WHY THE DISCIPLES ARE TO WAIT AT JERUSALEMA

ACTS 1:4

(An except from the commentary on Acts I am working on)

The Lord tells them to stay in Jerusalem. The reason for staying is “to wait for what the Father had promised” (1:4; cf. Luke 24:49). It was natural for the disciples to want to leave the city. First, their home was in Galilee, not Jerusalem, and it was natural to want to go back home. Second, it was the city that put their Lord to death, and they may have feared for their own well-being. But Jesus commands them to stay and wait for the promise of the Father. He clearly defines what they are to wait for—the baptism of power by the Holy Spirit, or as Jesus put it, to be “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). 

The promise of the Father relates to the Old Testament and the Messianic kingdom. In Isaiah 64:3 we see the Spirit is to be poured upon Israel’s offspring. Joel 2:28 relates to the restoration of Israel. It marks salvation-historical continuity between Jesus’ ministry and his disciples. This underscores God’s sovereign rule and salvation aimed at the restoration of Israel from where it was to spread to the nations. Therefore the promise of the Spirit is fulfilled as a foretaste of the kingdom and an empowerment of the people of the kingdom.

It not only connects with the Old Testament promise of the Spirit, but concerns Christ as well (cf. Luke 3:16).  It is Christ who will be the baptizer of the empowering Spirit. There is a parallel in Luke’s writings between Jesus’ baptism and the believers at Pentecost.[1]

·         Both are praying (Luke 3:21; Acts 1:14).

·         The Spirit descends, manifested in a physical way (Luke 3:22; Acts 2:3).

·         It takes place before they start their ministry and empowers them for their new ministry (Luke 3:23; Acts 2:4).

At both events the recipients receive Holy Spirit power to fulfill their mission.

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[1]  Craig S. Keener, ACTS: AN EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY, 1:679.