The Jewish Annotated New Testament (235 page)

18
: This verse contrasts the agility of the young with the infirmity of the old, who cannot even fasten their own belts.

19
: This comparison refers to Peter’s martyrdom, which will glorify God, to which he will be led by others. This may be a reference to the death of Peter.

23
: The beloved disciple has apparently died. This verse corrects the rumor that Jesus had promised him eternal life.

24
–25
: A second ending to the Gospel, identifying the beloved disciple as the author, or, alternatively, its authoritative witness.
World … could not contain the books
, an example of hyperbole that is a common literary convention in first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman literature (cf. Eccl 12.12).

1.1
–14: Introduction.

1
: Like the Gospel of Luke, Acts opens with a formal, conventional address (cf. Lk 1.3).
Theophilus
may have been Luke’s benefactor, although the name, meaning “lover of God,” may symbolize all readers who display such character.

2
–3
: The verses connect to the Gospel by several key themes: Holy Spirit, resurrection, kingdom of God, Jerusalem, and God’s promises.
Taken up to heaven
, entering the realm of the divine (1 Kings 2.9–15).
Holy Spirit
, the power of God working in a human life (cf. Ps 51.11 [Heb v. 13]).
Apostles
, “ones sent out,” ambassadors or representatives.
Forty days
contradicts Lk 24.50–53, which describes the ascension as taking place on the same day as the resurrection. On the number forty representing divinely ordained periods, see Gen 7.4; Ex 16.35; 24.18; Deut 2.7.

4
:
Father
, not the usual way of referring to God in the Tanakh, but not unknown see Jer 3.19; Ps 89.26; Sir 23.1;
m. Rosh Ha-Shanah
. 3.8.

5
:
John
the Baptist, see Lk 3.1–20; baptism with the Holy Spirit occurs in 2.1–4.

6
: A traditional Jewish expectation that the messiah would restore Israel’s independence (cf. Lk 24.21;
Pss. Sol
. 17; the 14th and 15th benedictions in the daily Jewish prayer called the “Amidah”/Eighteen Benedictions).

7
–8
: Jesus intimates that the apostles have a faulty understanding; God’s act of redemption is not found in a political change, but in the bestowing of the Spirit.
Witnesses
, Gk “martyres,” from which comes the English word “martyr.” “Witness” is an important theme in Acts, by which those who have seen or participated in the experience of the community are thereby empowered to testify to it; see 1.22; 2.32; 3.15; 5.32; 10.39,41; 13.31; 22.15.
Jerusalem … ends of the earth
, the outline of the narrative’s geographic progression: Jerusalem (chs 1–7); Judea and Samaria (chs 8–11), ends of the earth (chs 13–28): Acts concludes with Paul in Rome, the capital of the empire.
Ends of the earth
may also connote the ethnic progression of God’s promise from Jews to Gentiles (cf. Lk 24.47).

9
–12: The ascension.
Within the NT, only Luke-Acts reports this event.

9
:
Cloud
, common symbol for divine presence (Ex 24.15; Dan 7.13).

10
:
Two men in white
, similar figures appear in Jesus’ tomb (Lk 24.4; Jn 20.12).

11
:
Come in the same way
, Zech 14.4 identifies the Mount of Olives as the site where the Lord (God, in Heb YHWH) will appear.

12
:
Olivet
, Mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem. See 1.11n.
Sabbath’s day journey
, restrictions on travel during the Sabbath appear in the Dead Sea Scrolls (1,000 cubits, CD 10.21; 2,000 cubits when pasturing animals, CD 11.5) and rabbinic tradition (2,000 cubits,
m. Eruv
. 4.3; 5.7;
Mek. Vayassa
6;
b. Eruv
. 51a); 2,000 cubits is approximately 1 kilometer (.6 mi).

13
: The same names, in a different order and minus Judas Iscariot, appear in Lk 6.14–16.
Zealot
, not necessarily a member of a group aiming at violent revolution; perhaps an epithet indicating ardent or enthusiastic commitment.

14
:
His
(Jesus’)
brothers
, Mk 6.3 names four brothers; one, James, becomes a church leader (12.17; 15.13; 21.18; Gal 2.9; 1 Cor 15.7;
Ant
. 20.200).

1.15
–12.25: Peter and the expansion of the church.

1.15
–26: Appointment of Matthias and Judas’s death.

16
:
Scripture … fulfilled
, God’s plan, knowable through the correct reading of scripture, included both Judas’s actions and the appointment of Matthias. The reference is not to a particular text but to scripture generally.
Guide
, Lk 22.3–4,47–48 identifies Judas as leading the chief priests and others to arrest Jesus.

18
–20: Judas’s death.
Mt 27.3–10 reports that Judas regretted his involvement in Jesus’ condemnation and died by hanging himself.

18
: Judas’s death occurs as an act of divine judgment (cf. death of Herod Agrippa in 12.23).

19
:
Hakeldama … Field of Blood
, the location is given first in a transliteration of Aram “heikhal dama,” then Gk.

20
: Ps 69.25 and 109.8.

21
–26: Selection of Matthias. 22
:
Witness
, see 1.8n.
Resurrection
, according to Acts, the central message of Christianity (2.31; 4.2,33; 17.18,32; 23.6; 24.21; 26.23).

23
:
Matthias
, nothing more is reported about him.

26
:
Lots
, common practice for making decisions, revealing divine intent (e.g., Lev 16.8; Num 26.55–56; Jon 1.7; Esth 3.7; 9.24; 1 Chr 25.8–9; 1QS 5.3; Philo,
Heir
179;
m. Yoma
2.2;
b. Shabb
. 149b;
b. Yoma
39b–40a;
b. Sanh
. 43b).

26
:
Eleven
, the need to expand the number to twelve may have been influenced by the thought of the community’s leadership corresponding to the twelve tribes.

2.1
–41: Holy Spirit and Peter’s preaching.
The events take place during Shavuot (“Weeks,” Lev 23.15–21), a harvest festival (
m. Bik
. 3;
b. Shabb
. 86b) and in later Jewish tradition the time when Moses received the Torah (
b. Pesah
. 68b).

2.1
–13: Sending of the Spirit.
The act parallels Jesus’ reception of the Spirit, Lk 3.21–22.

1
:
Pentecost
, Gk “fiftieth,” the day seven full weeks (fifty days) after Pesach (Passover), the name of the festival used by Greek-speaking Jews, 2 Macc 12.32; Josephus,
J. W
. 6.299.

3
:
Tongues as of fire
, the specific image (Isa 5.24;
1 En
. 14.8–25; 71.5) and fire in general (Ex 3.2; 14.24; 19.18; Isa 5.24) symbolize divine presence.

4
:
Filled with Holy Spirit
fulfills 1.5.
Other languages
, here, as opposed to the discussion of tongues in 1 Cor 14.6–19, the speaking is in languages that are understood by native speakers in attendance.

5
:
Devout Jews from every nation
, Shavuot, one of the three pilgrimage festivals (along with Pesach [Passover] and Sukkot [Booths]) that attracted many Jews to Jerusalem. The reference suggests that these Jews reside there.

7
:
Galileans
, rabbinic commentary sometimes treated Galileans as ignorant (
m. Eruv
. 2.4;
y. Shabb
. 15d;
b. Eruv
. 53a–b).

9
–11
: List of Nations. The list adds geographic detail to
every nation under heaven
(v. 5) and foreshadows the spread of Christianity throughout the world. The order is roughly from east to west.

10
:
Proselytes
, converts to Judaism.

13
:
New wine
has not yet had time to begin turning to vinegar, so its alcoholic content is at its height.

2.14
–36: Peter’s speech.

14
–21: Teaching on Pentecost. 17–21
: Joel 2.28–32 (MT 3.1–5). Rabbinic literature understands Joel as referring to the world to come (
Num. Rab
. 15.25;
Deut. Rab
. 6.14;
Tanh. Miqqetz
10). Luke adds
in the last days
, presenting the plan as realized in the giving of the Spirit.
Slaves
indicates the inclusion of all orders of society in the world to come.

22
–36: Jesus the Messiah. 22
:
Israelites
, perhaps of wider reference, since those being addressed include pilgrims from outside Judea.
Deeds of power, wonders, and signs
, common expressions for proof of divine activity (Deut 4.34; 6.22; 26.8; Isa 8.18; Jer 32.20; Ps 78.43; Dan 4.1–3 [MT 3.31–33]).

23
: Jesus’ death was the result of both divine plan and Jewish action (3.13; 4.10; 5.30; 7.52; 13.27). Divine involvement does not absolve human responsibility.
Outside the law
, may refer Romans (who are not subject to Torah) or Jews (who transgressed against God; cf. Lk 22.37).

24
:
God raised him up
, the Jews who killed Jesus acted in opposition to God (2.36; 3.15; 4.10; 5.30,38–39; 10.39–40; 13.29–30).