entering the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. The names of the emissaries were Kefa, Ya‘akov, Yochanan, Andrew, Philip, T’oma, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, Ya‘akov Ben-Halfai, Shim‘on “the Zealot,” and Y’hudah Ben-Ya‘akov.
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These all devoted themselves single-mindedly to prayer, along with some women, including Miryam (Yeshua’s mother), and his brothers. ​

The Selection of Matthias

15
During this period, when the group of believers numbered about 120, Kefa stood up and addressed his fellow-believers: ​
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“Brothers, the Ruach HaKodesh spoke in advance through David about Y’hudah, and these words of the Tanakh had to be fulfilled. He was guide for those who arrested Yeshua — ​
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he was one of us and had been assigned a part in our work.”
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(With the money Y’hudah received for his evil deed, he bought a field; and there he fell to his death. His body swelled up and burst open, and all his insides spilled out. ​
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This became known to everyone in Yerushalayim, so they called that field Hakal-D’ma — which in their language means “Field of Blood”).
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“Now,” said Kefa, “it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his estate become desolate, let there be no one to live in it’; and ‘Let someone else take his place as a supervisor.’ ​
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Therefore, one of the men who have been with us continuously throughout the time the Lord Yeshua traveled around among us,
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from the time Yochanan was immersing people until the day Yeshua was taken up from us — one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” ​
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They nominated two men — Yosef Bar-Sabba, surnamed Justus, and Mattityahu.
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Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen ​
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to take over the work and the office of emissary that Y’hudah abandoned to go where he belongs.” ​
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Then they drew lots to decide between the two, and the lot fell to Mattityahu. So he was added to the eleven emissaries. ​

Study Notes for Acts 1

Verse 1

The 'former treatise' is the Gospel of Luke, written by the same author (Luke) to the same patron (Theophilus). Luke emphasizes that the book of Acts describes what Jesus *continued* to do through the Spirit and the church.

Verse 2

This verse establishes the transition point: the Ascension. The phrase, 'through the Holy Ghost had given commandments,' highlights that Jesus’ final instructions were divinely inspired and authoritative.

Verse 3

The 'forty days' period confirms the reality of the resurrection through 'infallible proofs' (Gk. *tekmeriois*). This time allowed Jesus to give crucial post-resurrection teaching about the 'kingdom of God.'

Verse 4

Jesus commands the disciples to wait in Jerusalem, linking the upcoming event to 'the promise of the Father,' a clear reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit prophesied in the Old Testament (e.g., Joel 2).

Verse 5

This contrasts John’s preparatory water baptism with the imminent, powerful baptism of the Holy Ghost. This event inaugurates the new covenant age and empowers the church for its mission.

Verse 6

The disciples still hold a nationalistic, political view of the Messiah, expecting an immediate restoration of Israel's earthly kingdom (cf. Rom. 11:26).

Verse 7

Jesus firmly redirects their focus away from eschatological timing ('times or seasons') and toward their immediate mission. The timing of the Kingdom's full arrival remains solely within God's sovereign power.

Verse 8

This is the central programmatic verse for the entire book of Acts (the 'Great Commission' of Acts). It defines the source of power (Holy Spirit) and the geographical scope of the mission: beginning locally and spreading globally ('unto the uttermost part of the earth').

Verse 11

The angelic message confirms the doctrine of the Second Coming (Parousia). Jesus will return visibly, bodily, and geographically 'in like manner' to his departure.

Verse 12

A 'sabbath day's journey' was approximately 2,000 cubits (around 3/5 of a mile), the distance Jews were permitted to walk outside their dwelling on the Sabbath.

Verse 14

This verse emphasizes unity ('with one accord') and continuity, noting the presence of women, Mary, and Jesus’ previously skeptical brothers, all dedicated to persistent prayer before Pentecost.

Verse 15

The 120 disciples represent the core nucleus of the early church, gathered before the massive growth described in chapter 2. Peter naturally assumes leadership in initiating action.

Verse 16

Peter interprets Judas's betrayal and death through the lens of Scripture, specifically the Psalms, establishing a pattern for the early church to understand events through prophetic fulfillment.

Verse 18

Luke includes a brief explanatory note describing Judas’s gruesome death, emphasizing the physical consequence of his sin. This account complements Matthew 27:5, which focuses on the hanging itself.

Verse 20

Peter quotes Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, demonstrating that Judas’s replacement was mandated by prophetic necessity. Restoring the apostolic number of twelve was vital, as it symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel.

Verse 22

The essential qualification for the replacement apostle was being a reliable, attested 'witness of his resurrection.' This criterion ensured the integrity and continuity of the ministry’s central message.

Verse 24

The prayer addresses God as the 'knowest the hearts of all men' (Gk. *kardiognosta*), recognizing divine sovereignty in the selection process. This method precedes the coming of the Holy Spirit, after which guidance would be more direct.

Verse 25

'To his own place' is a solemn euphemism referring to Judas’s eternal destiny, reflecting the consequence of his betrayal and failure to repent.

Verse 26

Casting lots (*klerous*) was a traditional method of discerning God's will in the Old Testament (cf. Prov. 16:33). This is the last recorded instance of casting lots in the New Testament church, as the Holy Spirit soon provided direct guidance.

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