This page is a verse by verse study of Acts 1:9-14. These verses describe the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, and the return of the disciples to Jerusalem.
"Following these sayings, he was lifted up while they watched, and a cloud took him from their eyes."(Acts 1:9).
The ascension of Jesus is described in several other passages (Lke 24:51, Mrk 16:19,Acts 2:33, Eph 4:10). See the next comment below under "while they looked intently..."(verse 10).
"While they looked intently at his departure into the sky, behold two men in white garments stood by them"(Acts 1:10).
There are six references in this passage to the apostles' observance of the ascension. Five distinct words are used to emphasise the eye-witness evidence...
eu-blepo, to watch
ophthalmos, the eye
atenizo, to look intently
eldeo, to behold
thea-omai, to see
In Greek, the same word ou-ranos is used for both heaven and sky. Jesus ascended into the sky, but more than that, he ascended into the greater heaven, to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33, Heb 10:24).
The word "men" should be taken in an accommodative sense, as descriptive of appearance. The "men" were probably angels in fact. It is possible, of course, that they were indeed men, appearing as Moses and Elijah did at the mount of transfiguration (Mtt 17:1-3).
"And they said, 'Men from Galilee, why linger gazing skyward? This Jesus taken from you into heaven will come thus, in the way you have seen him go into heaven."(Acts 1:11).
There was a realization on the part of the disciples, that they had seen the last here on earth of their friend and Master. He had gone. But they lingered, still looking, just as we watch an aeroplane carrying a loved one whom we have farwelled. It flies into the sky till it becomes a tiny speck and vanishes. Yet we may linger, still looking. It is easier to do that, than to face getting on with life without the one we love.
The disciples are promised that they will see Jesus again. He is coming back. The manner of his second coming is likened to the manner of his going. This makes it impossible for us to consider the promise of his second coming as symbolic or figurative. The rapture promise, "we shall be caught up together with him in the air"(1Th 4:16-17), is therefore quite literal. Mind you, the ascension was a quiet and private affair. The second coming will not be so, as the passage just mentioned shows.
Note that Olive Grove is also known as Mount Olivet.
They were within walking distance of the city, about a half hour's walk. By Jewish law, the distance one could walk on the Sabbath was strictly limited.
"They went in, and up to the room where they were staying, Peter and James and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude of James"(Acts 1:13).
This was in obedience to Jesus. He had told them to wait in Jerusalem. So they went to the place they were staying, there to wait as directed
There are four lists of the apostles in the New Testament (Lke 6:14-16, Acts 1:13,Mtt 10:2-4, Mrk 3:16-19). The following list combines these four sources...
"These all kept fiercely united in prayer and petition, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers"(Acts 1:14).
A small group, huddled in a big city, far from home, all missing the company of Jesus. Think especially of Mary. She had lost her son once, and received him back again from the dead. Now he was gone again and she would see her son no more on earth. Consider her remarkable faith at this time.
It is characteristic of disciples of Christ that we are "fiercely united in prayer" especially when there is little else we can do. The disciples were earnest and passionate in their prayers, not waiting passively but actively, and showing a solidarity of spirit.
The words prayer and petition are not expressing two distinctly different things, but complementary words for the same thing. Paul uses the same phrase (Php 4:6).
Next page Acts 1:15-26