THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER 1
Jesus ministers for forty days after his resurrection—Kingdom to be restored to Israel at a later time—The Twelve to bear witness in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth—Jesus ascends into heaven—Matthias chosen to fill the vacancy in the Twelve.
1 THE former treatise [ Or this is something that I am trying to explain, a point I am trying to prove. ] have I made,
[ Luke is the author. ] O Theophilus, [ Means: One who is loved by God or someone who loves God. So this could be a title designed as the audience that Luke has in mind, or ot could be a wealthy patron and this is his literal name. ] , of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, [ So in other words the gospels are only the beginning of what Christ wanted taught and lived. Or the gospel is going forward from here. ]
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 [ Original KJV translation rendered it "passion" from the Latin "passio", meaning "suffering" or "submission". LDS Edition KJV points out a better translation is "suffering" and indicates the IV/JST changes the term to "sufferings". ] by many infallible proofs, [ Not that the apostles are infallible, but the proofs provided by the Savior are infallible, that fact that he still lives, that he was indeed resurrected - these are infallible truths. ] being seen of them forty days, [ In Hebrew numerology means “the amount of time needed to accomplish what needs to be accomplished.” It may be an actual forty days and forty nights, but it is not meant to be taken literally. Examples: It rains for forty days and forty nights; Moses is upon the Mount for forty days and forty nights; Jesus is in the wilderness communing with God for forty days and forty nights; Jonah has to teach the people of Nineveh for forty days and forty nights—each signifying the length of time needed to accomplish what needed to be accomplished. He spend this time with the apostles preparing them for all that lay ahead for them. ] and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: [ What things were do we have record of these things? Why are they lost to us, after all is the Savior taught them why is that we do not have them? Well I suppose that they somewhere along the way did not conform to the doctrine that the scribes wanted to teach, and so they simply took them out. More evidence that a restoration was required. Three days ago every word that the Savior uttered was recorded and written down and now after he is resurrected and is among you we don't write down the words - I think not! ]
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of
the Father, [ What
is the promise of the Father? It is 1) the Gift
of the Holy Ghost 2) endowed with the power from on High - meaning they have
received certain knowledge, powers and special blessing normally only received
in the temple. D&C 38:22; 43:16; 39:15; 95:8-9; 105:11-12,18,33 Doc NT
Commentary pg 859. ] 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?
[ The apostles ask "you are back you have returned, is this the second coming that you talked about?". ]
7 And he said unto them, It is not
for you to know [ It is not the same for us? Do we not often pray to know what is going to happen so that we may better prepare but we are left with the same answer as well. It is not for use to know, perhaps for our best good. How hard would it have been for the pioneers to keep going if they had seen what little there was in the Salt Lake Valley. How hard is it for us to endure if we foresaw all the trails that we would have to face? He does tell them what they do need to do however. ] the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power,
[ This is the how that it will happen for them. They will receive certain knowledge and blessings normally received in the Temple. Doc NT Commentary pg 859. ] after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: [ So this is the process that will be used to bring their power forth. ] and ye shall be witnesses unto me [ After you have received it you need to go forth and be witnesses - preach his word. ] both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. [ Or your calling will eventually be to the whole world. ]
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 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. [ The angels provide an answer to the question posed in verse 6 - They are not given the answer as to when but rather a sign that it will happen as promised. Go build the kingdom, get to work start building the kingdom and quit just looking up, he will return but not now. ]
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
[ Or the distance that it is legal for you to travel on the sabbath. ]
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, [ The first presidency. ] and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
[ Could refer to other disciples or even his half siblings. Welcome to The Jerusalem first ward. ]
15 ¶ And in those days Peter
stood up [ Peter takes the lead- Why Peter? because an order had been established he was the senior apostle; he was a member of the first presidency of Peter James and John D&C 81:1-2] in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, [ To this point we have primarily seen Peter testifying and witnessing but here he takes on a new way about him - he is preaching from the scriptures. He is using scripture to make sense of the situtation that they find themselves in with Judas betraying Christ. Jesus told them that he knew this was going to happen and told them so, for them it was fortold by Jesus and also by David. ] which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, [ Or because he was filled with the Holy Ghost - David spoke more than he knew.- He prophesied, or was it that Peter read the scripture and got something totally different than what David meant - and that is ok - maybe it was Peter who was taught by the Holy Ghost here. See Psalms ] which was guide to them that took Jesus.
18 Now 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.
19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; [ Judas committed suicide. ] insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: [ A place of the dead to be buried, no man alive would want to live there. ] and his bishoprick [ His stewardship. his responsibility, his office, his overseership, his apostleship, his mission or assignment. ] let another take. [ You give it someone else. Peter is in uncharted territory here. Are we ok with 11 or do we need 12. There is really no direction to go by. ]
21 Wherefore [ Or as a result of what we have come to understand here. ] of these men which have
companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 Beginning 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. [
What qualifications did Peter set for the individual
who was chosen to be the new Apostle? (He needed
to have “companied” with the Apostles (loyalty) and also to have been a witness
of the resurrected Lord). "some years ago two missionaries came to me
with what seemed to them to be a very difficult question. A young Methodist
minister had laughed at them when they had said that apostles were necessary
today in order for the true church to be upon the earth. They said that
the minister said, “Do you realize that when the apostles met to choose one
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judas, they said it had to be one
who companied with them and had been a witness of all things pertaining to
the mission and resurrection of the Lord? How can you say you have apostles,
if that be the measure of an apostle?” And so these young men said, “What shall
we answer?” I said to them, “Go back and ask your minister friend two
questions. First, how did the Apostle Paul gain what was necessary to be called
an apostle? He didn’t know the Lord, had no personal acquaintance. He hadn’t
accompanied the apostles. He hadn’t been a witness of the ministry nor of the
resurrection of the Lord. How did he gain his testimony sufficient to be an
apostle? And the second question you ask him is, How does he know that all
who are today apostles have not likewise received that witness?” I bear witness
to you that those who hold the apostolic calling may, and do, know of the reality
of the mission of the Lord. To know is to be born and quickened in the inner
man." Born Of The Spirit Harold B. Lee - Stand
Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President Harold
B. Lee.
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), p. p.47-65]
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), p. p.47-65]
23 And they appointed two,
[ Two from their number who were of apostolic stature - from which to choose. In other words either in their opinion would have performed well. ] Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed,
[ They the Apostles did their homework, studied it out
in their minds and presented the two that they thought would do well
then asked the Lord which one he would choose as the next disciple. ] and
said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the
hearts of all men,< [ You know the hearts of these two men far better than we do. ] shew whether of
these two thou hast chosen, [ Whom do you want to be your next apostle. We want to do your will, not our preference. ]
25 That he may take part of this ministry [ So the church is organized under the direction of the priesthood. The purpose of the church is to administer the gospel. The organization if the church is there to assist the individual in building a relationship with God. Christ really did not organize the church, he taught the gospel and then through revelation to those who held the priesthood the priesthood was organized. The priesthood functions so that collectively all saints can gather together to be aided in their individual journey to Christ because we are not saved collectively but individually. ] and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
[ When he turned away from God he went to his own place. Compare this with what the prophet Zenos talks about the fruit of the tree that goes bad? OR what happens to those who would not take upon themselves the name of Christ? See Jacob 5:77. Judas did not want to be known by the name of Christ so he went to his own place. We get greater knowledge as to where that place is in D&C 88:32-33. ]