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In verse 3, this testimony is summarized
44. "And He said unto them, These are
by the words: "speaking of the things
the words which I spake unto you, being
pertaining to the kingdom of God."
yet present with you, that all things must
It will be of service here to note how
be fulfilled, which were written in the law
the continued reading of Luke 24: and
of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the
Acts 1: helps us in understanding
Psalms concerning Me."
Acts 28: 23, and incidentally marks
two corresponding members in the
structure. "And when they (the chief of
the Jews) had appointed him a day, there
came many to him into his lodging; to
whom he expounded and testified the
kingdom of God (Acts 1: 3) persuading
them concerning Jesus, both out of the
law of Moses and out of the prophets".
The message of the last chapter of the
Acts is the same as the last chapter of
Luke.
Luke alludes to this in verses 4-8: "He
47-49. "Repentance and remission of sins
commanded them that they should not
should be preached in His name among
depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And
promise of the Father, which ye have
ye are witnesses of these things. And
heard of Me . . . . . ye shall be baptized
behold, I send the promise of My Father
with holy spirit not many days hence
upon you: but tarry ye in the city of
. . . . . ye shall receive power, after that
Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power
the (aforementioned) holy spirit is come
from on high."
upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto
Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea,
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost
parts of the earth."
Luke 24: 50-53 further records the leading out to Bethany, the Ascension and the
return of the disciples to Jerusalem, each incident being repeated in the opening chapter
of the Acts. If once we acknowledge that Luke 24: and Acts 1: overlap, that they
speak of the same period and persons, one great fact emerges which is fatal to the
"mistake" theory. Considering the passage in Acts 1: alone, we find that the Lord was
seen of the apostles for forty days, and that He spoke of the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God. The idea we are combating is that though the Lord was speaking about
the church, the apostles were under the mistaken notion that He was speaking concerning
the kingdom of Israel. Attention is drawn to the fact that whereas the Lord says
"kingdom of God", they say "kingdom to Israel", thereby showing how utterly they had
failed to understand the teaching of the Lord during those forty days. It all sounds very
plausible, especially as it is practically accepted almost as a truism that "the church began
at Pentecost". The moment we bring Luke 24: to bear upon the passage, we see that
the "mistakes" are no longer apostolic, but are the mistakes of their self styled critics.
These critics say the apostles did not understand the Lord's meaning. Luke 24: says
that they did. "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the
Scriptures" (45-49). Here is proof positive. To teach that the apostles were ignorant of
the Lord's meaning, or that they misunderstood the Scriptures is in direct contradiction of
that which is written. To feel a necessity to refuse the testimony of this passage is of