Acts 1

Reading Acts 1, I am struck by the difference between what Jesus told the disciples to do, and what Peter got them to do. Jesus gave them a clear instruction.

Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For in a few days, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit… You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses (Acts 1:4,5,8).

Jesus gave a clear time frame. This promise would be finished within a few days. They would receive the fulness of the Spirit. Jesus had taught them that when the Spirit came, he would lead them into all truth. They would have a much clearer understanding of his will.

Peter did not wait for the Holy Spirit but instead organised a process to appoint someone to replace Judas. That seems odd, as Jesus had warned the disciples numerous times that Judas would betray him, but he had never told them that they should appoint someone to replace him. Jesus seemed to be happy with just eleven.

The disciples had two cast lots to decide which person to appoint (Acts 1:26). This was a legitimate method under the old covenant for discovering Gods’ will, but it would become redundant once the Holy Spirit was fully given. That was only a few days away, so wouldn’t it have been more sensible to wait until they had received the gift of the Spirit before making an important decision. Instead, Peter got them to use a method that would be outmoded under the new covenant.

The other interesting issue is why Peter wanted to fill up the number of Twelve apostles. Jesus had warned them not to take up positions of authority but to act as servants of the people. He warned that they would suffer for their loyalty to Jesus (Luke 22:14-30). When they selected a person to replace Judas, I wonder if they saw themselves as selecting someone to serve and suffer from Jesus. It seemed like they were more intent on preserving the privileged role of the twelve.

Peter thought it was important that the person selected had been with Jesus from the start (Acts 1:22, but he had already promised Thomas that many who had not seen the things he had seen would be blessed (John 20:29). Stephen, Philip and Paul had no trouble proclaiming the gospel, even though they had not been present at Jesus’ baptism.

And it seems that the Holy Spirit had already moved on. He was not limited to working with twelve people, as Jesus was, because he was a man. By that time, there were 120 believers gathering together to wait for the Holy Spirit and to pray (Acts 1:15). They all received the fulness of the Spirit a day or two later on the day of Pentecost. I am sure that the Holy Spirit sent (apostled) many of them out into the world to share the gospel and build the Kingdom of God. By the time of Acts 15:2, the church in Jerusalem was being led by “apostles and elders”.

Peter’s concern about maintaining the twelve was really a bit redundant, although Simon the Zealot still needed some to work with him in place of Judas (Matt 10:4, See Power Pairs). It seems that the tendency for an elite to guard a position of privilege for themselves was there right from the beginning.