Handelingen 1

1 Het eerste boek heb ik gemaakt, o Theofilus, van al hetgeen Jezus begonnen heeft beide te doen en te leren;

2 Tot op den dag, in welken Hij opgenomen is, nadat Hij door den Heiligen Geest aan de apostelen, die Hij uitverkoren had, bevelen had gegeven.

3 Aan welke Hij ook, nadat Hij geleden had, Zichzelven levend vertoond heeft, met vele gewisse kentekenen, veertig dagen lang, zijnde van hen gezien, en sprekende van de dingen, die het Koninkrijk Gods aangaan.

4 En als Hij met hen vergaderd was, beval Hij hun, dat zij van Jeruzalem niet scheiden zouden, maar verwachten de belofte des Vaders, die gij, zeide Hij, van Mij gehoord hebt.

5 Want Johannes doopte wel met water, maar gij zult met den Heiligen Geest gedoopt worden, niet lang na deze dagen.

6 Zij dan, die samengekomen waren, vraagden Hem, zeggende: Heere, zult Gij in dezen tijd aan Israel het Koninkrijk wederoprichten?

7 En Hij zeide tot hen: Het komt u niet toe, te weten de tijden of gelegenheden, die de Vader in Zijn eigen macht gesteld heeft;

8 Maar gij zult ontvangen de kracht des Heiligen Geestes, Die over u komen zal; en gij zult Mijn getuigen zijn, zo te Jeruzalem, als in geheel Judea en Samaria, en tot aan het uiterste der aarde.

9 En als Hij dit gezegd had, werd Hij opgenomen, daar zij het zagen, en een wolk nam Hem weg van hun ogen.

10 En alzo zij hun ogen naar den hemel hielden, terwijl Hij heenvoer, ziet, twee mannen stonden bij hen in witte kleding;

11 Welke ook zeiden: Gij Galilese mannen, wat staat gij en ziet op naar den hemel? Deze Jezus, Die van u opgenomen is in den hemel, zal alzo komen, gelijkerwijs gij Hem naar den hemel hebt zien heenvaren.

12 Toen keerden zij wederom naar Jeruzalem, van den berg, die genaamd wordt de Olijf berg, welke is nabij Jeruzalem, liggende van daar een sabbatsreize.

13 En als zij ingekomen waren, gingen zij op in de opperzaal, waar zij bleven, namelijk Petrus en Jakobus, en Johannes en Andreas, Filippus en Thomas, Bartholomeus en Mattheus, Jakobus, de zoon van Alfeus, en Simon Zelotes, en Judas, de broeder van Jakobus.

14 Deze allen waren eendrachtelijk volhardende in het bidden en smeken, met de vrouwen, en Maria, de moeder van Jezus, en met Zijn broederen.

15 En in dezelve dagen stond Petrus op in het midden der discipelen, en sprak (er was nu een schare bijeen van omtrent honderd en twintig personen):

16 Mannen broeders, deze Schrift moest vervuld worden, welke de Heilige Geest door den mond Davids voorzegd heeft van Judas, die de leidsman geweest is dergenen die Jezus vingen;

17 Want hij was met ons gerekend, en had het lot dezer bediening verkregen.

18 Deze dan heeft verworven een akker, door het loon der ongerechtigheid, en voorwaarts overgevallen zijnde, is midden opgeborsten, en al zijn ingewanden zijn uitgestort.

19 En het is bekend geworden allen, die te Jeruzalem wonen, alzo dat die akker in hun eigen taal genoemd wordt Akeldama, dat is, een akker des bloeds.

20 Want er staat geschreven in het boek der Psalmen; Zijn woonstede worde woest, en er zij niemand die in dezelve wone. En: Een ander neme zijn opzienersambt.

21 Het is dan nodig, dat van de mannen, die met ons ongedaan hebben al den tijd, in welken de Heere Jezus onder ons ingegaan en uitgegaan is,

22 Beginnende van den doop van Johannes, tot den dag toe, in welken Hij van ons opgenomen is, een derzelven met ons getuige worde van Zijn opstanding.

23 En zij stelden er twee, Jozef, genaamd Barsabas, die toegenaamd was Justus, en Matthias.

24 En zij baden en zeiden: Gij Heere! Gij Kenner der harten van allen, wijs van deze twee een aan, dien Gij uitverkoren hebt;

25 Om te ontvangen het lot dezer bediening en des apostelschaps, waarvan Judas afgeweken is, dat hij heenging in zijn eigen plaats.

26 En zij wierpen hun loten; en het lot viel op Matthias, en hij werd met gemene toestemming tot de elf apostelen gekozen.

Handelingen 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book unites the Gospels to the Epistles. It contains many particulars concerning the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Christian church from the ascension of our Saviour to the arrival of St. Paul at Rome, a space of about thirty years. St. Luke was the writer of this book; he was present at many of the events he relates, and attended Paul to Rome. But the narrative does not afford a complete history of the church during the time to which it refers, nor even of St. Paul's life. The object of the book has been considered to be, 1. To relate in what manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost, and the miracles performed by the apostles, to confirm the truth of Christianity, as showing that Christ's declarations were really fulfilled. 2. To prove the claim of the Gentiles to be admitted into the church of Christ. This is shown by much of the contents of the book. A large portion of the Acts is occupied by the discourses or sermons of various persons, the language and manner of which differ, and all of which will be found according to the persons by whom they were delivered, and the occasions on which they were spoken. It seems that most of these discourses are only the substance of what was actually delivered. They relate nevertheless fully to Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Messiah.

Proofs of Christ's resurrection. (1-5) Christ's ascension. (6-11) The apostles unite in prayer. (12-14) Matthias chosen in the place of Judas. (15-26)

Verses 1-5 Our Lord told the disciples the work they were to do. The apostles met together at Jerusalem; Christ having ordered them not to depart thence, but to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. This would be a baptism by the Holy Ghost, giving them power to work miracles, and enlightening and sanctifying their souls. This confirms the Divine promise, and encourages us to depend upon it, that we have heard it from Christ; for in Him all the promises of God are yea and amen.

Verses 6-11 They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek. Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless.

Verses 12-14 God can find hiding-places for his people. They made supplication. All God's people are praying people. It was now a time of trouble and danger with the disciples of Christ; but if any is afflicted, let him pray; that will silence cares and fears. They had now a great work to do, and before they entered upon it, they were earnest in prayer to God for his presence. They were waiting for the descent of the Spirit, and abounded in prayer. Those are in the best frame to receive spiritual blessings, who are in a praying frame. Christ had promised shortly to send the Holy Ghost; that promise was not to do away prayer, but to quicken and encourage it. A little company united in love, exemplary in their conduct, fervent in prayer, and wisely zealous to promote the cause of Christ, are likely to increase rapidly.

Verses 15-26 The great thing the apostles were to attest to the world, was, Christ's resurrection; for that was the great proof of his being the Messiah, and the foundation of our hope in him. The apostles were ordained, not to wordly dignity and dominion, but to preach Christ, and the power of his resurrection. An appeal was made to God; "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men," which we do not; and better than they know their own. It is fit that God should choose his own servants; and so far as he, by the disposals of his providence, or the gifts of his Spirit, shows whom he was chosen, or what he has chosen for us, we ought to fall in with his will. Let us own his hand in the determining everything which befalls us, especially in those by which any trust may be committed to us.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ACTS

This book, in some copies, is called, "The Acts of the holy Apostles". It contains an history of the ministry and miracles of the apostles of Christ, and is a sort of a journal of their actions, from whence it takes its name. It begins at the ascension of Christ, and reaches to the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul at Rome; and is a history of upwards of thirty years: it gives an account of the first Gospel church at Jerusalem, and of the progress of the Gospel there, and in Judea, by the means of all the apostles, and particularly Peter, the minister of the circumcision, and who also first opened the door of faith to the Gentiles: it shows how the Gospel went forth from Jerusalem, and was spread in the Gentile world, especially by the Apostle Paul, whose companion Luke was, that was the writer of this book; for that it was written by him is very evident from the beginning of it, it being dedicated to the same person his Gospel is, and of which he makes mention; and in the Complutensian edition the book is called, "The Acts of the Apostles of Saint Luke the Evangelist"; and so the title of it in the Syriac version is, "the Book of the Acts: that is, the history of the blessed apostles, which my Lord Luke the Evangelist collected for the saints". It was by him written in the Greek language; and we are told {a}, that there was a version of it into the Hebrew language, and which was laid up in the library of the Jews at Tiberias; and is cited by R. Azarias {b} under the name of twlweph, "the Acts": of the authority of this book there has been no doubt, among the ancients, only Cerinthus the heretic endeavoured to discredit it; and it was not received by another sort of heretics called Severiani, from Severus, a disciple of Tatian {c}. It is a most excellent and useful work, showing the first planting of Christianity, and of Christian churches, both among the Jews and Gentiles; the spread and progress of the Gospel in several parts of the world; what sufferings the apostles endured for the sake of it; and with what patience and courage they bore them; and what success attended them; and is a standing proof and confirmation of the Christian religion.

{a} Epiphan. Contr. Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 30. {b} Meor Enayim, p. 167. {c} Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 29.