Acts 1

There is yet another change. I am currently taking a course on Paul. In the course we study Paul and will read Acts and Paul's letters. So, I'm starting Acts today and I'll probably be looking at larger portions of text each day. Actually, I'll probably just read a whole bunch and summarize for that day.

So today I read Acts 1. Acts is the second book in the bible that is written by Luke. Acts basically continues from where Luke ends. The author, Luke, addresses the person he is writing to, Theophilus. In the first chapter we read about Jesus ascending into heaven and a group of people including the disciples watching Jesus ascend into heaven. Now they have to figure out what to do next, and we get a hint in this chapter about what they are to expect. Jesus tells them about the Holy Spirit, who is supposed to come upon them. So, after Jesus has ascended, the followers of Jesus are continuing to devote their time to prayer. Their first order of business is to replace Judas with another person. The office of apostleship is an important role that needs to be filled and so they nominate two people for this position. Lots are cast and Matthias is the one who fills the spot left by Judas. Acts tells us that Judas acquired a field and died in a bloody and gruesome way. However, in the book of Matthew, we read that Judas hanged himself. This is quite weird and it seems contradictory for both to be true. I've heard the interpretation that both could be true. It is possible that Judas did in fact hang himself and afterwards he fell somehow and went headfirst into the ground and his body burst open as Acts depicts. Regardless, the passage isn't really about Judas and how he died, but about Jesus' ascension and replacing Judas.