Chapter 1

1:4  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.

being assembled Or, eating with them.

ye have heard Or, heard from me.

1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

again the kingdom to Israel

Forty days the risen Lord had been instructing the apostles "of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," doubtless, according to His custom Luke 24:27 Luke 24:32 Luke 24:44 Luke 24:45 teaching them out of the Scriptures. One point was left untouched, viz., the time when He would restore the kingdom to Israel; hence the apostles' question. The answer was according to His repeated teaching; the time was God's secret. ; Matthew 24:36 Matthew 24:42 Matthew 24:44 ; 25:13 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:1 .

restore (See Scofield "Matthew 3:2") .

1:11  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.

come

The two Advents--Summary:

(1) The O.T. foreview of the coming Messiah is in two aspects--that of rejection and suffering (as e.g. in Is 53), and that of earthly glory and power (as e.g. In Is 11 Jer 23 Eze 37). Often these two aspects blend in one passage (e.g. Ps 2). The prophets themselves were perplexed by this seeming contradiction 1 Peter 1:10 1 Peter 1:11 . It was solved by partial fulfilment. In due time the Messiah, born of a virgin according to Isaiah, appeared among men and began His ministry by announcing the predicted kingdom as "at hand."

(See Scofield "Matthew 4:17") . The rejection of King and kingdom followed.

(2) Thereupon the rejected King announced His approaching crucifixion, resurrection, departure, and return (Mat. 24., 25). Matthew 12:38-40 ; Matthew 16:1-4 Matthew 16:21 Matthew 16:27 ; Luke 12:35-46 ; 17:20-36 ; 18:31-34 ; 19:12-27 .

(3) He uttered predictions concerning the course of events between His departure and return Matthew 13:1-50 ; 16:18 ; 24:4-26

(4) This promised return of Christ becomes a prominent theme in the Acts, Epistles, and Revelation.

Taken together, the N.T. teachings concerning the return of Jesus Christ may be summarized as follows:

(1) That return is an event, not a process, and is personal and corporeal Matthew 23:39 ; 24:30 ; 25:31 ; Mark 14:62 ; Luke 17:24 ; John 14:3 ; Acts 1:11 ; Philippians 3:20 Philippians 3:21 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 .

(2) His coming has a threefold relation: to the church, to Israel, to the nations.

(a) To the church the descent of the Lord into the air to raise the sleeping and change the living saints is set forth as a constant expectation and hope Matthew 24:36 Matthew 24:44 Matthew 24:48-51 ; 25:13 ; 1 Corinthians 15:51 1 Corinthians 15:52 ; Philippians 3:20 ; 1 Thessalonians 1:10 ; 4:14-17 ; 1 Timothy 6:14 ; Titus 2:13 ; Revelation 22:20 .

(b) To Israel, the return of the Lord is predicted to accomplish the yet unfulfilled prophecies of her national regathering, conversion, and establishment in peace and power under the Davidic Covenant Acts 15:14-17 with Zechariah 14:1-9 .

See "Kingdom (O.T.)" 2 Samuel 7:8-17 .

(See Scofield "Zechariah 13:8")

Luke 1:31-33

(See Scofield "1 Corinthians 15:24")

(c) To the Gentile nations the return of Christ is predicted to bring the destruction of the present political world-system Daniel 2:34 Daniel 2:35 . (See Scofield "Revelation 19:11") , the judgment of Matthew 25:31-46 followed by world-wide Gentile conversion and participation in the blessings of the kingdom ; Isaiah 2:2-4 ; 11:10 ; 60:3 ; Zechariah 8:3 Zechariah 8:20 Zechariah 8:23 ; 14:16-21 .

1:12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

journey

About 4854 feet.

1:13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Zelotes

The Zealot.

1:20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

bishoprick

(Greek - naov , overseership). See "elders" (See Scofield "Titus 1:5")

1:25  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

transgression

Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23") .