Luke 24:53

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(53) And were continually in the temple.—The statement is obviously not inconsistent with that in the Acts (Acts 1:13), that they were abiding in an upper-chamber in Jerusalem. What it indicates is, that their days were spent, not in the routine of common life, but in the prayer of fervent expectation; and for this no place was so fitting as the Temple, which their Master had taught them to look on as in very deed His “Father’s house,” the “house of prayer,” in which the soul of the true worshipper could find access to its God (Luke 20:46; John 2:16). There, too, we must remember all the memories of the precious days that had preceded the Passion would be with them in their fullest intensity. We find the same pattern of life presented in Acts 3:1.

Amen.—The word is wanting in the best MSS., as it is also in many in Matthew 28:20, Mark 16:20, and John 20:31. In each case it was probably added by the transcriber in devout thankfulness at the completion of his task

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:50-53 Christ ascended from Bethany, near the Mount of Olives. There was the garden in which his sufferings began; there he was in his agony. Those that would go to heaven, must ascend thither from the house of sufferings and sorrows. The disciples did not see him rise out of the grave; his resurrection could be proved by their seeing him alive afterwards: but they saw him ascend into heaven; they could not otherwise have a proof of his ascension. He lifted up his hands, and blessed them. He did not go away in displeasure, but in love, he left a blessing behind him. As he arose, so he ascended, by his own power. They worshipped him. This fresh display of Christ's glory drew from them fresh acknowledgments. They returned to Jerusalem with great joy. The glory of Christ is the joy of all true believers, even while they are here in this world. While waiting for God's promises, we must go forth to meet them with our praises. And nothing better prepares the mind for receiving the Holy Ghost. Fears are silenced, sorrows sweetened and allayed, and hopes kept up. And this is the ground of a Christian's boldness at the throne of grace; yea, the Father's throne is the throne of grace to us, because it is also the throne of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. Let us rely on his promises, and plead them. Let us attend his ordinances, praise and bless God for his mercies, set our affections on things above, and expect the Redeemer's return to complete our happiness. Amen. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Were continually in the temple - Until the day of Pentecost - that is, about ten days after. See Acts 2.

Praising and blessing God - Chiefly for the full proof that the Messiah had come; had redeemed them, and had ascended to heaven. "Thus the days of their mourning were ended." They were filled with happiness at the assurance of redemption, and expressed what every Christian should feel - fulness of joy at the glad tidings that a Saviour has died, and risen, and ascended to God; and an earnest desire to pour forth in the sanctuary prayers and thanksgivings to the God of grace for his mercy to a lost and ruined world.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

53. were continually in the temple—that is, every day at the regular hours of prayer till the day of Pentecost.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 24:52"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And were continually in the temple,.... At the time of worship, at the hours of prayer, or of public service; and perhaps always privately in an upper room in it, where they, with others, met frequently, and continued, with one accord, in prayer and supplication; See Gill on Acts 1:14, a practice worthy of imitation, whether in the public or private way:

praising, and blessing God; for his Son Jesus Christ, who had died for their sins, was risen again for their justification, and was now ascended into heaven, to be their advocate there; and for all spiritual bless his Gospel to every creature.

Amen; so let him be praised, and blessed by all the saints, for all that is contained in this Gospel. In a manuscript copy of Beza's, it is added,

"the Gospel according to Saint Luke was published fifteen years after the ascension of Christ;''

See Gill on the title of this Gospel "Lu 1:1".

Geneva Study Bible

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 24:53. Καὶ ἦσαν διὰ παντὸς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ] κατὰ τοὺς καιροὺς δηλονότι τῶν συνάξεων, ὅτε εἶναι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐξῆν, Euthymius Zigabenus. The popular expression διὰ παντός is not to be pressed (comp. Luke 2:37), hence it does not exclude the coming together in another locality (Acts 1:13; Acts 2:44) (in opposition to Strauss). Comp. Lechler, Apost. u. Nachapost. Zeitalt. p. 281. Moreover, after the pouring forth of the Spirit, they continued as pious Israelites daily in the temple, Acts 2:46; Acts 3:1.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 24:53. διὰ παντὸς (χρόνου understood), continually, i.e., at the hours of worship when the temple was open. By frequenting the temple the disciples remained faithful to the programme “beginning at Jerusalem”. To the Jew first, and with the Jew as far and as long as possible: such was Lk.’s habitual attitude; manifest throughout in the Gospel and in Acts.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

53. continually in the temple] This expression is one of the links between the Gospel and the Acts (see Acts 2:46; Acts 3:1, &c.).

praising and blessing God] Acts 2:46; Acts 5:42. ‘Praise is the fruit of joy.’ A characteristic close in accordance with the usual spirit of St Luke. See Introd. p. 24, and Luke 2:20, Luke 5:25, Luke 7:16, Luke 13:13; Luke 17:15 ; Luke 18:43; Luke 23:47

15, Luke 18:43, Luke 23:47.

Amen] Probably a liturgical addition, as it is omitted in א, C, D, L, &c. “The Ascension,” says Godet, “realises in the person of the Risen Son of Man the design of God towards Humanity.” That divinely- foreordained purpose (prothesis) was to make of sanctified believers a Family of God’s children like His only Son. Romans 8:28-29; Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 2:10. The work of Christ is continued by the Church, enlightened by the Spirit of God at Pentecost, and awaiting its perfection at the Second Advent. “Since then salvation involves these three things—Grace, Holiness, Glory, each Gospel, especially that of St Luke, requires, as its second volume, the Acts; as its third, the Revelation of St John.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 24:53. Διαπαντὸς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, continually in the temple) ch. Luke 2:37 [“Anna—departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day”].—αἰνοῦντες, praising) which is the fruit of joy.[276]

[276] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 2: Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (A. R. Fausset, Trans.) (117–225). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 53. - And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. These last words of the Gospel just alluded to the life of the first teachers, which is dwelt upon with considerable detail in the Acts. In the early days which succeeded the Ascension, the temple and its courts were the principal resort of the teachers of the new "way." We know that in an extraordinarily short time the numbers of adherents to the crucified and risen Jesus, in Jerusalem only, were counted by thousands. The temple and its vast courts, from its storied past, from its having been the scene of much of the Master's last teaching, was the natural centre for these leaders of the new "way." When Luke wrote the words, "were continually in the temple," it is almost certain that he proposed continuing his great narrative in the book we know as the Acts of the Apostles, in which, guided by the Divine Spirit, he relates to us how the Lord Jesus continued to work on earth - in and by his Church - from his glory-throne in heaven. The early chapters of the Acts take up the thread of the gospel story, and describe the life and work of the friends of Jesus in the great Jerusalem temple, the dangers they had to encounter, and the splendid success which rewarded their brave, faithful toil. These same Acts, in the first lines of their thrilling story, take up again the Ascension scene, which is described with fresh and vivid details From these details we learn how, when the disciples' eyes were fixed on that cloud which veiled their ascending Master, they became aware of two stranger-forms with them, clad in white and glistening garments. They knew these belonged to no earthly company. They were two among the thousands of thousands of angels, possibly the angels of the Resurrection, who sat in the empty garden-tomb. These angels tell the awe-struck friends of the ascended Jesus that their adored Master will one day (Acts 1:2) come back to earth in like manner as they had seen him go to heaven. "O earth, thou grain of sand on the shore of the great ocean of the universe of God, thou Bethlehem among the princes of the regions of heaven, thou art and thou ever wilt be, among ten thousand times ten thousand suns and worlds, the loved one, the elect of the Lord; thee will he visit again; thou shalt provide him a throne, even as thou gavest him a manger; thou shalt rejoice in the splendour of his glory, even as thou drankest his blood and his tears, and mournedst at his death. On thee he hath a great work yet to accomplish" (Hafeli, quoted by Stier).



Luke 24:53