Acts 1:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us — one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."

NIV: beginning 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."

NASB: beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.'

CSB: beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of his resurrection."

NLT: from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.'

KJV: Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

NKJV: 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.”

A few days after Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:9), 120 of His followers are gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem, praying for guidance (Acts 1:13–15). In the midst of this particular meeting, Peter stands and reveals what the Holy Spirit has directed them to do. Jesus chose twelve disciples, but one of them, Judas Iscariot, is dead. It is the responsibility of this group to choose his replacement from those present. He must have been with them during the span of Jesus' ministry (Acts 1:21). Here, Peter specifies the timeframe: from Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13–17) until Jesus' ascension.

Why this particular timeframe? In Jesus' last commission to the apostles, He tells them, "you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Judas' replacement must have witnessed Jesus' ministry. At Jesus' baptism, God spoke down, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). Jesus summarized His miracles to John the Baptist's disciples in Matthew 11:5: "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them."

Most importantly, the twelve apostles have to be witnesses to Jesus' resurrection. Jesus visited His followers for forty days after the crucifixion, showing them "many proofs" that He was alive (Acts 1:3). Paul will later explain that without Jesus' resurrection, there is no point to Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:12–19). Without the resurrection of Christ, we're just asking for troubles on earth with no promise of anything better after death (1 Corinthians 15:30–32).

Coincidentally, the period from Jesus' baptism to His resurrection is the only span covered by all four Gospels—Mark and John start at Jesus' baptism. The twelve apostles are still witnessing to us today.

Acts 1:12–26 records what happens when the Jesus-followers pray. Jesus has ascended (Acts 1:9). The Holy Spirit is coming (Acts 1:5). The apostles don't really know what these things mean, but they know where to start. They join the other Jesus-followers in Jerusalem and start praying. The next order of business is to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16, 47–50) and then hanged himself (Matthew 27:3–10). The remaining eleven apostles don't know this yet, but their third task will literally be to change the world.

Acts 1 sets the stage for the establishment of the church and the spread of the gospel. Jesus is alive but if the Holy Spirit is to come Jesus must ascend into heaven (John 16:7). The disciples obey His last instructions and wait in Jerusalem. Peter uses Old Testament Scripture to show the group of about 120 they must choose a disciple to replace Judas. The man must have been with them from Jesus' baptism to His ascension. Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias are put forward and, in the last use of the lots found in the Bible, Matthias is chosen.

Acts 1 is the second letter Luke wrote for Theophilus. In it, he narrates the transition between Jesus' ministry as described in the Gospel of Luke and the development and spread of the church. The disciples have received a temporary indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), and Jesus has spent forty days reassuring His faithful followers (Acts 1:3), appearing to over five hundred in that short time (1 Corinthians 15:6). Now, the disciples complete some administrative-like tasks before the Holy Spirit can begin the ministry of the church on Pentecost (Acts 2).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.