Easter Season · Ascension of the Lord · Year B
Acts 1:1-11
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
Overview & Insights
“This Jesus... will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
Acts and the Third Gospel clearly come from the same hand. Not only their common dedication, but their common interests and their unity of language and style leave this beyond doubt. Moreover, the way in which they are introduced—the Gospel with its relatively detailed preface, Acts with its shorter introduction echoing the other’s language—points us to the fact that these are not simply two books by the same author, but two volumes of one book. This arrangement of a work into a number of “books” having a common preface, with the later books having their own brief introduction, was a not-uncommon feature of ancient writing (cf., e.g., Josephus, Against Apion 2.1–7; see BC , vol. 2, p. 491).
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Commentary
Acts 1 - Jesus Ascends to Heaven Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik's verse by verse study of the forty days, the promise of the Spirit, and the ascension.
Acts 1:1 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentators on Luke's second preface and the opening of Acts.
Acts 1 Commentary Precept Austin
In depth notes with Greek helps and preaching resources on the ascension narrative.
Commentary on Acts 1:1-11 Working Preacher
A scholarly exegesis of the ascension text keyed to Ascension of the Lord in the lectionary.
Background & Word Study
Acts of the Apostles | Enter the Bible Enter the Bible
Background on Luke's authorship, purpose and structure of Acts as the sequel to the Gospel.
Book of Acts Overview: Acts 1-12 BibleProject
Animated overview of the first half of Acts, from the ascension to the spread of the church.
Acts 1:1 Interlinear BibleHub
Greek text with parsing and Strong's numbers for Luke's prologue and the ascension scene.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What happens at the Ascension?
After forty days Jesus is lifted up before the apostles and a cloud takes him from their sight; two angels promise his return, and he tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Spirit and to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth.
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