Acts 1:12

Returned they. The disciples turned away from the cross in profound sorrow and utter frustration. After each of the Master’s resurrection appearances they were left in perplexed hope. Now, however, having seen their Lord taken up into heaven, they returned in joy, with an unshakable assurance that He would come back again.

Unto Jerusalem. In obedience to the command of v. 4.

Olivet. The place of the ascension, the Mount of Olives, lying east of Jerusalem toward Bethany, and halfway distant toward that village (see on Matt. 21:1). Bethany is 15 furlongs (Gr. stadia, see Vol. V. p. 50), that is, about 2 mi. (c. 3 km.), from Jerusalem (John 11:18). Luke explains that after the last meeting with the disciples in Jerusalem, Jesus “led them out as far as to Bethany” (Luke 24:50), possibly because it was in the old familiar setting He loved so well. From there, a short return walk over “the mount called Olivet” would bring them back to Jerusalem.

Sabbath day's journey. A phrase occurring in Scripture only here, describing the distance from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives (see on Ex. 16:29; see Vol. V, p. 50).

This distance is measured by Josephus as 5 or 6 stadia, or furlongs (Antiquities xx. 8. 6; War v. 2. 3 [70]), or about two-thirds mile (c. 1 km.). The Mishnah agrees with these figures, for it defines the “Sabbath limit” as 2,000 cubits. It says: “If a man who was permitted to do so went out beyond the Sabbath limit and was then told that the act [which he intended to do] had already been performed, he is entitled to move within two thousand cubits in any direction. If he was within the Sabbath limit he is regarded as if he had not gone out. All who go out to save life may return to their original places” (‘Erubin 4. 3, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 306).

There were ways provided for overcoming the inconvenience caused by such a “limit.” “If a man who was on a journey [homeward] was overtaken by dusk, and he knew of a tree or a wall and said, ‘Let my Sabbath base be under it,’ his statement is of no avail. If, however, he said, ‘Let my Sabbath base be at its root,’ he may walk from the place where he stands to its root a distance of two thousand cubits, and from its root to his house another two thousand cubits. Thus he can walk four thousand cubits after dusk. If he does not know of any tree or wall, . . . and said, ‘Let my present position be my Sabbath base,’ his position acquires for him the right of movement within a radius of two thousand cubits in any direction. ... The Sages, however, ruled: The distances are to be squared in the shape of a square tablet, so that he may gain the area of the corners” (Mishnah ‘Erubin 4. 7, 8, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, pp. 343, 344).

“The Sages did not enact the law in order to add restrictions but in order to relax them” (ibid. 5.5, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 411).

The origin of the 2,000-cu. measurement is said to have been found in the tradition that the distance from the farthest tent in the wilderness camp of the Israelites to the tent of meeting, or tabernacle (cf. Num. 35:5), was the greatest distance a Hebrew might walk without its being said that he had gone “out of his place on the seventh day” (Ex. 16:29). More probably, it was the distance specified by Joshua to lie between the people and the Levites bearing the ark, at the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3:4).

Chrysostom (Homily III, Acts 1:12) supposed that the ascension must have been on a Sabbath, to account for the mention here of a “sabbath day’s journey.” Such a conclusion is not necessary. The ascension probably took place on a Thursday (see Additional Note on Matt. 28).