The Apostles Were Taught by Jesus

One of the most profound verses in the New Testament often slips by quietly: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). In these few words, we’re given insight into the spiritual lifeblood of the early church. But what exactly were the apostles teaching? And how did they come to know what they knew?

The answer is found not first in their backgrounds or brilliance, but in their Teacher the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus the Master Teacher

After His resurrection, Jesus didn’t immediately ascend into heaven. Instead, He stayed and taught. Luke 24 provides the most extensive record of this instruction and serves as a masterclass in biblical interpretation.

Jesus opens the eyes of His disciples to understand that the entire Old Testament the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms pointed to Him. Notice how comprehensive His language is:

• “All that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25)

• “Moses and all the Prophets” (Luke 24:27)

• “All the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27)

• “The Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44)

Jesus wasn't offering a few proof texts. He was unveiling a sweeping narrative. He showed how the Scriptures spoke of His suffering, resurrection, and the global proclamation of forgiveness through His name (Luke 24:46–47).

In doing so, Jesus taught the apostles both what to believe and how to read the Bible.

Spirit-Empowered Understanding

Before this resurrection encounter, the disciples struggled to grasp Jesus’s mission. They misunderstood His parables, resisted the idea of His suffering, and fled when He was arrested. But in Luke 24:45, we read that Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” He gave them spiritual clarity to see what they had missed and prepared them to teach others.

And then, in Luke 24:49, He promised something more: power from on high the Holy Spirit.

That promise came to fruition at Pentecost (Acts 2), launching the apostles into Spirit-empowered ministry marked by boldness, clarity, and unwavering devotion to the gospel.

Teaching with Authority

Throughout Acts, the apostles demonstrate that their authority comes not from rabbinical credentials, but from their relationship with Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4 vividly portrays this when Peter and John are interrogated by the same council that condemned Jesus. In response, Peter proclaims that salvation is found in no one else but Christ (Acts 4:12).

The religious leaders, taken aback, note something stunning: “They were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

That was their credential. That was their authority.

And their teaching flowed from that deep encounter.

Peter’s use of Psalm 118 to describe Jesus as “the stone the builders rejected” (Acts 4:11) reflects not just clever insight, but Spirit-led interpretation modeled by Christ Himself (see Luke 20:17). This wasn’t just biblical literacy. It was biblical theology reading all of Scripture as centered on Christ.

The Apostles’ View of Scripture

The early church believed that Scripture was not only inspired but perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. When they quoted the Psalms or the Prophets, they weren’t just drawing parallels they were showing fulfillment.

In Acts 4:24–28, after facing threats, the believers pray Psalm 2. They recognize that the opposition they face had already been foretold that kings and rulers would conspire against the Lord and His Anointed. They see their suffering as a continuation of Christ’s own and their hope as rooted in His victory.

This conviction gave them endurance. This confidence fueled their mission.

Christ Still Teaches Through His Church

Acts is not just a record of the apostles’ deeds; it’s a continuation of Jesus’s ministry. Luke reminds us in Acts 1:1 that his Gospel described “all that Jesus began to do and teach,” implying that Acts tells of what He continues to do and teach through His Spirit-filled people.

The church today is called to carry forward this same mission with the same devotion. The apostles teach us two key things:

1. What to believe that Jesus is the crucified and risen Savior, the fulfillment of all Scripture.

2. How to read that the whole Bible, from Genesis to Malachi, prepares us for and points to Him.

This Christ-centered reading isn’t a creative spin; it’s the way Jesus taught us to read. And through His Spirit, He still opens minds, strengthens hearts, and sends witnesses to proclaim His name to the nations.

The apostles weren’t extraordinary men by the world’s standards. But they had been with Jesus. And that made all the difference.

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