Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:6 The place of the disciples' assembly was the Mount of Olives (v. 12), at the foot of which lay Bethany (Luke 24:50). The disciples asked Jesus when he would restore the kingdom to Israel because they concluded from his resurrection and the promise of the Spirit that the messianic era had dawned and the final salvation of Israel was imminent. However, they were probably still expecting the restoration of a military and political kingdom that would drive out the Roman armies and restore national sovereignty to Israel, as had happened numerous times in the OT. Jesus corrected them, not by rejecting the question, but by telling them (Acts 1:8) that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit, not in order to triumph over Roman armies but to spread the good news of the gospel throughout the world. In other words, the return is in God's timing; in the meantime, there are other key things believers are to do.

1:7 the Father has fixed by his own authority. Ultimate authority in determining the events of history is consistently ascribed to God the Father among the persons of the Trinity.

1:8 Jesus corrected the disciples' questions (v. 6) with a commission: "this time" (v. 6) would be for them a time of witnessing for the gospel, and the scope of their witness was not to be just Israel but the world. Verse 8 is the thematic statement for all of Acts. It begins with the Spirit's power that stands behind and drives the witness to Jesus. Then it provides a rough outline of the book: Jerusalem (chs. 1-7), Judea and Samaria (chs. 8-12), and the end of the earth (chs. 13-28). you will receive power. Interpreters differ over whether the Holy Spirit was at work in the lives of ordinary believers prior to Pentecost in a lesser way or not at all, except for empowering for special tasks. On either view, something new that needed to be waited for was here. This powerful new work of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost brought several beneficial results: more effectiveness in witness and ministry (1:8), effective proclamation of the gospel (cf. Matt. 28:19), power for victory over sin (Acts 2:42-46; Rom. 6:11-14; 8:13-14; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3:10), power for victory over Satan and demonic forces (Acts 2:42-46; 16:16-18; 2 Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6:10-18; 1 John 4:4), and a wide distribution of gifts for ministry (Acts 2:16-18; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11; 1 Pet. 4:10; cf. Num. 11:17, 24-29). The disciples likely understood "power" in this context to include both the power to preach the gospel effectively and also the power (through the Holy Spirit) to work miracles confirming the message. The same word (Gk. dynamis) is used at least seven other times in Acts to refer to power to work miracles in connection with gospel proclamation (see Acts 2:22; 3:12; 4:7; 6:8; 8:10; 10:38; 19:11).

1:9 Elsewhere in Scripture a cloud is often associated with a manifestation of God's presence (Luke 9:28-36). This was not an ordinary rain cloud but the cloud of glory that surrounds the very presence of God. as they were looking on, he was lifted up. This visible ascension of Jesus into heaven indicates that Jesus retains a physical human body, as a man, though he is exalted to the right hand of God, i.e., given direct executive rule in God's spiritual kingdom (Matt. 28:18). When coupled with Acts 1:11, it also indicates that he will someday return in the same physical body. The amazing miracle of the incarnation is not only that the eternal Son of God took human nature on himself and became a person who is simultaneously God and man, but also that he will remain both fully God and fully man forever.

1:10 The pair of "men" were angels in human form, as their white robes attest (see Matt. 28:3; Luke 24:4; John 20:12).

1:11 will come in the same way as you saw him go. Jesus' return, like his ascension, will be bodily and visible. (See note on v. 9.)