Who was there? The 120 - Acts 1:1-15

Acts 1:1-15

" In my former book [The Gospel of Luke], Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.  On one occasion He gave them this command: Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift My Father promised, which  you have heard me speak about...."

"Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath's day walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.....they joined constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers...a group numbering about 120."

I've always wondered about the group of 120: who were they?

We know the 11 apostles were there. They are listed by name. And we know Mary the mother of Jesus was there, and His brothers. We are told that.

And we assume Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas were there, because Peter, anxious to fill the vacant spot (the 12th disciple) left by Judas, who had betrayed Christ and killed himself, suggested one of them take Judas' place.

So that's 17 or 18 gathered there obediently awaiting the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort and guide them.

What about the other 100 or so "believers"?

It's exciting to think about.

Likely Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were there. Maybe Peter's mother-in-law, who had been healed by Christ.

What about the no-longer-blind Bartimaeus, who met Jesus on the road to Jericho?

What about the chief tax-collector Zacchaeus, who wanted to see Jesus but was too short to see over the crowd and climbed up into the sycamore tree?
Jesus spotted him right away and said "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."  He got a better look at the Savior than he could have imagined.

What about the widow of Nain, and her son, who Jesus raised from the dead?

What about the Roman centurion in Capernaum, who asked Jesus to heal his servant?

And what about Simon, the man from North Africa, who was recruited to help Jesus carry His cross?

And what about the rich young ruler, who turned away sadly when Jesus told him he needed to give away his wealth? Maybe he reconsidered his position and his priorities and came back?

Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and his daughter?
And the woman who only touched the hem of His robe for healing.

The woman at Jacob's well? The little boy with the lunch of loaves and fishes He gave Jesus to feed the great crowd?

Nicodemus? He visited Jesus one night and was told he needed to be "born again." Then we see him caution the Jewish leaders not to pre-judge Jesus at His trial, and then we learn of him helping prepare His body for burial. I would like to think he was one of the 120.

What about the Emmaus disciples, Cleopas and his companion (Mary?) They had returned to Jerusalem earlier, according to Luke 24, and probably stayed once they knew that Jesus had been raised from the dead, joining the other disciples who were waiting.

There are so many more - lepers, blind, lame, demon-possessed. Some just hungry and thirsty.

John reminds us, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (John 21:25).


We don't know who all were in the group of 120 "believers."

But we know they were obedient and expectant, waiting for the promised gift the Father was sending the empower and comfort them.

They probably all shared their own experiences with Christ, marveling with each other as their stories unfolded. 

"I was so shocked," Zacchaeus might have said, "When Jesus looked up at me and said to get down fast and hurry to MY home because He was going to visit ME...in MY home!"

And we know as they waited in Jerusalem, they were (1) obedient, (2) joined together in fellowship, and (3) constantly in prayer.

Certainly good practices to follow for all of us today!