Wait in Jerusalem

Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit, empowering them to be his witnesses - Acts 1:1-11. The Book of Acts begins in Jerusalem with Christ’s Ascension and the initial outpouring of the Gift of the Spirit. It concludes with Paul preaching the Gospel in the heart of the World Empire, the city of Rome, to Jews and Gentiles alike. Following his Resurrection and Ascension, Jesus began his reign “at the right hand of God” by bestowing the Spirit on his Church.

Since his Ascension, his sovereignty over the nations of the Earth has been moving forward as his Kingdom is proclaimed by “his witnesses.” What began in Jerusalem and Judea must continue until the Good News reaches the “uttermost parts of the Earth” - (Psalm 2:6-9, Matthew 28:18-20, Revelation 1:4-6).

[Jerusalem - Photo by Sander Crombach on Unsplash]

The first chapter provides thematic and verbal links to the first and last chapters of the Gospel of Luke. The first chapter of the Book of Acts has four sections:

• The introductory note to Theophilus - (1:1-5).

• The command to wait in Jerusalem and the Ascension- (1:6-11).

• The return to Jerusalem - (1:12-14).

• The replacement of Judas to complete the number of Apostles - (1:15-26).

The Book of Acts is the companion volume to Luke. Both open with an address to a man named Theophilus (“That you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed” - (Acts 1:1-3, Luke 1:1-4).

The opening paragraph refers to the “former treatise,” namely, the Gospel of Luke which presents “all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.” The Book of Acts describes how that work continued through his Apostles and the Church under the direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel of Luke concludes with Jesus commanding the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they “receive the Promise of the Father.” Afterward, they would proclaim the Gospel to all nations. This sets the stage for the first two chapters of Acts:

• (Luke 24:45-49) – “Then opened their mind, that they might understand the scriptures; and he said to them, Thus, it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but wait in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The narrative of Acts picks up the storyline from Luke. Before his Ascension, Jesus taught his disciples about the “Kingdom of God,” and he charged them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the “Promise of the Father” - “For John baptized with water; but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The disciples asked Jesus about the Kingdom, “Will you, at this time, restore the kingdom to Israel?” He responded, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons. The Father has set this in his authority.” His statement echoed the prayer of Daniel after he received the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the “great image” with a golden head:

• (Daniel 2:20-21) – “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. And he changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings.”

Rather than worry about prophetic signs and timetables, the disciples were to remain in the city until they received the Spirit. After that, they were to proclaim the Good News about the Kingdom to all nations.

WITNESSES

Jesus did not declare “when” the Kingdom would be “restored.” Until that final day, his disciples must receive the Spirit and bear witness on the Earth. His instructions echo passages from the Book of Isaiah and the Second Psalm:

• (Isaiah 43:1-11) – “Fear not; for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; every one that is called by my name… You are my witnesses, says Yahweh.”

• (Psalm 2:6-8) – “Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. I will tell of the decree: Yahweh said unto me, You are my son. This day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.”

The restoration of the Kingdom began with the election of a new apostle to replace Judas Iscariot in the first chapter of Acts, and with the receipt of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus began to reconstitute his covenant community around the Twelve Apostles. Under the power and direction of the Spirit, they would become “his witnesses” to Israel and the Gentile Nations.

After his parting words, the disciples watched Jesus ascend to heaven until a “cloud received him,” a verbal link to the vision of “one like a Son of Man” in the Book of Daniel. As they continued gazing, two angels commanded them, “You men of Galilee, why are you standing and looking into the heavens? This same Jesus will so come in like manner as you beheld him going into heaven” - (Daniel 7:13, Luke 21:27).

This passage locates the Mission of the Church to the Nations between the exaltation of Jesus and his future return “on the clouds of heaven.” We are tasked with proclaiming the Gospel until he arrives. This theme is reiterated at the end of Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost:

• (Acts 2:39-39) – “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.”

Thus, Christ’s reign began and will continue until his Kingdom has been declared to all nations, “even as far as the ends of the Earth.” Only then will he return (“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” – Matthew 24:14).

However, before this mission begins, his disciples must receive the “promise of the Father,” the Gift of the Spirit, and thus become “his witnesses.”

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SEE ALSO:

• My Witnesses - (The Gift of the Spirit equips the Assembly to bear witness to Jesus, especially concerning his Resurrection from the dead)

• To the Nations Also - (Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the promise to bless all nations in Abraham. Christ is the Patriarch’s Heir and “Seed”)

• He Baptizes in the Spirit - (John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah who is the Herald of the Kingdom of God and the one who baptizes in the Spirit – Mark 1:4-8)

• Mes Témoins - (Le Don de l'Esprit équipe l'Assemblée pour rendre témoignage à Jésus, en particulier en ce qui concerne sa Résurrection d'entre les morts)