13 When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Where they abode Some translate it, where they did abide; as though they did use to dwell there. But I am of that opinion, that they did then first of all use that hired room to dwell together in, until such time as the Holy Spirit was come upon them. Too, too ridiculous are the Papists, which go about to prove Peter his supremacy [1] hereby, because he is reckoned up first of all the apostles. Although we do grant that he was the chiefest of the apostles, yet it doth not follow hereupon that he was the chiefest ruler of all the world. But if he be, therefore, the chief of all the apostles, because his name is first in the catalogue of the apostles' names, I will again conclude, that the mother of Christ was inferior unto all the rest of the women, because she is [here] reckoned the last; which they will in no case admit, as indeed it were a thing too absurd. Wherefore, unless they will set their Papacy to be laughed at of all men, as hitherto they have done, they must leave off to adorn it with such foolish toys. But what is their intent? Forsooth, they will prove out of the Scriptures that there was a secondary head of the Church, inferior to Christ; whereas there is no syllable in the Scripture which is consenting unto this their foolish invention. No marvel is it, therefore, if they do snatch here and there certain places, which, although no man smite them out of their hands, they will let fall of their own accord. But omitting them, let us mark what is Luke's purpose in this place. Because the disciples had fallen away, and filthily fled from their Master Christ, every man whither fear did drive him, (Matthew 26:56,) they did deserve, like forsakers of their masters, or run-agates, to be deprived of honor. Therefore, that we may know that by the appointment of the Lord they were gathered together again, and restored to their former degree, Luke reckoneth up all their names.
1 - "Primatum," primacy.
Were come in - To Jerusalem.
They went up into an upper room - The word ὑπερῷον huperoōn, here translated "upper room," occurs only four times in the New Testament: Acts 9:37, "She (Dorcas) was sick and died; whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber" (see also Acts 9:39); Acts 20:8, "And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together." The room so designated was an upper chamber used for devotion, or as a place where to lay the dead before burial, or occasionally for conversation, etc. Here it evidently means the place where they were assembled for devotion. 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 - διαπαντός diapantos - 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 thither. "Even DeWette allows that there is no discrepancy."
Where abode - Where were remaining. This does not mean that this was their permanent habitation; but they remained there waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Peter - All the apostles were there which Jesus had at first chosen except Judas, Luke 6:13-16.
They went up into an upper room - This was either a room in the temple, or in the house of one of the disciples, where this holy company was accustomed to meet. In Luke 24:53, it is said that, after their return from Mount Olivet, they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God: it is probable, therefore, that the upper room mentioned in this verse is that apartment of the temple mentioned above. But still it is not certain that this place should be so understood; as we have the fullest proofs that the upper rooms in private houses were used for the purpose of reading the law, and conferring together on religious matters. See several proofs in Lightfoot. Add to this, that the room here mentioned seems to have been the place where all the apostles lodged, οὑ ησαν καταμενοντες, and therefore most probably a private house.
(5) And when they were (i) come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas [the brother] of James.
(5) Ecclesiastical assemblies to hear the word, and to make common prayer, were first instituted and kept in private houses by the Apostles.
(i) They went into the house which the Church had chosen at that time to be a gathering place for the whole assembly.
"Into it", as the Arabic version reads; that is, into the city of Jerusalem, and into some house in that city; but what house it was is needless to inquire, since it cannot be known. Some think it was the house of John the Evangelist, whither he had taken Mary the mother of our Lord, John 19:27 which is not improbable: others, that it was the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where the disciples met for prayer when Peter was put into prison, Acts 12:12 others, that it was the house of Simon the leper; but his house was not at Jerusalem, but in Bethany, Matthew 26:6. Some have thought it was the house of Nicodemus, or of Joseph of Arimathea; but after all it seems most likely, that it was not any private house, but the temple into which the disciples immediately went, and where they continued; see Luke 24:52 and Acts 2:46.
they went up into an upper room; which, if in a private house, they might choose for retirement and secrecy; and might be the same in which they had eaten the passover; and so a Syriac scholiast, in manuscript, on the place, says it was the same. It was usual to meet in upper rooms for devotion and religious conversation; see Gill on Mark 2:4 though this upper room might be one of the chambers in the temple; for not only from the scriptural account of the temple, there were chambers round about it, and upper chambers; see 1-Kings 6:5 and one of these is called the chamber of Gemariah, in which Baruch read the prophecies of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 36:10 but also from the Jewish writings, in which frequent mention is made of the chamber Palhedrin, where the high priest was brought seven days before the day of atonement (c); and the chamber of the counsellors (d); and the chamber Gazith, where the sanhedrim sat; and the chamber of the house of Abtines (e); and the chamber of wood; and the chamber of the lepers; and the chamber of the house of oil (f); and the chamber of salt; and the chamber of Parvah; and the chamber of them that wash, besides others (g). And into a chamber, or upper room in the temple they might be let by Joses Barnabas, a Levite, one of their own company, Acts 4:36 who might have the care of it, for they are said to be continually in the temple, Luke 24:53.
Where abode both Peter, and James, and John. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, "Peter, and John, and James"; and so the Alexandrian copy. These were the three favourite disciples of Christ, and are often mentioned together, as here first,
and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew. The Syriac and Ethiopic versions put Matthew before Bartholomew,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas, the brother of James; all the Oriental versions read, "Judas the son of James": of the names of the apostles; see Gill on Matthew 10:2, Matthew 10:3, Matthew 10:4. They are all here mentioned but Judas the betrayer, who was dead, to show, that though one had disbelieved the resurrection of Christ, another had denied him, and all of them had forsook him, and fled; yet they were got together again, and were firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ, waiting for the pouring forth of the Spirit,
(c) Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 1. (d) T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 8. 2. (e) Ib. fol. 19. 1. (f) Misn. Middot, c. 2. sect. 5. (g) Ib. c. 5. sect. 2, 3.
went up into an upper room--perhaps the same "large upper room" where with their Lord they had celebrated the last Passover and the first Supper (Luke 22:12).
where abode--not lodged, but had for their place of rendezvous.
Peter, &c.--(See on Matthew 10:2-4).
Went into an upper room. A guest chamber on the second floor.
Where abode. All the apostles are named except Judas Iscariot, who had fallen away and was now dead.
They went up into the upper room - The upper rooms, so frequently mentioned in Scripture, were chambers in the highest part of the house, set apart by the Jews for private prayer. These, on account of their being so retired and convenient, the apostles now used for all the offices of religion. Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13.
*More commentary available at chapter level.