greater number of the Apostles do nothing in it, and because, in
accordance with the hint of the first verse, Christ Himself is the
doer of all, as comes out distinctly in many places where the
critical events of the Church's progress and extension are attributed
to 'the Lord.' In one aspect, Christ's work on earth was finished on
the Cross; in another, that finished work is but the beginning both
of His doing and teaching. Therefore we are not to regard His
teaching while on earth as the completion of Christian revelation. To
set aside the Epistles on the plea that the Gospels contain Christ's
own teaching, while the Epistles are only Paul's or John's, is to
misconceive the relation between the earthly and the heavenly
activity of Jesus.

The statement of the theme of the book is followed by a brief summary
of the events between the Resurrection and Ascension. Luke had spoken
of these in the end of his Gospel, but given no note of time, and run
together the events of the day of the Resurrection and of the
following weeks, so that it might appear, as has been actually
contended that he meant, that the Ascension took place on the very
day of Resurrection. The fact that in this place he gives more
detailed statements, and tells how long elapsed between the
Resurrection Sunday and the Ascension, might have taught hasty
critics that an author need not be ignorant of what he does not
mention, and that a detailed account does not contradict a summary
one,--truths which do not seem very recondite, but have often been
forgotten by very learned commentators.

Three points are signalised as occupying the forty days: commandments
were given, Christ's actual living presence was demonstrated (by
sight, touch, hearing, etc.), and instructions concerning the kingdom