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ACTS 1:2-9 - Corps Notes - September 25, 1975

3rdburglar by Wordburglar
Topic: logospedia,lp
Format: mp3,pdf
Publication Date: September 25, 1975

On Ephesians 4:25 where I want to begin tonight, or where we will begin tonight , the first part of what the Research Team gave me is the work that Walter Cummins published in our wonderful Way Magazine on "The Spoken Word." Also, as we cover Ephesians 4:28 tonight, I had all the information in front of me from another article that Walter Cummins has in the... has had in the Magazine. The first article on Ephesians 4:25 is entitled "The Spoken Word." The one on Ephesians 4:28 is "Workers for God." Both of these pieces of work by Walter are absolutely superb. And I believe that they should appear and will appear in our research journal GMIR whenever we begin publishing that. {GMIR Aramaic word meaning ' to perfect, accomplish , mature, complete, arithmetically to be divisible without any remainder.}

And I noticed again that some of the things that were stated are just so beautifully and logically presented, I'm truly thankful for, not only Walter, but the whole Research Department. I think our Biblical Research Department is just second to none. And it' s even going to be better by God' s mercy and grace next year and in years to come than it is at this time. And right now I do not believe that our Biblical Research Department needs to take a back seat for any academic institution or work in the world.

And I thought today, I have never... I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity than to be my assistant. I know Vince Finnegan, you know, on the books is my assistant. And that' s great. But I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity for so many years as always being my assistant. And I think he' s just the most wonderful person that any president could have as his assistant. And also to be chairmen of the Department of Greek, and then the coordinator of the Biblical research of The Way International. For any one man to have that position and that responsibility is an awesome reality and I'm real proud of Walter and real thankful for him. But I am also thankful for the rest of our wonderful men and women in the Research Department.

I would like for the Corps all over the country to go to the Magazine and find "The Spoken_Word," that's the title of it, dealing with Ephesians 4:25 and other scriptures, and before the next Corps meeting next week, you endeavor to master that great piece of work by Walter Cummins. It's just, you know, the spoken Word. Over fifty Greek words are used in the New Testament in connection with the faculties of utterance. Over fifty. And then he takes the most important ones and he lists them and it' s just. .. it' s just a piece of research work that you should really as a Corps master in your heart and in your life.

Ephesians 4:25 in the King James reads, Wherefore put away lyin g, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

The ' putting away' was interesting to me again because of the Greek word aniko, a-n-i-k-o.

And this word is ' the putting away,' this word ' put away,' aniko, is the same root word as in 4:22, where we use the word ' rest,' meaning ' to rest.' Is that right? Yep, that is right. I taught you that,

didn't I? Did I or didn't I? Doesn't look right to me. It is the same root. What chapter am I missing? Am I missing anything? I don't know. Right now I'm screwed up, ha ha. First time today. You check the word again and I'll do that, too and see what I'm missing here.

But a-n-i-k-o is the word for ' putting away from you. ' To put away. And it' s the same root as the word ' rest.' I don't know where the word appears, but it's got to be in there.

Now, that word ' speak,' every man speak. That word ' speak ' is from the Greek word

laleo, l-a-l-e-long-o. And that' s where Walter' s article on "The Spoken Word"_c omes in because that is.. .he uses that word laleo in here, which I teach in Corinthians when I teach the Foundational Class. And he says the word is employed 24 times in I Corinthians chapter 14. I had forgotten that.

This word is truly significant. I couldn' t quite understand it Research Department, what  you said on page 26B 16, where you defined it ' to make vocal utterance,' ' to babble,' 'to talk,'  'to  exercise the faculty of speech without reference to the words spoken.' I just wondered if there might not be another word that could be substituted or utilized at this point. I know that Zachariah 8:16 is the quotation that is used here, or spoken of. And that Zachariah 8:16 adds force to what is said by using a quote, a quotation. That' s why my question to the Research Department is, How can it be without reference to what is spoken if it is truth plus the quotation of the Word of God that's given. It doesn't quite fit for me.

'With his neighbor' has to be a believing neighbor. This 'speak truth with his neighbor' is a figure of speech gnome, g-n-o-m-e, which simply is a citation. And that' s a citation from Zachariah 8:16.

There are a series of figures of speech, Corps, in chapter four which just put the 00mph, the highlight, to the particular things that are set whereby you put off the old man. This phrase here 'speak every man truth with his neighbor'  is one of them. The other one appears in verse 26, 'be  angry and sin not.' ' Steal no more' is another one. 'Corrupt communication' is the fourth one.  'Grieve not the  holy spirit' is the fifth one. ' All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking' is  the sixth. And  then  ' be kind' and so forth, is the seventh.

You see, the last phrase in that verse, in King James, For we' re members one of what? [Another] And it' s relative to the neighbor. Now you just look at that. Wherefore put away  lying, speak  every  man truth with his what? [Neighbor] For we are members  one of  another.  That  doesn't  mean just  a neighbor who lives next door, but it has to be a believing neighbor because  we are members  one of what? [Another]. You could not be a member ' one of another' ifhe  was an  unbeliever.  That's how I know this is going to  work. This tells me that the neighbor  is  a  believer.  And  this  ' we' re members one of another' continues the imagery of the Body of Christ.

The literal  according  to  usage of this verse is as follows:   Wherefore  put away the  lie... and I believe in my heart, before I go on with the literal that until man is born again, it's all a lie anyways. And that' s why I believe that this translation will fit in the light of that knowledge. Because when  a man is not born again, his whole  life is just a  lie. Now you're  born again,  and that ' s  why  I think the text states it ' wherefore put away the lie,' the life you' ve been living , the screwed up life you have lived outside of God. It' s been just a life of a lie. It' s not truth. It' s just the opposite of truth and that's my reason for translating it this way... Wherefore put away the lie.

You've got to go with that translation. You have no other text to go by both from Aramaic and Greek it's 'lie.' Not 'lying.' If the Research Department has anything to share in the light of that, I'd be blessed to hear, but you' ve heard my reasons for translating it, Research Department, this way.

Now since they're born again, their whole life is changed, so the life of lying, and living a lie, and being a lie, and being false, is to be put away.

And every man... this is the translation ... and everyone, everyone. The word ' man' you could use because it's an inclusive noun, but I prefer to use the word ' one.'

Wherefore put away the lie and everyone speak the truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. That is literal according to usage.

Now for the expanded according to understanding. It's not bad. Because of this... What we coughing for? Everybody sick?...Because of this... and the reason I went in the expanded along this line is because verse 24 last week told us that we are created by God in righteousness and in true purity, through holiness. Twenty four.

That's why 25, Wherefore ... 'wherefore' can be translated 'because of this.' Because of this what? Being created in righteousness and truly pure. See it's an inside job.

Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure by the grace and the love of

God.. .Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure, you put away, completely lay to rest the lie that you have been and were living and each one of you speak the truth using a quotation from the Word with his believing neighbor for we are members one of another in the Body of the Church.

Robinson {Edward} said, he translated, 'speak every man truth with his neighbor' and he said it's from Zachariah 8:16 which adds force to what is said by using a quote. That's why I translated that. I think that' s great. It adds force to what is said. If you're speaking to someone, it adds force to what you say by using a quote, a quotation from God's Word. In other words, ' you share the Word with them.' That' s why I went with that translation. I want to give it to you again in this sense.

Speak the truth using a quotation from the Word, which means 'share the Word.' Quote the Word to them. Tell them what the Word says, with his believing neighbor. Why? For we are members one of another in the Body of the Church. This verse is just mind blowing.

Here, you have a born-again believer neighbor who needs to grow up a little more. So what do you do? Each one speak the truth to that neighbor, that believer, using the Word, quoting the Word because we' re members one of another in the Body of the Church. It's a real positive thing to do.

Verse 26 in King James reads, Be angry.. .ha ha... we like that one, don't we. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Here is a verse of Scripture that' s very, very difficult for most people. And it' s not too easy for us either. But I think we are able to share the truth of the greatness of this and it's been burning in my heart for a long time to do this with our people.

Everybody has problems with ' how can you be angry and not sin?' You know, how can raise hell with something and not be sinful in doing it? Teed off and not be sinful. And how can you go... and what does it mean 'don't let the sun go down upon your wrath?' See.

In the context, here, verses 26 and 27 deal with your believing neighbor, specifically. Then the Greek word for ' anger' which is from the root orge, o-r-g-long-e means 'anger together with the desire of revenge .' That' s bad. That' s a heavy. The Hebrew word means ' to kill, and all the tumults of passion that terminate in killing.' So it's a real heavy word when it said ' be angry.'

And the way I believe it's used in God' s Word, ' be ye angry' means ' it's a long time anger with your believing neighbor until a change has ensued.' The desire to... of revenge is a change. And I, knowing the Word in the light of the new birth, it's where a change finally comes about. Until that time, you just, long-term, you just stay put witnessing the Word, sharing the Word. You do not dislike the believing neighbor; you simply dislike that he is not fully accepting the Word and walking on it. So it' s a long-term anger until a change has ensued. You just stay faithful.

I don't know what else to do with those words. It is a righteous anger. Yet it is a righteous anger without sin.

Among the scholars, there is a disagreement on these words. Well, I don't know about my being a scholar; that I don' t anything about being about. But it's simple to me because righteous anger is commanded by God's Word when it says ' be ye angry.' Well, the scholars can fight about it. I don' t care. It' s a command. Not just permitted to get teed once in a while when somebody' s off of God' s Word, a believer is off of God's Word. You' re always teed off righteously at any believer, born-again believer, who is off of God' s Word. And for those of us in the Way Ministry, it' s been a lifetime.

Get into it with them on... Oh what subject do you want to talk about? Baptism? Food? One God? See. All that stuff.

The Aramaic is accurate in the words ' and sin not.' It literally translates ' and you will not sin.' Again, this ' be angry and sin not' is that figure gnome. Quotation. A citation from the Old Testament. It' s from Psalm 4:4. But in King James, Psalm 4:4, it's translated 'stand in awe.' The real sense of the Hebrew is ' one of admonition;' sin not. Where we' re admonished to not sin. Sin not.

' Let not the sun go down on your wrath. ' Ha ha. That again is beautiful. People went to bed when the sun went down, when it got dark. That's when they went to bed. So what that simply is saying, ha ha, ' don't go to bed teed off.' Don' t let the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, go to bed; don' t go to bed mad. ' When you go to bed' is what it means. Let not the sun go down when you go to bed. And they went to bed when the sun went down. When it got dark, they went to bed, see.

' Upon your wrath.' And the word ' wrath' here is basically ' irritation.' Ha ha. Previously when I taught Ephesians, I made mention of this fact, ' don' t let righteous anger shake you, wondering if it was right on. When you go to bed, go to sleep.'

Now, this is what we have done with it in the literal, ha ha, according to usage. I got more papers up here than Carter has liver pills, or something. Then, I can' t find my... whatever it is I take off of it.

Okay, verse 26. You be righteously angry.. .this is literal according to usage.. .and you will not be sinning. Don't go to bed even with a momentary irritation, ha ha.

I don't think you get nearly as much fun out of this as I do. It's neat. It's absolutely scrumptious, see. At the opening, is that heavy word, remember? Anger. So it's a real heavy time. So what he is saying, in the heavy time, when your standing on God' s Word  and sharing that with the  believing  neighbor, you' re righteously angry... you're not sinning. And  you don't  even go to  bed with a momentary irritation. In other Words, when you go to bed, thank God the day is over. Say your last prayer and start snoring.

Boy, that would save a lot of sleeping pills, wouldn' t it? Practicing that principle. Boy, oh boy, what a tremendous Word. And hardly anybody understands verse 26. They argue about it, but they don' t get the understanding.

Now this is the expanded one according to understanding, I hope. And again, I would like to just lay some things before the Corps, and especially before the Research Department. I translated the first part of verse 26, You always stay angry with an all-out desire to have them to change which anger will not be sin on your part.

Then I have another translation of that first part of it: You be righteously angry, 'teed off' with sin... 'Teed off' I put in quotes. But don't  you sin  by acting  ' holier than thou'  vaunting  yourself  by acting so righteously like you never sin.

I do not know which one of those two the Research Department feels would be the better. The last part of the phrase that I translated which would go with both of these that I have given you here on the expanded one for understanding. This, the last part, goes with that first one and with the second ... also.. .even if it is only a momentary irritation.  When you go to  bed, go to sleep. That's what I did with it.

Now, verse 27. King James says, Neither (or neither) give place to the Devil. The word 'place' is simply a portion, a part. No believer will give full place to the Devil, but he may be giving a part, a portion. He' ll mark off a spot, ' this is Devil' s permission over here, over here, no permission, you know. And you really give the Devil a portion or a spot if you stew about it after you go to bed and you toss and you tum and can' t sleep.

This word 'the Devil,' ' the Devil' in the Aramaic is a very interesting and exciting Word to me and it blesses my heart. It' s a compound word where the first part means ' to eat' or ' to devour.' The latter

' to slander' or ' to accuse. '  So when I got to translating  this, literally according  to usage, verse 27 reads: Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil. So I used those three words synonymously: portion, space, opportunity. Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil.

The expanded according to understanding: And you will not give a toehold, an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. Ha ha. I get more fun than you ever will out of working this stuff, huh.

You see, and to me, that communicates to my understanding. John 10:10. The thief cometh not but for to what? [Steal, kill, and destroy] Right. To eat you out. To beat you. And that's why that Aramaic word, on the word ' Devil' really thrilled me.

And that ' s why I put it into the expanded translation: And you will not give a ' toehold.' Now, at L.E.A.D., you know how important it is to get a what? [Toehold] Ha ha. And when you' re really climbing in, you' re blessed for a toehold. How thankful you are when you get a foothold. Now the adversary can never get a foothold in a believer' s life until he first has a toehold. That's why I translated it that way.

Do not give... and you will not give a toehold ... shave all the rocks off... an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. And that' s exactly what he likes to do to believers.

Now we go to verse 28. King James says, Let him that stole steal not more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. And here again, is another great work that I believe should be in our research journal GMIR, Walter' s work on " Workers for God."

It' s just tremendous where he... you know... he just goes into God' s men are called many things in the Word. They' re called: fellow workers, ministers, or servants, slaves, fellow slaves, partners, messengers, soldiers, fellow soldiers, athletes, fellow athletes, stewards, ambassadors, witnesses, all of those. And he covers them so beautifully. And I love very much how he covered the word ' slave,' because it' s a much stronger word than to be a minister, or to be a servant. It is to be one who is branded, marked out, sold out. And baby, from that day on, there are no ifs, and' s, or but' s. You never budge on it. You are branded. Most believers are never branded. They may be servants, they may be ministers, but they are not branded. When you' re branded, you stay faithful. You do not budge. You do not change. You stay put. If all hell breaks loose, you still live the believing Word.

I think the prophet once said, If I was in the midst of hell, God I know you' d be there. (Psalm 139:8) He' d be there. That' s the doulos. That, of course, is just a tremendous piece of work.

And the other great part that I think... and this is a second piece that I want the Corps to master before next Wednesday night, " Workers for God," the work on ' witness.' You see, it's the same word basically that's translated ' martyr,' see. And we got a lot of those canonized. That's not at all what a witness is. A witness is a living example, not a dead one. The word 'martyr' simply means that you lay down your life in witnessing. And boy, when you put the doulos together with ' witness,' then you' ve got power for abundant living. It's just a fantastic work by Walter and I' m real grateful that it was published. Because once it' s in print, people can take a look at it if they want to.

I'd like a cup of coffee, please.

Now, we are in verse 28. The Aramaic translation is ' and he who was stealing.' I understand it from the English, ' let him that stole,' past tense. The Aramaic is real simple, real strong. ' And he, the one who is born again, who was, past tense, stealing.'

Thank you.

His whole life was one of those before he was born again.

Whenever you bring a cup of coffee to a right-hand man, you put the handle to the right. When you serve a cup of coffee to a left-hand man, you put it on the left-hand side and put the handle to the left. Corps principle number seven or something, ha ha. Mrs. Wierwille would say, Well, be thankful you even get a cup of coffee. [Laughter] Ah, you're wonderful.

See, ' let him who stole, steal no more.' 'Stole and steal,' that' s a figure of speech and is polyptoton p-o-l-y-p-t-o-t-o-n. It' s a repetition of the same root word in different parts of speech or reflections. But, that's not earth shaking right now in my heart.

You see, in some Eastern culture, it was not considered a sin or a shame to steal because that's the way they lived, the only way they lived. Somebody told me... or not only told me, one of our people, but it was in a national magazine, that the basic culture of Russia today is to steal. And in some respects I can understand this. If you don't have anything and you're starving to death and there' s a loaf of bread you can get a hold of... steal the dam thing. I understand that.

So this verse is really sharp, really sharp. Let him who stole, even though that man previously considered it the way to live and there was no shame in it, no sin in it. He said, Well, let that fellow who stole, steal no more. Something has happened on the inside of that man. Something that happened, where He is able to meet all of our need according to His riches in glory. Christ in you, the hope of glory. More than conquerors.

A record in the Old Testament, I forget where it is, but it's in there, that it' s never, you never need to borrow or steal bread or... what is that in the Old Testament? Begging bread. One person stand and tell me. {Psalm 37:25, I have been young and now am old; yet have I seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread.} Psalm 27:25 who? {Psalm 37:25} 37:25. All the years, he's never seen the righteous to have to do what? {Beg bread} Beg bread.

First of all, I wish the Christian world could hear this. Secondly, I wish our government in the United States could understand it. The Word says, If you don't work, you don' t eat. A lot of that stuff. Well, what we've been doing is stealing from the people who are willing to work to give to the people who don' t want to work. That's a bunch of crap. That's stealing. That's why this verse is so hot in my soul tonight. Let him who stole, quit stealing, dang it. See.

Many years ago I was really knocked for a loop along some of this line in India, from Dr. Williams. I think he loved India maybe like I love the United States, I don' t know. Because only a man knows how much he loves his own country, I guess.

But... as we were traveling together, he said to me, Dr. Wierwille, I hear you have whores in the United States.

You know, I never had given it a thought. I just took it for granted. [Laughter] And I said, yeah. He said, Why does a rich country like the United States have whores?

And I said, I don't know.

And he said, I can't understand it. Cannot your women make enough money to live? Yeah, but they figure that' s cheaper and more pleasurable or something, I don' t know. And he said, Well, I think it's sinful that the United States has whores.

And I said, What do you mean?

And he said to me, why, I can understand India. He said we don' t enough food, we don' t have enough of anything hardly for a lot of people. And we have whores because that' s the only way they can continue to live physically.

And I thought to myself, well boy, that' s slapping me in the face good. And I took it as a wonderful lesson. There is no excuse in the United States for any women being a whore because she doesn' t need to get screwed and paid for it in order to get money so she can live. There's plenty of work available and if there isn' t she ought to get born again, then there' s a guarantee of work. ..other work, available. I tell you, when you' re honest, some of these men in other countries have some real logic behind their thinking. How would you have liked to have handled that? I just simply admitted, Well, I think we' re wrong in the United States. But I said, I think you' re wrong in India, too, because no reason to have whores here if you get them born again.

So I don' t know. But this verse today as I worked the final working on this verse 28 is when my heart really went back and burned with that truth that Dr. Williams had stated. Because in many Eastern cultures, it was not considered as sin or as shame to steal, if it was a matter of livelihood. You sometimes wonder who will live in the greatest condemnation before God and justice and judgment when the time comes.

For in most of what are called poor countries even, there is sufficient money, food, and other things for the people to live if those in positions of authority were not so selfish and egotistical, and want it for themselves , and let the rest of the world die... or a country die.

The word ' labor' in verse 28 is the word which literally means ' hard work resulting in fatigue.' That's how I felt coming from the woods last night. And I didn' t do anything. It was just hard work being there with the rest of you. Today I got so tired of being with some, I came home. Ah, you' re wonderful.

' Working with his hands' is an Eastern cultural type of thing. Today in our culture, you could have it, you know, the truth is working with your mind or working with your hand, whatever you' re working at. But in Eastern culture, every son was to be trained to work with his hands, even if he was the son of a king. Had to learn a trade, a profession of business.

Jesus Christ was a saddle maker. He made them to ride, I guess, what do you want? Tennessee Walkers , or? See. I think not only did he do that, Paul did it, too, you know. Someday I'm going to find a...or Walter, or some of those, are going to find me a manuscript to prove it. .. and a wonderful carpenter by trade. Many times doing carpentry work and being a saddle maker were sort of in the same household, because building carpentry and having saddles to use for their business and carrying on, were very, very closely aligned. Well, I won' t argue the point, but I wish we' d keep looking.

II Thessalonians.. .Do your hands ever get so dry you can hardly hold anything? Golly, mine are so dry tonight, I wonder why? II Thessalonians, chapter 3:10... this we commanded you that if any would not work, neither should he what? [Eat] Right. Even unemployment is no excuse for stealing. He just doesn' t eat. Goes and gets work. Boy, when I first saw the greatness of these principles many years ago, and then of course, I uniquely by God' s grace, inculcated that into our W.O.W. program and very dynamically in the Corps leadership.

ACTS 1:2-9
September 25, 1975
Tonight I want to give you some concluding facts about Paul and the book of Acts. I’ve gone over
everything that I’ve worked previously and this is all that I know about it. If you know any more,
keep it to yourself for a while. If there is anything in the Corps library on the life of Paul, read it.
These are the facts in synopsis form that I’ve put together.
One of the great facts is that I believe that Paul must have been out of Rome by 64 A. D. That was
the year when Nero had the big fire. I cannot imagine a prominent leader like Paul not being out of
that city by that time or he would have been burned like the rest of them.
Paul was arrested at Jerusalem and then sent to Caesarea where he was imprisoned by Felix and
detained for two years. Felix was succeeded by Festus who heard Paul’s defense. And Agrippa did
also. Now Felix was the procurator, 52 or 53 A.D. (Eusibius, the historian says he was appointed in
51 A.D.). According to Acts 24:10 Felix had been “many years” procurator when Paul stood before
him. I cannot think of many years as one or two years. The reason of course is that Paul was
mistaken for the false prophet and other things that occurred. Therefore, Paul must have stood before
Felix sometime after 54 A. D. If he was appointed in 51 A.D., then sometime after 54 A.D. Felix was
recalled to Rome no later than 61 A.D. because his brother, Palius, died in A.D. 62 and he interceded
for Felix in Rome; therefore, Felix must have beer in Rome in 61 A.D. Festus was helped by Nero’s
wife. Nero had married her in A.D. 62, so Festus was still in office sometime after A.D. 62.
Another interesting fact was that Paul was delivered to the prefect, Burrhus, who died in 62 A.D.
because two prefects were appointed in February, A.D. 62. Acts tells us that Paul wintered at Malta
and the sea is not opened until February, so Burrhus would have died by the time Paul arrived in 62
A. D. So Paul had to arrive in Rome no later than A.D. 61, but considering the navigation he would
have had to embark toward Rome in A. D. 60 before the sea became unnavigable. Sometime after the
fast that is listed in Leviticus 23:27 and Numbers 29:7 Paul was at Fair haven, Acts 27:8. So he
must have embarked from Caesarea for Rome about August no later than A. D. 60. And since Paul
was held by Felix for two years according to Acts 24:27, he had to be arrested in 58 A.D.
This fits with the information regarding Tertullus’ accusation which concerned the false prophet and
the sikarion who arose during the reign of Nero. Nero reigned from 54 A. D. to 68 A. D. The
compliment paid to Felix by Tertullus about the great quietness and numerous recorded events fully
account for at least three years; therefore, the earliest possible date for ~ arrest would be 57 A. D. and
the latest 58 A. D. in Jerusalem. Paul’s arrival at Rome would have been in 60 or 61 A.D. at the latest
and that would have to be early 61 A.D. He was imprisoned in Rome for two years, so if it was 61 A.
D. he would be out in 63, if 60 A. D. he’d he out in 62.
I know, therefore, that he was freed out of Rome by 64 A.D. when the city of Rome was burned in
July by Nero.
I have a note at the end of II Timothy, that say it was written from Rome when Paul was brought
before Nero the second time. If that is true then I know that it had to be before 68 A. D. because Nero
did not rule beyond that date. These are all the facts that I’ve been able to put together.
Acts 1:2
“day in which he was taken up” = ascension “through” = dia = “by” or “proceeding from” Here it is
the Giver giving it to Jesus by revelation.
“the Holy Ghost” = pneuma hagion
The commonly accepted teaching through the years is that the holy spirit first came into concretion
or manifestation on the day of Pentecost. If that is true how can he already be in operation in verse 2
of chapter 1?
First of all the word “ghost” I understand, but our times do not understand it in the sense in which the
Word gives it. I’d very much like to get rid of the word “ghost” if we could. That’s why in the Holy
Spirit Book we speak of it as spirit. Mark the holy spirit markings in the book of Acts from the
appendix in Receiving The Holy Spirit Today book. The confusion is that they did not distinguish
between the Giver and the gift.
There is no article “the” in any critical Greek text in verse 2. You must learn to handle the Word of
God without any articles since in the oldest manuscripts there is no article ‘the’ anyplace. Therefore,
it’s not important for us to work the Word from an ‘article’ point of view. It’s important to work it
without. We would not have had the difficulties with pneuma hagion had we not been English
because a proper noun has to be capitalized in English grammar. And it makes a lot of difference if
you capitalize “spirit” or leave it lower case. In all translations they capitalize it when they feel like it
and when they didn’t feel like it they left it in lower case.
“had given commandments”
We have people today who say that there are no commandments for the church to which we belong.
Bologna! We just don’t have the 10 commandments. One of the commandments we have is the law
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is a command to us. Here Jesus Christ gave commandments
unto the apostles. Very few of those are retained for us. John 21:25 - “the world could not contain
the books” * figure of speech meaning voluminous things that Jesus Christ did and said. That’s why
the first verse in Acts the “all that Jesus Christ began to do and teach”, the ‘all’ is all without any
distinction. If it were all without exception you would have had “oodles and oodles” of books;
likewise with the commandments.
“the apostles whom he had chosen” — Luke 6:13 gives a listing of the apostles and one of those is
Judas Iscariot. Judas was from the city of Iscar, which was in Judea. Twelve were present on this
occasion. Therefore, Judas could not have been dead at this time. They have a real problem with this
and the remarkable thing is how they handle it. They just avoid it! Our minds trick us because of
what we have been taught previously. It’s a trick of the Adversary to blind our minds so we can’t see
the light of the gospel. He does this through people, through wrong teaching. Remember that Judas
Iscariot was the only apostle who was not a Galilaean.
As you work the Word remember to watch your pronouns. A pronoun is controlled by its closest
associated noun. It’s possible to have one noun or two nouns between it and yet the pronoun is
controlled by the closest associated noun.
Acts 1:3
“to whom” = the apostles whom he had chosen
“Also” precedes the word “alive.”
In verse 4 “them” is in italics but it is properly supplied. Watch the pronouns.
‘‘They,” ‘‘them,” ‘‘ye,” = the apostles whom he had chosen
Through verse 10 the pronouns refer to the apostles whom he had chosen. Verse 11 changes nouns
to men of Galilee. Sometime between the time reference in verse 10 and the opening of verse 11
somebody of the apostles whom he had chosen must have left. And that one can only be Judas
Iscariot because the remainders were all men of Galilee.
I wonder how many pronouns we really have in here between verse 2 and verse 11. 17 pronouns —
that’s real significant, isn’t it, using 17 pronouns before changing a noun again.
“passion” = death
“many infallible proofs”
The attestation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ has to be an infallible reality. Can you imagine one
as prominent as the Lord Jesus Christ upon whom they expended so much effort arid time to get him
crucified properly and to take care of him to see that he was really dead, and when word came to the
authorities as to his not being there, they first thought that the apostles had stolen him. But when they
looked twice they saw that the materials in which they wrapped him were still there, but something
on the inside was gone. Boy, that must have been stranger than fiction! Put yourself in the place an
authority. Do you think maybe you would have gone down and taken a look yourself? (You can’t call
a church St. Peter’s or St. anything unless you have one of the bones of the saint under the altar. That
old Pete must have had a lot of bones.)
I love that word “infallible proofs. “ In one of our research books I did a piece of work on the
appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrected form and what he did on that Saturday after he
arose and on that Saturday night before he appeared to Mary or others on what we refer to as Sunday,
the first of the week. (Find out what work and read it and put it into your mind here in this section of
Acts. Note: this material was taught and is on the September 1986 Tape of the Month, teaching #2.)
This resurrection is a cataclysmic type of thing and this becomes real significant because when you
get to the new birth, that is the one thing you have to believe in. And it all begins right here in this
particular section.
“forty days” — I don’t know the reason for the forty days. - I know the numerical work of it but why
forty days I really don’t know. It has to have something to do with that which would make it possible
for Jesus Christ to fulfill everything so that when you finally come to the day of Pentecost it can fully
come. The whole period of time is eight days after this is the day of Pentecost, so 1 don’t know why
he was seen of them forty days. Nor do I know what occurred or why God waited eight days to make
it a new beginning. I know of no record in the Word that gives me much light.
“speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” - why did he not talk to them about the
church to which you and I belong? He did not know it. Had he been God he would have known. But
he could speak about the kingdom. Whenever I think of the kingdom of God, I always think in terms
of a beautiful rainbow. It starts somewhere and I can’t see the beginning or the ending. That’s the
kingdom of God. It’s God’s kingdom and God is overall. He spoke to them about the kingdom. From
the context he talked to them about restoration because later on they say to him, “wilt thou at this
time restore the kingdom again to Israel?” Under that kingdom of God you have the original first two
chapters of Genesis, all of that and then the Patriarchs, the Law, the Church of the Bride — that’s all
under the kingdom - then the Church of the Body, then the Return of Christ. Whenever the Bible
talks about the kingdom of heaven it is only that period of time when the king from heaven, God’s
gift to man, Jesus Christ, was upon earth. When he was here you could have the church of the bride,
because the bridegroom was present. It was a calling out from Israel. This becomes real significant
here because he showed himself alive after his passion. They had crucified the bridegroom. Now
again he is alive. What about the kingdom now? See why that question would come’ up now
logically? “Will you now restore the kingdom to Israel, because the bridegroom is back?” That’s
really beautiful. That must have really been fantastic — he talked to them about the kingdom of God.
The reason it is in the genitive case is to put the emphasis on GOD – GOD’S Kingdom – or as it says
it in King James - Kingdom of GOD. God is the king of the kingdom, even when His son is her upon
earth. There’s a gospel record, a parable, where the fellow sent his servant into the vineyard and they
got rid of him and finally he sent his only son and they executed him, and of course, that refers back
to Christ. With that you put that record in Hebrews 11 - the prophets.
Dom = reign of the king
Acts 1:4
“assembled together with them” - Some center margins will say “eating together with them.” That’s
a bunch of bologna! Can you imagine for one minute that you’ve just got 15 minutes left upon earth
and now we’re going to make you a steak dinner! It just doesn’t make sense.
“Commanded them” - commanded the 12 apostles. The Word of God is the will of God.
“for” = “until” - You never wait for something, you wait until. We’re not waiting for the return of
Christ we’re waiting until he returns. Because waiting for something never brings anything.
Acts 1:5
“with” = en = “in”
“baptized in holy spirit” = promise of the Father in verse 4.
“not many days hence” — Why did he not say eight days? He did not know. Had he been God he
would have known.
“ye” = 12 apostles
Had Judas gone back to Jerusalem, waited there and believed, he would have received. Therefore,
Judas could not have been born of the wrong seed. Isn’t it funny how people always want people to
go to hell? Especially those you don’t like. That’s the last place I’d want anybody to go. Jesus Christ
willed that all might be saved. Jesus Christ didn’t come to send people to hell, but rather to keep
them out of it. I think this is absolutely beautiful. God so loved that He gave, Jesus Christ so loved
that he gave, we ought to so love that we give. Sure, Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, but he was with
him from the very time of Jesus Christ’s resurrection appearance. He could have seen him earlier but
I know he saw him then because there were 11 apostles present, and the only one that wasn’t there
was Thomas Didymus, the doubter. Jesus took Judas back, must have been there whenever he taught,
40 days. I call that love. Since Jesus Christ is our brother and our example, what about us?
He specifically told them to go back to Jerusalem. This is even more interesting to me because they
were all Galileans and Galileans were not liked in Jerusalem. They were segregated out to the
Galilean Hill. He sent them right back into Jerusalem.
In verse 12 it says they returned to Jerusalem. When they came to Jerusalem they came to an upper
room, verse 13. There were 11 apostles in verse 13.
John’s baptism was an outward water trip unto the remission of sins. It was not at all what the
baptism ‘in pneuma hagion not many days hence’ was going to be. It was like in the Old Testament
when the high priest would come out of the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement and lay his
hands on the head of a goat and then that goat was driven out in the wilderness and left there to die
carrying the sins of the children of Israel. It was simply that God had said that this was what He
would do for the children of Israel if they were there and believing at the time.
Mark 1:4; Matthew 3:11
When John baptized Jesus Christ he did it for the fulfilling of the law. John’s ministry was very brief,
perhaps six months. He baptized “en” water. There is only one way to rightly be baptized with water
and that is immersion. That’s why it’s “in,” so the Baptists were at least right in going under. So if
you are going to go water, you have to have immersion. John baptized IN water. It’s absolutely
remarkable that one of the last things that Jesus Christ said was that in verse 5 - be baptized in
pneuma hagion, because with the coming of the greater there was no reason for the lesser. The lesser
continued because as Acts 21:20 says, they were all zealous for the law. That continued for some
time in the book of Acts, but finally when the great revelation of what came on the day of Pentecost
was fully taught, then there is no more water baptism in the book of Acts. It is remarkable how we
can have lost all of that and gone back to water baptism through the centuries. Since about 200 A. D.
we’ve been back to it and just as adamant about it today as they were during any centuries. Christians
even kill each other over it.
Verse 5 is just as plain as day for those who have eyes to see.
It’s really remarkable this age. We are dealing with men who lived under two great administrations.
They were believers of Israel saved. Then on the day of Pentecost they were born again and belonged
to both the bride and the body. They were baptized with water and then pneuma hagion. Both
administrations are there. The reason the word “baptized” is used is because it’s a one-time deal. In
the old administration when they were baptized with water, they were just baptized once. When you
receive Christ in you it’s a one-time deal. That’s why it’s eternal life, a one- time deal and why
baptized is used here.
“not many days hence” - It said in verse 4 to wait in Jerusalem He didn’t know how many days.
What he knew he knew by revelation. He gave commandments to the apostles. God gave him the
information by revelation.
Luke 24:49-52 - tarry ye
The ascension occurred at Bethany. In Acts 1:2 the location had to be Bethany.
So when he told them to go back to Jerusalem they had to go from Bethany to Jerusalem because the
ascension occurred at Bethany.
Baptism with water is external and baptism with pneuma hagion is internal. That’s why the first
could be lost and the second can’t because the second is eternal life. That’s why Israel could only
remain saved as long as they believed. You believe once and you stay saved. That’s the difference.
Acts 1:6
“came” – should be deleted
Literally - “When they therefore were together” - Verse 6 in the King James Version implies that
they came together again, but was when they were together. Tie this together with “kingdom of God”
of verse 3.
Acts 1:8
“receive” = lambano – manifest
“power” = dunamis – potential power
He told them to wait until the promise of the father in verse 4. Verse 5 said should be baptized in
pneuma hagion. Verse 8 he said “ye shall lambano.” You can’t lambano until baptized (verse 5).
From Luke, the endued with power from on high, “endued” = clothed with – this is the dunamis —
Man of body and soul is naked spiritually. If you are clothed with, you are not naked. That’s why
Christ in you becomes eyes behind your eyes, ears behind your ears, nose behind your nose, etc.
The next step is to lambano. Jesus Christ knew they would lambano, but there is nothing in here
about the new birth, Christ in you, etc. But you could experience it before you could explain it. Jesus
Christ gave commandments to the apostles and among those commandments were what to do at a
certain time, how to act, etc. Go back to Jerusalem, etc. One of the criticisms of our ministry is that if
speaking in tongues is of God you wouldn’t have to teach people, but look, Jesus Christ taught them.
Jesus Christ told them what to look for - cloven tongues like as of fire, in Acts 2.
“ye shall he witnesses” — The witnessing is the lambano power if you work this in context. The
greatest witness I see in the Word is lambano dunamis. That’s the proof. The witness of speaking in
tongues, ye shall be witnesses unto me. Lambano is the key.
Going back to verse 6, they asked him, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel.” It’s really something. This is as unique here in verse 6 about the restoration of the kingdom
as it is that Peter later on leads the group in the selecting of someone to replace Judas Iscariot. Had
Judas hanged himself 40 days before this, Jesus Christ would have selected his replacement. Why did
Jesus Christ not select someone to replace Judas? Because Judas was still alive. So after the
ascension in those days Peter stood up and they selected someone to replace Judas. See how logical it
becomes in the Word? Judas was not selected as a goat to bear the brunt. He had potential. I believe
he had perhaps more natural leadership ability than the other apostles. That’s why Jesus Christ made
him secretary / treasurer, not to tempt him but rather because he was a capable man. Jesus Christ
would not have put a nincompoop in that position. Jesus Christ would not have put him there to
tempt him. (Temptation comes of man’s own lust.) Jesus Christ always did the will of God; therefore,
he couldn’t have put Judas in there to make the weakness of Judas show up. You don’t have to put a
man in a responsible position to make his weakness show up. Men would like to know the return of
Christ, but we don’t know. It’s not for you to know the times or the seasons. If they are not going to
know the times or the seasons, I doubt very much if you or I are going to squeeze it out of the Word
of God. As you’ll see later on in Acts, the return could have been one or two days after the day of
Pentecost. Only God knows when the body is full. We do know that Jesus Christ is coming back.
Acts 1:9
He was taken up. Takes us back to verse 2. That taking up was from Bethany, which has to be from
Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.