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Atlas of Saints

Acts

Chapter 1 · Douay–Rheims / Challoner

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Chapter I · Location 1 of 28

Chapter 1 · Open to read

From Acts · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)

How do the waiting instruction and replacement of Judas unfold?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The ascension follows a waiting and witness instruction; the praying group later appoints two and gives lots for Judas’s ministry.

Chapter breakdown

Addressing Theophilus, the narrator recalls the former treatise concerning what Jesus began to do and teach, up to his being taken up after giving commandments through the Holy Ghost to the chosen apostles. Jesus shows Himself alive after the passion with many proofs, appearing forty days and speaking of God’s kingdom. Eating with them, he commands them to remain in Jerusalem for the Father’s promise they heard from him: John baptized with water, but they will be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Asked whether He now restores Israel’s kingdom, He says times and moments in the Father’s power are not theirs to know. They will receive the Holy Ghost’s power and witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the earth’s uttermost part.

As they watch he is raised, and a cloud receives him out of their sight. Two men in white stand beside them as they look up, asking why the men of Galilee look heavenward and saying Jesus will come as they saw Him go. They return from Olivet, near Jerusalem within a sabbath day’s journey, and go to an upper room. Its residents are Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James of Alpheus, Simon Zelotes and Jude brother of James. They persevere with one mind in prayer with the women, Mary Jesus’s mother and His brethren.

In those days Peter rises among brethren, about 120 together. He says scripture spoken through David by the Holy Ghost about Judas must be fulfilled. Judas led Jesus’s captors and shared this ministry. He possessed a field of iniquity’s reward; being hanged, he burst in the midst and his bowels came out. This became known throughout Jerusalem; the field was called Haceldama, field of blood. Peter cites Psalms about desolate habitation without inhabitants and another taking his bishopric. One of those accompanying them throughout Jesus’s coming and going, from John’s baptism to His being taken up, must become a resurrection witness with them. They appoint Joseph called Barsabas surnamed Justus and Matthias. They pray to the Lord knowing all hearts to show which of the two He chose for this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas fell by transgression to go to his own place. They give lots; the lot falls to Matthias, numbered with the eleven.

The story inside

Peter sets a companionship criterion for a resurrection witness. Two men are appointed, and the group asks the Lord to show which He chose before giving lots. The text supplies no comparative qualifications or votes and no general future succession rule.

Lessons worth keeping

  1. 1
    Many proofs is not expanded to infallible proofs, and the cloud’s luminosity is unstated.
  2. 2
    This edition says being hanged, not falling forward; do not harmonize silently.
  3. 3
    Companionship requirements concern this replacement, without applying them universally to later succession.

Test your recall

What criterion does Peter give for the resurrection witness?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

  1. Lines 123683–123685

    1:8. But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth.
  2. Lines 123693–123695

    1:11. Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven.
  3. Lines 123745–123746

    1:26. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Location: chapter 1 of 28 · 4%

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