CRITICAL REMARKS
Acts 1:1. The former treatise have I made.—Better, the first (πρῶτος for πρότερος, as in John 1:15-30, unless πρῶτος was intended to point to a τρίτος: Ramsay) treatise (λόγος in ancient written speech meaning the separate book rolls in a connected work—Holtzmann) I made. That the first treatise was the Gospel of Luke the name of its recipient (Luke 1:3) declares.
Acts 1:2. Through the Holy Ghost.—Should be connected with “given commandments”—see John 20:22 (Meyer, Weiss, Overbeck, Spitta, and others), rather than with either “chosen” (De Wette, Wendt, Holtzmann, Zöckler, and others)—though see Acts 20:28—or “taken up,” the Ascension never being in Scripture ascribed to the Spirit, but commonly represented as the work of the Father (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 2:9). though sometimes depicted as the free act of Christ Himself (John 20:17; Ephesians 4:10; Hebrews 1:3).
HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Acts 1:1-2
The Two Treatises; or, The Connection between the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of Luke
I. Their names.—
1. Of the former treatise, the Gospel of Luke. Recognised by being addressed like the Acts to Theophilus.
2. Of the latter, the Acts of the Apostles. In some MSS. “Acts of all the Apostles, “Acts of the Holy Apostles,” or some other such variation. Neither title originated with the author of the writing, but was afterwards appended when the writing found a place in the Canon.
II. Their contents.—
1. Of the former, the earthly, or pre-ascension ministry of Christ. Not everything Christ said and did (see John 21:25), but as many of His deeds and words as were needful to furnish an adequate picture of Him as a teacher and worker.
2. Of the latter, the post-ascension or heavenly ministry of Jesus. The word “began” suggests that Christ’s activity did not terminate with His taking up, but continued after. Hence the Acts, which records that activity, is neither a full series of apostolical biographies, the actions and utterances of Peter and Paul only being narrated at any length, while of the other apostles, the sons of Zebedee alone are incidentally mentioned; nor a complete Church history, since it leaves untold much that happened, and carries the story of the Church no further than the time when Paul reaches Rome; but an account of Christ’s doing and teaching since His Ascension through the instrumentality of the two above-named Apostles, their colleagues, and assistants (Stephen, Philip, James the Brother of the Lord, Barnabas, Mark, Silas, Timothy, Titus, Apollos, and others), first, in founding and developing the Church at Jerusalem and within the Holy Land, and, secondly, in extending and establishing it among the Gentiles in Asia Minor and in Europe.
III. Their author.—The writer of the “we” passages in the Acts (Acts 16:10-11, Acts 20:5-6).
1. Not Timothy, whom the writer of the Acts distinguishes from himself (Acts 16:10).
2. Still less Silas, an opinion having no better support than the resemblance ingeniously detected between Silvanus (from silva, a wood) and Lucanus (from lucus, a grove).
3. But Luke, a physician by profession (Colossians 4:14), who joined Paul as a companion in travel at Troas (Acts 16:10), and was with him as a fellow-worker at Rome (2 Timothy 4:11; Phil. 24). See Introduction.
IV. Their recipient.—Theophilus. Possibly his baptismal name (Ramsay). Most likely a Gentile Christian, probably a member of the Roman Church; manifestly a patron of learning and an inquirer after truth. That his social rank was high may be inferred from the epithet “most excellent” given him by Luke (Acts 1:3)—a title of honour used by Paul in addressing Felix (Acts 23:26) and Festus (Acts 26:25).
Lessons.—
1. The inter-connection of the various books of Scripture.
2. The purely natural way in which the existing Scriptures arose.
3. The value of Scripture independent of a knowledge of the authorship of its several parts.
4. The excellence of grace in persons of high station.
HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Acts 1:1. The Earthly Ministry of Christ; or, the work and wisdom (the doing and doctrine) of Jesus.
I. The Work of Jesus.—
1. Personal.—He fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).
2. Philanthropical.—He healed all manner of sickness and disease among the people (Matthew 4:23; Acts 10:38).
3. Legal.—He made atonement for the sins of men (John 1:29).
4. Social.—He founded a kingdom of heaven upon earth (Matthew 5:1-20; John 18:36).
II. The Wisdom of Jesus.—
1. He revealed the nature (the Trinity) and character (love) of God (John 3:16).
2. He taught the necessity and nature of the New Birth for man (John 3:3).
3. He promulgated the way of salvation—through faith in His name (John 6:47).
4. He disclosed the certainty of a future life of blessedness for believers (John 14:1-2).
5. He announced the terms of citizenship in the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:1-8).
Conclusion.—Christ’s pre-eminence in both departments. The noblest worker and the loftiest teacher the world has ever seen.
The Heavenly Worker.
I. His name.—Jesus, signifying Saviour, of whom Luke had already written in the Gospel (Acts 2:21).
II. His sphere.—On earth and among men, as distinguished from His pre-existent and post-resurrection theatres of activity.
III. His character.—As a worker.
1. Faithful.
2. Loving.
3. Unwearied.
4. Effective.
5. Disinterested.
IV. His continuance.—
1. Until the day of His Ascension.
2. Until now (John 5:18).
The Incomparable Teacher.
I. His person.—Jesus, who spoke of Himself as the Truth (John 14:6), and whom men recognised as a Teacher (John 3:2; John 11:28).
II. His doctrine.—
1. What it concerned.—
(1) God, whom He revealed (John 1:18).
(2) Man, whom He unveiled as to His nature, character, responsibility, destiny (Luke 6:8; John 2:24; John 5:42; John 16:30).
(3) Salvation, as to its essence and conditions (John 3:16).
(4) The future life, as to its rarity, and the means of attaining thereunto (John 14:1-6).
2. Whence it came.—Not of Himself or from men, but from above (John 5:20; John 7:16).
III. His method.—
1. Simple (Mark 12:37).
2. Gracious (Luke 4:22).
3. Authoritative (Matthew 7:29).
4. Original (John 7:46).
The Name of Jesus.
I. A historic name.—Borne by Joshua, the successor of Moses (Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8).
II. A personal name.—As distinguished from that of Christ (Luke 2:21), or Messiah, an official name.
III. A symbolic name.—Signifying Saviour and foreshadowing its possessor’s work (Matthew 1:21).
IV. An exalted name.—Glorified above every other name in heaven or on earth (Philippians 2:9).
V. A powerful name.—
1. The ground of salvation (Acts 4:12).
2. The plea of prayer (John 14:13).
3. The potent instrument of working miracles (Mark 16:17).
A Momentous Beginning—that of the ministry of Jesus. In relation to—
I. Jesus Himself.—In respect of—
1. His ability to finish what He had begun (Luke 14:28). And
2. The consequences it would entail upon Himself if carried out and finished (John 12:27).
II. The Old Testament Dispensation.—Of which the work of Jesus was—
1. The fulfilment (Matthew 5:17), and
2. The setting aside (Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 8:13).
III. The World.—Of this, it was destined to be either—
1. The salvation, or
2. The condemnation, according as it was accepted by the world or rejected.
The Christ of God and Christian History.—The expression, “all that Jesus began to do and teach,” is a peculiar one, and seems to imply two things: first, that the Gospel was to be a record of the doings and sayings of Jesus from the very beginning, which it pre-eminently is, recording the previous prophecy, the angelic annunciation, the conception and birth of Jesus. Of the human side of Jesus, the Christ of God, Luke especially records the beginning. And all, from the very first, is grace and truth. But the expression “began” means, secondly, that this record is the beginning or fountain head of all subsequent Christian history; that out of these doings and teachings have flowed all things connected with the Church of God down to the last. It is a fontal record; a root; a well-spring; the source of a river which is still flowing amongst us, and refreshing the sons of men.
I. We connect all subsequent testimony with Christ’s doings and sayings.—All the testimony delivered by Christian witnesses goes back to Christ’s life; and is, as it were, a prolongation of His own voice, a continuation of His own doings. It is of His life and death that the witnesses speak; and it is that life and death that contain the power which their testimony embodies. The power of our testimony lies in the directness of its communication with the manger and the cross; as well as with all between. It is Jesus Himself that is working His miracles before our very eyes, and speaking to us still.
II. We connect each individual conversion with Christ’s sayings and doings.—The soul, in the moment of its mighty change, is brought into direct communication with these; it is transported back over eighteen centuries, and feels itself in the very presence of Jesus of Nazareth—speaking, working, loving, blessing, saving, pardoning, comforting. Virtue goes out from these sayings and doings of this personal Christ to lay hold on the sinner. And this is the beginning of his eternal history!
III. We connect each planting of a church with what Jesus did and taught.—We see this very clearly in Luke’s story of the planting of Christianity. Trace up the history of a church—at Jerusalem, or Samaria, or Antioch, or Thessalonica—to its true source, and you are landed at once among the scenes of Christ’s life on earth. There is no church where there is no direct link of this kind. Other foundation can no man lay; other soil can no church root itself in; round no other centre can any church revolve. For what is the temple if the shekinah be not there? What is a church or congregation if the Holy Ghost, revealing Christ in His grace and glory, be not the indwelling and inworking energy?
IV. We connect each true revival of religion with what Jesus did and preached.—No quickening can be genuine save that which goes back to this, and takes its rise from this. Excitement, earnestness, impression, there may be; but only that is authentic, and divine, and abiding, which springs directly out of that which Jesus began to do and to teach.—H. Bonar, D.D.