Acts 1:12
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day's journey away.
Then they returned to Jerusalem
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the early church's history. The disciples' return to Jerusalem signifies obedience to Jesus' command to wait for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). The Greek word for "returned" (ὑπέστρεψαν) implies a deliberate action, highlighting their commitment to follow Christ's instructions. Jerusalem, the city of peace, holds profound historical and theological significance as the center of Jewish worship and the birthplace of the church. This return sets the stage for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, fulfilling Jesus' promise and empowering the disciples for their mission.

from the Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives, or "Olivet," is a place rich in biblical history and prophecy. It is the location of Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:9-12) and is prophesied to be the site of His return (Zechariah 14:4). The mount is situated east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley, and has been a significant site for Jewish and Christian traditions. Its mention here underscores the continuity of God's redemptive plan, as it connects the Old Testament prophecies with the New Testament fulfillment in Christ.

which is near the city
This phrase emphasizes the proximity of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, approximately a Sabbath day's journey, or about 0.6 miles (1 kilometer). The closeness of these locations symbolizes the nearness of God's promises and the unfolding of His divine plan. It also reflects the disciples' readiness to witness the fulfillment of Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit, as they remain close to the heart of Jewish worship and the emerging Christian community.

a Sabbath day’s journey away
The term "Sabbath day's journey" refers to the maximum distance a Jew was permitted to travel on the Sabbath without breaking the law, traditionally about 2,000 cubits or roughly 0.6 miles (1 kilometer). This detail highlights the disciples' adherence to Jewish customs and laws, even as they transition into the new covenant community. It serves as a reminder of the continuity between the Old and New Testaments and the disciples' respect for their heritage while embracing the new work God is doing through Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Disciples
The followers of Jesus who witnessed His ascension and are now returning to Jerusalem. They are central figures in the early church and are about to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

2. Jerusalem
The city where the disciples return to after Jesus' ascension. It is significant as the center of Jewish worship and the location where the early church will begin.

3. Mount of Olives
The place from which Jesus ascended into heaven. It holds prophetic significance in both the Old and New Testaments.

4. Sabbath Day’s Journey
A term used to describe a short distance that could be traveled on the Sabbath according to Jewish law, approximately 2,000 cubits or about 0.6 miles.
Teaching Points
Obedience to Jesus' Commands
The disciples' return to Jerusalem demonstrates their obedience to Jesus' instruction to wait for the Holy Spirit. This teaches us the importance of following God's guidance even when the future is uncertain.

Significance of Place
The Mount of Olives is a place of both historical and prophetic significance. Understanding the biblical geography can deepen our appreciation of God's redemptive plan.

Community and Fellowship
The disciples' journey together emphasizes the importance of community and fellowship among believers. We are called to support and encourage one another in our faith journeys.

Preparation for God's Work
The disciples' return to Jerusalem is a time of preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit. We should also prepare our hearts and minds for the work God wants to do in and through us.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the disciples' obedience in returning to Jerusalem teach us about following God's instructions in our own lives?

2. How does the Mount of Olives' significance in both the Old and New Testaments enhance our understanding of God's plan for redemption?

3. In what ways can we cultivate a sense of community and fellowship similar to that of the early disciples?

4. How can we prepare ourselves spiritually for the work God wants to accomplish through us, as the disciples did while waiting for the Holy Spirit?

5. What other biblical events or prophecies are connected to the locations mentioned in Acts 1:12, and how do they inform our understanding of this passage?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Zechariah 14:4
This Old Testament prophecy mentions the Mount of Olives as the place where the Lord will stand in the end times, connecting the location to future eschatological events.

Luke 24:50-53
This passage describes the ascension of Jesus from the Mount of Olives, providing a parallel account to Acts 1:12 and emphasizing the continuity of the account.

Acts 2:1-4
The disciples' return to Jerusalem sets the stage for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, highlighting the importance of their obedience and unity.
A True Commencement Must have Respect to What has Gone BeforeH. C. Trumbull, D. D.Acts 1:1-12
Aspects of Christ on the EarthActs 1:1-12
Christ Directs Thought to HeavenActs 1:1-12
Christ Preceding His Apostles to HeavenA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:1-12
Christ's Finished and Unfinished WorkA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:1-12
Jesus LivesJ. Stoughton.Acts 1:1-12
Literary HistoriesW. R. Campbell.Acts 1:1-12
St. Luke a Model for the Bible StudentR. Burgess, B. D.Acts 1:1-12
Teaching to be Combined with DoingGf. Pentecost.Acts 1:1-12
The Ascending LordMonday ClubActs 1:1-12
The Ascension of ChristJ W. Hamilton.Acts 1:1-12
The Ascension: its Central PositionNesselmann.Acts 1:1-12
The Beginning of Apostolicity (1J. Parker, D. D.Acts 1:1-12
The Beginning of Apostolicity (2J. Parker, D. D.Acts 1:1-12
The Coronation of ChristW. B. Campbell.Acts 1:1-12
The Ever-Active ChristA. Verran.Acts 1:1-12
The Gospels and the ActsW. Arnot, D. D.Acts 1:1-12
The Gospels the Living Picture of ChristLittle's "Historical Lights."Acts 1:1-12
The Last Days of the Gospel PeriodW. Hudson.Acts 1:1-12
The Memorabilia of ChristActs 1:1-12
The Ministry of Jesus a BeginningW. Hudson.Acts 1:1-12
The Permanence of Christ in HistoryA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:1-12
The Pre-Eminence of the Doctrine of Christ IncarnateEvangelical MagazineActs 1:1-12
The Resurrection and Ascension of ChristD. Jennings.Acts 1:1-12
The Unchanged PlanW. R. Campbell.Acts 1:1-12
The Uniqueness of Christ's Earthly MinistryD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 1:1-12
TheophilusBp. Jacobsen.Acts 1:1-12
Christ in HeavenG. H. James.Acts 1:9-12
Christ's Way to Heaven UnclosedJ. Alexander, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
Comfort in a CloudActs 1:9-12
Taken UpW. Johnson.Acts 1:9-12
Taken UpW. M. Punshon, LL. D.Acts 1:9-12
The Angels Watching JesusChristian AgeActs 1:9-12
The Apostles' Last Sight of JesusW. Hudson.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionH. C. G. Moule, M. A.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionS. S. TimesActs 1:9-12
The AscensionDean Vaughan.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionAbp. Tillotson.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionThomas Jones.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionH. Allon, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionD. Moore, M. A.Acts 1:9-12
The AscensionC. S. Robinson, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension and the Second Advent Practically ConsideredC. H. Spurgeon.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension CloudDean Vaughan.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension of Christ and its LessonsG. T. Stokes, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension of Christ and of ElijahJ. Baumgarten.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension: its Diffusive BenefitsDean Goulburn.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension: its LessonsArchdeacon Farrar.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension: its Moral UsesW. Denton, M. A.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension: its PurposesJ. De Witt, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
The Ascension: the Saviour's GiftsT. Goodwin, D. D.Acts 1:9-12
The Intervening CloudActs 1:9-12
The Trail of the Ascending SaviourF. B. Meyer.Acts 1:9-12
Wisdom in BereavementS. Conway Acts 1:9-14
A Model Prayer-MeetingT. S. Dickson, M. A.Acts 1:12-14
A Second Interval of Thrilling Expectation Hushing Itself in PrayerP.C. Barker Acts 1:12-14
An Assembly of ChristiansA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:12-14
Church Attitudes: ExpectancyA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:12-14
Church Attitudes: ReceptivityActs 1:12-14
Church Attitudes: UnityA. Maclaren, D. DActs 1:12-14
Church UnityF. W. Briggs.Acts 1:12-14
New Associations with the Upper ChamberR. Tuck Acts 1:12-14
Prayer and RevivalsThe Power of Prayer.Acts 1:12-14
Prayer MeetingsActs 1:12-14
Prayer, Faith InH. G. Salter.Acts 1:12-14
Prayer, Patience InSt. Francis de SalesActs 1:12-14
Prayer, PerseveringE. Foster.Acts 1:12-14
Prayer, the Secret of StrengthPreacher's Lantern.Acts 1:12-14
Prayer, the Secret of UsefulnessActs 1:12-14
Prayer-Meetings not to be Given UpW. Baxendale.Acts 1:12-14
Prayer-Meetings, Sunday MorningE. Payson, D. D.Acts 1:12-14
Result of United PrayerD. L. Moody.Acts 1:12-14
Social PrayerL. O. Thompson.Acts 1:12-14
The Duty of PrayerJ. Marshall.Acts 1:12-14
The First Assembly of the Christian ChurchW. Hudson.Acts 1:12-14
The First Prayer-Meeting After the AscensionD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 1:12-14
The First Roll-Call of the ChurchR.A. Redford Acts 1:12-14
The Meeting for Prayer Preparatory to the Day of PentecostW. A. Hurndall.Acts 1:12-14
The Return to JerusalemJ. Bennett, D. D.Acts 1:12-14
The Social Power of PrayerCanon Liddon.Acts 1:12-14
The Substance of the ChurchC. H. Spurgeon.Acts 1:12-14
The Ten DaysBp. Harvey Goodwin.Acts 1:12-14
The Waiting TimeD. Brown, D. D.Acts 1:12-14
Waiting for the PromiseW. Arthur, M. A.Acts 1:12-14
Waiting for the PromiseJ. P. Lange, D. D.Acts 1:12-14
Waiting for the PromiseActs 1:12-14
Waiting for the PromiseA. Arthur, M. A.Acts 1:12-14
The Interval Between the Ascension and PentecostE. Johnson Acts 1:12-26
People
Alphaeus, Andrew, Barsabas, Bartholomew, David, James, Jesus, John, Joseph, Judas, Jude, Justus, Mary, Matthew, Matthias, Peter, Philip, Simon, Theophilus, Thomas, Zelotes
Places
Akeldama, Field of Blood, Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea, Olivet, Samaria
Topics
Day's, Hill, Jerusalem, Journey, Mile, Mount, Mountain, Named, Nigh, Olives, Olivet, Oliveyard, Return, Returned, Sabbath, Sabbath-day's, Sabbath's, Walk
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 1:12

     5619   measures, distance and area
     7430   Sabbath, in NT

Acts 1:12-13

     7631   Twelve, calling of

Acts 1:12-26

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
June 3. "Ye Shall Receive the Power of the Holy Ghost" (Acts i. 8).
"Ye shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost" (Acts i. 8). There is power for us if we have the Holy Ghost. God wants us to speak to men so that they will feel it, so that they will never forget it. God means every Christian to be effective, to count in the actual records and results of Christian work. Dear friends, God sent you here to be a power yourself. There is not one of you but is an essential wheel of the machinery, and can accomplish all that God calls you to. I solemnly believe that there
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Ascension Day
Text: Acts 1, 1-11. 1 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 to whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God: 4 and being assembled together with them, he charged them not
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

The Forty Days
'To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.'--ACTS i. 3. The forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension have distinctly marked characteristics. They are unlike to the period before them in many respects, but completely similar in others; they have a preparatory character throughout; they all bear on the future work of the disciples, and hearten them for the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Unknown To-Morrow
A New Year's Sermon 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.'--ACTS i. 7. The New Testament gives little encouragement to a sentimental view of life. Its writers had too much to do, and too much besides to think about, for undue occupation with pensive remembrances or imaginative forecastings. They bid us remember as a stimulus to thanksgiving and a ground of hope. They bid us look forward, but not along the low levels of earth and its changes.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Theme of Acts
'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 2. Until the day in which He was taken up.'--ACTS i. 1, 2. 'And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.' --ACTS xxviii. 30, 31. So begins and so ends this Book. I connect the commencement and the close, because I think
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Ascension
'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2. Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom He had chosen: 3. To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Apostolic Witnesses
'Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us ... must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.' --ACTS i. 21, 22. The fact of Christ's Resurrection was the staple of the first Christian sermon recorded in this Book of the Acts of the Apostles. They did not deal so much in doctrine; they did not dwell very distinctly upon what we call, and rightly call, the atoning death of Christ; out they proclaimed what they had
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Ascension: Back Home Again Until -- --
Tarry ye--Go ye: the Jerusalem meeting--the walk to Olives--not Palestine only, but a world--the last word--upward--seen no more. Coming again: gazing upward, Acts 1:10, 11.--a continuation upward--the Olivet outlook.
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

The Parting Promises of the Saviour.
(On Ascension Day.) TEXT: ACTS i. 6-11. THE great event that we commemorate to-day was no doubt something very different to the disciples at that time from what it is to us. They had hardly recovered from the stunned condition into which His death had thrown them; they had hardly come to realize calmly their pain at His separation from them; at least, they had certainly not yet learned to look at it in the right way, for they regarded it as the ruin of His whole work on earth--when His joyful resurrection
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

The Mystery of Iniquity
"The mystery of iniquity doth already work." 2 Thess. 2:7. 1. Without inquiring how far these words refer to any particular event in the Christian Church, I would at present take occasion from them to consider that important question, -- In what manner the mystery of iniquity hath wrought among us till it hath well-nigh covered the whole earth. 2. It is certain that "God made man upright;" perfectly holy and perfectly happy: But by rebelling against God, he destroyed himself, lost the favour and
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Witnessing Better than Knowing the Future
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."--Acts 1:6-8. THESE ARE AMONG THE LAST WORDS of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 39: 1893

Tenth Day for God's Spirit on Our Missionaries
WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on our Missionaries "What the world needs to-day is, not only more missionaries, but the outpouring of God's Spirit on everyone whom He has sent out to work for Him in the foreign field." "Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be My witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth."--ACTS i. 8. God always gives His servants power equal to the work He asks of them. Think of the greatness and difficulty of this work,--casting out
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

The Propagation of Christianity.
IN this argument, the first consideration is the fact -- in what degree, within what time, and to what extent, Christianity actually was propagated. The accounts of the matter which can be collected from our books are as follow: A few days after Christ's disappearance out of the world, we find an assembly of disciples at Jerusalem, to the number of "about one hundred and twenty;" (Acts i. 15.) which hundred and twenty were probably a little association of believers, met together not merely as believers
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

The Second Coming of Christ.
When Jesus was taken up into heaven and a cloud had received him out of sight, two heavenly visitants appeared unto the men of Galilee and said, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. Jesus went up in a cloud and he is to come again in like manner as he went up. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." Mark 13:26. No one knows the exact time of his coming.
Charles Ebert Orr—The Gospel Day

Other New Testament Names for "Being Filled with the Spirit. "
That we may see how full the New Testament is of this blessing, and that we may the better understand what it is and how it is obtained, let us just glance at some other terms used by the Holy Ghost when speaking of it. 1. "Baptized with the Holy Ghost." "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts i. 5). See also Acts xi. 16, Matt. iii. 11, Mark i. 8, Luke iii. 16, John i. 33. Now, though "baptized" and "filled" are sometimes convertible terms, it is instructive to note
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

Prayer-Equipment for Preachers
"Go back! Back to that upper room; back to your knees; back to searching of heart and habit, thought and life; back to pleading, praying, waiting, till the Spirit of the Lord floods the soul with light, and you are endued with power from on high. Then go forth in the power of Pentecost, and the Christ-life shall be lived, and the works of Christ shall be done. You shall open blind eyes, cleanse foul hearts, break men's fetters, and save men's souls. In the power of the indwelling Spirit, miracles
Edward M. Bounds—The Weapon of Prayer

Interpretation of Prophecy.
1. The scriptural idea of prophecy is widely removed from that of human foresight and presentiment. It is that of a revelation made by the Holy Spirit respecting the future, always in the interest of God's kingdom. It is no part of the plan of prophecy to gratify vain curiosity respecting "the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1:7. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God"--this is its key-note. In its form it is carefully adapted to this great end.
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Mount Olivet. The Mount of Olives, 2 Samuel 15:30
Zechariah 14:4. In the Rabbins commonly, The Mount of Oil. "The mount called the mount of Olives, lying over against the city, is distant five furlongs." But Luke saith, Acts 1:12, "Then they returned from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath-day's journey." But now a sabbath-day's journey contained eight furlongs, or a whole mile. Neither yet, for all this, doth Luke fight against Josephus. For this last measures the space to the first foundation of Olivet; the other, to that
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Resurrection of Christ.
The resurrection of Christ from the dead is reported by the four Gospels, taught in the Epistles, believed throughout Christendom, and celebrated on every "Lord's Day," as an historical fact, as the crowning miracle and divine seal of his whole work, as the foundation of the hopes of believers, as the pledge of their own future resurrection. It is represented in the New Testament both as an act of the Almighty Father who raised his Son from the dead, [209] and as an act of Christ himself, who had
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

The Acts of the Apostles.
Comp. § 82. 1. Critical Treatises. M. Schneckenburger: Zweck der Apostelgeschichte. Bern, 1841. Schwanbeck: Quellen der Ap. Gesch. Darmstadt, 1847. Ed. Zeller: Contents and Origin of the Acts of the Apostles. Stuttg., 1854; trsl. by Jos. Dare, 1875-76, London, 2 vols. Lekebusch: Composition u. Entstehung der Ap. Gesch. Gotha, 1854. Klostermann: Vindiciae Lucancae. Göttingen, 1866. Arthur König (R. C.): Die Aechtheit der Ap. Gesch. Breslau, 1867. J. R. Oertel: Paulus in der Ap. Gesch.
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

The Church and Her Mission, or the Three Constitutional Synods, 1760-1775
. As we enter on the closing stages of our journey, the character of the landscape changes; and, leaving behind the wild land of romance and adventure, we come out on the broad, high road of slow but steady progress. The death of Zinzendorf was no crushing blow. At first some enemies of the Brethren rejoiced, and one prophet triumphantly remarked: "We shall now see an end of these Moravians." But that time the prophet spoke without his mantle. Already the Brethren were sufficiently strong to realize
J. E. Hutton—History of the Moravian Church

Ascension Day. This Same Jesus which is Taken up from You into Heaven, Shall So Come, in Like Manner as Ye have Seen Him Go into Heaven.
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. Herr auf Erden muss ich leiden [92]Neumann. 1700. trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855 Lord, on earth I dwell in pain; Here in anguish I must lie; Wherefore leav'st Thou me again, Why ascendest Thou on high? Take me, take me hence with Thee, Or abide, Lord, still in me; Let Thy love and gifts be left, That I be not all bereft. Leave Thy heart with me behind, Take mine hence with
Catherine Winkworth—Lyra Germanica: The Christian Year

Power "In" and "Upon. "
You remember that strange, half-involuntary "forty years" of Moses in the "wilderness" of Midian, when he had fled from Egypt. You remember, too, the almost equally strange years of retirement in "Arabia" by Paul, when, if ever, humanly speaking, instant action was needed. And pre-eminently you remember the amazing charge of the ascending Lord to the disciples, "Tarry at Jerusalem." Speaking after the manner of men, one could not have wondered if out-spoken Peter, or fervid James had said: "Tarry,
Dwight L. Moody—Secret Power

St. Ignatius (Ad 116)
When our Lord ascended into Heaven, He left the government of His Church to the Apostles. We are told that during the forty days between His rising from the grave and His ascension, He gave commandments unto the Apostles, and spoke of the things belonging to the kingdom of God (Acts i. 2f). Thus they knew what they were to do when their Master should be no longer with them; and one of the first things which they did, even without waiting until His promise of sending the Holy Ghost should be fulfilled,
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

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