A hundred and twenty believers constantly in prayer (Acts 1:12-26)
By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music
``12Then the apostles returned to
Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s
walk from the city. 13When they arrived, they went
upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John,
James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of
Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together
constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and
with his brothers. 15In
those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a
hundred and twenty) 16and said, “Brothers and
sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke
long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who
arrested Jesus. 17He
was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas (1:18-26)
18(With the payment he received
for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body
burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard
about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is,
Field of Blood.) 20“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘May his place be deserted; let
there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “ ‘May another take his place of
leadership.’ 21Therefore it is necessary to
choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was
living among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up
from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 23So they nominated two men:
Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, “Lord, you
know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry,
which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26Then they cast lots, and the
lot fell to Matthias; so, he was added to the eleven apostles.
Verse 12 The disciples returned to Jerusalem to keep
the Lord’s words in Luke 24:49 and 1:4 of this book, that they might receive the
Spirit of power economically as promised by the Father. They were all Galileans (v.11).
For them to stay in Jerusalem, especially under the Jewish leaders’ threatening,
meant that they were risking their lives.
Verse 14 Before the Lord’s death the disciples had
no interest in praying for spiritual things (Luke22:40,45-46), rather, they contended
among themselves as to which of them was considered to be greatest (Luke22:24).
But after the Lord’s resurrection and ascension, their spiritual condition changed
radically. They did not contend among themselves but were burdened to continue steadfastly with one accord in prayer, even before the day of Pentecost,
when they would receive the outpoured Spirit of power economically (ch.2). This is a strong sign and proof that they had received the indwelling Spirit of life essentially on the day of
the Lord’ resurrection (John 20:22). This is also evidence that they had been strengthened in God’s New
Testament economy by the vision of the Lord’s ascension. The
disciples might have prayed to be clothed with the spirit of power, the promise
of the Father, for which the Lord had charged them to remain in Jerusalem
(Luke24:49; Acts1:4), and might also have prayed for the commission given to
them by the Lord in Luke24:47-48 and 1:8 of this book to bear His testimony to
the utter most part of the earth. God wanted to pour out His
Spirit for the carrying out of His New Testament economy and had promised to do
it. Yet He still needed His chosen people to pray for this. As God in heaven,
He needs men on earth to cooperate with Him for the carrying out of His plan. The
one hundred twenty disciples’ praying for ten days met this need of God’s.
Verse 15 Peter had made a full recovery of confidence and
authority from the night of his denial and was now fulfilling Matt.16:19. The
Lord’s death Peter often spoke nonsensically (Matt.16:22-23;17:24-26;26:33-35).But
now, after the Lord’s resurrection, he could expound the Old Testament
prophecies properly in their correct significance (vv.16-20). This too is proof
that the disciples , before they received the Spirit of power economically on
the day of Pentecost had received the Spirit of the life essentially on the day
of the Lord’s resurrection.
Verse 17 Mention also in v.25 referring to the ministry
that bears the testimony of Jesus (v.8). Though the apostles were twelve in
number, their ministry was uniquely one –this ministry, a corporate ministry in
the principle of the Body of Christ. All the apostles carried out the same
ministry to bear the testimony not of any religion, doctrine, or practice but
uniquely of the incarnated, resurrected, and ascended Jesus Christ, who is the
Lord of all.
Verse 22 the Lord’s resurrection was the focus of the apostles’
testimony. It points back to His incarnation, humanity, human living on the earth,
and God –ordained death (2:23), and points forward to His ascension, ministry and
administration in heaven, and coming back. Thus, the apostles’ testimony of Jesus
Christ, the Lord of all, was all-inclusive, as depicted in the whole book of Acts.
They preached and ministered the all-inclusive Christ as He is revealed in the entire
Scripture.
Verse 26 After the Lord’s ascension and before the day of
Pentecost the apostles were in a transitional period, as shown by the way they
sought the Lord’s guidance. They had received the indwelling Spirit on the day
of the Lord’s resurrection (John20:22) and had been trained by the Lord for
forty days before His ascension to practice and become accustomed to His
invisible presence (v.3).Yet it was still difficult for them to drop the old
traditional way of seeking God’s leading by casting lots (Lev.16:8; Josh.14:2;
1Sam.14:41; Neh.10:34;11:1;Prov.16:33). They were still not accustomed to the
leading and guidance of the indwelling Spirit (Rom.8:14), unlike the apostle
Paul later, in 16:6-8. They were still in the initial stage of God’s New
Testament economy before the day of Pentecost.
Bibliography,
Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim,
CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
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