In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.”
6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.
The opening verses of the Acts of the Apostles bridge Luke’s Gospel and the Church’s public mission. Luke addresses “Theophilus” (v. 1), likely a real individual or a symbolic figure representing any “friend of God,” continuing the narrative that began in his Gospel (cf. Luke 1:3). He recalls all that Jesus “did and taught until the day he was taken up”—underscoring that Christ’s earthly ministry was both action and proclamation (vv. 1–2).
Over forty days, the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples and spoke “about the kingdom of God” (v. 3). His resurrection confirmed His identity as Messiah, but His instruction clarified that the kingdom was not to be identified with political sovereignty, but with God’s reign over human hearts, manifest in the life of the Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. He directs them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for “the promise of the Father” (v. 4), a reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf. Joel 3:1; John 14:16-17; Acts 2:1-4).
The disciples question, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? (v. 6), reveals they still expected a national restoration of Israel—a hope grounded in Old Testament prophecies (cf. Isa 11:1-12; Ezek 37:21-28). In Jewish eschatology, the Messiah would regather the tribes, defeat Israel’s enemies, and reestablish the Davidic kingdom. Many religious leaders opposed Jesus in part because He did not fulfill these expectations of a political Messiah; instead, He proclaimed a kingdom not of this world (cf. John 18:36)—one that required repentance, humility, and spiritual rebirth. Jesus redirects the disciples’ expectation: the true restoration is not political but spiritual, and it begins with the gift of the Spirit and extends to all nations (cf. Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38-39). The new Israel of God (cf. Gal 6:16) will be defined by faith and communion in Christ.
In verse 7, Jesus gently rebukes the disciples’ curiosity about the when of God’s plan. The “times or seasons” (Greek: chronous ē kairous) are not for them to know—God alone ordains the unfolding of salvation history. This echoes Jesus’ earlier teaching: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven” (Matt 24:36). The disciples are not called to speculate but to witness. This emphasis on the Father’s authority reminds believers that God’s plan unfolds according to His wisdom, not ours—and that we are called to trust Him even when His timing remains hidden (cf. Daniel 2:21).
The two “men in white” (v. 10) are angelic messengers, as in the resurrection narratives (cf. Luke 24:4; John 20:12). Their appearance and white garments symbolize divine presence and purity. As at the empty tomb, angels explain what the disciples cannot yet comprehend: that Jesus’ departure is not abandonment but transition. As the cloud took Him from their sight (v. 9), a clear allusion to divine glory (cf. Ex 13:21-22; Dan 7:13), the angels interpret the moment.
Christ will return in glory, just as He departed in majesty (cf. Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7). His ascension is not a disappearance but an exaltation. He is enthroned at the right hand of the Father (cf. Ps 110:1; Heb 1:3), and from there He intercedes for us and will come again as Judge. The angels assure the disciples—and the Church—that the story is not over. The Ascension marks the beginning of the Church’s mission, not its conclusion.
Christ’s intercession for us refers to His perpetual offering of Himself—His once-for-all sacrifice on the Cross—before the Father on our behalf. It is the ongoing presence of His perfect obedience, His wounds, and His love within the heavenly sanctuary that speaks on our behalf (cf. Heb 7:25; 9:24; Rom 8:34). His intercession is not about changing the Father’s heart—it is the eternal presentation of His redeeming work for our benefit.
Lord Jesus Christ, You ascended in glory to the right hand of the Father, not to leave us behind, but to elevate our nature to where You are, enthroning our humanity at the heart of divine majesty. As You now intercede for us, pour out upon us the promised Spirit, that we may bear faithful witness to Your truth and proclaim Your kingdom to the ends of the earth. You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Bless those who walk by faith and not by sight
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
Comments