1Christ after his resurrection, having given instructions to his apostles, and commanded them to wait in Jerusalem the coming of the Holy Ghost, ascendeth into heaven in their sight. 10Two angels warn them to depart, and to look for his second coming: 12they return, and give themselves unto prayer. 15Peter exhorting to fill up the place of the traitor Judas, Matthias is chosen by lot to be an apostle.
1THE 1former treatise have I made, O 2Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
1That is, the history of that which the holy apostles acted or did after Christ's ascension, preaching the Gospel throughout the whole world, and gathering Churches everywhere of Jews and Gentiles.
2That this book was written by the evangelist Luke, it appears from the first verse of the first chapter, and which was never doubted by any old or new interpreters.
1 Gr. the first speech, whereby he understands his evangelical history. So that from this, as also from that which follows, it appears that the holy evangelist Luke wrote this book also.
2 Of this Theophilus see the annotation on Luke 1 on verse 3.
2Untila the day in which he was taken up, after that he 3through the Holy Ghost had given 4commandmentsb unto the apostles whom he 5had chosen:
a Mark 16:19; Luke 9:51; 1 Tim. 3:16.
3 In the Greek text this may be joined either to the words given commandments, or to the word chosen.
4 Namely, how they would preach the Gospel throughout the whole world, Mat. 28:19; Mark 16:15, and at Jerusalem wait for the sending of the Holy Ghost, Luke 24:49.
b John 20:21.
5 Namely, to the apostolic office. See Mat. 10:1, etc.
3Toc whom also he 6shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible 7proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
c Mark 16:14; John 20:19; 21:1; 1 Cor. 15:5.
6 Gr. presented, or has presently yielded in many.
7 From which it has clearly appeared that He was truly risen from the dead with the same body; such as that He has often appeared unto them; has often conversed and eaten with them and that they have seen and touched His scars; Luke 24; John 20 and 21.
4And,d8being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for 9the promise of the Father, which,e saith he, ye have heard of me.
d Luke 24:48, 49.
8 Or, when he had gathered them together.
9 That is, the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father had promised by Him that He would send unto them, Luke 24:49; John 14:26.
e John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7.
5Forf John truly baptized with water; butg ye shall be baptized 10with the Holy Ghost 11not many days hence.
f Mat. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26; Acts 11:16; 19:4.
g Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:4; 11:15.
10 Gr. in the Holy Ghost; namely, Whom I will pour out abundantly upon you as water on the day of Pentecost. The same is foretold also by John the Baptist, Mat. 3:11.
11 Gr. not after many these days; namely, ten days after.
6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord,h wilt thou at this time restore again 12the kingdom 13to Israel?
h Mat. 24:3.
12 Namely, which the prophets have foretold, shall be set up by the Messiah and they yet thought, according to the common error, it would be a worldly kingdom.
13 That is, to the people or posterity of Israel.
7And he said unto them, Iti is not for you to know the times or the 14seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
i Mat. 24:36.
14 Namely, of the times in which God will execute that which He has ordained and promised.
815Butj ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: andk ye shall be 16witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
15 Or, But ye shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you.
j Acts 2:4.
k Isa. 2:3; Luke 24:48; John 15:27; Acts 2:32.
16 Or, ye shall be my witnesses; namely, that I am the promised Messiah and Savior of the world.
9Andl when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was 17taken up; and a cloud 18received him out of their sight.
l Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51.
17 That is, lifted up bodily, and visibly from earth towards heaven; Mark 16:19; Heb. 1:3 and 8:1, which is called by Paul the third heaven and paradise, 2 Cor. 12:2, 4.
18 Or, took him up, and so away from their eyes.
10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, 19two men stood by them 20inm white apparel;
19 That is, two angels in the shape of men. See Gen. 18:2.
20 Thus the angels used to appear, to show thereby the purity of their nature and that they came to declare joyful things. See Mat. 28:3; Mark 16:5; John 20:12.
m Mat. 28:3.
11Which also said, 21Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shalln22so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
21 See Acts 2:7.
n Dan. 7:13; Mat. 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; 1 Thes. 1:10; 2 Thes. 1:10; Rev. 1:7.
22 That is, in such manner, visibly and in a cloud; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7.
12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called 23Olivet, which is from Jerusalem 24a sabbath day's 25journey.
23 Gr. olive-orchard; namely, mountain. Of this mountain see Mat. 21 on verse 1.
24 Or, being distant a sabbath’s journey.
25 That is, as far as the Jews were permitted to go on a Sabbath day, on which it was forbidden to travel far, Exod. 16:29, which, according to the opinion of some, was about seven furlongs. So that (each furlong being reckoned for one hundred twenty-five paces) it would be about a quarter of an hour’s walk. And seeing it is said in John 11:18 that Bethany from where Christ ascended unto heaven, Luke 24:50, situated on this mountain, was fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, this must be understood of the beginning of the mount of Olives on which Bethany was yet somewhat further.
13And when they were 26come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both 27Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and 28Judas the brother of James.
26 Namely, not only into the city, but also into an house, which some think to have been the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, of whom we read in Acts 12:12.
27 Of these apostles see Mat. 10:2, etc.
28 This Judas was thus surnamed, to be distinguished from Judas Iscariot the traitor; and so he also names himself in his epistle, verse 1, and was otherwise surnamed Lebbæus, Mat. 10:3.
14These all 29continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with 30the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with hiso31brethren.
29 That is, continuing in strength, steadfastness and with patience.
30 Namely, those who had followed Christ from Galilee, and had served Him, Mat. 27:55, 56; Mark 15:40; Luke 23:55; John 19:25, and also with their wives, who also had the need to be strengthened, as being to be companions of the travels of their husbands, 1 Cor. 9:5.
o Mat. 13:55.
31 That is, nephews and kinsmen, Mat. 12:46, as were James and Joses, Simon and Judas, sons of Mary, the sister of Christ’s mother, Mat. 13:55.
15¶And 32in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of 33names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
32 That is, on one of those days.
33 Or, persons, that is, heads, or men who are numbered by their names. See Rev. 3:4 and 11:13.
16Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, whichp the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, whichq was guide to them that took Jesus.
p Psalm 41:9; Mat. 26:23; John 13:18.
q Mat. 26:47; Mark 14:43; John 18:3.
17Forr he was 34numbered with us, and had obtained 35part of this ministry.
r Mat. 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16.
34 Or, reckoned.
35 The ministry of the apostleship is thus called, because the same is given by God, not of merit or worthiness, but according to His good pleasure, Acts 8:21.
18Now this man 36purchased 37a field 38with the reward 39of iniquity; ands40falling 41headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
36 Namely, in as much as he gave the Jews occasion that this field was bought by them, for that money which was given him for his treason; Mat. 27:6, 7. So that this must be understood not of Judas’ intent, but of the event which followed thereupon.
37 Namely, the field of blood, verse 19.
38 Gr. of the reward.
39 That is, of the unrighteous act of treason.
s 2 Sam. 17:23; Mat. 27:5.
40 Gr. become.
41 Seeing it is said in Mat. 27:5, that he was strangled, therefore the common opinion is, that he hanged himself with an halter, and that so he fell headlong or into the halter, or that the halter being broken he fell headlong and burst, and that so he poured out his bowels through the righteous judgment of God. See the like example in Ahithophel, 2 Sam. 17:23.
19And it was 42known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is calledt43in their properu tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, 44The field of blood.
42 Namely, that God had punished the traitor Judas with such a death.
t Mat. 27:8.
43 Namely, in the Syrian or Chaldean tongue, which the Jews used after the Babylonian captivity.
u one’s own.
44 Namely, because it was bought for the money, for which the blood of Christ had been sold.
20For it is written in the book of Psalms, Letv his 45habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: 46andw47his bishoprickx let 48another take.
v Psalm 69:25.
45 David, as a type of Christ, speaks indeed in general of his enemies in the 69th Psalm; yet, seeing in the same Psalm, it is also prophesied of the sufferings of Christ, therefore the apostle Peter applies it to Judas in particular, who was the betrayer of Christ.
46 Namely, it is again said in another place in the Book of Psalms.
w Psalm 109:8.
47 Though the Greek word sometimes signifies all manner of overseers’ offices, yet here it is taken especially for the apostolic office of Judas, which is so called, because the ministers of the Gospel have oversight over the church, Acts 20:28.
x oversight, office, charge.
48 In the 109th Psalm David indeed seems to speak these words of Doeg, who was one of the chief herdsmen of King Saul, and who had betrayed him with the priests at Nob. But, seeing that David was a type of Christ, therefore this was also fittingly alluded by Peter to Judas, who betrayed the Lord Christ.
21Whereforey of these men which have 49companiedz with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went 50in and out among us,
y Acts 6:3.
49 Or, have been assembled, namely, when we followed Christ; among whom, without a doubt, were also the seventy disciples.
z accompanied.
50 That is, associated familiarly with us, went up and down with us, and as our Lord and Master, administered His office among us. An Hebraism. See Deut. 31:2; Psalm 121:8; John 10:9.
22Beginning 51from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up fromaa us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of 52his resurrection.
51 That is, from the time that John began to teach and baptize; for, then began the ministry of the Gospel, and shortly after Christ Himself also began to administer His office.
aa verse 9.
52 Namely, and also of all other of Christ’s doctrines and deeds. But here mention is made only of His resurrection; because thereby He was powerfully shown to be the Son of God and the true Messiah, Acts 2:32; Rom. 1:4.
23Andab they appointed two, 53Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
ab Acts 6:6.
53 In some books this man is called Joses and is held to have been a brother of James the younger.
24And they prayed, and said, 54Thou, Lord, whichac55knowest the hearts of all men, 56shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
54 See the reason hereof in the annotation at Gal. 1 on verse 1.
ac 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Chron. 28:9; 29:17; Psalm 7:9; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; 20:12; Acts 15:8; Rev. 2:23.
55 That is, Thou Who knowest how they are disposed inwardly in the heart.
56 Namely, by lot, which shall be directed by Thee, Prov. 16:33.
25That he may take 57part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression 58fell, that he might go 59to his own place.
57 See verse 17.
58 Or, is departed, that is, from which Judas fell for his wickedness.
59 Namely, which is appointed to him, and those who are like him by God, according to His righteous judgment, and is called the place of torment, Luke 16:28.
26And they 60gave forth their lots; and the lot 61fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered 62with the eleven apostles.
60 Or, they cast their lots; namely, of Joseph and Matthias, of whom one would be chosen by lot, so that his calling to the apostleship would come as from God Himself.
61 See the like in the choosing of Saul to the kingly office, 1 Sam. 10:20.
62 That is, they all approved and accepted this divine choice.