(མཛད་པ། 1:6-11)

 

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven. This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

 

It was Yeshu’s final appearance to his disciples. First giving reason for not answering their question, he then reminded them again (see Mark 13:10, 11) of the Holy Spirit’s coming so as to give his simple country followers the power to witness.

Then he left them.  And the manner in which he went to heaven was also a reminder (see Mark 13:26, 27) of the way he said he would return one day. But first the gospel must be preached to all on earth. And then he would return as King, not just to save oppressed Israel, but to gather believers from every nation.

 

(མཛད་པ། 1:12-14)

 

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, 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. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

 

The disciples had seen Yeshu go at a distance of about 1.2 kilometres outside Jerusalem. Then they went back to their room to pray and to wait. There in seclusion they were just the eleven remaining chosen apostles (See Mark 3:16-19) and the loyal women, to whom were now added Yeshu’s own brothers.

It was a small group with a deep desire to know God’s will for their lives. How would the Spirit come? What must they be doing?

(མཛད་པ། 1:15-26)

 

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong[d] he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:15-26)

 

Now it seems that there were enough men present in one place for the disciples to form a constitutional body according to the requirements of Jewish Law.

After praying and studying the scriptures it became clear to Peter what they must do; they must restore the full number of Yeshu’s represent-atives from 11 to 12. So who was it that he had chosen?

Two names were suggested; so by prayer to Yeshu and by the casting of lots they discovered which of the two was the man to share in the apostles’ work of being his witnesses, having lived with Yeshu throughout the three years of his ministry.