SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:3
a los cuales, despus de haber padecido, se present vivo en muchas pruebas, aparecindoles por cuarenta días, y hablndoles del Reino de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 1:3
Verse 3. To whom-he showed himself alive-by many infallible proofs] polloiv tekmhrioiv; 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 tekmhrion. 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, 1 Cor. xv. 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, Matt. xxviii. 1-9. The second, to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 15. The third, to Simon Peter, Luke xxiv. 34.
The fourth, to ten of the apostles, Thomas being absent, Luke xxiv. 36, and John xx. 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, John xx. 26. The sixth, to seven of the apostles in Galilee, at the sea of Tiberias, John xxi. 4. The seventh, to James, 1 Cor. xv. 7, most probably in Jerusalem, and when Jesus gave an order for all his apostles to assemble together, as in ver. 4. The eighth, when they were assembled together, and when he led them unto Bethany, Luke xxiv. 50, from whence he ascended to heaven. But see the note on John xxi. 14, for farther particulars.
Pertaining to the kingdom of God] Whatever concerned the doctrine, discipline, and establishment of the Christian Church.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion , etc.] That is, after his sufferings and death; for that he suffered many things, and at last death itself, is certain from the acknowledgment of the Jews themselves, who own, that they put him to death on the passover eve f4 ; as well as from the accounts of the evangelists; and from the soldiers not breaking his legs, when the rest that were crucified with him were broken, because he was already dead; and from his ricardium being pierced with a spear, from whence blood and water sprung, after which it was impossible he should be alive; and from the testimony of the centurion who watched him, to whom Pilate sent to know if he was dead, and how long he had been dead; and from his being buried, and lying in the grave so long as he did: and yet after, and not withstanding this, he showed himself alive; he raised himself from the dead, and hereby declared himself to be the Son of God with power, which cannot be said of others; there were others that were alive after death, but not by their own power; as the widow of Sareptas son, the daughter of Jairus, Lazarus, and the widow of Nains son; but these did not show themselves alive, as Christ did, who appeared often to his apostles: for after he had first appeared to Mary Magdalene, he showed himself to the two disciples going to Emmaus; then to ten of them, Thomas being absent; after that to them all, Thomas being present, when he convinced him of the truth of his resurrection; after that he appeared to seven of the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and then to all the apostles; and to five hundred brethren at once on a mountain in Galilee; and once to James alone, and to them all again when he was parted from them and went up to heaven; and so they must be proper and sufficient witnesses of his resurrection: and this evidence of his being alive, he gave to them, by many infallible proofs; or by many signs and tokens, and which were most sure and unquestionable arguments of his being alive; as his eating and drinking with them, walking and talking with them in a free and familiar manner, showing them his hands and his feet, and side, that they might see the scars which the nails and spear had made; and which were not only a proof that he was risen again, but risen again in the same body in which he suffered; and that they might feel and handle him, and know that he was not a spirit, a phantom, a mere apparition, but was really risen and alive: being seen of them forty days; not that he was seen by them for forty days together continually, but at certain times, within the space of forty days; for between his first and last appearance, many others intervening, such a length of time run out; so that it was not a single and sudden appearance that surprised them; but there were many of them, and a distance between them, and this for a considerable term of time; hence they had opportunity of reflecting upon these appearances, and of satisfying themselves of the truth of things. This number of forty days is a remarkable one in Scripture. The flood was forty days upon the earth; and so long Moses was in the mount with God; such a number of days the spies were searching the land of Canaan; so many days Goliath presented himself to the armies of Israel; and so long a time Elijah went in the strength of the meat the angel provided for him; and for such a length of time the prophet Ezekiel was to bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; and such a term of time was given out by Jonah for the destruction of Nineveh; and so many days Christ fasted, and was tempted in the wilderness. The Jews pretend f5 , that forty days before Jesus was put to death he was led forth, and a crier went before him, declaring, that whoever would, had liberty to testify to his innocence if they could, but no man appeared for him: but this is false; the truth of the matter is, that for forty days after his resurrection he showed himself to his disciples, and by proving the truth of his resurrection, he proved his own innocence and uprightness. If the testimony of Rabbenu Hakadosh, as cited by Galatinus, could be depended on, the Jews had a notion of this forty days conversation of the Messiah with his disciples, after his resurrection; who say f6 , the Messiah, after his resurrection, shall converse with the righteous, and they shall hear his precepts forty days, answerable to those forty days in which he shall be in the wilderness to afflict his soul, before they shall kill him; and these being finished, he shall ascend to heaven, and sit at the right hand of God, as it is said, ( <19B001> Psalm 110:1).
But this seems rather to be the pious fraud of some Christian, than the words of a Jew: however, they do say f7 , that the days of the Messiah are forty days, as it is said, ( Psalm 95:10) forty years long was I grieved; or, as they interpret it, shall I be grieved with this generation: intimating, that the generation of the Messiah, and of the wilderness, would be much alike, and equally grieving to God, and reckoning a day for a year, as the Lord did with that generation, ( Numbers 14:33,34). These forty days Christ was with his disciples, may be an emblem of the forty years which were to run out from his death, to his coming again to take vengeance on the Jewish nation; for so long time was there from thence to the destruction of Jerusalem. And Christ was not only seen of the disciples at certain seasons during this space of time, but he was also heard by them: for it follows, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God ; the kingdom of the Messiah, the Gospel dispensation; concerning the doctrines of the Gospel they were to preach, and the ordinances of it they were to administer; concerning the church of God, the nature, order, and officers of it, and the laws and rules by which it should be governed; concerning the kingdom of grace, what it consists of, and wherein it lies; and of the kingdom of glory, of meetness for it, his own grace, and of the right unto it, his own justifying righteousness: some of these things they might have before but very little knowledge of; and may be these are the things he had to say to them, and which, till now, they could not bear; and being no more to be with them in person, he instructs them in them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Our Lord told the disciples the work they were to do. The apostles me together at Jerusalem; Christ having ordered them not to depart thence but to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. This would be baptism by the Holy Ghost, giving them power to work miracles, an enlightening and sanctifying their souls. This confirms the Divin promise, and encourages us to depend upon it, that we have heard it from Christ; for in Him all the promises of God are yea and amen.
Greek Textus Receptus
οις 3739 R-DPM και 2532 CONJ παρεστησεν 3936 5656 V-AAI-3S εαυτον 1438 F-3ASM ζωντα 2198 5723 V-PAP-ASM μετα 3326 PREP το 3588 T-ASN παθειν 3958 5629 V-2AAN αυτον 846 P-ASM εν 1722 PREP πολλοις 4183 A-DPN τεκμηριοις 5039 N-DPN δι 1223 PREP ημερων 2250 N-GPF τεσσαρακοντα 5062 A-NUI οπτανομενος 3700 5740 V-PNP-NSM αυτοις 846 P-DPM και 2532 CONJ λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM τα 3588 T-APN περι 4012 PREP της 3588 T-GSF βασιλειας 932 N-GSF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Shewed himself (paresthsen). This verb is rendered in a variety of ways in the New Testament, as give or furnish, present, provide, assist, commend. The original meaning is to place beside, and so commend to the attention. Hence, to set before the mind; present, shew.Infallible proofs (tekmhrioiv). The word is akin to tekmar a fixed boundary, goal, end; and hence a fixed or sure sign or token. The Rev. omits infallible, probably, assuming that a proof implies certainty. Being seen (optanomenov). Only here in New Testament. Rev., appearing.
Forty days (di hmerwn tesserakonta). Lit., "through forty days." Rev., by the space of. The only passage where the interval between the resurrection and the ascension is given.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:3 {To whom also} (hois kai). He chose them and qen also manifested himself to these very same men that they might have personal witness to give. {Shewed himself alive} (parestesen heauton zwnta). To the disciples the first Sunday evening (#Mr 16:14; Lu 24:36-43; Joh 20:19-25), the second Sunday evening (#Joh 20:26-29), at the Sea of Tiberias (#Joh 21:1-23), on the mountain in Galilee (#Mt 28:16-20; Mr 16:15-18; 1Co 15:6), to the disciples in Jerusalem and Olivet (#Lu 24:44-53; Mr 16-19f.; Ac 1:1-11). Luke uses this verb paristemi 13 times in the Acts both transitively and intransitively. It is rendered by various English words (present, furnish, provide, assist, commend). The early disciples including Paul never doubted the fact of the Resurrection, once they were convinced by personal experience. At first some doubted like Thomas (#Mr 16:14; Lu 24:41; Joh 20:24f.; Mt 28:17). But after that they never wavered in their testimony to their own experience with the Risen Christ, "whereof we are witnesses" Peter said (#Ac 3:15). They doubted at first, that we may believe, but at last they risked life itself in defence of this firm faith. {After his passion} (meta to paqein auton). Neat Greek idiom, meta with the articular infinitive (second aorist active of pascw) and the accusative of general reference, "after the suffering as to him." For paqein used absolutely of Christ's suffering see also #Ac 17:3; 26:23. {By many proofs} (en pollois tekmeriois). Literally, "in many proofs." tekmerion is only here in the N.T., though an old and common word in ancient Greek and occurring in the _Koin_ (papyri, etc.). The verb tekmairw, to prove by sure signs, is from tekmar, a sign. Luke does not hesitate to apply the definite word "proofs" to the evidence for the Resurrection of Christ after full investigation on the part of this scientific historian. Aristotle makes a distinction between tekmerion (proof) and semeion (sign) as does Galen the medical writer. {Appearing} (optanomenos). Present middle participle from late verb optanw, late _Koin_ verb from root optw seen in oyomai, wfqen. In LXX, papyri of second century B.C. (Deissmann, _Light from the Ancient East_, p. 83). Only here in the N.T. For optasia for vision see #Ac 26:19; Lu 1:22; 24:23. {By the space of forty days} (di' hemerwn tesserakonta). At intervals (dia, between) during the forty days, ten appearances being known to us. Jesus was not with them continually now in bodily presence. The period of forty days is given here alone. The Ascension was thus ten days before Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came. Moses was in the mount forty days (#Ex 24:18) and Jesus fasted forty days (#Mt 4:2). In the Gospel of Luke 24 this separation of forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension is not drawn. {The things concerning the Kingdom of God} (ta peri tes basileias tou qeou). this phrase appears 33 times in Luke's Gospel, 15 times in Mark, 4 times in Matthew who elsewhere has "the kingdom of heaven," once in John, and 6 times in Acts. No essential distinction is to be drawn between the two for the Jews often used "heaven" rather than "God" to avoid using the Tetragrammaton. But it is noticeable how the word kingdom drops out of Acts. Other words like gospel (euaggelion) take the place of "kingdom." Jesus was fond of the word "kingdom" and Luke is fond of the idiom "the things concerning" (ta peri). Certainly with Jesus the term "kingdom" applies to the present and the future and covers so much that it is not strange that the disciples with their notions of a political Messianic kingdom (#Ac 1:6) were slow to comprehend the spiritual nature of the reign of God.
