Lesson Number 1
TRANSLATION LEGEND: AMPLIFIED or AMP = Amplified Bible, (1965), ASV=American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA=Douay-Rheims (1899), ESV=English Stand Version (2001), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version (1967), JPS = Jewish Publicatrion Society (1917), KJV=King James Version (1611), LIVING = Living Bible (1971), MONTGOMERY = Montgomery’s New Testament (2001), MRD = Peshitta-James Murdock Translation (1852), NAB=New American Bible (2002), NASB=New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU=New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB=New International Bible, NIV=New International Version (1984), NJB=New Jerusalem Bible (1985), NKJV=New King James Version (1979), NLT=New Living Translation (1996), NRSV=New Revised Standard Version (1989), PHILLIPS = J B Phillips New Testament (1962), PNT = BISHOP’S New Testament (1595), RSV=Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK=JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster=The Webster Bible (1833),WEYMOUTH=Weymouth’s New Testament (1903), WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament (1937), TNK = JPS Tanakh (1985), TYNDALE= Tyndale’s Bible (1526), WYCLIFFE= Wycliffe New Testament (1382), YLT=Young’s Literal Translation (1862).
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG=Friberg Lexicon, UBS=UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA=Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT=Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER=Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
INTRODUCTION TO ACTS
“ 1:1 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 showed 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.” (Acts 1:1-5)
INTRODUCTION
The book of Acts proclaims the working of the risen and exalted Christ. This work was accomplished through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said would come after He had left (John 14:16-18). He would also particularly work through the men whom He had chosen, who were “named apostles” (Acts 6:13). These men established the focus and direction of the work of the Lord, having been empowered by Him for that activity. The book of Acts particularly tracks the activity of Peter and Paul – Peter ministering primarily to the Jews, and Paul to the Gentiles (although the ministry of neither man was limited to the groups to whom they primarily ministered) (Gal 2:7-9).
This book is written by a man who was not himself an apostle, yet who was given a “perfect understanding” of the work of Christ “from the very first” (Luke 1:3). He also traveled extensively with Paul, whose activities dominate this book from chapter thirteen to its conclusion (chapter 28) – sixteen chapters.
Although there is doctrine in the book of Acts, it is not primarily a book of doctrine. Rather, it is fundamentally a revelation of activity – Divine activity. In it we find the record of the vigorous action of the exalted Christ, who, by means of the Holy Spirit, is “working salvation in the midst of the earth” (Psa 74:12).
We will be exposed to:
➪ Divine direction.
➪ Human involvement.
➪ The fact of suffering and persecution.
➪ Religious opposition (from the Jews).
➪ Corruption within the church (Ananas and Sapphira).
➪ Sharp dissension among brethren (Barnabas and Paul).
➪ Brethren becoming convinced of realities formerly rejected (the acceptance of the Gentiles), and a host of other things.
➪ We will be exposed to religious and political rulers.
➪ The maltreatment of God’s messengers by religious zealots.
➪ Kindness shown to them by Gentiles and barbarians.
Only the activities of a handful of God’s servants are particularly detailed. They include Peter, John, James. James the Lord’s brother, Philip the evangelist, Stephen, Barnabas, Paul, and Silas. More is recorded about Paul than any other servant mentioned in this book.
The Acts of the Apostles, then, is more about the work than the workers. It relates more to what was done than to those who did it. It provides an overview of the outworking of Divine purpose, with very little being said about the projects and desires of men. Even though men were involved in, and impacted by, the activities, they are not the primary consideration. This is a record of the works of the risen Savior – how He carried out the great salvation that He accomplished in His death, burial, resurrection, and consequent enthronement, with all power in heaven and earth being given to Him.
With remarkable consistency, those who responded in faith to the Gospel in this record, or to Divine direction, never resist the word or will of the Lord. They gladly acquiesce to the Lord, whether it is the group who were charged with murdering Jesus (2:41), the city of Samaria (8:5-6), Saul of Tarsus who was persecuting the church (9:6), the household of the Gentile Cornelius (10:33), a Gentile jail-keeper (16:30, or those who sought to spread the Word of God throughout the world (16:8-10).
Those with tender hearts were discovered in the most unlikely places:
➪ The road to Damascus (9:2-6).
➪ A heathen island (13:6-12).
➪ In a synagogue where Jews were found contradicting and blaspheming (13:45-48).
➪ A jail cell in a Gentile city (16:29-34).
➪ Athens, a citadel of worldly knowledge (17:34).
➪ A great multitude from a synagogue in Thessalonica, where Paul was vigorously opposed (17:2-4).
➪ The chief ruler of a synagogue in Corinth, where Paul was soundly rejected (18:4-8).
➪ Many in Ephesus, where those converted had been devoted to occultic activities (19:17-20).
Thus we are exposed to the REAL manner of conversion and Divine direction – the way people react when their hearts have been touched and renewed. The power of the Gospel is confirmed as well as the nature of faith.
Real conversion does not involve delivering extensive apologetics and evidences that supposedly confirm the validity of Scripture. It does not require scopious training and orientation courses, or prolonged exposure to the truth. Such things reflect the wisdom of men, and will not be found in this record of the very real spread of the Gospel.
PAUL’S TRAVELS
The book of Acts provides us with an extensive commentary on Paul’s travels for the Lord. These travels are encapsulated in, what men have called, his three missionary journeys. Because they comprise a considerable portion of this book, I have provided a brief overview of those journeys in the preceding page, together with the portions of Acts in which they are recorded.
THE TITLE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE BOOK
The most ancient title of this book is “The Acts of the Apostles.” Although this name was not given by the one who wrote the book, it does reflect the general nature of it. Some have preferred to call it “The Acts of the Holy Spirit,” and, indeed, there is a sense in which that is what is recorded. Yet, this does not provide the intended perspective. Jesus had delivered a commandment to His apostles regarding the preaching of the Gospel and the making of disciples. This book tells us how that was carried out.
This is a faithful and responsible record of the activities of the Apostles AFTER Jesus ascended to heaven and was enthroned on the right hand of God. It is, in fact, an account of how Jesus went about to “build” His church (Matt 16:18), working through the men He had ordained and empowered, together with those they gathered around them. As will become very evident, these men conducted themselves quite differently than when they walked with Jesus. They will not have so many questions (Matt 17:10; Mk 7:17; 9:28; 10:10), but will provide answers. They will not philosophize about why conditions exist (John 9:2), but will have a very real grasp of the situation. They will not ask if they should call down fire on their opponents (Lk 9:54), but will conduct themselves more in keeping with the nature of Christ and the New Covenant.
It will be very apparent that something had occurred to these men that altered their nature. They thought, spoke, and acted differently. We will see “newness of life” in action. That “newness” is strictly owing to the exaltation of Christ, which confirmed the Father’s complete and unquestioned acceptance of His death for the sins of the world.
THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL
This book records the remarkable spread of the Gospel – within a short time and without an elaborate humanly-devised system being in place.
Preaching
➪ “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
➪ “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only” (Acts 11:19).
➪ “Preached the Word” (8:25; 13:5; 14:25; 15:36).
➪ “Preaching the word” (Acts 8:4; 11:19; 15:35).
➪ “Preached the Gospel” (8:25; 14:7,21).
➪ “Preach the word” (16:6).
➪ “Preach the Gospel” (16:10).
➪ “And the word of God increased” (Acts 6:7).
➪ “The word of God grew and multiplied” (12:24).
➪ “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (19:20).
➪ “And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region” (Acts13:49).
➪ “ . . . all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10).
Places
The places where the Gospel was preached were divers and extensive. Although the purpose of the book is not to provide every single detail of these places, enough is made known to cause extensive and productive thought among those who are in Christ Jesus.
➪ Countries: Acahai, Asia, Egypt, Africa, Arabia, Italy, Greece
➪ Cities: Jerusalem, Samaria, Lystra, Derbe, Philippi, Thyatira, Ephesus, Myra, Lasea, Paphos, Selucia, Salamis, Miletus, Trogyllium, Ptolemais, Caesarea, Rome, Athens, Corinth, Thessalonica, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Azotus, Troas, Mysia, Neapolis, Tarsus, Damascus, Antioch of Pisidia,, Attallia, Perga, Assos, Mitylene, Patara, Tyre
➪ Regions: Lyconia, Macedonia, Lycia, Galatia, Phrygia, Phenice, Pontus, Lyia, Cyrene, Crete, Pisidia, Syria
➪ Nations: Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia,
➪ Coasts: Cilicia, Pamphylia
➪ Islands: Cyprus, Paphos, Chios, Samos, Samothracia, Melita, Coos, Rhodes
Paul’s Extended Ministries
➪ 1 year in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
➪ 1 ½ years in Corinth (Acts 18:11).
➪ 2 years in Asia (Acts 19:10).
➪ 3 years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31).
➪ 2 years in his own hired house in Rome (Acts 28:30).
EMPHASIZING THE WORD
We will find that the emphasis of the activities in this book related to delivering the Word of God to the people in the energy of Divine power. If there are deeds of kindness, they are administered within the context of the Word of God. If there is a ministration of helps or assistance, it is toward those who have embraced the Word of God. Admittedly, this differs significantly from the thrust of contemporary “Christianity.” But here, we are being exposed to the REAL work of God, superintended by the risen Christ.
A WORTHY QUOTATION
“This book contains incontrovertible evidence of the truth of Christianity. It is a record of its early triumphs. Within the space of 30 years after the death of Christ the gospel had been carried to all parts of the civilized, and to no small portion of, the uncivilized world. Its progress and its triumphs were not concealed. Its great transactions were not “done in a corner.” It had been preached in the most splendid, powerful, and enlightened cities; churches were already founded in Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, and at Rome. The gospel had spread in Arabia, Asia Minor, Greece, Macedon, Italy, and Africa. It had assailed the most mighty existing institutions. It had made its way over the most formidable barriers. It had encountered the most deadly and malignant opposition. It had traveled to the capital (Rome), and had secured such a hold even in the imperial city as to make it certain that it would finally overturn the established religion and seat itself upon the ruins of paganism. Within 30 years, it had settled the point that it would overturn every bloody altar, close every pagan temple, bring under its influence everywhere the men of office, rank, and power, and that “the banners of the faith would soon stream from the palaces of the Caesars.” All this would be accomplished by the instrumentality of Jews — of fishermen — of Nazarenes. They did not have either wealth, armies, or allies. With the exception of Paul, they were people without much education. They were taught only by the Holy Spirit, armed only with the power of God, victorious only because Christ was their Captain, and the world acknowledged the presence of the messengers of the Highest One and the power of the Christian religion. Its success never has been, and never can be accounted for by any other supposition than that God Himself attended it! And if the Christian religion is not true, the change which was brought about by the twelve apostles is the most inexplicable, mysterious, and wonderful event that has ever been witnessed in this world. Their success will stand until the end of time as an argument for the truth of God’s overall plan (see 2 Corinthians 13:8). It will always confound the infidel. And, it will forever sustain the Christian with the assured belief that this IS a religion which has proceeded from the all-powerful and infinitely benevolent God.” ALBERT BARNES
THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
The author of this book is Luke, whom Paul referred to as “the beloved physician” (Col 4:14). He accompanied Paul in his tour of Asia and Macedonia (Acts 16:10-13; 20:5-6). He was also with Paul in his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-18). Additionally, Luke accompanied Paul in his final trip to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:31; 2 Tim 4:11; Phile 1:24).
Luke identified himself as the one who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, sending it to the same person to whom this book is addressed: Theophilus (Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1). Luke, like John (Gospel of John, First John, Second John, Third John) does not refer to himself by name. John refers to himself by name only in the book of the Revelation (Rev 1:1,4,9; 21:2,8). O course neither does Matthew identify himself as the author of the Gospel of Matthew. The same is true of Mark. In the book of Acts Luke refers to himself only as one of those traveling with Paul – “WE” (16:10,11,12,13,16; 20:6,13,14,15; 21:1,2,3,4, 5,6,7,8,10,12,14, 15,16,17; 27:1,2,3,4,5,7,15,16,18,19, 20,26,27,29,37; 28:10,11,12,13,14,16).
There is also a consistency in the early teachers of the church (after the apostles) in ascribing the authorship of this book to Luke. Throughout church history, there has been a unanimous acceptance of Luke as the author of this book. There is no need to engage in lengthy arguments to substantiate that point.
DATE OF WRITING
It is generally understood that Luke completed this book around 63 A.D. It was apparently written from Rome, shortly after Paul had completed spending two years in his own house, teaching things concerning the kingdom of God. The last two verses of the book read, “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31). It is probable that Luke compiled records as he traveled with Paul, using them to provide remarkable details in this book. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (for “all Scripture” is given by His inspiration – 2 Tim 3:16), the book was then compiled. This being the case, it reflects Divine priorities, and passes along to believers the things that God wants us to know about the ongoing work of the enthroned Savior. The writing of this book was supervised from heaven, written by a holy man who was empowered by the Holy Spirit.
WHAT IS NOT IN THE BOOK
It is interesting to note what is NOT in this book.
➪ Proportionately little of the evangelization of the Jews, except for preaching in the Temple (2:46; 5:20,25,42) and synagogues (9:20; 13:5,14; 14:1; 17:1,10,17; 18:4,19; 19:8;).
➪ Little of the history of the mother church in Jerusalem.
➪ After the first chapter (1:13), as regarding “the eleven” (without Judas) and “the twelve” (including Matthias, 1:26), only Peter, James, and John are mentioned after chapter one. “Peter and John” are mentioned six times (3:1,3,4,11; 4:13,19; 8:14). Besides that, “John” is mentioned twice (1:13; 4:6). “James” is mentioned twice (1:13; 12:2). By way of contrast, Peter is mentioned sixty-times, and Paul one hundred and forty-six times (as “Saul” as additional twenty-five times).
➪ There are no community projects, neighborhood outreaches, philanthropy toward the unsaved needy, relief projects for distressed areas, supposedly sanctified entertainment, or efforts directed toward special people groups: i.e. singles, married, youth, senior citizens, etc. Whatever may be said of such activities, they are not recorded in the book of the “Acts.” These are not the activities in which the exalted Christ is represented as being engaged.
➪ There is not a stereotyped statement of a “plan of salvation,” consisting of a specified number of “steps.”
➪ There is no reference to “the sinner’s prayer.”
➪ There is no reference to “the great commission.”
➪ There is not a solitary reference to “the love of God.”
➪ No standard version of this book (KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, NASB, NIV) contains the word “love.”
➪ Only the NASB, NRSV, and RSV contain the word “charity” (“deeds of kindness and charity” – Acts 9:36).
➪ “Satan,” or “the devil,” is only mentioned four times (5:3; 10:38; 13:10; 26:18).
➪ The word “sin” occurs only once (7:60), “transgression” once (1:18), and “iniquity” twice (1:18; 8:23).
By way of contrast, there are forty-six references to “Jesus,” nine references to “Christ,” sixteen references to “Jesus Christ,” sixty references to “the Lord,” sixteen references to “the Lord Jesus,” forty-one references to the “Holy Spirit,” and one hundred and seventy-four references to “God.” There are also forty-one references to the “Word,” “Gospel,” or “Scriptures.” This reflects the kind of context in which the Spirit will develop our ideas about the church.
We must avoid drawing erroneous conclusions from these observations. However, they do suggest an emphasis that is quite different from that to which the churches of our time are being subjected. During the past fifty years, a new and vastly different vocabulary has been adopted and propagated by the self-proclaimed leaders of the Christian community.
LUKE AND THEOPHILUS
LUKE
“Luke” is mentioned by name only two times in Scripture (Col 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11). In the first, he is referred to as “the beloved physician,” and the second states that he was with Paul when he was imprisoned in Rome (2 Tim 4:11). It is inferred that, since he was a physician, he was a man of superior education and natural mental aptitude. His writings also reflect an extraordinarily disciplined mind, which was obviously a gift given to him and sanctified by his faith.
It is generally understood that Luke was a Gentile, as his name is Greek. Also, when Paul mentioned him among those who were laboring with him, he did not class him among the Jews, whom he said were “of the circumcision” (Col 4:11-14). His name means “light-giving,” which is certainly appropriate. We do not know when he was converted. We do know that He was not an eye-witness of the Lord Jesus Himself. His knowledge of Christ was received from the apostles, but his understanding of their word came from God. Therefore he wrote in his gospel, “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus” (Lk 1:1-3).
His unusual devotion to Paul sets him apart from the disciples of our day. The Lord had truly touched his heart, changes his affections, and filled him with holy zeal. This kind of man is most unusual in our time – and no doubt in his time as well.
Luke stands as a sterling confirmation that men do not require the spotlight in order to labor effectively for the Lord. Many good and holy men, like Luke, have willingly labored in the shadow of those who had seen more than themselves.
THEOPHILUS
The name “Theophilos” means “friend of God” – “Theo” (God) and “philos” (friend). Here is a person of some distinction (“most excellent Theophilus” – Acts 1:3), to whom two sizeable books of Scripture were written (Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1). Yet, apart from Luke’s salutation in his Gospel and the book of Acts, there is total silence concerning this man in Scripture. Some of the “church fathers” considered him to be a fictitious character – a sort of literary appellation that applies to every believer. Without delving further into this, I will simply say I consider this to be a lot of nonsense.
The term “most excellent” is nowhere applied to a mere fictitious character – a kind of storybook way of speaking to every child of God. The Holy Spirit does have a way of speaking to ALL believers: “all saints” (Eph 3:8,18; 6:18; Phile 1:5' Rev 8:3), “all that call upon Him” (Rom 10:12), “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:2), “all that believe” (1 Thess 1:7), “all that will live godly” (2 Tim 3:12), and “all that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Pet 5:14).
There are other instances of this manner of addressing men. “Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting” (Acts 23:26). “We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness” (Acts 24:3). “But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness” (Acts 26:25).
I conclude, therefore, that Theophilus was some high-ranking official who had a keen interest in things pertaining to life and godliness. He is an example of those few noble souls who are called of God into the fellowship of His dear Son. As it is written, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor 1:26). Thank God, it does not read “not any,” but “not many.”
HISTORICAL, BUT NOT MERELY HISTORICAL
The book of Acts is an historical book, but not merely or primarily an historical book. It is a record of things that happened, but they are things wrought by the hand of God, not mere men. Permit me to underscore this with a few phrases found in this precious volume.
➪ “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
➪ “Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47).
➪ “But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said” (Acts 5:19).
➪ “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert” (Acts 8:26).
➪ “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6).
➪ “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:10-11).
➪ “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).
➪ “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord” (Acts 11:21).
➪ “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (Acts 12:11).
➪ “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:10).
➪ “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (Acts 16:14).
➪ “Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee” (Acts 27:24).
If we have a heart for it, we will behold the hand of the Lord throughout this book. He will empower His messengers, convict sinners, open hearts, and pour forth His Spirit. He will direct His people, opening some doors and closing others. When there is increase, it will come from Him. When the church is comforted, it will come from the Lord. The Lord Jesus will be seen as present in all of the labors of those He commissions and empowers.
While it is true that those who remain “in the body,” alive in this world, are “absent from the Lord,” He is by no means absent from them. He promised those who labored in His vineyard, “Lo, I am with alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt 28:20). That marvelous promise is lived out in the book of Acts, seen in every account it provides.
THE FORMER TREATISE
“ 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.”
Luke again writes to Theophilus. He will not update the Gospel, but will rather chronicle its proclamation, and the wonderful effects it works among men. He will also provide a glimpse of how the exalted Christ works within His church – how He directs it, and what occurs when the “glorious Gospel of the blessed God” (1 Tim 1:11) is faithfully proclaimed.
THE FORMER TREATISE
“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus . . . ” Other versions read, “The former account I made, O Theophilus” NKJV “The first account I composed, Theophilus” NASB “In my former book, Theophilus,” “In the first book, Theophilus,” NRSV “I have given an earlier account, O Theophilus,” BBE “I composed the first discourse, O Theophilus.” DARBY “In my earlier work, Theophilus,” NJB “Dear friend who loves God,” LIVING “My former narrative, Theophilus,” WEYMOUTH and “In the former account [which I prepared], O Theophilus.” AMPLIFIED
The word “treatise” is translated from the Greek word lo,gon (logov, from “logos”). This precise word is used 130 times in the New Covenant Scriptures. It is used in a variety of ways, but all of them have the same import – an articulated message, or integrated thought. A few of them will serve to substantiate this. I have highlighted the words translated from lo,gon.
➪ SOMETHING SAID AGAINST JESUS. “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him . . .” (Matt 12:32).
➪ POINTLESS SPEAKING. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36).
➪ THE GOSPEL. “Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended” (Matt 13:21).
➪ A PRAYER. “And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words” (Matt 26:44).
➪ AN ACCOUNT. “For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly” (Acts 19:40).
➪ THE WORK OF GOD. “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom 9:28).
➪ GIVING AN ACCOUNT. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom 14:12).
➪ MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION. “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19).
➪ THE WORD OF GOD. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things” (Gal 6:6).
➪ THE LAW SPOKEN AT SINAI. “And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more” (Heb 12:27).
As you can see, “word” is not used for a single “word,” but refers to a message, or articulated thought. It can refer to a phrase or idiom (i.e. “idle word”), a prophecy, or a saying. It refers to the entirety of the Gospel, the entirety of the Law, and even the entirety of the Scriptures themselves. It is even used of the presentation of a cause, or giving an intelligent account of something. A synonym for “word” is also “speech” – as in, “John delivered his speech.”
In all of these a purpose is being served by the expression. There is a certain focus in it, and the integration of divers things into a single objective. It is actually a series of statements that make a particular point. All of the details stand together, complement one another, and are a part of a whole concept and single purpose. In ordinary English, we use the term in this way. If we are discussing a certain subject, we might ask a person with expertise in the matter, “Can you give us a word on that?” If a messenger comes from one diplomat to another he might say, “I am sent to deliver a word to you.”
In writing his Gospel, John gave the reason for his word – for a “word” always has an objective. “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). That is why he wrote. Therefore, he did not highlight the activities of Peter or any of the other apostles. His book did not place the accent on Jewish customs or the state of the nation at that time. He spoke predominantly of Jesus Christ. If he mentioned other personalities like the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and lawyers, it was ONLY as they related to the Lord Jesus. If he wrote of Herod, Pilate, Caiaphas, Augustus Caesar, or some other dignitary it was only because they had something to do with Jesus.
Treatise
As used in this text, a “treatise” is not a mere chronological account of Christ’s birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Luke wrote His Gospel to accent Jesus. He provided details that would shed light on the Divine purpose that was fulfilled in Him. When people read his gospel, they would become better acquainted with the Savior of the world.
ALL THAT JESUS BEGAN TO DO AND TEACH
“ . . . of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” Other versions read, “I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning,” NRSV “I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,” RSV “of all the things which Jesus did, and of His teaching from the first,” BBE “I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning.” NJB “In my first letter I told you about Jesus’ life and teachings, LIVING “all that Jesus began doing and teaching,” MONTGOMERY and “I made [a continuous report] dealing with all the things which Jesus began to do and to teach.” AMPLIFIED
There is something here that must be perceived. When speaking about “all” that Jesus did, Luke wrote only of things that related to His mission to lay down His life and take it up again. He provided two morsels of information that took place within the first two years of Jesus life.
➪ The visitation of the shepherds on the night of His birth (Luke 2:7-20).
➪ His dedication as Mary’s firstborn after the days of her purification were complete (Luke 2:21-38).
There are three pieces of information the next ten years of His life.
➪ Growing, becoming strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God upon Him (Luke 2:40).
➪ His visitation to Jerusalem and encounter with the “doctors” of the Law (Luke 2:41-50).
One thing is said about the next eighteen years of His life.
➪ A brief summation of the next eighteen years of His life (subjection to parents, increase in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:51-52).
There are 1,151 verses in the Gospel of Luke. Of them 45 verses are devoted to the first thirty years of His life – under 4%! Over 86% of Luke’s Gospel is devoted to the last three and a half years of Jesus’ life. So far as doing and teaching is concerned, we have a single record of a particular deed Jesus did prior to His baptism – when He sat in the Temple, heard the doctors, and asked them questions (Lk 2:46). One verse out of 1,151 that speaks of a particular deed Jesus did. We have one record of a particular word He said prior to the beginning of His ministry: “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” (Luke 2:49).
Luke’s “treatise” was a record of Jesus’ life as it bore directly upon the redemption that He came to accomplish. The attention of Jesus became focused on that mission, and He entered fully into it, when He was baptized by John. It was then that He “began” to “do” with the special anointing of God upon Him, and “teach” with the intent of enlightening men concerning God and His Kingdom.
I do not believe there has been a man throughout all of history that would provided a record of Jesus in such a manner. There are those who say the first six years of a child’s life are the most critical. How does their observation sound in view of the life of the premier person in all of history?
Among other things, this confirms that Christ’s teaching was not within the context of the Old Covenant, as some affirm. Rather, Jesus preached in an interim period – between the Law and the Gospel, or the First Covenant and New, or Second, Covenant. That is why the Law is said to have been “until John” (Matt 11:13; Lk 16:16).
There are those who say that Jesus’ teaching was strictly within the context of the Law, and therefore does not apply to the New Covenant era – “the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). In doing this, these sophists imagine they can remove the pungent reality of words like, “believe only” (Lk 8:50; Mk 5:36), or “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mk 9:23).
Such miserable teachers are corrupt in both their understanding and objectives. Jesus said of His own words, “My words shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35), and “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). He spoke of the shame that would come upon those who are ashamed of His words (Lk 9:26). He said the person who did not receive His words would be judged on the day of judgment by the very words he rejected (John 12:47). He affirmed that He Himself and the Father would take up their abide in the person who kept His words (John 14:23).
Luke refers to the words of Jesus as what He “began . . . to teach;” that is, what He started to unfold and accomplish in both word and deed. Now, in the book of Acts, he will show how those words were fulfilled after His return to glory, and how they continued to work within the hearts of those who believed them. Let men have done with foolish views of the words of Jesus!
UNTIL THE DAY HE WAS TAKEN UP
“ 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”
Luke is very particular about the focus of His Gospel. He marks a point in time that terminated Christ’s ministry in His body on the earth. This was an epoch in the Gospel, and thus a special notation is made of it.
UNTIL THE DAY HE WAS TAKEN UP
“Until the day in which He was taken up . . . ” Other versions read, “until the day when He was taken up,” NASB ““until the day in which He was received up,” ASV “Till the day when He was taken up to heaven,” BBE “until the day He ascended in to heaven,” NLT “until the day when He was carried up,” LIVING and “until the time of His ascension.” PHILLIPS
It is tragic beyond description that popular preachers and teachers have so very little to say about the ascension of Jesus, when He was received back into heaven. It is a mark that clearly identifies that a “falling away” has taken place, and thus much about the real Jesus is not perceived as having any relevancy for us today. The only time people fail to communicate a truth about Jesus, of which they are aware, is when they do not see it as necessary or important.
How important is the ascension of Christ? Is it really a part of the Gospel? Judging from the way men handle this aspect of “the record God has given of His Son” (1 John 5:10-11), one might be led to think of it as something interesting, but relatively unimportant. Does the Word of God speak much about this – the ascension of Jesus?
The Prophets Spoke of It
➪ “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Psa 24:7-10).
➪ “God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet” (Psa 47:5).
➪ “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them” (Psa 68:18).
➪ “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him” (Dan 7:13).
Jesus Spoke About It
➪ “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26).
➪ “And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” (John 1:51).
➪ “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?” (John 6:62).
➪ “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto Him that sent Me” (John 7:33).
➪ “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:2-4).
➪ “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father” (John 14:12).
➪ “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28).
➪ “But now I go My way to Him that sent me; and none of you asketh Me, Whither goest Thou?” (John 16:5).
➪ “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” (John 16:7).
➪ “And when He (the Comforter) is come, He will reprove the world . . . Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more” (John 16:9-10).
➪ “A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me, because I go to the Father” (John 16:16).
➪ “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father” (John 16:28).
➪ “And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13).
➪ “Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:17).
Mark and Luke Record the Ascension
➪ “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19).
➪ “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51).
The Spirit Moved Upon Holy Men to Write of the Ascension After Jesus Returned to Heaven
➪ “And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).
➪ “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).
➪ “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom 8:34).
➪ “Which he wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:20).
➪ “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men? (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things)” (Eph 4:8-10).
➪ “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Tim 3:16).
➪ “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3).
➪ “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (Heb 4:14).
➪ “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb 9:24).
I will speak more of the ascension of Christ when we come to the second verse. At this point it is sufficient to note that it is not at all acceptable for those who speak in the name of the Lord to ignore this facet of Christ Jesus – namely, His ascension. If, in the “record” God has given of His Son, and in the prophets as well, so much has been said about this matter, those who omit it in their preaching and teaching must give an account for that omission. Let it be clear, that no reason for such an deletion will in any way be acceptable.
AFTER THAT HE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT
“ . . . after that he through the Holy Ghost . . . ” Other versions read, “After He through the Holy Spirit,” NKJV “after He had by the Holy Spirit,” NASB and “from the Holy Spirit.” NLT
Jesus did not return to glory without preparing His disciples for His bodily absence. Here we are told that Jesus delivered words to His “holy apostles” (Eph 3:5) “by the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit, then, had “remained” with Jesus, just as John the Baptist was told He would (John 1:33). Speaking of Christ’s resurrection, Peter affirmed that He was “quickened [made alive] by the Spirit” (1 Pet 3:18). Paul also alludes to this when he writes, “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” NKJV (Rom 1:4). He categorically refers to it in Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom 8:11).
This accents the total harmony of the Godhead in the resurrection of Jesus. God raised Him (Acts 2:32; 3:15), the Spirit was in the matter (1 Pet 3:18), and Jesus took back His own life (John 10:17-18). Now we see that the Holy Spirit was also active in Jesus delivering His last words to the apostles. There are at least two reasons for this.
➪ No part of redemption will be wrought independently of the Holy Spirit.
➪ The apostles themselves would be given the Holy Spirit, who would expound the words Jesus delivered to them, enlightening their hearts.
HAD GIVEN COMMANDMENTS UNTO THE APOSTLES
“ . . . had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen” Other versions read, ““given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen,” NASB “after giving instructions to the Apostles He had chosen ,” NIV “after He had given commandment . . . to the apostles whom He had chosen,” RSV “after he had given His orders . . . to the Apostles of whom he had made selection,” BBE “having . . . charged the apostles whom he had chosen,” DARBY “ he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen,” NJB “after giving his chosen apostles further instructions,” NLT “He talked to the apostles whom He had chosen,” IE “He gave the apostles whom He had chosen their orders,” WILLIAMS “had instructed and commanded the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen,” AMPLIFIED and “he gave his instructions . . . to the special messengers of his choice.” PHILLIPS
May no person ever think of the Lord Jesus without remembering that He is “a Leader and Commander to the people” (Isa 55:4). I personally have no tolerance for people who speak of Jesus as though He was their “bosom buddy” and close “friend.” Jesus called His disciples “friends,” but never encouraged them to call Him “Friend.”
When Jesus met with His disciples, He did not make a few suggestions, but gave them “commandments.” Matthew, Mark, and Luke record some of these “commandments” (Matt 28:18-19; Mk 16:15-16; Lk 24:45-49). Briefly summarized, these commandments include the following.
➪ Go into all the world (Mk 16:15a).
➪ Preach the Gospel to every person (Mk 16:15b).
➪ Teach all nations, or “make disciples of all nations” NKJV (Matt 28:18b).
➪ “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” NKJV (Matt 28:19).
➪ Teach them to observe all things that Jesus commanded them (Matt 28:19).
➪ Repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Lk 24:49).
Jesus had accomplished the destruction of the devil (Heb 2:14), the plundering of dominating spiritual principalities (Col 2:15), and the abolition of death (2 Tim 1:10). He had put away sin (Heb 9:26), made peace through His blood (Col 1:20), ended the Law as a means to righteousness (Rom 10:4), blotted out the massive debt incurred under the Law (Col 2:14), and delivered us from this present evil world (Gal 1:4). He had opened up a new and living way to God (Heb 10:20), made a way to announce liberty to the captives (Lk 4:18), and made it right and Just for God to justify sinners (Rom 3:26).
Christ’s “commandments” had to do with making these things known to the world through His empowered messengers. God would use them to fully develop what is called “the record God has given of His Son” (1 John 5:10-11).
HE SHOWED HIMSELF
“ 3 To whom also he showed 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”
I must confess that I can hardly contain myself as I ponder this marvelous record. It reveals to us the glorious extent to which God has gone to set us free from sin (Heb 1:3), make us separate from the world (Gal 1:4), work in us to will and do of His own good please (Phil 2:13), and at last bring us to glory (Heb 2:10). This work was too staggering to be accomplished by any son of Adam, or group comprised of such sons. Even after the foundational work was done, Jesus labored to convince His disciples of the reality of what He had done and who He was.
TO WHOM ALSO HE SHOWED HIMSELF ALIVE
“To whom also He showed himself alive . . . ” Other versions read, “to whom He also presented Himself alive,” NKJV “To these He also presented Himself alive,” NASB “He showed Himself to these men,” NIV “to whom also He presented Himself living,” DARBY “He appeared to the apostles from time to time . . . that He was actually alive,” NLT “He appeared . . . actually alive,” LIVING and “He showed that He was alive.” IE
In this single verse we have a grand summation of nearly one hundred verses of the four Gospels (96).
CHRIST’S LIFE IS THE PRINCIPLE POINT
Jesus “showed Himself alive” because the salvation men would experience would be by means of His resurrected life. That is the meaning of Paul’s statement: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Rom 5:10).
This is a technical point, but it must be made – particularly in view of the general level of understanding that exists within the professed church. We are never said to have been “SAVED” by Christ’s death, or by His blood. The Spirit is very precise on how we are to view Christ’s death, or the shedding of His blood.
➪ “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom 5:9).
➪ “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10).
➪ “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13).
➪ “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col 1:20).
➪ “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight” (Col 1:21-22).
➪ “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14).
➪ “And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb 9:15).
➪ “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19).
Salvation, however, requires a LIVING Savior, who has not only died, but is “alive for evermore” (Rom 1:18). Salvation required a Lamb to be offered, but a Lamb that is alive in heaven as well (Rev 5:8,12,13; 6:1,16; 7:9,10,14,17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:4,10; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7,9; 21:14,22,23; 22:1,3).
Ponder the aspects of salvation that require a LIVING Savior.
➪ Captain (Heb 2:10).
➪ Deliverer (Rom 11:26).
➪ Leader (Isa 55:4).
➪ Intercessor (Heb 7:25).
➪ Shepherd (John 10:14; Heb 13:20).
➪ Head (Eph 4:15; Colo 1:18; 2:10).
➪ Author and Finisher of our Faith (Heb 12:2).
➪ Author of eternal salvation (Heb 5:9).
➪ Mediator (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 9:15; 12:24).
➪ Advocate (1 John 2:1).
➪ Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8).
➪ First and Last (Rev 1:17).
➪ Beginning and End (Rev 22:13).
➪ The Amen (Rev 3:14).
➪ One from which comes Grace, Mercy, and Peace (1 Tim 1:2; 2 John 1:3).
➪ Branch (Isa 4:2; Jer 33:15; Zech 3:8).
➪ Light (John 8:12).
➪ Bread (John 6:35,48).
➪ King (1 Tim 6:15).
➪ The Power of God (1 Cor 1:24).
➪ The Wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:24).
➪ Counselor (Isa 9:6).
➪ Door (John 10:7).
➪ Faithful Witness (Rev 1:5).
➪ Forerunner (Heb 6:20).
➪ High Priest (Heb 2:17; 3:1; 4:14-15).
➪ Vine (John 15:4-5).
➪ Judge (Acts 10:42; 17:31).
➪ Living Stone (1 Pet 2:4).
➪ Lord (2 Cor 4:6; Col 2:6).
➪ Master (