Acts 1:5 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost— Baptism was a rite of initiation, by which disciples were admitted not only among the Jews, but also among other nations. John the Baptist adopted this rite after the Jewish manner, making use of water for this purpose: but Christ's disciplesbeing designed for an office of a superior nature, to disseminate the gospel all over the world, and to govern the church of Christ after his departure, were instated and initiated into their office in a superior manner, God himself sending down theHoly Ghost in a visible form for this purpose. But something more than the mere consecration of the apostles was intended by this miraculous appearance; for bythese means, he gave testimony to the truth of all that Christ had said to the apostles: he declared, that whatsoever they should teach was the effect of immediate and infallible inspiration; and he gave them both knowledge of the divine will, and courage to preachit, in opposition to every obstacle which power, or wealth, or learning, or danger, or death, could throw in their way.