Berean Study Bible PrologueLuke refers to his Gospel, the first part of a two-volume account addressed to Theophilus. There he recorded Jesus’ earthly ministry, from His birth through His resurrection and ascension. Luk 24:44-49 Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you… O Theophilus, Theophilus, whose name means “lover of God” or “friend of God,” was likely a real individual of social standing, perhaps a Roman official or patron who received Luke’s carefully researched account of Jesus and the early church. Luk 1:3-4 Therefore, having carefully investigated everything… I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, Luke’s Gospel recounts Jesus’ works and instruction during His earthly ministry. The word “began” points forward to Acts, where the risen and ascended Christ continues His work through the Holy Spirit and the apostles. Mat 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages,… until the day He was taken up to heaven, Jesus’ ascension ended His visible earthly ministry and marked His return to the Father’s right hand in exaltation. From the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, He departed bodily before His disciples, having completed His redemptive work and prepared the way for the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Luk 24:51 While He was blessing them, He left them… after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit Jesus directed His apostles with divine authority, including their mission to bear witness and their command to remain in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit’s power. The Holy Spirit would continue to guide them as they carried out Christ’s work. Luk 24:45-49 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.… to the apostles He had chosen. Jesus deliberately chose the apostles to serve as His authorized witnesses and as foundational leaders in the early church. Their number reflected the twelve tribes of Israel, and their ministry would carry the gospel from Jerusalem to the nations. Luk 6:13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him… After His suffering, Jesus had been crucified, died, and was buried. His death fulfilled the promised work of the suffering Servant and provided the sacrifice for sin. Isa 53:10-11 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him… He presented Himself to them The risen Jesus appeared bodily to the apostles and other disciples, showing that He had truly conquered death. Luk 24:36-37 While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood… with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He spoke with them, ate with them, showed them His wounds, and allowed them to see and touch Him. His resurrection was not merely spiritual or symbolic but a historical, physical reality. Luk 24:39-43 Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself.… He appeared to them over a span of forty days From His resurrection until His ascension, Jesus continued to instruct and prepare His followers for their coming mission. Exo 24:18 Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain… and spoke about the kingdom of God. He taught them about God’s reign, inaugurated through His death and resurrection, and about their role in proclaiming the gospel until the kingdom is fully revealed. Luk 4:43 But Jesus told them, “I must preach the good news… And while they were gathered together, The phrase “while they were gathered together” indicates that the risen Jesus met with His disciples as a unified body, preparing them for the work that would follow His ascension. Luk 24:33-36 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem.… He commanded them: His instruction carried the authority of the Lord who had conquered death and was directing the beginning of His church. Mat 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven… “Do not leave Jerusalem, Jerusalem was the place of His crucifixion and resurrection and would soon become the starting point of the apostles’ public witness. Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.… but wait for the gift the Father promised, They were not to begin their mission in their own strength. The Father would give them the Holy Spirit, who would empower them for the task entrusted to them. Jhn 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another… which you have heard Me discuss. Jesus had already prepared them for the Spirit’s coming. Their waiting required obedience and confidence that His promise would be fulfilled. Jhn 14:25-26 All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you.… For John baptized with water, John’s ministry called Israel to repent and prepare for the Messiah. Water baptism publicly marked repentance and cleansing, drawing on familiar Jewish practices of purification. It was preparatory, pointing beyond itself to the greater work Christ would accomplish. Mrk 1:8 I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you… but in a few days The disciples were to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. Within ten days of Jesus’ ascension, during Pentecost, God would begin a new stage in His saving work through the outpouring of the Spirit. Jos 1:11 Go through the camp and tell the people,… you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus promised more than an outward rite. The Holy Spirit would come upon the disciples, unite them as His people, and equip them to bear witness to the risen Christ. Pentecost marked the beginning of the Church’s Spirit-empowered mission. Act 11:16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said…
The AscensionThe disciples gathered around the risen Jesus, united by His resurrection and by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Luk 24:33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem.… they asked Him, Still seeking to understand how God’s purposes for Israel would unfold, they asked Him whether He was now restoring the kingdom to Israel. Luk 17:20 When asked by the Pharisees, Jesus replied,… “Lord, will You at this time They recognized Jesus as the Messiah and expected the promised kingdom to be established soon. Luk 19:11 While the people were listening to this,… restore the kingdom to Israel?” Their question reflected the hope that Israel would be restored under the reign of David’s greater Son. Jesus did not deny that restoration would come, but directed them away from setting its time and toward the mission He was giving them. Mat 19:28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal… Jesus replied, Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.” Mat 22:29 Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know… “It is not for you to know God had not given the disciples responsibility for knowing every detail of His future purposes. Their calling was obedience to Christ’s commission, not speculation about events the Father had withheld. Deu 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God,… times or seasons The Father’s plan includes both the course of history and decisive moments within it. The restoration of all things would come in God’s appointed order. 1Th 5:1-2 Now about the times and seasons, brothers,… that the Father has fixed The timing of future events rests in the Father’s settled purpose. Neither the disciples nor later believers can alter or discover what God has chosen not to reveal. Act 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men,… by His own authority. The Father alone determines the timing of the kingdom’s fulfillment. Jesus therefore turned the disciples’ attention from future dates to the work they would soon receive through the Holy Spirit. Dan 4:35 All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing… But you will receive power Jesus promised divine strength for the task ahead, not political influence or military force. This power would equip the apostles to proclaim the risen Christ and confirm their testimony through the work God enabled them to do. Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.… when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, The Spirit’s coming at Pentecost would mark the beginning of the Church’s public witness. God would dwell with and guide His people in a new covenant relationship. Luk 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you… and you will be My witnesses The apostles were called to testify faithfully to what they had seen and heard: Jesus’ ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. Their witness included both proclamation and obedience to His commands. Isa 43:10-12 “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD… in Jerusalem, Their mission began in the city where Jesus was crucified, raised, and ascended, and where many who had witnessed these events lived. Luk 24:47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins… and in all Judea and Samaria, The message would spread beyond Jerusalem throughout the surrounding Jewish region and into Samaria, crossing long-standing ethnic and religious divisions. Act 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death.… and to the ends of the earth.” The gospel was intended for every nation, extending from Israel to the whole world. Acts follows this pattern as the message moves outward until it reaches Rome, the center of the Gentile world. Act 13:47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:… After He had said this, Jesus had just commissioned the apostles to be His witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to the ends of the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.… they watched The disciples personally witnessed what followed, establishing them as eyewitnesses of the risen and ascended Christ. 2Ki 2:11-12 As they were walking along and talking together,… as He was taken up, Jesus visibly departed from them, concluding His earthly ministry and returning to the Father in exaltation and authority. Mrk 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up… and a cloud hid Him from their sight. The cloud marked the visible presence of God and concealed Jesus from view as He entered heaven. His ascension confirmed His victory over sin and death and anticipated His promised return. Mat 17:5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped… They were looking intently into the sky The disciples watched Jesus ascend until He was hidden by a cloud. Their fixed attention reflects the astonishment and uncertainty of those who had known Him in His bodily presence and had just witnessed His return to the Father. His ascension marked the completion of His earthly ministry and His exaltation to heaven, where He reigns at God’s right hand. Act 7:55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently… as He was going, Jesus did not merely disappear from their sight but was taken up visibly before them. The event confirmed His resurrection body and His return to the Father, while preparing the disciples for the coming work of the Holy Spirit and their mission as His witnesses. Jhn 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things… when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. These heavenly messengers appeared in human form, as angels had also done at Jesus’ resurrection. Their white clothing identified them with the holiness and glory of heaven. Their presence assured the disciples that the ascension was God’s appointed act and that Jesus’ departure did not leave them without divine direction. Luk 24:4 While they were puzzling over this, two men… “Men of Galilee,” they said, The angels identified the disciples by their Galilean homeland, the region where Jesus had called and trained most of them during His earthly ministry. Mat 28:10 “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers…”… “why do you stand here looking into the sky? The disciples had witnessed Jesus’ bodily ascension and remained fixed on the place where He disappeared. The angels redirected them from watching to the work Jesus had assigned them. Act 7:55-56 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently… This same Jesus, The Lord who ascended was the same Jesus the disciples had known: crucified, risen, and now exalted. His departure did not end His identity, authority, or relationship with His followers. Luk 24:39-40 Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself.… who has been taken from you into heaven, Jesus’ ascension marked the completion of His earthly ministry and His return to the Father’s presence, where He reigns. Mrk 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up… will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Jesus will return personally, visibly, and bodily. His promised return gives certainty to the disciples’ witness and establishes the future hope of the church. Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye…
Matthias Replaces JudasIn obedience to Jesus’ instruction, the disciples went back to the city where He had been crucified, risen, and where the promised Holy Spirit would soon empower them for witness. Luk 24:33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem.… from the Mount of Olives, The Mount of Olives stood east of Jerusalem and was closely associated with Jesus’ final days, His teaching, prayer, ascension, and promised return. Zec 14:4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives… which is near the city, Its location allowed the disciples to return quickly to Jerusalem, where they would remain together in expectation of God’s promise. Ezk 11:23 And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city… a Sabbath day’s journey away. The distance was about 2,000 cubits, or roughly three-fifths of a mile. The description reflects the customary Jewish limit for travel on the Sabbath. Jos 3:4 But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits… When they arrived, When they arrived in Jerusalem, the apostles returned in obedience to Jesus’ command to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Jerusalem would become the first center of the church’s witness. Luk 24:52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem… they went to the upper room They went to the upper room, a spacious second-story area that provided privacy for the believers and may have been the location of the Last Supper. Luk 22:12 And he will show you a large upper room,… where they were staying: They remained there during the period of waiting between Christ’s ascension and Pentecost. Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.… Peter and John, James and Andrew, Peter and John had been especially close to Jesus and would become prominent leaders in the early church. James and Andrew were also among the first disciples called by Jesus. Mrk 13:3 While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives… Philip and Thomas, Philip had introduced Nathanael to Jesus, while Thomas later confessed the risen Christ as “My Lord and my God.” Jhn 14:5-9 “Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going…”… Bartholomew and Matthew, Bartholomew is commonly identified with Nathanael. Matthew, formerly a tax collector, reflected the wide range of backgrounds among those Jesus called. Mat 10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector… James son of Alphaeus, Little is recorded of James son of Alphaeus’s ministry, yet he remained among the faithful apostles. Luk 6:15 Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus… Simon the Zealot, Simon, once associated with Jewish resistance to Roman rule, now belonged to a community united under Christ. Mat 10:4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. and Judas son of James. Also called Thaddaeus, he was distinct from Judas Iscariot. The list shows that the eleven remaining apostles stayed together after the betrayal, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Luk 6:16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot… With one accord About 120 believers gathered in united expectation after Jesus’ ascension. Their shared devotion reflected obedience to His instruction to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit. Act 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together… they all continued in prayer, They persistently sought God as they waited for the power Jesus had promised. Prayer marked the church’s dependence upon God before its public witness began. Rom 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction… along with the women Women who had followed and served Jesus were present with the disciples. Their inclusion shows their recognized place among the faithful community awaiting the Spirit. Luk 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James… and Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary remained with the believers after witnessing her Son’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Her presence records her continuing faith in the Messiah she had borne. Jhn 2:1-5 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.… and with His brothers. Jesus’ brothers, once unbelieving, had come to faith after His resurrection. James would later become a leading figure in the Jerusalem church. 1Co 9:5 Have we no right to take along a believing wife… In those days Following Jesus’ ascension, the disciples remained in Jerusalem, waiting and praying in obedience to His instruction until the promised Holy Spirit came. Mat 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching… Peter stood up Peter took public leadership among the believers, beginning the role he would carry in guiding the church’s earliest decisions and witness. Act 15:7 After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them… among the brothers The assembled believers shared a common faith in Christ and regarded one another as members of God’s household. Heb 2:12 He says: “I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; …… (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) The group included the apostles, Jesus’ family, women who had followed Him, and other disciples. Though small in number, they formed the first gathered body of the church in Jerusalem. 2Ch 5:12 all the Levitical singers—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun,… and said, Peter addressed the believers concerning the need to replace Judas and preserve the full number of the Twelve. Act 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand… “Brothers, Peter addressed the gathered disciples as fellow members of God’s family, united by their faith in Christ and their shared calling as His witnesses. Act 13:15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets,… the Scripture had to be fulfilled Judas’s betrayal occurred within God’s sovereign purpose and in keeping with what God had revealed beforehand. Luk 24:44 Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you… that the Holy Spirit foretold David’s words were given under the Spirit’s inspiration and accurately anticipated events surrounding the Messiah. Neh 9:30 You were patient with them for many years… through the mouth of David Though David wrote in his own historical setting, God spoke through him of the coming rejection and suffering of Christ. Act 4:25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant,… concerning Judas, Judas Iscariot, once numbered among the apostles, chose to betray Jesus despite his close association with Him. Jhn 13:18 I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom… who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. He led the temple officers and soldiers to Jesus in Gethsemane, identifying the One he had agreed to deliver for payment. Luk 22:47-48 While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived,… He was one of our number Judas Iscariot had been chosen by Jesus as one of the Twelve and had lived alongside the other apostles throughout Jesus’ public ministry. His place among them made his betrayal especially grievous, since he had witnessed Jesus’ teaching, miracles, and fulfillment of God’s purposes. Luk 6:13-16 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him… and shared in this ministry.” Judas had received the same apostolic commission as the others and took part in their work of proclaiming the kingdom and ministering to people. Yet his outward involvement did not reflect a faithful heart, and his betrayal led to his removal from the apostolic band. Act 6:4 and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the…… (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas received thirty pieces of silver for delivering Jesus to the chief priests. Overcome with remorse, he returned the money, but the priests used it to purchase a potter’s field for the burial of foreigners. 2Pe 2:15 They have left the straight way and wandered off… Judas bought a field; Though the priests completed the purchase, the field was regarded as Judas’s because it was bought with the money paid for his betrayal. It became known as the Field of Blood. Mat 27:7-8 After conferring together, they used the money… there he fell headlong After hanging himself, Judas’s body fell into the field. Mat 27:5 So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left.… and burst open in the middle, His death was violent and shameful, exposing the dreadful end of his betrayal. 2Sa 20:10 Amasa was not on guard against the dagger… and all his intestines spilled out. The public manner of his death left a lasting association between Judas, the blood money, and the field purchased with it. 2Ch 21:18-19 After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram… This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, Judas’s death and the purchase of the field became public knowledge throughout the city. Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims and residents who had witnessed or heard of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and the betrayal that preceded them. The fate of the disciple who handed Jesus over was widely discussed. Act 4:16 “What shall we do with these men?” they asked.… so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, The field was given its familiar local name, Akeldama, meaning “Field of Blood,” in Aramaic, the common language of Jerusalem’s people. Its name preserved the connection between Judas’s betrayal, the money he received, and the land purchased afterward. Jhn 19:17 Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place… that is, Field of Blood.) The name recalled the blood money paid for Jesus’ betrayal and the deadly outcome associated with Judas. The field stood as a lasting public reminder that the price paid to deliver the innocent Son of God brought guilt and judgment rather than profit. Mat 27:8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood… “For it is written in the book of Psalms: Peter grounds the church’s response to Judas’s betrayal in God’s written Word. The Psalms, though written in David’s day, anticipated the judgment of those who oppose God’s anointed King and confirmed that Judas’s fall did not frustrate God’s plan. Luk 20:42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms… ‘May his place be deserted; Judas’s place among the apostles had been abandoned through his betrayal and death. His removal was a just consequence of rejecting Jesus. Psa 69:25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one… let there be no one to dwell in it,’ The vacancy remained as a visible reminder that Judas had forfeited the office entrusted to him. His former place could not continue under his name or authority. Jer 32:43 And fields will be bought in this land, about which… and, ‘May another take his position.’ Scripture also required that Judas’s apostolic office be filled. The appointment of Matthias preserved the full number of the Twelve, who were chosen to bear witness to Christ’s resurrection and to serve as the foundational witnesses of the early church. Psa 109:8 May his days be few; may another take his position. Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men Peter recognized that Judas’s vacancy had to be filled so that the apostolic office and the Twelve would remain complete. Their number reflected Israel’s twelve tribes and their appointed role in bearing witness to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Act 6:3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men… who have accompanied us The replacement had to be someone already known among the disciples and present with them during Jesus’ ministry. His testimony would rest on personal knowledge rather than secondhand reports. Act 13:31 and for many days He was seen by those… the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, He needed to have witnessed Jesus’ public work from its beginning to its conclusion, sharing in the life of the disciples and observing His teaching, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension. Act 10:37-39 You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea… beginning from John’s baptism John’s ministry began the public period leading to Jesus’ work. Sent to prepare Israel for the Messiah, John called the people to repentance and baptized those who confessed their sins. Jesus’ baptism identified Him publicly at the outset of His ministry. Act 10:37 You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea… until the day Jesus was taken up from us. The apostolic witness had to cover the full course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, from its beginning through His ascension. After appearing to His disciples following His resurrection, Jesus was taken into heaven forty days later, ending His visible ministry on earth. Luk 24:51 While He was blessing them, He left them… For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” The replacement for Judas had to be among those who had personally known Jesus throughout this period and had seen Him alive after His death. His testimony, joined with that of the other apostles, confirmed the historical reality of the resurrection and formed the heart of their message. Act 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to give… So they proposed two men: The believers put forward two qualified men from among those who had accompanied Jesus and witnessed His resurrection. Their goal was to restore the Twelve after Judas’s betrayal and death. Act 6:3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men… Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) Joseph was known by more than one name, as was common in the first-century Jewish and Roman world. Also called Barsabbas and Justus (“just” or “righteous”), he had evidently been a faithful member of the disciples from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Act 15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided… and Matthias. Matthias was the other man presented. Both candidates met the requirements Peter had identified, and the church sought the Lord’s choice through prayer before casting lots. Luk 6:13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him… And they prayed, The apostles sought God’s direction before filling the vacancy left by Judas. Their prayer showed that the decision belonged ultimately to the Lord, not to human preference. Luk 6:12 In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray… “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Jesus alone knew the true character, motives, and faithfulness of both Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. The apostles recognized that outward reputation could not reveal what God saw fully. 1Ki 8:39 For You alone know the hearts of all men—… Show us which of these two Joseph called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias had been present with Jesus and the apostles from the beginning of His ministry. One would be appointed to restore the number of the Twelve, corresponding to Israel’s twelve tribes. 1Sa 14:41-42 So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel,… You have chosen God had already determined the man who would take Judas’s place. The apostles asked Him to make His choice known as they prepared to cast lots. 1Sa 10:24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one… to take up this ministry and apostleship, The Eleven sought a man to fill the office Judas had vacated. The apostles bore a unique responsibility as appointed witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and leaders in establishing the church. After prayer, they cast lots, and Matthias was chosen as the Lord’s provision for the restored number of twelve. Rom 1:5 Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace… which Judas abandoned Judas had been numbered among the Twelve and shared in their ministry, but he deliberately turned from his calling when he betrayed Jesus for money. His betrayal and death fulfilled what Scripture had foretold concerning the rejection of the Messiah by one close to Him. Jhn 13:27-30 And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered… to go to his rightful place.” Judas went to the judgment his own rebellion deserved. His end stands in contrast to the apostolic office he abandoned and underscores the accountability of those entrusted with sacred responsibility. Jhn 17:12 While I was with them, I protected and preserved them… Then they cast lots, They cast lots, trusting God to direct the choice between the two qualified men. This established practice sought the Lord’s decision rather than relying on personal preference. Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision… and the lot fell to Matthias. Matthias was thereby chosen to take Judas Iscariot’s place, restoring the apostolic group to its appointed number. 1Sa 10:20-21 Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward,… So he was added to the eleven apostles. With twelve apostles again, they stood prepared to bear united witness to Christ after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Psa 109:8 May his days be few; may another take his position. This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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