Christ, preparing his apostles for the beholding of his ascension, gathers them together to the mount Olivet, commands them to expect in Jerusalem the sending down of the Holy Spirit, promises after a few days to send him, and ascends into heaven in their sight, 1-9. After his ascension they are warned by two angels to depart and to set their minds upon his second coming, 10, 11. They accordingly return, and, giving themselves to prayer, choose Matthias to be apostle in place of Judas, 12-26.
1 The former treatise I have made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, 3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, 4 And being assembled with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, he says, "You have heard from me. 5 For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6 When they therefore had come together, they asked of him, saying, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And he said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own power. 8 But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth."
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 Who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up to heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven shall come in the same manner as you have seen him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 13 And when they had come in, they went into the upper room where they were staying, namely, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 All of these continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said (the number of the names together were about one hundred and twenty), 16 "Men, brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, who was a guide to those who took Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us and had obtained part of this ministry." 18 (Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst apart in the midst and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem, so that in their proper language that field is called, Aceldama, that is to say, The Field of Blood.) 20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms,
'Let his habitation be desolate,/
and let no man dwell in it,'
and,
'Let another take his office.'
21 "Therefore, of these men who accompanied us the whole time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John to that same day that he was taken up from us, one must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." 23 And they appointed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which of these two you have chosen, 25 So that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell in order to go to his own place." 26 And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Acts, Chapter 1[➚]
[v.4a] - "wait for the promise of the Father" - Reference, Luke 24:49.
[v.4b] - The words of Jesus Christ appear in this blue color throughout the New Testament.
[v.5] - Here, Jesus is repeating what was said by John the Baptist and confirming his words. Reference, Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26-33.
[v.13a] - "James the son of Alpheus... and Judas the brother of James" - Most translations have, "Judas the son of James," because the Greek is written in the same way as, "James the son of Alpheus." Noting Judas as James' brother came from Jude 1:1. A literal rendering of the Greek does not have "son" or "brother" in either place and would read like this: "James, of Alpheus... and Judas, of James."
[v.13b] - "James" - Properly, Jacob. Greek: Ἰάκωβος
[v.20] - Quoting Psalm 69:25 and 109:8 (LXX).