Our aim in this chapter is to discuss four separate sections of Acts 1–2: Acts 1: 6–8; Acts 1: 9–11; Acts 1: 15f; Acts 2: 1f. Some of these have either a direct or an indirect bearing on the Gentile mission and the reason for our discussion of them is obvious. The story of Matthias5 election is relevant because it gives us an insight into the problems of the title ‘Apostle’, which for Luke is closely connected with the Gentile mission. The Ascension is important for Luke's eschatology in Acts and as a background to Jesus' command for the universal mission. Moreover, all of these topics are very important for giving us a clue to the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christians, which may in turn shed light on their attitudes towards the Gentile mission.

THE COMMISSION (ACTS 1: 6–8)

As the following study will show, these three verses bristle with problems. As usual in Luke–Acts, the problems are easier to state than to answer, but we shall attempt to do both.

ν. 6

We must first ask who is included in οἱ συνελθόντες. Haenchen thinks the reference is intentially inexact, since 1:21 implies that at least two more than the Eleven were present.