33. The Ministry of the Forty Days
“Being Seen of Them Forty Days”
The Ministry of the Forty Days
THE ACTIVITIES OF our Lord during the period between His resurrection and His ascension are not always accorded the place of importance they deserve. It will be our aim in this chapter to indicate the main purpose of His actions and appearances during those forty momentous days. It is not difficult to imagine how thrilling it must have been to the dispirited disciples to speak with their risen Master, to listen again to that familiar voice. The topics of their discussion are summed up in the phrase “things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1–3).
Apart from the incidents recorded in the gospels, the only fragment of His teaching during this transitional period preserved to us is contained in Acts 1:1–8. But a careful study of this paragraph in conjunction with the relevant passages in the gospels, provides illuminating insight into the significance of those days.
It is of more than passing interest that the Christ whose life was lived, whose service was performed, and whose death was achieved “through the eternal Spirit” (Hebrews 9:14) should, even after His resurrection, give commandments to His followers “through the Holy Ghost” (Acts 1:2). Here was admirable evidence of the harmony and interdependence of members of the Godhead as they worked together for our redemption and sanctification.
An Evidential Value
His primary objective was doubtless to provide His disciples with incontrovertible evidence that death had not held its prey. “He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3). He lingered long enough on earth to satisfy His followers of the truth of His resurrection, and they were not easily convinced. They had been “slow of heart to believe” (Luke 24:25) that the tomb was indeed empty, so He provided them with impressive proof of His survival.
The phrase “many infallible proofs” signifies the strongest proof of which a subject is capable. The very fact that the disciples were not in the least credulous and had to have their doubts thoroughly removed is in itself proof of the most convincing kind that Jesus did rise and appear to them as Scripture records. And they were so completely convinced that they never doubted again.
Although it was at great cost and often against their personal interest, they bore courageous testimony to the resurrection, simply because their experience and observation compelled them to do so. He presented them with the signs of bodily identity in the scars in hands and feet and side—an evidence of identity that would be accepted in any court of law (John 20:27).
An Explanatory Value
The passage in Acts 1:1–8 is obviously a greatly condensed summary of Jesus’ instructions to the men to whom He was entrusting the evangelization of the world. His conversation must have covered a very wide field, and Luke, guided by the Spirit, has preserved for us some of the more important themes around which His teaching revolved.
He gave a hint as to the nature of His kingdom in verses 3 and 7. His appearances, disappearances, and re-appearances were designed to impress on them the fact that His kingdom was “not of this world” (John 18:36). They were anticipating a nationalistic kingdom of earthly glory. “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Jesus would have them learn that henceforth their relationship with Him would be entirely on a spiritual basis. They must divest themselves of the idea of an immediate defeat of Rome and establishment of a Jewish kingdom. The timing of that event was God’s concern, not theirs (Acts 1:7).
He indicated the nature of the apostolic mission. “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). His program was clearly defined and explicit. The word of their witness was to extend from Jerusalem as the center in ever-widening circles until it had reached earth’s remotest bound. The witness was to be as far as possible synchronous in each of the spheres mentioned. It should be noted that our Lord did not say, “First Jerusalem, then Judea and then Samaria,” but “both Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth.” They were not selfishly to hug their own spiritual privileges and blessings.
He revealed to them the source of their power for such a stupendous, mind-stretching enterprise. As He unfolded His plan, they might well have protested, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16). He revealed to them the source of their power beforehand: “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). He reminded them again of His provision: “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” He was not going to leave them dependent on merely human resources for what was clearly a superhuman task.
An Evangelistic Value
Most of our Lord’s post-resurrection appearances had some relation to the extension of His kingdom. He desired to infuse His followers with the missionary passion that blazed at white heat in His own breast. The enterprise to which He was calling them extended to every nation, every community, every creature in the whole world (Matthew 28:20).
Notice the keynote of His conversations with His disciples. When He appeared to the ten, His commission was, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). He invested them with the same authority as He had received from the Father. They were to be missionaries under His orders, even as He had been a missionary under His Father’s direction. In the same interview He banished their fears by bestowing His peace, and imparted to them the Holy Spirit.
To the seven on the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1–2) He issued the symbolic command to those whom He had said were to become fishers of men, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship,” thus teaching them that only as much of their service as was Christ-directed would be successful in taking men alive. At the same time He instructed Peter—and incidentally the others—in the art of feeding both the sheep and the lambs of the flock.
To the disciples on the mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16–20) Jesus outlined His program of world evangelization. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations … teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Here was a command both universal and individual, binding on all His followers in all ages.
To the eleven at Jerusalem (Luke 24:44–53) Jesus enjoined that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye shall be witnesses of these things.” He followed this at once with the command to tarry in Jerusalem until they had received the enduement of power that alone would enable them to encompass the staggering commission He had given them.
So on each occasion when He met His disciples, the great burden of His heart found expression. Only by their loving obedience could they enable Him to “see of the travail of his soul, and … be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11).
The matters of which Jesus made no mention are equally striking and significant in our materialistic and computerized age. The financial problem which bulks so largely in our calculations was not even mentioned. Methods of organization, structure of the church, type of church buildings were alike ignored. But great emphasis was laid upon utter and absolute abandonment to His leading and devotion to His person as the motive power of evangelistic endeavor.
An Eschatological Value
Throughout all our Lord’s conversations there was the underlying assumption that this evangelistic thrust was not to continue forever. It would lead to a glorious consummation. “Till I come” was the time factor that Jesus used in speaking to Peter (John 22:21). He promised His presence “unto the end [or consummation] of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Those statements limited the scope of evangelistic opportunity to the period between our Lord’s ascension and His second advent. Since that is so, we should seize with both hands such opportunities of reaching “every creature” in our generation as still remain.
The Lord ascendeth up on high,
The Lord hath triumphed gloriously,
In power and might excelling;
The grave and hell are captive led,
Lo He returns, our glorious Head,
To His eternal dwelling.
The heavens with joy receive their Lord,
By saints, by angel hosts adored;
O day of exultation!
O earth, adore thy glorious King!
His rising, His ascension sing
With grateful adoration.
Our great High Priest has gone before,
Now on His church His grace to pour,
And still His love He giveth;
O may our hearts to Him ascend,
May all within us upward tend
To Him who ever liveth.ARTHUR TOZER RUSSELL