ACTS LESSON 2

    We will begin this lesson in Acts 1:12 "Then returned they unto
Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a
sabbath day's journey."

    A sabbath day's journey was about 3,000 feet. This mount here was
 the mount of Olives, and Jesus had told them to go to Jerusalem and
 wait until they would be empowered of the Holy Spirit. This would
 actually happen ten days later, fifty days after Jesus rose from the
 grave.

    Acts 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."

    When this speaks of them abiding, it means that they went to the
 upper room where they had the last supper with Jesus. Whether they
 slept here or not is uncertain, but surely their waking hours were
 spent here waiting on the Holy Spirit to come upon them. We will see
 in the next few verses, that they tarried ten days.  The fiftieth day
 after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will come on them.
 Fifty means Jubilee and sets the captives free. We will see here that
 on the fiftieth day these disciples (about 120) men and women, will
 be set free to live and work for the Lord. These disciples, up until
 this point, had been very weak in their flesh.  This will give them
 power from the Spirit of God to be bold in doing the will of the
 Lord. At this point, they will no longer deny the Christ, regardless
 of the consequence. This Spirit will teach them the will of God, and
 the ways of God, and set them free to minister with power. Notice in
 the next verse that, this is not just for the eleven, but for all 120
 disciples present. This 120 includes the women, as well.

    Acts 1:14 "These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with
his brethren."

    These brethren which included James, Joses, Simon, and Judas from
Matthew 13:55. It seems that Jesus' brothers did not join the original
disciples ( Psalms 69:8), but after the resurrection of Jesus, were
very active followers of Jesus. These were actually half-brothers of
Jesus, because they had the same mother, but Jesus' Father was
God. Notice, also, here that Jesus' mother, Mary, was praying with all
the others. She was not the object of worship, but was worshipping God
herself.

    Acts 1:15  "And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the
disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an
hundred and twenty,)"

    Names, here, means people. Peter was the leader of the group.

    Acts 1:16 "Men [and] brethren, this scripture must needs have been
fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before
concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus."

    We know that the Word of God cannot lie. If it is prophesied, it
will happen. God foreknew that Judas Iscariot would betray Jesus and
then hang himself. This treachery of Judas' is spoken of, again here,
by Peter, because, perhaps, some of this 120 had not been told of
Judas' betrayal of Jesus.

   Acts 1:17 "For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of
this ministry."

    Judas Iscariot had been part of the twelve apostles who worked
closest with Jesus. Judas, in fact, had been the one who carried the
money for them.

    Acts 1:18 "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of
iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all
his bowels gushed out." Acts 1:19 "And it was known unto all the
dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their
proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood."

    The man Peter is speaking of here is Judas Iscariot. When Judas
Iscariot realized the terrible thing that he had done, he threw the
thirty pieces of silver (the betrayal money) down, and went and hanged
himself. This gruesome description that Peter gives, here, is just
more detailed about what happened to Judas. The money was used to buy
a burial place for the poor. The priests could not use it for anything
else, because it was blood money. Aceldama means field of blood. You
may read more about this in Matthew 27:3-8. Another name for the field
of blood was the potter's field, (a place to bury the poor).

    Acts 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."

    You can find this in Psalms 69:25 and Psalms 109:8. Peter is
explaining to this group that the select apostles are now just eleven,
and in Psalms it tells them to elect another to make up the twelve. He
is to be chosen of the 120. The number twelve is a representative
number, and we will see it over and over again throughout the Bible,
and especially in Revelation. The twelve apostles are mentioned
several times. The twelve would include the original eleven and the
one chosen to take Judas Iscariot's place.

    Acts 1:21 "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all
the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,"  Acts 1:22
"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."

    We see from this, that the person chosen to take the bishopric of
Judas Iscariot must be chosen from one of the disciples who had been
in the group since the day John the Baptist baptized Jesus. He must,
also, be one who stayed steadfast with the followers of Jesus until
the day Jesus was caught up into heaven. In other words, he must be
able (when he is witnessing) to give first hand information. He had to
be an eye witness.

    Acts 1:23 "And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was
surnamed Justus, and Matthias."

    From the above qualifications, Peter and the other ten decided
that these two men fit those qualifications.

    Acts 1:24 "And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest
the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,"

     The final decision would be the Lord's. Many times we humans have
a tendency to judge a person by their outward appearance, but the Lord
always looks on the heart. Peter is aware of this and prays that the
Lord will make the final decision.

    Acts 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."

    Judas Iscariot was of his father the devil. His place would be in
hell with his father. We all have a will of our own, and Judas was no
different. Notice, he fell. Judas Iscariot could have been in heaven
with all the rest of the apostles, but he fell to his lust for money.
His place with the apostles will be filled by a more noble man.

    Acts 1:26 "And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon
Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles."

    Many decisions of this nature in the church were decided by
casting lots. Their belief was that God would cause the lot to fall to
the more worthy one. Now with Matthias added to the eleven, the twelve
apostles were complete again.


                                 NOTES















                             Acts 2 Questions

1.  How far is the mount of olives from Jerusalem?
2.  How far is a sabbath day's journey?
3.  When would the Holy Spirit come upon them?
4.  Where did these disciples go to wait?
5.  Who went?
6.  What does abiding mean?
7.  How long did they wait?
8.  Why do they need the Holy Spirit?
9.  What does verse 14 tell us they did while they waited?
10. Who are explicitly mentioned in verse 11, besides the eleven
    apostles?
11. Name Jesus' four half-brothers.
12. What must we note about Mary in verse 14?
13. Who was the eleven's leader?
14. How many disciples were actually there?
15. Who had prophesied in the Old Testament about Judas Iscariot?
16. What happened to Judas Iscariot after the betrayal?
17. What was the proper name of the potter's field?
18. What did it mean?
19. How much was the betrayal money?
20. What Book in the Old Testament tells of this?
21. What must the qualifications be of the man to replace Judas
    Iscariot?
22. Who were the two appointed?
23. When they cast lots, who won the office?
24. Who made the final decision?
25. Who was Judas Iscariot's father?
26. Did Judas have a choice?
27. What caused Judas to fall?

                                 NOTES