R. H. Boll The Lord's Day Lesson 1: The Ascending Lord (1916)

 

WORD   AND   WORK
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO DECLARE THE
WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD.
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R. H. BOLL, Editor-in-chief.
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VOL. IX. JANUARY, 1916. No. 1.

THE LORD'S DAY LESSON.
Lesson 1. January 2, 1916.
THE ASCENDING LORD.
      Golden Text.--"When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Eph. 4:8.
      Lesson Text.*--Acts 1:1-14. Commit verses 10, 11.

      1. The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach   2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen:   3 to whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:   4 and, being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me:   5 for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.   6. They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?   7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority.   8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.   9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.   10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;   11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.   12. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey off.   13 And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.   14 These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

* Amer. Stand. Rev. Version; Copyright, Nelson & Sons.

  

      1. Of what did that former treatise treat? What may we expect in this one? What was that "former treatise?" See Luke 1:1-4.

      2. What "commandment" referred to? (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 15:15, 16; Luke 24:46, 47). How far did that treatise extend? Luke 24:50-52. Did Jesus speak by the Spirit? Jno. 3:34.

      3. Were the proofs of his resurrection and of his identity few or many? What was the great topic of his teaching to them during the forty days?

      4. What does he call the Holy Spirit here? Compare Acts 2:33. Does he include the "baptism of fire" in this promise?

      5. When had they heard of this promise from Jesus? (John 14:15-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14). Do these passages show how necessary this gift was?

      6. Did they ask him whether he would, or when he would restore the kingdom to Israel? Had Israel ever had the kingdom? Had they lost it? What did the apostles expect?

      7, 8. What particular thing did Jesus say was not for them to know? Was the time they inquired about one of those secret times? But did he indicate the time when they should receive power and the Holy Spirit? See verse 5. What did he say they should be to him upon having received this power?

      9. 10. Did they actually see Jesus as he ascended? Was there something depending on his going away? John 16:7; 14:12. Do angels wear the appearance of men? Acts 10:8, 30. What man was it whose hope of receiving God's Spirit depended on his seeing somebody ascend to heaven? (2 Kings 2:9-11).

      11. What Jesus was it that went up? A spirit? (Luke 24:39) a vision? Will he come back as really as he went or "figuratively" or "spiritually?" (1 Thess. 4:16; John 14:3). [37]

NOTES ON LESSON 1.

      There is a former treatise addressed to "Theophilus" in the New testament, which treats on all that Jesus began to do until his ascension. It is the gospel of Luke. This treatise takes up the narrative where the former treatise left off; and, after a brief rehearsal, goes on to tell the sequel--that is how Jesus went to his Father, and from heaven and from thence carried on by the Holy Spirit and through his apostles, the work which he had on earth begun.

      Before going away Jesus had given his apostles specific commandment which outlined their (and the church's) future work. We call it the "Great Commission." (See references above on verse 2). But they were not qualified to begin their work until the Spirit came. (References on verses 4, 5). Therefore they must wait.

      Verse 8 is the key-verse to the whole book of Acts. It should by all means be memorized. For in it we, have the plan and outline of the Acts of apostles: first of all is the reference to the great initial event: "Ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you;" then the progress of their testimony--the gospel: beginning at Jerusalem (chapters 2 to 7); thence into all Judaea and Samaria (ch. 8) then to the uttermost parts of the earth. (chapters 9-28).

      These words were the last the Lord uttered upon the earth. "Ye shall be my witnesses. . . . . . unto the uttermost parts of the earth." They were directed specifically to the apostles; but have their wider application to all the Lord's people; for upon them all falls the obligation to sound out the word of the apostles' testimony concerning Jesus to the earth's remotest bounds.

      The word of the white-robed messengers filled the disciples with joy. (Luke 24:52). Why should not the promise of the Lord's return be a joy to his own? Yet, for various reasons it seems to have become an undesired thing and even a dread to many of the Lord's people. Notice how very carefully the promise of the Lord's coming is expressed. We are left in no doubt as to who is coming back nor how he will come.

      In the joy of this prospect the apostles now return to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit of promise, and to serve the Lord as his witnesses; and as he himself had taught them in a parable, to occupy till he should come. (Luke 19:11, etc.)

      The Lord's Ascension meant much to his disciples. But his coming again will mean even more. Then shall their salvation be revealed; and then shall they receive their adoption, to wit the redemption of their bodies. Then shall they obtain their crown and reward. (1 Pet 1:5-7; Rom. 8:23; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:12).

      The Mount of Olives has a peculiar prominence given it in both the historic and prophetic Scriptures. See 2 Sam. 15:23-36 and compare John 18:1; Luke 22:39. It was the Lord's frequent and favorite resort. Compare also Ezekiel's vision of the glory departing from the temple Ezek. 10:18, 19 and 11:23 with the Lord's significant action in counterpart. Mark 11:11 and Matt. 23:38, 39; 24:1-3. Also the as yet unfulfilled prophecy of Zech. 14:4.

      In verse 14 of our lesson we have the last mention of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was never so far as the record shows, treated with more veneration than other faithful women.; and the Lord especially forestalled the Roman Catholic error that his mother in the flesh had any access to him or influence with him which is not granted to all Christians (Matt. 12:46-50; Luke 11:27, 28). [38]

 

["The Lord's Day Lesson 1: The Ascending Lord." Word and Work 9 (January 1916): 37-38.]

ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC EDITION

      The electronic version of R. H. Boll's "The Lord's Day Lesson 1: The Ascending Lord" has been produced from microfilm of Word and Work for 1916.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 38:     part sof the earth." [ parts of the earth."

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 18 January 2002.
Updated 22 June 2003.

R. H. Boll The Lord's Day Lesson 1: The Ascending Lord (1916)
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