ACTS
The continued Life of Jesus through the Apostles

CHAPTER ONE

"Preparation"
Key Verse = Acts 1:5

Acts 1:1

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (1)  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, The first book have I written, O Theophilus, concerning all the things which our Lord Jesus Christ began to do and teach

Account
“The former account”- referring to the Gospel of Luke.

The Greek word used here is “logos” (NT:3056).  It is translated "treatise" in the KJV.
Logos is used in the New Testament 330 times with 3 main ideas of expression:

Logos is translated (in the KJV)

Theophilus
A common Roman name.  Mentioned only here and in Luke 1:3.
Josephus mentioned two men of this name who were High Priests.  According to Luke 1:4,  he was instructed in the life of Christ.  Other than this,  nothing is known about the man.

According to Acts 4:5, Theophilus was most likely a Gentile.

Jesus began to do and teach
The inference here in the last part of verse 1,  and on into verse 2,  is that Jesus only BEGAN His work,
but on the cross,  He said, “IT IS FINISHED” –

16 things that were finished:

Only one thing is left to be continued:
Jesus said  “For the Son of man is come to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost.

Excerpts from The Bible Exposition Commentary

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:2

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (2)  until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, Until the day when he ascended, after he, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen,

Until the day
The 40th day after the resurrection.

In which he was taken up
In which he ascended to heaven.  He was taken up into a cloud,  and is represented as having been borne or carried to heaven,  Acts 1:9.

After He...had given

Authorized (KJV)	“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.”
Amplified	“Until the day when He ascended, after He through the Holy Spirit had instructed and Commanded the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen.”
Interlinear	"Until in which the day after that he had given commandments unto the apostles through Ghost the Holy whom he had chosen"
Concordant	“…until which day directing to the commissioners through Spirit Holy…He was up Gotten…”
Aramaic	“Until the day when He ascended after he, through the Holy Spirit had given Commandments unto the Apostles."

The conclusion,  then,  from these different versions,  would be that Jesus gave His final commands and instructions to the apostles during the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension,  and after that His ascension the apostles gave them to the Church,  which is what the rest of the New Testament is all about.
The Gnostics claimed that Jesus gave them certain esoteric teachings,  not recorded in canonical writings.

Through the Holy Spirit
Remember the promise that Jesus made before his death,  that after his departure,  the Holy Spirit would descend to be a guide to his apostles  (John 16:7-11).  It was to be his office to carry forward the work of redemption in applying it to the hearts of people.  Whatever was done,  therefore,  after the death and resurrection of Jesus,  was to be regarded as under the unique influence and direction of the Holy Spirit.

Though in his larger and more mighty influences the Spirit did not descend until the day of Pentecost, yet, in some measure, his influence was imparted to the apostles before the ascension of Christ  (John 20:22  He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit").

The apostles
The eleven that remained after the treason and death of Judas.

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:3

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (3)  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. The very ones  to whom he had also shown himself alive, after  he had suffered, with many wonders during the forty days, while appearing to them and talking with them concerning  the kingdom of God;

Presented Himself alive
The resurrection of Jesus was the great fact on which the truth of the gospel was to be established. Hence,  the sacred writers so often refer to it,  and establish it by so many arguments.  As the fact of his resurrection lay at the foundation of all that Luke was about to record in his history,  it was of importance that he should state clearly the sum of the evidence of it in the beginning of his work.
(From Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Many infallible proofs
The word rendered here "infallible proofs" (tekmeeríois  (OT:5039)) does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.  In Greek authors it denotes an infallible sign or argument by which anything can be certainly known (Schleusner).  Here it means the same - evidence that he was alive which could not deceive,  or in which they could not be mistaken.  That evidence consisted in his eating with them,   conversing with them,  meeting them at various times and places,  working miracles (John 21:6-7),  and uniformly showing himself to be the same friend with whom they had been familiar for more than three years.
This evidence was infallible:

1 Corinthians 15:4-6

Seen of them 40 days
It was about 40 years when Jerusalem was taken, at the end of the book of Acts.

The oldest known division of the Greek text of Acts (6th century) was into 40 chapters.
(The present division into 28 chapters was made by Cardinal Hugo – 13th century – to facilitate the use of his concordance to the Latin Vulgate.)

In Bible numerology,  40 speaks of Divine order applied to earthly things – and this is exactly the story of the book of the Acts: MEN LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Twelve Appearances of Christ:

Excerpts from The Bible Exposition Commentary

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:4, 5

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (4)  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; And as he ate  bread with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem  but to wait for the promise of the Father, the one of whom you have heard from me. (5)  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." For, he said, John baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

Being assembled together:

sunalizómenos

(NT:4871)

literally  “Eating salt with”  –  more generally  –  “Eating with”

This sense is given to this place in the Latin Vulgate,  the Ethiopic,  and the Syriac versions.
But some believe has the meaning of  "congregating,  or assembling."
The apostles were scattered after his death.  But this passage denotes that he had assembled them together by his authority,  for the purpose of giving them a charge respecting their conduct when he should have left them.  When this occurred does not appear from the narrative;  but it is probable that it was not long before his ascension;  and it is clear that the place where they were assembled was Jerusalem.

Not to depart from Jerusalem
Why?
Because it was God's high purpose to glorify the existing economy,  by causing His Spirit to descend upon the disciples at its ancient seat,  and on the occasion of the very first of its annual festivals after the ascension of the Church's Head;  so fulfilling the sure word of prophecy,

You have heard from me
Christ had spoken of this Spirit baptism on several occasions

Wait for the promise of the Father
For the fulfillment of the promise respecting the descent of the Holy Spirit made by the Father.

THE GRAND PROMISE

John the Baptist said:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."     (Matthew 3:11     NKJV)

Shall be baptized

baptizo

(NT:907)

baptize

Immerse – Dip – Plunge – Bathe

1ST NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY IN ACTS:   To be baptized by the Holy Ghost  (initial fulfillment in Acts 2:1-39).

For John truly baptized ...] These are the words of Jesus to his apostles, and he evidently has reference to what was said of John's baptism compared with his own in Matt 3:11; John 1:33. In those verses John is represented as baptizing with water, but the Messiah who was to come, as baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This promise was now about to be fulfilled in a remarkable manner. See Acts 2.

Not many days from now
The number of  "days hence"  (from the Ascension to the descent of the Spirit) we know to have been exactly ten;

Of course, it is easy for us to look back and calculate the days, but with them, not knowing how long they would wait, or what would happen when the promise came, they lived those 10 days completely by faith and obedience, without any knowledge of  when or what would happen.

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:6-8

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (6)  Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" While they were assembled, they asked him, saying, Our Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (7)  And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. He said to them, It is not for you to know the time or times which the Father has put under his own authority; (8)  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power and you shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea also in the province of Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth.

Come together – At the Mount of Olives. See Acts 1:12

kurios

Lord

Supreme in authority

The same word used in the LXX for Jehovah

Will you...restore the kingdom to Israel
The apostles had entertained the common opinions of the Jews about the temporal dominion of the Messiah.

Restore - Bring back;  put into its former situation.
Judea was formerly governed by its own kings and laws;  now,  it was subject to the Romans.
This bondage was grievous,  and the nation sighed for deliverance.  The inquiry of the apostles evidently was,  whether he would now free them from the bondage of the Romans,  and restore them to their former state of freedom and prosperity,  as in the times of David and Solomon  (Isa 1:26).
The word  "restore"  also may include more than a reducing it to its former state.  It may mean,  wilt thou now bestow the kingdom and dominion to Israel,  according to the prediction in Dan 7:27?

The kingdom - The dominion;  the empire;  the reign.
The expectation was that the Messiah,  the king of Israel,  would reign over people,  and that thus the nation of the Jews would extend their empire over all the earth.

To Israel - To the Jews, and particularly to the Jewish followers of the Messiah.
Lightfoot thinks that this question was asked in indignation against the Jews.  "Wilt thou confer dominion on a nation which has just put thee to death?"  But the answer of the Savior shows that this was not the design of the question.

It is not for you to know
The question of the apostles respected the time of the restoration;  it was not whether he would do it. Accordingly,  his answer meets precisely their inquiry;  and he tells them in general that the time of the great events of God's kingdom was not to be understood by them.
They had asked a similar question on a former occasion,  "Tell us when shall these things be?"  (Matt 24:3) And they were also with him on the Mount of Olives when they first asked the question.

The phrase  "it is not for you to know"  is equivalent in many languages to "you do not have the right to know" or "you are not permitted to know."  If an agent is required,  then it must be God;  that is,  "God has not permitted you to know."
(from the UBS Handbook Series. Copyright (c) 1961-1997, by United Bible Societies)

Times - Seasons
The difference between these words is that

The Father has put
So entirely had the Father reserved the knowledge of these to himself,  that it is said that even the Son did not know them.

In his own authority
That is,  he has fixed them by his own authority,  he will bring them about in his own time and way;  and therefore it is not proper for people anxiously to inquire into them.  All prophecy is remarkably obscure in regard to the time of its fulfillment.  The reasons why it is so are such as the following:

From Jerusalem to the whole world – The charity that will convert the world is a charity that begins at home – begins, but does not end there.

But you shall receive power - 2ND  NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY IN ACTS   (initial fulfillment in Acts 2:1-39)

dunamis

(NT:1411)

power

inherit power capable of reproducing itself like a dynamo.

The word  "power"  here refers to the help or aid which the Holy Spirit would grant; the power of speaking with new tongues; of preaching the gospel with great effect; of enduring great trials, etc. See Mark 16:17-18.

The apostles had impatiently asked him if he was then about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus by this answer rebuked their impatience, taught them to repress their ill-timed ardor; and assured them again of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

You shall be witnesses
 

martures

(NT: 3144)

martyrs

From this word the name martyrs has been given to those who suffered in times of persecution.  The reason why this name was given to them was that they bore witness to the life,  instructions,  death,  and resurrection of the Lord Jesus,  even in the midst of persecution and death.

The word here does not necessarily mean that they to whom this was addressed would be martyrs, or would be put to death in bearing witness to the Lord Jesus; but that they were everywhere to testify to what they knew of him.

Rather than devoting themselves to questions about the final establishment of the Jewish kingdom,  the apostles were to have a different concern.  The Holy Spirit was to come upon them and to give them supernatural power,  in the strength of which they would be witnesses of Christ throughout all the world.
(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1962 by Moody Press. All rights reserved.)

For this purpose they were appointed;  and to prepare them for this they had been with him for more that three years.  They had

While Jesus was with them physically, He told them to go only to the Jews

Now, however, as salvation is accomplished and He will leave them physically only to return to pour out His spirit on all mankind, He tells them to leave no one out.  Paul explains it:

This verse is a table of contents of the book of Acts:

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:9-11

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (9)  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And when he had spoken these things, he ascended while they were looking at him; a cloud received him and he was hidden from their sight. (10)  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white robes; (11)  who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." And they said the them, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus who has ascended from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him ascend into heaven.

Mark 16:19-20 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.     (NKJV)	Luke 24:50-53 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.   And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.     (NKJV)

While they looked
While they saw him.  It was of importance to state that circumstance,  and to state it distinctly.  It is not affirmed in the New Testament that they "saw him rise" from the dead,  because the evidence of that fact could be better established by their seeing him after he was risen.  But the truth of his "ascension to heaven"  could not be confirmed in that manner.

Hence,  it was so arranged that he should ascend in open day,  and in the presence of his apostles;  and that not when they were asleep,  or were inattentive to what was occurring,  but when they were engaged in a conversation that would fix the attention,  and even when they were looking upon him.
Had Jesus vanished secretly,  or had he disappeared in the night,  the apostles would have been amazed and confounded;  perhaps they would even have doubted whether they had not been deceived.

But when they saw him leave them in this manner,  they could not doubt that he had ascended to heaven,  and that God approved his work,  and would carry it forward.  This event was exceedingly important:

If their Savior was in heaven,  it settled the question about the nature of his kingdom.

It was clear that it was not designed to be a temporal kingdom.  The reasons why it was proper that the Lord Jesus should ascend to heaven rather than remain on earth were:

The Lord Jesus also ascended that he might assume and exercise the office of King in the immediate seat of power.  All worlds were made subject to him for the welfare of the church;  and it was needful that he should be solemnly invested with that power in the presence of God as the reward of his earthly toils. 1 Cor 15:25, "He must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet." Compare Eph 1:20-22.

Taken up
After the resurrection He seems to have done nothing like a common man.
Whatever was miraculous before is now natural.

His visible ascension was not the necessary means of His removal,  but a token to them that this was the last physical visit.
It was expedient for them that He should withdraw Himself from their eyes and that whereas upon earth He had been conversant with them as a brother, He should succor them from heaven as God, and they should learn to think of Him as God.

A cloud received him
He entered into the region of the clouds, and was hid from their view.
Two others of our race have been taken bodily from earth to heaven.

Two men in white apparel
From the raiment of these "men,"  and the nature of their message,  it seems clear that they were angelic beings,  who were sent to meet and comfort the disciples on this occasion.  They appeared in human form,  and Luke describes them as they appeared.  Angels are not infrequently called people.  Luke 24:4, "Two men stood by them in shining garments," etc. Compare John 20:12; Matt 28:5.   Some assume that the two angels that appeared to the disciples when Jesus ascended are the same two that appeared at the tomb on resurrection morning.

Why do you stand gazing?
Perhaps they expected the cloud to vanish,  and Jesus be left,  as at the Transfiguration.
In essence, the angels were saying:

In like manner
3RD NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY IN ACTS:  Jesus will return  (Unfulfilled as of this writing).

The descent of Jesus will be exactly like the ascension (only in reverse)

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:12-14

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (12)  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount which is called Olivet, Place of Olives, which is near to Jerusalem, about a mile away. (13)  And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. And after they had entered into the city, they went into an upper room, where stayed Peter and John and James and Andrew, and also Philip and Thomas and Matthew and Bartholomew and James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judah the son of James. (14)  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. These all continued together in prayer with one accord, also the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The mount called Olivet
From the Mount of Olives.  The part of the mountain from which he ascended was the eastern declivity, where stood the little village of Bethany, Luke 24:50.

A Sabbath day's journey
As far as might be lawfully traveled by a Jew on the Sabbath.  This was 2,000 paces or cubits.  The distance of a lawful journey on the Sabbath was not fixed by the laws of Moses,  but the Jewish teachers had fixed it at 2,000 paces.  This measure was determined on because it was a tradition that in the camp of the Israelites,  when coming from Egypt,  no part of the camp was more than 2000 paces from the tabernacle,  and over this space,  therefore,  they were permitted to travel for worship.

Perhaps,  also,  some countenance was given to this from the fact that this was the extent of the suburbs of the Levitical cities,  Num 35:5.

Mount Olivet was only 5 furlongs from Jerusalem,  and Bethany was 15 furlongs.  But on the eastern declivity of the mountain the tract of country was called,  for a considerable space,  the region of Bethany;  and it was from this place that the Lord Jesus ascended.

They went up into the upper room
The word huperooon (NT: 5253),  here translated  "upper room,"  occurs only four times in the New Testament:

Luke (Luke 24:53) says they were continually  "in the temple"  praising and blessing God;  and some have supposed that the upper room here designated was one of the rooms in the temple.  But there is no evidence of that,  and it is not very probable.  Such a room as that here referred to was a part of every house,  especially in Jerusalem;  and the disciples probably selected one where they might be together,  and yet so retired that they might be safe from the Jews.

The expression used in Luke 24:53,  "They were continually - diapantos (NT: 1275) - in the temple,"  signifies no more than that this was a frequent or customary resort;  they were always in the temple at the usual seasons of devotion,  or they were in the constant habit of resorting there.

Where they were staying
This does not mean that this was their permanent habitation;  but they remained there waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit.

All the apostles were there which Jesus had at first chosen except Judas, Luke 6:13-16.

These all continued
The word  "continued"  denotes  "persevering and constant attention."
The main business was DEVOTION.

With one accord
Greek: homothumadon (NT: 3661) - "with one mind."
The word denotes the entire harmony of their views and feelings.  There were no schisms,  no divided interests,  and no discordant purposes.  This is a beautiful picture of devotion,  and a specimen of what social worship ought now to be,  and a beautiful illustration of Ps 133.  The apostles felt that they had one great object;  and their deep grief at the loss of their master,  and their doubts and perplexities,  led them,  as all afflictions ought to lead us,  to the throne of grace.

In prayer and supplication
These words are nearly synonymous,  and are often interchanged.  They express here petitions to God for blessings,  and prayer to avert impending evils.

With the women
The women that had followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee,  Luke 8:2-3;  24:10.
The women particularly mentioned are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, the mother of Zebedee's children,  Joanna the wife of Chuza,  and Susanna.  Besides these,  there were others whose names are not mentioned.

Most of them were relatives of the apostles or of the Savior;  and it is not improbable that some of them were wives of the apostles.  Peter is known to have been married (Matt 8:14),  and had his wife in attendance with him in his travels (1 Cor 9:5);  and the same was doubtless true of some of the other apostles, 1 Cor 9:5. - Mary, the mother of Jesus,  is here particularly mentioned,  showing that she now cast in her lot with the apostles.

She had,  besides,  been specially entrusted to the care of John (John 19:26-27),  and had no other home.  This is the last time that she is mentioned in the New Testament.

Mary:
As woman kind in Eve bore her part in the fall,  so woman kind in Mary bore her part in giving birth to Him who is the Redeemer.
During Jesus’ earthly ministry,  she was alluded to on only a few occasions,  and after His ascension,  only this once.
John has nothing to say of her,  or to report from her.  If he had her with him even for a few years,  speaking freely of what she knew,  how many things could she have told him that we would love to hear?  And yet,  the apostle,  beginning his gospel far back in the beginning with the Eternal Word,  and passing directly over Mary to speak of the  “Word made flesh,”  gives not so much as a trace of mention concerning her maternal place and office in the story.  Nothing concerning her conversion,  death,  or burial.

Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers

His mother, Mary, and his brothers, were - as are we - sinners saved by the Grace of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

From the Amplified Bible

Matthew 27:3-10
(3) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
(4) saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"
(5) Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
(6) But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."
(7) And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
(8) Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
(9) Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
(10) and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."     (NKJV)

In those days
On one of the days intervening between the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost.

The number of the names
The number of the persons,  or individuals.  The word "name" is often used to denote "the person."  In Syriac it is,  "The assembly of people was about an hundred and twenty."  This was the first assembly convened to transact the business of the church;  and it is not a little remarkable that the vote in so important a matter as electing an apostle was by the entire church.  It settles the question that the election of a minister and pastor should be by the church,  and that a pastor should not be placed over a church by a patron,  or by an ecclesiastical body.

If a case could ever occur where it would be right and proper that one should be selected to exercise the office of a minister of Christ by the ministry only,  the election of one to fill the office of an apostle was such a case.  And yet in this the entire church had a voice.  Whether this was the entire true church at this time does not appear from the history.  This expression cannot mean that there were no more believers,  but that these were all that had convened in the upper room.  It is certain that our Savior had,  by his own ministry,  brought many others to be his true followers. Compare 1 Cor 15:6.

Men and brethren
This is a customary mode of address,  implying affection and respect.

This scripture
This prediction contained in the writings of the Old Testament.   The passage to which Peter refers is commonly supposed to be that recorded in Ps 41:9, "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."  This is expressly applied to Judas by our Savior, in John 13:18.

Ezekiel 18:24
But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity,  and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.     (NKJV)

Now this man
The money which was given for betraying the Lord Jesus was thrown down in the temple,  and the field was purchased with it by the Jewish priests  (Matt 27:3-10).   A man is said often to do a thing when he furnishes means for doing it.

Wages of iniquity
The price which he had for that deed of stupendous wickedness - the betraying of the Lord Jesus.

And falling headlong
The word here rendered "headlong" - preenees (NT:4248) (Latin "pronus," whence our English word "prone") - means properly "bent forward, head-foremost";  and the idea is,  that his position in hanging himself was such that when the cord broke he fell headlong,  or fell forward on his face.  This can easily be supposed if he threw himself from a rock or elevated place.  He first hanged himself,  and then fell and was burst asunder.

It is also suggested that after he hung himself, his body hung in the heat and bloated, and when he fell onto the rocks below, in the bloated condition, his body "exploded" or "burst open."

Their own language
Aramaic - The language spoken by the Jews, the Syro-Chaldaic.

Akel dama
This is composed of two Syro-Chaldaic words,  and means literally,  the field of blood.

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:20-22

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (20)  For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it';  and,  'Let another take his office.' For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one dwell in it; and let his ministry be taken by another man. (21)  Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, It is necessary, therefore, that one of these men, who have been with us during all the time that our Lord Jesus went in and out among us, (22)  beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection. Beginning from the baptism of John until the day he ascended from among us, become a partner with us as a witness of his resurrection.

For it is written
The 1st Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Acts

(1)

Let his dwelling place be desolate Judas is referred to as having his habitation desolate and his name blotted out of the book of life Psalm 69:25 - Let their dwelling place be desolate; let no one live in their tents. This quotation is not made literally from the Hebrew,  or from the Septuagint. The plural is changed to the singular. The Hebrew is, "Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents." The term  "habitation,"  in the Psalm,  means evidently the dwelling-place of the enemies of the writer of the Psalm.  It is an image expressive of their overthrow and defeat by a just God:  "Let their families be scattered,  and the places where they have dwelt be without an inhabitant,  as a reward for their crimes."

(2)

Let another take his office Psalm 109:8 - Let his days be few, and let another take his office. As the office had now become vacant by the death of Judas,  it was proper that it should be conferred on some other person. The word rendered  "office"  in the Psalm means the care,  charge,  business,  oversight of anything.  It is a word applicable to magistrates,  whose care it is to see that the laws are executed; military men who have charge of an army, or a part of an army. The Greek is episkopos (NT: 1985),  commonly translated  "bishop,"  and means his office,  charge,  or duty.  That word means simply having the oversight of anything,  and as applied to the officers of the New Testament,  it denotes merely  "their having charge of the affairs of the church,"  without specifying the nature or the extent of their jurisdiction.   Hence, it is often interchanged with presbyter or elder, and denotes the discharge of the duties of the same office.

Of these men
Of those who had witnessed the life and works of Christ, and who were therefore qualified to discharge the duties of the office from which Judas fell. Probably Peter refers to the seventy disciples, Luke 10:1-2.

Hence, it is often interchanged with presbyter or elder, and denotes the discharge of the duties of the same office.

Since twelve men had been solemnly set apart by the Lord of the Church for the work which now lay before them,  the apostle deems it indispensable that their ranks should be filled up before the time should arrive for the commencement of the work.  No doubt the correspondence of that number with the number of the tribes of Israel had been long before observed by themselves,  in which case they would regard the lack of one as a serious,  if not a fatal gap.  The qualifications for the apostleship here laid down as indispensable are very specific,  and should he carefully observed.

From the Amplified Bible

Acts 1:23-26

From the NKJV From the  Peshitta (23)  And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. So they appointed two:  Joseph called Barshabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. (24)  And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen And as they prayed, they said, O Lord, thou knowest what is in the hearts of all men; show which of these two thou dost choose, (25)  to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." That he may receive the lot to the ministry and apostleship, from which Judah has been relieved to go his own way, (26)  And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Then they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

They proposed two
As we should say, they nominated two.  Literally,  they made them to stand forth,  as persons do who are candidates for office.  These two were probably more distinguished by prudence,  wisdom,  piety,  and age than the others,  and they were so nearly equal in qualifications that they could not determine which was the best suited for the office.

(1)

Joseph called Barsabas It is not certainly known what the name Barsabas denotes. The Syriac word "Bar" means son and the word "Sabas" has been translated "an oath, rest, quiet, or captivity." Some texts read Joses Barnabas as in Acts 4:36 (And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus) Lightfoot supposes that he was the son of Alphaeus and brother of James the Less, and that he was chosen on account of his relationship to the family of the Lord Jesus. Surnamed Justus Who was called Justus. This is a Latin name,  meaning just,  and was probably given him on account of his distinguished integrity.  It was not uncommon among the Jews for a man to have several names.

(2)	Matthias Nothing is known of the family of this man, or of his character, further than that he was numbered with the apostles, and shared their lot in the toils, the persecutions, and the honors of preaching the gospel to mankind.

And they prayed
As they could not agree on the individual, they invoked the direction of God in their choice.

Lots
Some have supposed that this means they voted.  But to this interpretation there are insuperable objections:

The manner in which this was done is not certainly known.  The common mode of casting lots was to write the names of the persons on pieces of stone,  wood,  etc.,  and put them in one urn,  and the name of the office,  portion,  etc., on others.

These were then placed in an urn with other pieces of stone,  etc.,  which were blank.  The names were then drawn at random,  and also the other pieces and this settled the case.

The lot fell
These two clauses when taken together seem to indicate that the choice was made in a manner similar to that in which the Urim and the Thummin were used in Old Testament times.  The names,  written on stone,  would have been placed in a vessel which was then shaken;  the first stone to fall out would indicate the man chosen.
(from the UBS Handbook Series. Copyright (c) 1961-1997, by United Bible Societies)

From the Amplified Bible

(End of Chapter One)

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