Acts 1:14

But how does he say, "with Mary the mother of Jesus"? Although the evangelist said that "from that time the disciple… took Her to his own" (John 19:27), this in no way contradicts the foregoing, because if that very disciple was there, then nothing prevented …

All these were continually devoting themselves with one accord to prayer. Those who patiently continue in prayer are those who await the arrival of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit of discipline flees from deceit (Wisdom 1). Therefore, whoever desires to receive the promised …

With the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. It says brothers of Jesus, not of Mary. For in Greek there is a clear distinction where it is written not αὐτῆς but αὐτοῦ, which without any doubt is a masculine pronoun among …

These all continued, with one accord, in prayer and supplication,.... For the promise of the Spirit Christ had given them reason to expect; and that they might be preserved from their enemies, and kept faithful to their Lord; and be abundantly qualified for the preaching of the Gospel, and succeeded in it; and that their hearts might be comforted, and knit together in love: and they were unanimous in their requests, and so were under the promise of being heard; and in this work they were constant, and assiduous, and followed it with importunity.

), and it is the last time that ever any mention is made of her in the scriptures. There were others that are here said to be the brethren of our Lord, his kinsmen according to the flesh; and, to make up the hundred and twenty spoken of (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation

With a particular account of the filling up of the vacancy that was made in the sacred college by the death of Judas, by the electing of Matthias in his room,

These - continued - in prayer and supplication - Waiting for the promise of the Father, according to the direction of our Lord, Luk 24:49. The words και τῃ δεησει, and in supplication, are omitted by ABC*DE, both the Syriac, the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala, and some of the primitive fathers. On this evidence, Griesbach has left them out of the text; and others contend for the propriety of this omission, because, say they, τῃ προσευχῃ and τῃ δεησει, prayer and supplication, mean the same thing. Whether the reading be genuine or spurious, this inference is not just.

continued with one accord--knit by a bond stronger than death. in prayer and supplication--for the promised baptism, the need of which in their orphan state would be increasingly felt. and Mary the mother of Jesus--distinguished from the other "women," but "so as to exclude the idea of her having any pre-eminence over the disciples.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes

IN all those churches which are not altogether tied and bound by liturgies and rituals, it has been common to hold meetings for social prayer. We call them Prayer Meetings. Now, it may be profitable, now and then, to look over some of our institutions, to see whether they are Scriptural—to notice their defects, to see in what respect they may be improved, or to observe their merits—that we may be induced still further to carry them on. The subject, therefore, this evening, suggested to me by the fact that we are going to meet for a day of prayer tomorrow, is that of Prayer Meetings— assemblies of the people of God for worship of that peculiar kind which consists in each one expressing his desire before the Lord. Let us, then, go through very briefly— I. THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY OF MEETINGS FOR PRAYER. These meetings must have been very common, indeed. They were, doubtless, everyday things, but still there are some few records of the facts connected with them which may be instructive. The first meeting for prayer which we find after our Lord's Ascension to Heaven is the one mentioned in the text—and we are led from it to remark that united prayer is the comfort of a disconsolate Church Can you judge of the sorrow which filled the hearts of the disciples when their Lord was gone from them? They were an army without a leader, a flock without a shepherd, a family without a head. Exposed to innumerable trials, the strong, brazen wall of His Presence, which had been round about them, was now withdrawn. In the deep desolation of their spirits they resorted to prayer. They were like a flock of sheep that will huddle together in a storm, or come closer, each to its fellow, when they hear the sound of the wolf. Poor defenseless creatures as they were, they yet loved to come together and would die together if necessary.

IN all those churches which are not altogether tied and bound by liturgies and rituals, it has been common to hold meetings for social prayer. We call them Prayer Meetings. Now, it may be profitable, now and then, to look over some of our institutions, to see whether they are Scriptural—to notice their defects, to see in what respect they may be improved, or to observe their merits—that we may be induced still further to carry them on.

These all continued ... - The word “continued” denotes “persevering and constant attention.” The main business was devotion. Act 6:4, “we will give ourselves continually to the ministry of the word.” Rom 12:12, “continuing instant in prayer”; Rom 13:6, “Attending continually upon this very thing.” It is their main and constant employment. Compare Col 4:2. With one accord - Greek: ὁμοθυμαδόν homothumadon - “with one mind.” The word denotes the entire harmony of their views and feelings. There were no schisms, no divided interests, no discordant purposes. This is a beautiful picture of devotion, and a specimen of what social worship ought now to be, and a beautiful illustration of Psa 133:1-3. The apostles felt that they had one great object; and their deep grief at the loss of their master, and their doubts and perplexities, led them, as all afflictions ought to lead us, to the throne of grace. In prayer and supplication - These words are nearly synonymous, and are often interchanged. They express here petitions to God for blessings, and prayer to avert impending evils. With the women - The women that had followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee, Luk 8:2-3, Luk 8:23, Luk 8:49, Luk 8:55; Luk 24:10; Mat 27:55. The women particularly mentioned are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, the mother of Zebedee’s children, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna. Besides these, there were others whose names are not mentioned. Most of them were relatives of the apostles or of the Saviour; and it is not improbable that some of them were wives of the apostles. Peter is known to have been married Mat 8:14, and had his wife in attendance with him in his travels 1Co 9:5; and the same was doubtless true of some of the other apostles, 1Co 9:5.- Mary, the mother of Jesus, is here particularly mentioned, showing that she now cast in her lot with the apostles. […]