The first verse is vast .
1¶The 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:
of all that Jesus began both to do and teach were do we begin lol ?
The second part is key 'unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
So can we agree there is a specific mission here that Jesus starts the ' foundation ' with the apostles ?
Here are few considerations of the opening to Acts.
Acts 1:1-6:-
1 "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until 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:
3 To 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:
4 And, 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.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
V.1 Our Lord did three things in His first advent. (i) He did things, (ii) he taught, and (iii) He issued commands that came from the Holy Spirit. If this constitutes the ministry of the One Who has preeminence, who are we to do anything else. The things Jesus DID came from the Father and benefited man. If you examine the teaching of Jesus in the synoptic gospels, you will see that the main theme was the coming Millennial Kingdom ON EARTH. The main theme of John was how God gets Himself and His LIFE into man for man to become His Display and His House ON EARTH. The commands in the new Testament come from the Holy Spirit. They are either found in the INSPIRED Word of God (some 2,400 of them), or the saint is personally led by the indwelling Spirit (Rom.8:14). This constitutes the sum of Christian Life.
V.2 "taken up" This implies that a second party took Him up. He did not go of His own power. This fact helps a little in other passages on the Rapture.
V.2 "Chosen" Most of us love the Lord Jesus and like any good wife, we like to plan and do things for Him that we think He might like. But be informed. It is God's CHOICE what you do. Don't usurp God's sovereignty. Check with Him about everything. It is HIS CHOICE! "THY WILL be done on earth ... ."
V.3 "Forty" is the number of testing. Jesus was seen alive on resurrection day. Could He beat death completely? Yes! He is seen by hundreds of men over a 40-day period.
V.3 The main ministry of Jesus was the coming Millennial Kingdom on earth. Is this the main subject at your Assembly? How many messages have you heard concerning this from your teachers/pastors in the last ten years? Salvation IS FOR the Kingdom (Jn.3:3). The gospel of grace and salvation should be mostly taught OUTSIDE the Church, for the Church is made of saved ones. The Kingdom should be taught INSIDE the Church. Is it so with your Assembly?
V.4 "Jerusalem" Here we touch a very important point. The crucifixion is in Jerusalem. The resurrection is in Jerusalem. The Lord breathes the Holy Spirit INTO His disciples in Jerusalem. The Lord is Raptured from Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit is put UPON the disciples in Jerusalem. Pentecost is a feast in Jerusalem by the Law of Moses. The first Church is in Jerusalem. Paul returns to Jerusalem to sort out whether the Gentile believers are under the Law of Moses. Tongues are given in Jerusalem first, and then given twice more - (i) at the Gentile Cornelius' house, and (ii) a Gentile Church in Acts 19. Why? It's worth a page of writing.
V.5 In John 20:22 the Holy Spirit was breathed INTO the disciples. But at Pentecost the disciples are IMMERSED INTO the Holy Spirit. If John IMMERSED fully in water, then the disciple is IMMERSED fully into the Spirit. What happened in John 20:22 and in Acts 2 are two totally different things. And so scripture says, (i) the things written in John are for (eternal) LIFE (Jn.20:30-31), but (2) what happened on Pentecost was for POWER for ministry (Lk.24:49; Act.1:8).
V.6 sets the pace for the conflict of the ages. Did not God raise up Jacob and the great nation of Israel? Did not israel get the Covenants and the Law of God? Was not Israel promised a Land as an "everlasting possession" by God? Did not God bring them out of Egypt with a strong arm? Is not Israel and all things pertaining to them COME FROM GOD? And if so, should we not emulate Israel and keep the Law? Should we not try to be joined to them and keep their customs. This question (i) permeates the whole of Acts, and (ii) bothers many posters on this Forum. The disciples' first question when they heard about POWER, was, "will you NOW restore Israel". And in this question lies the answer to the given question. The question IMPLIES that Israel is finished - that it needs restoring. The disciples were Jews and had the prophets. They had been taught by Jesus Himself for 3.5 years. Their question showed that (i) Israel would be restored, and (ii) the prophets are LITERAL. The question only asks THE TIME when Israel will be restored. And the disciples who had been with Jesus KNEW THE ANSWER. It is found in Acts 15:14-16. This verse 6 of Acts 1 should settle the matter of Israel for every student of the Bible. Israel, as a NATION, WILL BE RESTORED, and the prophets are LITERAL.
