Acts 1:4-11 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

Jesus' Commission to His Apostles (1:4-11).

Here the risen Jesus calls on His believing people to wait for the coming of the promised Holy Spirit Who would be poured out on them like rain on fruitful ground. Once this happens they are to forget their own ideas about what the future holds, and go out into the world to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. After saying this Jesus Himself is taken up to heaven, and two ‘men' clothed in white inform the watchers that He will one day come in the same way as they have seen Him go.

Acts 1:4-11

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he,ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them,It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power,a after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.