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Where in Jerusalem Were the Disciples... 75

When Luke continues his narrative in the Book of Acts he says, speaking of the apostles,
that “These all continued (lit. were continuing) with one accord in prayer and supplications with the
women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” -- Acts 1:14. In substance we have
here a repetition of what is recorded in the last verse of Luke’s Gospel -- namely that, during the ten
days following the Messiah’s ascension, his disciples were “continually” together waiting upon
YEHOVAH God (they “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication”). The record in Acts
omits mention of the place where they so continued; but that information was not needed, seeing it
had already been definitely stated in Luke 24:52-53. However, Luke adds the interesting fact that
the women, and Mary the mother of Yeshua, and his brethren, were there with them. This was done,
it must be remembered, by Yeshua’s express instructions. They were, of course, praying for the
promised enduement from on high (Luke 11:13).

The next verse (Acts 1:15) states that “in those days (of waiting upon YEHOVAH God in
the Temple) Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said (the number of names together
were about an hundred and twenty),” -- and then follows the account of the choosing of Matthias, as
an apostle and witness of the Messiah’s resurrection, in the place of Judas. Without a doubt this oc-
curred in their accustomed gathering place in the Temple -- since they were “continually” there
during those days of waiting for YEHOVAH’s holy spirit.

We should note how unlikely it is that the disciples, to the tune of 120, should (or could) be
using as their gathering place the “upper room” which served the apostles for sleeping quarters.

The Day of Pentecost

Finally the day of Pentecost came, and the event of the great Feast-day would furnish an ad-
ditional reason why they should be found assembled in the Temple. The services of that day -- the
offering of the morning sacrifice and incense, with the accompanying prayers (in which they would
have undoubtedly taken place) -- began at sunrise. This service being concluded, they would natu-
rally be “sitting” in their usual place. It was then that “suddenly” out of heaven came that sound “as
of a rushing, mighty wind.” The words “they were all with one accord in one place” (compare 1:14)
indicate that they were in their customary gathering place in the Temple. Similar words found at the
end of chapter 2 lend emphasis to this; for we find there the statement that, after about 3,000 souls
had been “added” to them, they still continued with one accord in the Temple (verse 46). This
clearly shows that what they had been doing as a small company or congregation they “continued”
to do so -- still “with one accord” as an exceedingly large and growing congregation. It further
shows that the place where they were gathered when YEHOVAH’s holy spirit came upon them
must have been of sufficient size to accommodate 3,000 more being “added” to them; and it need
hardly be mentioned that the Temple was the only building in Jerusalem open to the public, where
this could have been possible.

Going over the passages again, it will be clearly seen that there is no room for doubt regard-
ing what we have just covered. Here, again, are the passages:

1/. Luke 24:52-53. “And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were
continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God.”

The Berean Voice March-April 2003