Acts 1:3

For this He then remained forty days on earth, furnishing in this length of time the sure evidence of their seeing Him in His own proper Person, that they might not suppose that what they saw was a phantom. And not content with this, He added also the evidence of eating with them at their board: as to signify this, the writer adds, "And being at table with them, He commanded." And this circumstance the Apostles themselves always put forth as an infallible token of the Resurrection; as where they say, "Who did eat and drink with Him." And what did He, when appearing unto them those forty days? Why, He conversed with them, says the writer, "concerning the kingdom of God." For, since the disciples both had been distressed and troubled at the things which already had taken place, and were about to go forth to encounter great difficulties, He recovered them by His discourses concerning the future.

After that, Pentecost is a most joyous space for conferring baptisms; wherein, too, the resurrection of the Lord was repeatedly proved among the disciples, and the hope of the advent of the Lord indirectly pointed to, in that, at that time, when He had been received back into the heavens, the angels told the apostles that "He would so come, as He had withal ascended into the heavens; " at Pentecost, of course.

Jesus was taken up, so that no one would think that this happened by the power of another, and he immediately brought also the authority from his own power; to whom he also presented himself alive. Showing that same one as both having suffered and …

He said it was forty days, not in consecutive days; for he did not spend time with them continuously, as before the passion, but intermittently, at once preparing for them a more longing appearance of himself, and at the same time revealing a more exalted …

In order to raise us to hope, he ascended to the heavenly glory which we hope for. But because hope does not arise except from faith in future immortality, therefore he did not ascend immediately, but with an interval of forty days interposed, in which …

And this is the reasoning Christ used, during forty days appearing to them. "Did not the Christ have to suffer these things before entering into His glory?" Concerning this central position, John writes: "When it was late, Jesus came and stood in their midst and …

Having spoken first about the ascension, he then speaks also about the resurrection. Since you heard that He ascended, lest you think that He was taken up by others, Luke added: "to whom He also presented Himself alive"; because if He stood before them having …

Appearing to them during forty days and speaking of the kingdom of God, and eating with them, etc. To strengthen the faith in his resurrection, the Lord often appeared alive to the apostles after his passion, took food, and displayed the same flesh which he …

Being seen by them forty days - That is, many times during that space. And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God - Which was the sum of all his discourses with them before his passion also.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:84%@v2-7

To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion,....

He had given them a general idea of that kingdom, and the certain time it should be set up in the world (in his parable, Mark xiii .), but here he instructed them more in the nature of it, as a kingdom of grace in this world and of glory in the other, and opened to them that covenant which is the great charter by which it is incorporated.

With a particular narrative of Christ's ascension into heaven, his disciples' discourse with him before he ascended, and the angels' discourse with them after he ascended,

He showed himself - The resurrection of Jesus was the great fact on which the truth of the gospel was to be established. Hence, the sacred writers so often refer to it, and establish it by so many arguments. As the fact of his resurrection lay at the foundation of all that Luke was about to record in his history, it was of importance that he should state clearly the sum of the evidence of it in the beginning of his work. After his passion - After he suffered, referring particularly to his death as the consummation of his sufferings.

To whom - he showed himself alive - by many infallible proofs - Πολλοις τεκμηριοις; by many proofs of such a nature, and connected with such circumstances, as to render them indubitable; for this is the import of the Greek word τεκμηριον. The proofs were such as these: 1. Appearing to several different persons at different times. 2. His eating and drinking with them. 3. His meeting them in Galilee according to his own appointment. 4. His subjecting his body to be touched and handled by them. 5. His instructing them in the nature and doctrines of his kingdom. 6. His appearing to upwards of five hundred persons at once, 1Co 15:6. And, 7. Continuing these public manifestations of himself for forty days. The several appearances of Jesus Christ, during the forty days of his sojourning with his disciples, between his resurrection and ascension, are thus enumerated by Bishop Pearce: The first was to Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, Mat 28:1-9. The second, to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, Luk 24:15. The third, to Simon Peter, Luk 24:34. The fourth, to ten of the apostles, Thomas being absent, Luk 24:36, and Joh 20:19. (All these four appearances took place on the day of his resurrection.) The fifth was to the eleven disciples, Thomas being then with them, Joh 20:26. The sixth, to seven of the apostles in Galilee, at the sea of Tiberias, Joh 21:4. The seventh, to James, 1Co 15:7, most probably in Jerusalem, and when Jesus gave an order for all his apostles to assemble together, as in Act 1:4. The eighth, when they were assembled together, and when he led them unto Bethany, Luk 24:50, from whence he ascended to heaven. But see the note on Joh 21:14, for farther particulars. Pertaining to the kingdom of God - Whatever concerned the doctrine, discipline, and establishment of the Christian Church.