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1: The former treatise - In that important season which
reached from the resurrection of Christ to his ascension, the
former treatise ends, and this begins: this describing the Acts
of the Holy Ghost, (by the apostles,) as that does the acts of
Jesus Christ. Of all things - In a summary manner: which Jesus
began to do - until the day - That is, of all things which Jesus did
from the beginning till that day.
2: After having given commandment - In the 3d verse(Ac 1:3). Luke expresses in general terms what Christ
said to his apostles during those forty days. But in the 4th(Ac 1:3-25) and following verses he declares what he said on the
day of his ascension. He had brought his former account down to
that day; and from that day begins the Acts of the Apostles.
3: Being seen by them forty days - That is, many times during that
space. And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God - Which was the sum of all his discourses with them before his
passion also.
4: Wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard from
me - When he was with them a little before, as it is recorded,(Lu 24:49).
5: Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost - And so are all true
believers to the end of the world. But the extraordinary gifts
of the Holy Ghost also are here promised.
6: Dost thou at this time - At the time thou now speakest of?
not many days hence? restore the kingdom to Israel? - They still
seemed to dream of an outward, temporal kingdom, in which the
Jews should have dominion over all nations. It seems they came
in a body, having before concerted the design, to ask when this
kingdom would come.
7: The times or the seasons - Times, in the language of the
Scriptures, denote a longer; seasons, a shorter space. Which
the Father hath put in his own power - To be revealed when and to
whom it pleaseth him.
8: But ye shall receive power - and shall be witnesses to me - That
is, ye shall be empowered to witness my Gospel, both by your
preaching and suffering.
12: A Sabbath - day's journey - The Jews generally fix this to two
thousand cubits, which is not a mile.
13: They went up into the upper room - The upper rooms, so
frequently mentioned in Scripture, were chambers in the highest
part of the house, set apart by the Jews for private prayer.
These, on account of their being so retired and convenient, the
apostles now used for all the offices of religion.(Mt 10:2,Mk 3:14,Lu 6:13).
14: His brethren - His near kinsmen, who for some time did not
believe; it seems not till near his death.
15: The number of persons together - Who were together in the
upper room. were a hundred and twenty - But he had undoubtedly
many more in other places; of whom more than five hundred saw
him at once after his resurrection, (1Co 15:6).
16: (Ps 41:9).
18: This man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity - That
is, a field was purchased with the reward of his iniquity; though
very possibly Judas might design the purchase. And falling down
on his face - It seems the rope broke before, or as he died.
19: In their own tongue - This expression, That is, the field
of blood, St. Luke seems to have added to the words of St.
Peter, for the use of Theophilus and other readers who did
not understand Hebrew.
20: His bishopric - That is, his apostleship.(Ps 69:25).
21: All the time that the Lord Jesus was going in and out - That
is, conversing familiarly: over us - as our Master.(Ps 109:8).
22: To be a witness with us of his resurrection - And of the
circumstances which preceded and followed it.
23: And they appointed two - So far the faithful could go by
consulting together, but no further. Therefore here commenced
the proper use of the lot, whereby a matter of importance, which
cannot be determined by any ordinary method, is committed to the
Divine decision.
25: Fell - By his transgression - Some time before his death: to go
to his own place - That which his crimes had deserved, and which
he had chosen for himself, far from the other apostles, in the
region of death.
