I composed the first discourse, O Theophilus, concerning all things which Jesus began both to do and to teach,
Luke opens his second book by pointing back to his first. One word in that opening line — "began" — shapes everything that follows: who acts after the ascension, and where He acts from.
Luke points back to a book his reader already had. That settles who wrote this one:
There is no doubt that the writer of the third Gospel is the one whom the Holy Spirit chose to write this account of the founding of the Church on earth. This becomes clear if we read the beginning of that Gospel and compare it with the beginning of Acts… The earlier book known to Theophilus is the third Gospel, called the Gospel of Luke. The writer of that Gospel must therefore be the writer of the Book of Acts.
The two books cover different periods and different subjects:
Luke had written an account of the Lord Jesus Christ's stay on earth from His birth to His ascension. He will now write an account of the effect produced in early years by the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell on this earth in the Church of God. The Lord Jesus Christ lived on earth for about thirty-three years. Luke writes the Church's history for its first thirty years. He writes it directly for Theophilus, and indirectly for all his readers in later ages.
Luke's Gospel calls this man "most excellent"; here he is simply Theophilus. Commentators explain the change, and why he was a real man and not a symbol:
It would seem that Theophilus had either stopped holding a governorship — or whatever other public office the title "most excellent" implies — or had become so mature in faith and spirituality that he valued a title as little as a position… Further, no one should listen to those, in old times or modern, who imagine the name is a made-up description of anyone who loves God. Comparing the Gospel with the Acts points to a living Christian to whom the writer addresses both. And in that case the form of the word would have been philotheos, not theophilos.
His name and his dropped title both tell us something about him:
Theophilus means "Friend of God." Origen took the name as "a man whom God loves." It may have been given to him at his baptism and used only among Christians. He seems to have been of knightly rank, and greeted as "most excellent" — like our "Right Honourable" — because he was a governor, like Felix and Festus.
Luke does not say Jesus did and taught, but that He began to do and teach. That one word reaches forward into Acts and the letters:
The word "began" is worth noticing. It implies that Jesus has not stopped doing and teaching because He has gone on high, out of the sight of men. Acts tells us what Jesus went on to do. He poured out the Holy Spirit from the Father, so that through Him He might act by the Apostles and others. In the same way we discover, by reading the letters, what He went on to teach through the Apostles at the proper time.
You can follow that continuation chapter by chapter:
The Book of Acts therefore contains the continuation of the Lord's actions, no longer on earth, but from the Glory. In the first chapter He acts in choosing the twelfth Apostle to take the place of Judas. In the second chapter He Himself poured out the Holy Spirit. At the close of that chapter we see another action of the risen Lord: He added to the assembly daily those who were being saved. In the third chapter He showed His power in healing the lame man. All through this Book we see Him acting from the Glory, guiding, directing, comforting and encouraging His servants.
If we take the word "began" seriously, the familiar title on the cover is not quite right:
So the Gospel of Luke leads into the book we commonly, though not correctly, call "The Acts of the Apostles." It is rather the inspired account of the risen Lord working in the power of the Holy Spirit sent down from on high. That Spirit witnesses to Him there, both in the assembly and in His servants, above all some of the apostles.
- Began. Luke calls his Gospel the record of what Jesus began to do and teach — a first instalment, not a closed account.
- Continued. Acts is the sequel: the same Person still doing, now from heaven, by the Spirit He poured out. The letters carry on what He went on to teach.
- Traceable. You can follow the risen Lord's hand through the book — choosing an apostle, sending the Spirit, adding to the assembly, healing the lame.
- Named. The common title "Acts of the Apostles" is not quite right. The book records the risen Lord working by the Holy Spirit.
- Personal. Luke writes to one man, "Friend of God" — a real person, not a symbol — and through him to readers in every later age.
until that day in which, having by the Holy Spirit charged the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up;
Luke opens Acts by looking back at his Gospel, then turns to the risen Christ giving commands before He is taken up. Two things stand out: the commands come "through the Holy Spirit," and the Man giving them is alive from the dead.
The word "began" in verse 1 is doing quiet work.
The word "began" is worth noting. It implies that Jesus has not stopped doing and teaching just because He has gone on high, out of the sight of men. Acts tells us what Jesus went on to do. He sent out the Holy Spirit from the Father, so that through Him He might act through the apostles and others... Before He was taken up He gave the apostles the instructions they needed. He did it "through the Holy Spirit," though they had not yet received the Spirit.
Chapter by chapter, Acts shows what the risen Christ did next.
The Book of Acts contains the continuation of the Lord's actions, no longer on earth, but from the glory. We can easily trace the actions of the risen and glorified Christ through the entire book... In the first chapter He acts in the selection of the twelfth apostle who was to take the place of Judas. In the second chapter He Himself poured out the Holy Spirit.
One writer sees here the pattern for every Christian.
Here we see a Man alive on the earth in the full power of the Holy Spirit... Christianity always takes its pattern from Christ. I believe that here we see the pattern of what a Christian is. Christ was then a Man alive from the dead, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, in relationship with God. You and I, fellow believer, are now allowed to enter that same relationship.
The Spirit's power here matches how Christ acted on earth, and how He will act when He reigns.
When Jesus walked here on earth He lived, acted and worked in the power of the Holy Spirit. This was the source of His words, His acts and His miracles. After His resurrection He still acted by that same mighty power. And when He is here in the glory of the kingdom, as Zechariah's vision shows, He will also rule, maintain His rights and bear testimony for God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The One giving these commands has taken a new place on the earth He redeemed.
There is little more for Jesus to do below in the world He made. He has taken His new place and title on the earth, by right of its redemption. In the power of His resurrection He stands on it and takes possession as "the Lord." As such He gave out His commands, by the Holy Spirit, to the apostles whom He had chosen. They saw Him for forty days, and He spoke to them of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Luke repeats his phrase for the ascension through this first chapter.
Acts 1:2, 9, 11 and 22 give four references to the Lord Jesus being "taken up." This is a wide testimony to the truth of the angel's word, "He is not here, for He has risen, as He said" (Matthew 28:6). From the very earliest moment, those who saw our Lord's ascension confirmed this glorious truth. No room for doubt remains... This was no apparition wrapped in mystery. The event was wonderful, yet His disciples saw it and understood it.
If the Spirit worked in Christ after He rose, the same holds for those raised with Him.
Even the risen Lord, though not yet "received up," charges the apostles here through the Holy Spirit (verse 2). We do not see this power only before He died. In the new condition of man beyond the grave we have the evidence of the same blessed power. The Holy Spirit acts in man risen... It will be so with us when we are raised from the dead. We shall not lose that divine spring of power and joy when we enter the final state of man according to God's purpose.
- Began — Luke's Gospel records what Jesus started to do and teach. Acts records what He kept doing, now from heaven.
- Spirit — the same power marked His life on earth, marks Him risen, and will mark Him reigning.
- Charge — as Lord, with redemption finished, He commands the apostles He Himself chose, and speaks of the kingdom of God.
- Taken up — the ascension appears four times in this chapter. Eyewitnesses saw it, understood it and wrote it down.
- Continues — the Spirit acted in a risen Christ, so believers raised with Him will keep that same power and joy. Until then, their pattern is a Man alive from the dead, walking in the Spirit.