of philosophy or the kingdom of nature, but pure divinity and the kingdom of grace; the things which most nearly concerned them, and those to whom they were sent.
IV. A particular assurance given them, that they should now shortly receive the Holy Ghost, with orders given them to expect it; (v. 4, 5.) he being assembled together with them, probably in the interview at the mountain in Galilee, which he had appointed before his death; for there is mention of their coming together again, (v. 6.) to attend his ascension. Ihough he had now ordered them to Galilee, yet they must not think to continue there; no, they must return to Jerusalem, and not depart thence. Observe,
1. The command he gives them to wait; this was to raise their expectations of something great; and something very great they had reason to expect from their exalted Redeemer. (1.) They must wait till the time appointed, which is now not many days hence. They that by faith hope promised mercies will come, must with patience wait till they do come; according to the time, the set time. And when the time draws nigh, as now it did, we must, as Daniel, look earnestly for it, Dan. 9. 3. (2.) They must wait in the place appointed, in Jerusalem, for there the Spirit must be first poured out, because Christ was to be as King upon the holy hill of Zion; and because the word of the Lord must go forth from Jerusalem; that must be the mother-church. There Christ was put to shame, and therefore there he will have this honour done him; and this favour is done to Jerusalem, to teach us to forgive our enemies and persecutors. The apostles were more exposed to danger at Jerusalem than they would have been in Galilee; but we may cheerfully trust God with our safety, when we keep in the way of our duty. The apostles were now to put on a public character, and therefore must venture in a public station; Jerusalem was the fittest candlestick for those lights to be set up in.
2. The assurance he gives them that they shall not wait in vain; the blessing designed them shall come, and they shall find it was worth waiting for; You shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost: that is, (1.) "The Holy Ghost shall be poured out upon you more plentifully than ever." They had already been breathed upon with the Holy Ghost, (John 20. 22.) and they had found the benefit of it; but now they shall have larger measures of his gifts, graces, and comforts, and be baptized with them; where there seems to be an allusion to those Old Testament promises of the pouring out of the Spirit, Joel 2. 28. Isa. 44. 3.—32. 15. (2.) "Ye shall be cleansed and purified by the Holy Ghost, as the priests were baptized and washed with water, when they were consecrated to the sacred function; They had the sign, ye shall have the thing signified. Ye shall be sanctified by the truth, as the Spirit shall lead you more and more into it, and your consciences purged by the witness of the Spirit, that ye may serve the living God in the apostleship." (3.) "Ye shall hereby be more effectually than ever engaged to your Master, and to his conduct, as Israel was baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; ye shall be tied so fast to Christ, that ye shall never, for fear of any sufferings, forsake him again, as once you did."
Now this gift of the Holy Ghost he speaks of, [1.] As the promise of the Father, which they had heard of him, and might therefore depend upon.
First, The Spirit was given by promise, and it was at this time the great promise, as that of the Messiah was before, (Luke 1. 72.) and that of eternal life is now, 1 John 2. 25. Temporal good things are given by Providence, but the Spirit and spiritual blessings are given by promise, Gal. 3. 18. The Spirit of God is not given as the spirit of men is given us, and formed within us, by a course of nature, (Zech. 12. 1.) but by the word of God. 1. That the gift may be the more valuable, Christ thought the promise of the Spirit a legacy worth leaving to his church. 2. That it may be the more sure, and that the heirs of promise may be confident of the immutability of God's counsel herein. 3. That it may be of grace, peculiar grace, and may be received by faith, laying hold on the promise, and depending upon it. As Christ, so the Spirit is received by faith.
Secondly, It was the promise of the Father, of Christ's Father. Christ, as Mediator, had an eye to God as his Father, fathering his design, and owning it all along. Of our Father, who, if he give us the adoption of sons, will certainly give us the Spirit of adoption, Gal. 4. 5, 6. He will give the Spirit, as the Father of lights, as the Father of spirits, and as the Father of mercies; it is the promise of the Father.
Thirdly, This promise of the Father they had heard from Christ many a time, especially in the farewell sermon he preached to them a little before he died, wherein he assured them, again and again, that the Comforter should come. This confirms the promise of God, and encourages us to depend upon it, that we have heard it from Jesus Christ; for in him all the promises of God are yea, and amen. "You have heard it from me, and I will make it good.
[2.] As the prediction of John Baptist; for so far Christ here directs them to look; (v. 5.) "You have not only heard it from me, but you had it from John; when he turned you over to me, he said, (Matt. 3. 11.) I indeed baptize you with water, but he that comes after me, shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." It is a great honour that Christ now does to John, not only to quote his words, but to make this great gift of the Spirit, now at hand, to be the accomplishment of them. Thus he confirmeth the word of his servants, his messengers, Isa. 44. 26. But Christ can do more than any of his ministers. It is an honour to them to be employed in dispensing the means of grace, but it is his prerogative to give the Spirit of grace. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost; shall teach you by his Spirit, and give his Spirit to make intercession in you; which is more than the best ministers preaching with us.
Now this gift of the Holy Ghost thus promised, thus prophesied of, thus waited for, is that which we find the apostles received in the next chapter, for in that this promise had its full accomplishment; that was it that shall come, and we look for no other; for it is here promised to be given not many days hence. He does not tell them how many, because they must keep every day in a frame fit to receive it. Other scriptures speak of the gift of the Holy Ghost to ordinary believers, this speaks of that particular power which, by the Holy Ghost, the first preachers of the gospel, and planters of the church, were endued with, enabling them infallibly to relate to that age, and record to posterity, the doctrine of Christ, and the proofs of it; so that by virtue of this promise, and the performance of it, we receive the New Testament as of divine inspiration, and venture our souls upon it.
6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7. 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. 8. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
