46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
Jesus then gives the biggest and most important Bible study ever given. Unfortunately we do not get to read it in a literal sense but I think we do get to in a general sense. I’ve pointed out before that Matthew for example brings up prophecies at the start of his Gospel that are actually quotes and things that are on the face of it unrelated to Jesus but the Holy Spirit guided Matthew to say these were actually about Jesus. An example is from the Prophet Hosea, Matthew quotes Hosea in reference to Jesus and the Holy Family leaving Egypt to go to Nazareth “Out of Egypt I called my Son” but Hosea was talking about the historical story of the Hebrews Exodus out of Egypt, it wasn’t even considered Messianic by Second Temple Jews, where did Matthew get the idea from? I’d argue this and the myriad of other examples that do not have Second Temple backing, come directly from this speech that Jesus gives.
We then get what we can presume is the end of the speech that Jesus gives. The sum total of all the things that Jesus has said,
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
The anointed one suffering would refer to Isaiah’s suffering servant and Daniel’s anointed who would be “cut-off”. The resurrection on the third day could be referencing Prophet Jonah but early Church writers like Tertullian make the much more obvious (and I think accurate) reference to be that of the Prophet Hosea. Hosea will say “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” It’s way more explicit and obvious. Repentance and forgiveness of sins is literally the ink that the prophets themselves write with and also they will be the ones most explicit in the future inclusion of the nations as a part of God’s covenant. It will start from Jerusalem, where Jesus dies and rises. The Apostles will be the witnesses to all these things. It also implies that they will in the future tense be witnesses too, they have things to do, live out the Great Commission and die as martyrs, this is what history attests to.
49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The previous sections to these readings in this chapter include the resurrection news for the women who deliver it to the Apostles, the appearance of angels delivering this news to the women and also Jesus’ veiled appearance to the disciples on the road to Emmaus as well as this particular appearance to the Apostles a Old Testament Bible study that fortunately we only get the conclusion of. Now Jesus delivers the instructions for the apostles as of now since all these things have taken place.
To the shock of nobody who has actually read the New Testament, the mission is not finished with the crucifixion, the early stage of the currently enduring age of the Church must begin. Jesus instructs the apostles to away for the promise of God the Father to be delivered to them, after this they will be “clothed with power from on high”. This is the Holy Spirit who will descend at Pentecost, this anointing of the Spirit will fundamentally change them and all those who receive the Spirit at their Baptism. They will be “clothed” invisibly with “power from on high”, this is not a change of mind or having a new sense of confidence because of verbal assurance but an actual change of their nature, granting them the capacity for theosis without impinging on their free will. They could choose to still reject it, we see this whenever we ourselves sin despite our Baptisms but an indelible mark of divinity is implanted in us granting us a high nature regardless. That is what the Apostles must wait to receive.
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.
Bethany is an important of Jesus’ ministry and the home village of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Personal friends of Jesus but not members of the Churches foundational leaders. It is not explicitly said why he ascends at this location but it could be to do with his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he starts from his lodging in Bethany so the last week of his life begins there, it is fitting for ascension to occur there also.
Jesus raises his hands, although commonly seen as just an open gesture, it is likely a priestly one as he does so in order to bless his apostles.
51 While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.
Jesus uses his moment of blessing to also be his farewell from them and physically ascends into heaven. Those of a materialistic disposition might be curious why Jesus is going into space, is this simply a limitation of ancient thought? No, the ancient cosmology presents the celestial heavens as the first heaven, at some point or really any point depending on God’s will there is a portent that opens into the next heaven which is immaterial. Jesus physical ascension into the celestial heavens is likely for the benefit of apostles to understand where he is actually going, it is historical but also an act of divine condescension. They didn’t think God was living in the clouds, that is a modern misunderstanding.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
The apostles, in acknowledgement of his ascension to the celestial heavens, a final material act of divine proof from their perception, worshipped him and return to the city in great joy. Basically Jesus does something only God could do, they correctly respond by treating him like he is God.
53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
The Apostles after returning to the city go to the temporary dwelling of God, the Temple and are not described as preaching yet but are giving benedictions of God’s glory. The preaching will come later and be both in the Temple, the Synagogues and the public square at large.
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