Acts (Written)

Saturday, 2 October 2021

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

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary, courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read today’s verse and commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern The Bible,” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen)

The question pressed upon Christ Jesus by the apostles has been submitted, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” The answer He will give to that question is telling. Of all of the answers He could have given, the answer is direct in one way, but indirect in another. It is direct enough that the reader should not make particular errors concerning it, but it is indirect enough to allow for the future to remain completely open to the timing of the event to occur.

Luke records, “And He said to them.” It is the word of the Lord to His disciples concerning their pressing question. As such, it is an answer sufficient to fully express to them what they need to know, which is, “It is not for you to know.”

If the restoration of the kingdom, of which they had asked about, was not ever going to come, then He would have said something like, “You have misunderstood Scripture. There will be no kingdom restored to Israel.” Or, He may have said, “The kingdom that you are anticipating is now to be fulfilled spiritually by the church.” He didn’t hint at any such notion.

The reason for this is obvious. He had already told them, just a short time before, that Israel had a long difficult road ahead of her –

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. ²² For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²³ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:20-24

The disciples failed to understand what would occur in the days ahead concerning their people and their nation. This is what Luke will detail in the chapters and verses ahead. The lack of a direct answer concerning this matter clearly indicates that a kingdom will be restored to Israel, but that the event would not come “at this time” as they had anticipated. In this, Replacement Theology fails.

With this understood, Jesus continues with His answer. It was not for the disciples (meaning any that follow after them as well) to know “times or seasons.” Jesus carefully leaves off definite articles, stating the words in an indefinite manner. The Greek words are –

chronos – this expresses time in sequence (think of a chronometer or the idea of chronology). It is a succession of moments that occur as the stream of time. In reference to God, it is that time that has been allocated by Him for events (such as a person’s life, or the time of Israel’s punishment) to occur.

kairos – it is a word coming from kara, or “head,” that speaks of things “coming to a head.” As such, it is a designated time, a favorable moment, a particular time, and so on. For example, in the harvest cycle, there is a time for the harvest to come. Thus, it is a season in which that occurs.

Jesus tells the apostles that such things are not for them to know. Paul uses the same words, with the articles, in 1 Thessalonians 5:1 –

“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.”

Paul had just described the rapture at the end of 1 Thessalonians 4. He then went on to detail the Day of the Lord, of which the coming of “the man of sin” would also be revealed (as he details in 2 Thessalonians 2). It is these events that Paul specifically refers to as “the times and the seasons,” noting that they would come as a “thief in the night.” As such, it means that no one will know when they will occur and that believers are always to be ready for them.

As Jesus said this, and as Paul repeats it concerning both the rapture and the Day of the Lord, anyone who claims that he knows the timing of these events is to be ignored. Predictive Rapture Theology fails.

Rather, these “times and seasons” are those “which the Father has put in His own authority.” Of the words te idia, or “the His own,” Vincent’s Word Studies states –

“Stronger than the simple possessive pronoun. The adjective means private, personal. Often used adverbially in the phrase κατ’ ἰδίαν, apart, privately.”

In other words, God has a timeline that is set, and we are not privy to it – either in the chronological sense or in the event occurrence sense. They personally belong to Him. Jesus has spoken this. As such, it is thus an inviolable truth. Paul has repeated it concerning the rapture, the Day of the Lord, and the revealing of the antichrist. As such, we are to leave those matters to God and not attempt to interfere in them or “outsmart” Him.

Life application: Core doctrinal truths are confirmed or are revealed in this one verse. Israel as a nation is not through as far as God’s redemptive purposes are concerned. That is clearly and unambiguously stated elsewhere, but it is confirmed by Jesus’ response. As such, the church has not replaced Israel. This is clearly seen later, such as in Paul’s words of Romans 9-11.

Further, the Lord has purposefully told His disciples (and thus us who follow in succession to them in church history) that the events of life and of redemptive history belong to God the Father. As such, we are to leave those things in God’s hands and accept His will concerning them.

What is implied now, but which will be stated explicitly in the coming verse, is that there is a job to be done and we are to get out and do it. Therefore, let us do it to the glory of the Lord who has so commissioned us.

Lord God, help us to be careful as we anxiously await the events to come that have been revealed in Your word. Christ Jesus has told us that the timing of those events belongs to You alone. Therefore, may we accept this truth and not get misled by those who claim to have secret insights into what You have kept private. Instead, may we be about Your business, working to bring others the good news of Your gospel. Amen.

Friday, 1 October 2021

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary, courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read today’s verse and commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern The Bible,” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen)

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

The verse now folds into what was said in the previous two verses. In verse 1:4, it said, “And being assembled together.” After that, they were given instruction by the Lord. Now, it reiterates that they had been assembled. However, this doesn’t negate that they were assembled in one place, and then they came together in another.

In other words, verse 1:4 may be the same event recorded in Luke 24:49, and this verse now is their assembling on the Mount of Olives many days later, or verse 1:4 could be a repeat of the thought of Luke 24:49 many days later, and the words now are recorded at that same time. Either way, no damage is done to the chronology.

The Promise was made, events occurred over the next many days, and now forty days later (after the resurrection – Luke 1:3), the Lord gives his final words to His disciples. In this context, the words begin with, “Therefore, when they had come together.”

This is the final gathering on the Mount of Olives (see 1:9). The disciples don’t yet know this, but this location is chosen in anticipation of the fulfillment of a prophecy from Scripture that will be explained when verse 1:11 is evaluated. For now, it next says, “they asked Him.”

The verb is in the imperfect tense. It thus indicates a repetition of the question, urging Him for an answer. As such, it is like an interrogation – “they were asking Him” (repeatedly). This was a topic of much importance to them as they were “saying, Lord, ‘will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”

One can see John asking, “Lord are we going to kick the Romans out of the land?” The next asks, “Where is Your palace going to be?” A third might have asked, “Lord, can I choose the area I will supervise. I really love the area around Galilee.” In other words, the questions are all stemming from a particular perspective – that of the promised messianic kingdom age.

This would have been the hope of every Jew who held to the veracity of their Scriptures. They literally drip with such promises, such as –

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
² Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
³ Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
⁴ He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:1-4

So certain is this particular prophecy that it is carefully repeated in Malachi 4:1-4. Understanding that this is a literal, earthly rule, and understanding that Jesus appears to confirm it here and elsewhere (such as Matthew 19:28 and in several of His parables), this was what was most pressing on the minds of the disciples.

It is this idea, that of a literal rule on earth known as the “kingdom age,” that causes a great deal of confusion among scholars. Many deny the literal nature of the prophecies, saying that when the Jews rejected Christ, the kingdom was transferred to the church and the church has replaced Israel.

That view, known as replacement theology, is not heretical, but it is dismissive of a literal interpretation of Old Testament passages, it denies a literal reading of the “thousand years” referred to six times in Revelation 20, and it disregards the establishment and fulfillment of the covenants with the fathers (meaning both that made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that made to the people brought out of Egypt and given covenantal promises at Mount Sinai) in the books of Moses.

Others find this kingdom to be one designated for the Jews, and therefore there must be two gospels (one to the Jew through Peter and one to the Gentiles through Paul). This is a heretical view known as hyperdispensationalism. It takes the words of the New Testament authors and epistles and it divides them up in such a manner that only the words of Paul are accepted as a valid presentation of doctrine and practice to the church today. It dismisses the words of Revelation 1-3, saying they belong solely to Israel of the future, and it rejects the words of Jesus which are prescriptive for the church concerning baptism and evangelism.

There are innumerable other incorrect ideas concerning the status and future of Israel that have been presented. Some are simply poor doctrine, some are heretical. One must carefully pay heed to what is stated in the Old Testament in order to form a proper understanding of what the future of Israel will be.

Life application: The “kingdom” spoken of in Acts 1:6 is not always the same kingdom referred to by the apostles in the epistles. Further, in Acts 8, Philip preaches “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” This kingdom of God is then validated and approved of by Peter and John who went to Samaria in response to Philip’s preaching. This same kingdom is then referred to in Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; and 28:23 & 28:31 when it is proclaimed by Paul and those with him.

The “kingdom of God” refers to a right relationship with God because of the final, full, and finished work of Jesus Christ. It applies to Jew and Gentile. This is obvious, because Paul first proclaims it to the Jews in every location he goes, such as in Acts 28:23 noted above, and then he proclaims it to the Gentiles immediately afterward.

The “kingdom” of Israel is the fulfillment of the “kingdom age” promises made to Israel for possession of and security within the land of Israel, and of ruling by the Lord over the nations from that land. In dismissing the latter (replacement theology), or incorrectly mixing the two (hyperdispensationalism), a faulty view of the redemptive narrative is arrived at.

Be careful what you absorb into your doctrine, or you are bound to wind up as confused as the countless souls who have accepted such views. Your walk with the Lord will be harmed, and your understanding of other core doctrines (such as eternal security, the covenant-keeping nature of the Lord, the eternal nature of God’s decrees, and so on) are all tied up in what you believe about the literal nature of the kingdom promises to Israel, and how they relate to the overall “kingdom of God” that proclaims a right restoration with God because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Lord God, how wonderful it is to know of Your faithfulness to Your covenantal promises to Israel. If You were to not fulfill them, then how could we trust You with our souls in the New Covenant that was established through the blood of Christ. But You are faithful to that unfaithful nation, and we know that You will always be faithful to us, even when we fail You. Praise You forever, O God! Amen.

Thursday, 3 September 2021

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:5

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary, courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read today’s verse and commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern The Bible,” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen)

The words now complete the thought of the previous verse where Jesus spoke to the apostles concerning “the Promise of the Father.” He had already told them of the Promise to come on several occasions. Two such times are found in John 14 –

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16, 17

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

References to the coming, indwelling, and work of the Spirit are also found in John 16 and 17. In these descriptions, the Spirit’s role is more fully understood, but Jesus next explains that the Spirit’s coming is an antitype that was anticipated in typology previously set forth, saying, “for John truly baptized with water.”

To understand what Jesus is referring to, a few verses from the gospels should be considered –

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11

“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire’” Luke 3:16

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.” ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’
³² And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’” John 1:29-34

John’s baptism was one in water and of repentance. But more, his ministry was one directing the people to Another who was to come (see Acts 19:4).  His typological baptism anticipated the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John baptized the people, immersing them in water, based on repentance. In contrast, Jesus (see above, “He will baptize you”) baptizes the people into the “Holy Spirit and fire” based upon belief in His accomplished work.

The “water” of John’s baptism was an outward washing of the body. It was a ritual purification intended to demonstrate an inward change in the person. The “fire” of Jesus’ baptism is an internal purification of the soul. Fire in this case is not literal fire, but what fire symbolizes, meaning purification. Peter refers to this internal purification in 1 Peter 3 –

“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” 1 Peter 3:21, 22

The promised baptism that John spoke of is now repeated by Jesus. This is “the Promise of the Father” referred to in verse 1:4. He next explicitly states this, saying, “but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Just as John immersed the people in the waters of Israel, turning them again to the Law of Moses (his words “unto repentance” signify a change in mind), so Christ would immerse the people in the Holy Spirit of God, based on their acceptance of His completed work under (and in fulfillment of) that same Law of Moses. The Spirit is to be given to those who accept that He has accomplished all things, died in fulfillment of them (thereby establishing the New Covenant in His blood), and was raised again – thus confirming the validity and doctrine of the New Covenant.

This coming of the Holy Spirit was to be God’s stamp of approval concerning the work of Christ, His evidence of it, to the people of Israel. With that understood, Jesus next says that it will be “not many days from now.”

No set time is given. The apostles only knew that they were to wait in Jerusalem. Having already seen Christ’s fulfillment of the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:5), and the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14), if they were attentive, they could have logically guessed that this Promise would be coming in just a few more days. Whether they deduced this or not is unstated, but certainly when the time came, they would understand the event as the fulfillment of the typology set forth in the law. That will be seen in Acts 2.

Life application: There is a very poor doctrine set forth concerning baptism based on the heresy of hyperdispensationalism. This says that believers today do not need to perform water baptism, but that was only intended for Israel. Though it is true that John’s baptism was in water and a baptism of repentance, this does not negate the requirement for water baptism for believers under the New Covenant. In fact, it is after the establishment of the New Covenant that Christ mandates water baptism for believers –

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus says nothing of repentance there. He gives this not as a part of the salvation process, but as an ordinance to those who have believed already. They have been baptized into the Holy Spirit. As such, the ordinance is an outward display of the inward change that has taken place. It is a public acknowledgment of the act of God upon the believer. Though none of the accounts in Acts are prescriptive, time and again, those who believe the gospel in the book of Acts – Jew and Gentile – are baptized in accord with the word of the Lord stated in Matthew. The precedent is given to highlight the precept. And the precept is a command of the risen Christ.

The same people who deny that baptism is expected of believers will faithfully proclaim that believers are to take the Lord’s Supper. That was an ordinance also commanded by the Lord, even before He was crucified and rose. It, like baptism, is a public acknowledgement concerning what the Lord has already accomplished as well as an anticipation of His return someday.

It is the epitome of confused theology to say that the Lord’s Supper is an expected ordinance of the Lord, but that water baptism is not. The antisemitic undertones of saying that one ordinance applies to the church and the other only applies to Jews are evident. But more, it destroys the purpose and intent of the Lord’s words that are directed to “all the nations.”

Followers of the Lord Jesus do not baptize others into the Holy Spirit. Only Christ immerses His believers in the Holy Spirit. Followers of Christ (well, faithful followers of Christ) baptize converts into the typology of what Christ has accomplished. Such baptism is not only for the believer, but it is also for those who see the rite and understand the commitment to Christ. The twisting of Scripture by this heretical ideology is to be rejected and spoken against.

Glorious God, how good it is to share in the wonder and marvel of what Christ Jesus has done for us. Not only are we freed from the stain of sin upon our souls, but we are also given the absolute guarantee that it is so through the sealing of Your Holy Spirit when we have faith in what He has done. We have moved from death to life, even life eternal! Hallelujah and Amen!

Wednesday, 29 September 2021

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; Acts 1:4

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary, courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read today’s verse and commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern The Bible” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen)

Luke just noted that Christ presented Himself alive to the apostles through a forty-day period, “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” The idea of a kingdom is that of a particular place and/or group ruled by a king. There is nothing stated in Scripture to negate the same term applying to more than one thing at the same time.

For example, Paul speaks of the kingdom of God (as noted in the previous verse) in Acts. And yet, this was during a time when Rome ruled, where kings and kingdoms were in place and where Christians were subject to those earthly rulers, such as Herod in the land of Israel. The fact that there are various meanings to the word “kingdom” will become important in just a few verses. For now, Christ Jesus has spoken of the kingdom of God. That is now immediately followed by the words of verse 1:4, beginning with, “And being assembled together with them.”

Some translations say, “And eating together.” This is based on a variant spelling of the word. In one spelling, it signifies to “crowd,” or “throng.” In the other, it signifies “salt” (hence, eating salt, or dining together). Either translation is possible, because Luke’s words follow after those of his gospel. In Luke 24:43, it says that Jesus “ate in their presence.” In that same encounter, it then says –

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

Only after that does He lead them out to Bethany. As the accounts state the same events, but without specificity, either word (assembled or ate) is possible. With that analyzed, it next says, “He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem.” This is perfectly in accord with the words of Luke 24:49. They were in Jerusalem, He appeared to them and spoke to them, and so on.

However, it is true that Matthew and John record Jesus as meeting with the disciples in Galilee. Therefore, various events occurred somewhere in between the events Luke records. Luke’s gospel, and these beginning verses of Acts, are directed to particular events leading from the resurrection to the ascension. This is their focus, and no contradiction between his words and those of the other gospels can be inferred.

The words to not depart from Jerusalem, then, are referring to the time after His ascension, not after the resurrection (as might be inferred from the end of the gospel narrative). As such, what is being stated now by Jesus is at the end of the forty-day period. In this, Luke continues by saying, “but to wait for the Promise of the Father.”

The word translated as “wait” is found only here in the Bible. It signifies to “remain all around.” It is a way of saying that they are to stay despite any obstacles that may be involved. In other words, there may be business back at home that needs to be attended to. Whatever would normally keep them from remaining was to be secondary to staying and waiting for what was promised to come.

Also, the word translated as “Promise” is defined by Vincent’s Word Studies as “Signifying a free promise, given without solicitation. This is the invariable sense of the word throughout the New Testament, and this and its kindred and compound words are the only words for promise in the New Testament.” Further, Walter Kaiser says of this word, “Almost every NT use of the word promise (epaggelia) points back to the OT.” It is a legal term that speaks of a promise which is officially sanctioned. This is the Promise, “‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me.’”

This is referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit as is repeatedly spoken of in John 14, 15, and 16. However, this may also be the words of the Promise recorded in Luke 24:49 (cited above) which occurred just after the resurrection. He may be restating that now, just prior to the ascension. Hence, the timeline should not be called into question when placed along with the events recorded in the other gospels.

Life application: Though there are difficulties in forming an exact timeline of the events recorded in the gospels and now in Acts, none of the accounts contradicts any other. Rather, inferences have to be made. But this is the same with any such record when various eyewitnesses are brought together.

Each gives his own perspective, and a chronology is then developed based on that. In the case of Luke’s words, it is possible, and even likely, that Jesus said the Promise was coming soon after His resurrection, and then He said it again, just prior to His ascension – reminding the disciples that they were to remain in Jerusalem.

The matter ahead was of such importance that they were not to be pulled away for any lesser reason. And Jesus has promised to return again for His church. We are not to be pulled away from our hope for any reason. Let us remain vigilant and not get our attention sidetracked by the things of this world. But let us hold fast to this great hope that we possess.

This thought is repeated again and again by Paul, by the author of Hebrews (probably Paul), and by Jesus. HOLD FAST! Good things are in store for those who do so.

Lord God, Your word asks us to hold fast to the name of Christ, to the things that we have been given in Christ, to our hope in Him, to the doctrine that has been laid before us in Your word, to our confession of faith, and so on. Help us to be responsible with the wonderful treasure we have been blessed with – the hope of glory. May we hold fast to it always. Amen.

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

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. Acts 1:3

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary, courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read today’s verse and commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern The Bible” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen)

The words now, speaking of Christ Jesus, begin by referring back to “the apostles whom He had chosen” of the previous verse. These words say, “to whom He also presented Himself.” The word translated as “presented” is a compound verb coming from a word signifying “close beside” and another meaning “to stand.” It was used in Luke 1:9, for example, when speaking of Gabriel “who stands” in the presence of God.

In other words, this wasn’t a vision. It wasn’t just that they saw Jesus afar off. It wasn’t that someone said, “I saw Jesus hovering above me.” Rather, He was physically there before the apostles. This destroys the Jehovah’s Witnesses argument that Jesus was resurrected as a “spirit being.” It is a false and heretical teaching.

And more, He “presented Himself alive.” Christ Jesus died on the cross. This was clearly witnessed by those who stood and watched the event. His body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. The tomb was closed. The tomb was sealed. The tomb was guarded. But Christ rose –

“He is risen!” Mark 16:6

It was in this resurrected state of Christ that He presented Himself to the apostles. This is the foundational truth upon which all of Christianity stands or falls. The physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is what allows the faith to continue from generation to generation in a state of hope that cannot be extinguished. If the story is not true, or if it is not believed, there would be no hope of glory for the people of God. Hence, there would be no “people of God.”

However, Christ rose and was seen alive “after His suffering.” There was no mix-up in the timing of events. There was no misremembering of the chronology of what occurred. Christ ministered to the people of Israel. On a particular night, He shared a meal with His apostles. He spoke of His suffering to come and of the initiation of a New Covenant in His blood. He went with them to the Mount of Olives and withdrew from them to pray.

At this time, He truly began His suffering as Luke carefully records –

“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44

It was there He was arrested and taken through a long night/morning of abuse. Eventually, He was tried and sentenced to be crucified. In His crucifixion, He died. Upon His death, He was placed in the tomb. The chronology of events was carefully detailed. After all of these events concerning His suffering, He presented Himself alive “by many infallible proofs.”

The word translated as “infallible proofs” is found only here in Scripture, tekmérion. It signifies a marker, as in a signpost. Thus, it is something that marks itself off as unmistakable or irrefutable.

Ruckman goes into great lengths to argue that there is some type of plot to undermine the truth of the resurrection by changing the translation from “irrefutable proofs” to things like “proofs,” “convincing proofs,” and so on. He does this by citing the Douay-Rheims Version of 1582 that uses the words “many arguments.” Thus, supposedly demonstrating that this was an intentional manipulation to deny the truth of the “infallible proofs.”

The ridiculous nature of this argument is seen in that earlier English Bibles, like the Wycliffe and Tyndale versions, used the word “tokens.” The first Bible to use “irrefutable proofs” is the Geneva Bible that comes after (not before) the 1582 Douay-Rheims. Ruckman then says, “Plato, Aristotle, and Lysias used it for a convincing, sure, certain, demonstrative proof.”

In this, Ruckman uses one of the very words he just argued against, convincing, in his attempt to diminish the work of other translators. This type of niggling over minutiae is a distraction from the overall intent of the words which is clearly that Jesus was “seen by them.” Everything about the surrounding context clearly demonstrates that Jesus was resurrected in a bodily form. This is a huge problem within the church, arguing for single translations that one is familiar with or “agrees with more,” when the point of what is said is clearly expressed in the larger context of the passage.

Concerning Jesus in this passage, in His presentation of Himself, there could be no doubt that it was Him. He was able to remind them of His own words telling them what would occur. He was able to demonstrate from their own prophetic writings that the things they saw would happen and that He would then enter into His glory. He was able to talk to them about intimate details of their time together that no deceiver could know.

The evidence was certain, convincing, infallible, and it was irrefutable. Luke’s research of the events left him with no doubt as to the veracity of their claims. They saw Christ Jesus die in the most brutal manner possible, and then they saw Him alive again. But more, Luke records that He was “being seen by them during forty days.”

The Greek reads “through forty days.” This is the only time this interval of time is recorded, but it is an important point to make. It wasn’t just that these men saw Christ, or rather “thought they saw Christ” in a mass hallucination, once or twice during a gathering to mourn Him.

Rather, they saw Him over forty days in various locations and in various ways. The “infallible proofs” continued to heap up as He interacted with them. There are more than a dozen times that the Lord is recorded to have appeared. Each interaction brought more surety to the truth that He was victorious over death. During those appearances through this forty-day period, Luke notes that He was “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

The idea here is that a plan that had already been developed was now revealed to them. However, His words left them with still unanswered questions about how things would be in various aspects. This is certain, based on the coming words of verse 1:6. Christ spoke of the kingdom of God, which was to be built on who He is, what He did, and what it meant for the people of the world. The apostles, although obviously understanding this to some extent, still misunderstood aspects of what would occur as well.

Of this kingdom of God, the apostles, including Paul, who would only later be included in its development, is referred to throughout Acts and the epistles. The same “kingdom of God” is spoken of by Peter, such as in 2 Peter 1, and by Paul, such as in Ephesians 5:5. In Acts, Philip preached of it in Acts 8:12, and Peter and John confirmed it later in the chapter. Paul, likewise, refers to it again and again in Acts.

Understanding this, there is one – and only one – kingdom of God that is variously referred to by these men. This kingdom is based solely on the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the focus of what occurs, and it is something that even the Old Testament Scriptures testified to. It is expressed to both Jew and Gentile, and it is based on the single gospel message that was preached by both Peter and Paul (as well as all of the apostles – see 1 Corinthians 15:11) –

“So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.” Acts 28:23, 24

&

“‘Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!’ ²⁹ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
³⁰ Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, ³¹ preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” Acts 28:28-31

Life application: The commentaries set forth in this study of the book of Acts will warn you from time to time of the heresy of hyperdispensationalism. It is an insidious teaching that divides the kingdom of God into two separate entities that are based on two separate gospels – one to the Jew and one to the Gentile. It destroys the typology of the Old Testament for the Gentile believers by saying those things only apply to Jewish thinking. It removes the church from the blessings, admonitions, and warnings of the book of Revelation – spoken by Jesus Christ to the people of the world.

Be wise and understanding concerning the state of Israel. The Jews must come to saving faith in Jesus Christ individually in order to be saved. However, God still has a plan for national Israel that is based on His covenant promises to them as a people. Salvation of national Israel is something that will occur after the church age, and it is something that will occur when the same prophetic words of the Old Testament that refer to Christ, and that were spoken of by Paul to the Gentiles in Acts 28 (above), will be accepted by the nation of Israel collectively.

In keeping the categories straight, heresies such as this will be understood for what they are, and they will be avoided.

Lord God, how good it is to know that our hope in Christ Jesus is grounded in the certainty of those who beheld Him after His resurrection. We don’t need to fret if this was just a single mass hallucination of a group of demented people. Rather, it is a well-documented set of events that happened at various times and in various places, and which included a great number of first-hand witnesses. Thank You for the surety we possess as we continue in the faith we profess. Amen.