Acts 1

Acts 1 introduces the book of Acts and shows how the mission of Jesus continued through His apostles and the early church. Luke begins by reminding Theophilus that his first book was about what Jesus began to do and teach. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples for forty days, gave them final instructions, promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, and commissioned them to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. The chapter also records Jesus’ ascension, the promise of His visible return, the disciples’ united prayer in Jerusalem, and the choosing of Matthias to replace Judas among the twelve apostles.

Acts 1:1 (NKJV)
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Luke begins Acts by referring to his former account, the Gospel of Luke, which recorded what Jesus began to do and teach. Acts continues that story by showing how Jesus’ work carried on through His apostles and the early church, guided and empowered by the Spirit. The mission did not end when Jesus ascended; it continued through His followers.

Acts 1:2-3 (NKJV)
2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

After His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with the apostles, giving them many clear proofs that He was truly alive. He did not leave them with uncertainty, but confirmed His resurrection by appearing to them and teaching them about the kingdom of God. These final instructions prepared them for the mission they would soon carry out after receiving power from the Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jesus commanded the disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father, which was the coming of the Spirit. John’s baptism with water pointed to repentance, but the baptism with the Holy Spirit would bring inward power, renewal, and strength for witness. This fulfilled the promises of the New Covenant, where God would write His law on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33) and put His Spirit within His people (Ezekiel 36:27). It also fulfilled Jesus’ promise that He would not leave His followers as orphans, but would come to them by the Comforter, His presence in Spirit form (John 14:16-20). This outpouring at Pentecost is often understood as the early rain, empowering the church for its mission, while the latter rain points to a final, greater outpouring before Christ’s return.

Acts 1:6 (NKJV)
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

The disciples still expected Jesus to restore Israel as a political kingdom and free them from Roman rule. Their question shows that they were still thinking in terms of national restoration and earthly power. But Jesus redirected them from political expectation to a spiritual and worldwide mission. The kingdom would not advance first by national power, but through Spirit-filled witnesses carrying the gospel to all nations.

Acts 1:7 (NKJV)
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

Jesus told the disciples that the times and seasons belong to the Father’s authority. They were not to focus on calculating the exact timing of God’s future plans. This teaches believers to trust the Father’s wisdom and timing instead of trying to know what God has not revealed. Their duty was not to predict the time, but to obey the mission.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus clearly gave the disciples their mission. They would receive power when the Spirit came upon them, and that power would make them witnesses of Christ. Their witness would begin in Jerusalem, then spread to Judea, Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth. This verse gives the outline of the whole book of Acts: the gospel moves outward from the Jews to the Samaritans and then to the Gentile world.

Acts 1:9-11 (NKJV)
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

After Jesus gave His final words, He ascended visibly into heaven while the disciples watched. Two angels then told them that the same Jesus who was taken up would return in the same manner. This gives believers assurance that Christ’s second coming will be real, visible, and personal. The disciples were not to keep staring into the sky, but to go forward in faith, waiting for the Spirit and preparing for the mission.

Acts 1:12 (NKJV)
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.

After the ascension, the disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, described as a Sabbath day’s journey. This detail gives the location and also reflects the Jewish setting of the early believers. Though Christians are not under the old covenant system, this reference still shows the value of rest, worship, and spiritual focus connected with the Sabbath principle.

Acts 1:13-14 (NKJV)
13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son 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 brothers.

The disciples gathered in the upper room and continued in unity, prayer, and supplication. The apostles were there, along with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. Before they received power for public ministry, they first waited together in prayer. This shows that the early church began not with human planning or excitement, but with unity, dependence on God, and prayer.

Acts 1:15-17 (NKJV)
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty, and said,
16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Peter stood among about 120 disciples and explained that Judas’ betrayal had fulfilled Scripture spoken by the Holy Spirit through David. Judas had been numbered among the apostles and had shared in the ministry, yet he became the guide for those who arrested Jesus. Peter shows that this painful betrayal did not take God by surprise. Even through human sin and tragedy, God’s plan was still moving forward.

Acts 1:18-20 (NKJV)
18 Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’”

Luke records the tragic end of Judas and the field connected with the money of betrayal, called Akel Dama, the Field of Blood. Though Judas did not personally use the money to buy the field, it was bought with the blood money connected to his sin. His end shows the terrible result of betrayal and turning away from Christ. Peter also quotes Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 to show that Judas’ place would be left desolate and that another should take his office. This gave the disciples a scriptural reason to replace him.

Acts 1:21-22 (NKJV)
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Peter gives the qualifications for Judas’ replacement. The new apostle had to be someone who had been with Jesus from the baptism of John until the ascension. This was important because the apostles were foundational witnesses of Jesus’ life, teaching, death, resurrection, and ascension. The replacement had to be able to testify personally that Jesus had truly risen from the dead.

Acts 1:23-26 (NKJV)
23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”
26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

The disciples proposed two qualified men: Joseph Barsabas, also called Justus, and Matthias. But they did not simply choose by human preference. They prayed to the Lord, who knows all hearts, asking Him to show which one He had chosen. Casting lots was a recognized way in that time of leaving the final decision to God, especially before the full outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. The lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. This does not mean Paul later replaced Matthias; Matthias restored the number twelve as a witness connected to Jesus’ earthly ministry and the twelve tribes of Israel, while Paul was later called directly by Christ for a special mission to the Gentiles. This passage shows the early church depending on Scripture, prayer, God’s knowledge of the heart, and divine guidance in choosing leaders.