History · Chapter 1 of 28
Acts 1
Luke's second volume opens with the risen Jesus teaching the apostles over forty days about the kingdom, commanding them to wait in Jerusalem for the Spirit. He promises they will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth, then ascends as a cloud hides him. Angels promise his return. The disciples pray together and choose Matthias to replace Judas among the twelve.
What happens in Acts 1
Addressing Theophilus again, Luke recalls that Jesus showed himself alive by many infallible proofs over forty days, speaking of the kingdom of God. He tells the apostles not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. When they ask if he will now restore the kingdom to Israel, he redirects them: the times belong to the Father, but they will receive power to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.
As they watch, he is taken up and a cloud receives him. Two men in white promise he will return as he left. The eleven return to an upper room and devote themselves to prayer with the women and Jesus' mother and brothers. Peter, citing the Psalms about Judas, proposes choosing a replacement witness of the resurrection. They pray, cast lots, and Matthias is numbered with the apostles.
Acts 1 in context
Acts continues Luke's account, bridging Jesus' ministry and the church's mission. The forty days of resurrection appearances give way to the ascension and the days of waiting before Pentecost. The disciples still expect a national, political restoration for Israel, and Jesus gently widens their horizon to a global witness.
Replacing Judas restores the symbolic twelve for the new work about to begin.
Main themes of Acts 1
Acts 1 (KJV)
1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. 13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. 21Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Verses to carry from Acts 1
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”Acts 1:8
“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”Acts 1:11
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”Acts 1:14
Direct words of Jesus
How Acts 1 points to Jesus
Though Jesus is visibly present only at the chapter's start, he governs the whole scene. Risen and alive by many infallible proofs, he still teaches the kingdom, gives commandments through the Spirit, and defines the church's mission as witness to himself. His ascension is not absence but enthronement; the cloud that receives him recalls the glory of God, and the angels promise his return in like manner.
Everything the disciples are to do flows from him: they wait for the Spirit he promises, they will receive power to testify of him, and they pray in his name. The One taken up is the same One who will come again, and between those two comings the church exists to bear witness to him across the earth.
Questions about Acts 1
What did Jesus tell his disciples before ascending in Acts 1?
He told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. When they asked about restoring Israel's kingdom, he said the times were the Father's business, but they would receive power when the Spirit came and would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Why was Matthias chosen in Acts 1?
Judas had fallen away and died, leaving the symbolic number of twelve apostles incomplete before the church's mission began. Peter, citing the Psalms, said someone who had accompanied Jesus from John's baptism to the ascension should become a witness of the resurrection. The disciples prayed and cast lots between two candidates, and the lot fell on Matthias, numbered with the eleven.
Reflection
There is a season of waiting between promise and power, and Jesus makes it a command, not a delay to resent. Before you act for God, ask whether you move in your own strength or his Spirit's. And when you gaze back at what has ascended, hear the angels turn you forward: there is a world to witness to, and he is coming again.
A prayer from Acts 1
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