Acts 1:15

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In the Acts of the Apostles 1:15 it states that there was a group of about 120 people gathered in one place. Verses 16 - 26 tell of choosing of Judas replacement that there would again be 12 Apostles.
Any idea or comments why there were 120 people in the upper room (Acts 1:13) ?
God Bless!!!
 
They were all disciples of Christ. Christ told his followers to go to Jerusalem and there they would receive power.
While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak;
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We sometimes forget that Christ had many followers, more than simply The Twelve. For instance, what was the criteria to be a potential substitute for Judas? One had to have been a witness to Christ’s entire ministry, from His baptism forward.
 
Perhaps the number itself is symbolic in some way (in other words there weren’t really 120, but Luke was trying to make a point), or, it could have just been a coincidence.

Only God can know for sure 😃
 
I don’t believe Luke was anything less than honest in his report of what happened. There were many others who followed Jesus, but the Apostles were His “inner circle”. Remember that He sent 70 others out 2 by 2 to preach ahead of Him (see Luke 10). If we look at the 70 and add the 11 remaining Apostles, that would give us 81 men, which would leave 39 women to complete the 120 people. We know that many women followed Jesus and supported His ministry, (including His mother, who we know was there), and at least 1 of the Apostles (Peter) was married, so this does not seem at all unreasonable.
 
From what I have read, most numbers in the Bible have significance. Twelve is the number of Heavenly perfection, e.g. Twelve Apostles, Twelve tribes of Israel, as contrasted with Seven, the number of earthly perfection, e.g. Seven Days of Creation, Seven deacons. The powers of ten - ten, hundred,thousand - imply a great amount, much increase.

I would interpret 120 as Heavenly Perfection vastly multiplied. While the 12 Apostles lead, the 120 are the great kingdom Jesus came to establish.

Note that, while the meaning of numbers in the first paragraph have some scholarly support., the application in the second paragraph is strictly my imagination.
 
Thank you for your thoughts. Probably there is some connection to what has been said. My personal feeling is that has to do with a Jewish custom combined with some of the thoughts put forward.
There is always some significance to numbers in scripture and that is the reason I asked. I was waiting for someone knowledgeable with Jewish customs or of Jewish background. I have traced a couple of other statements or events from scripture that seemingly come from nowhere and each of them has been related to Jewish custom. That is the reason I have this feeling.
God Bless!!!
 
How do we know Peter was married?

This doesn’t necessarily contradict Catholicism since in the Eastern Catholic Churches Priests could be married, but I don’t recall seeing a Scripture verse saying that. If this source is outside of Scriptrue would you mind giving it to me?
 
Marc_Anthony said:
How do we know Peter was married?

This doesn’t necessarily contradict Catholicism since in the Eastern Catholic Churches Priests could be married, but I don’t recall seeing a Scripture verse saying that. If this source is outside of Scriptrue would you mind giving it to me?
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Peter had a mother-in-law, so he was at some time married. It was his mother-in-law who waited upon them rather than his wife which might indicate his wife’s absence through death.1Cor. 9:5 indicates that a woman accompanied Peter, but does not indicate the nature of the relationship.
 
Mark Anthony,
Peter was married as he was living with his mother-in-law in his house in Capharnum (Matt. 8:14 & Luke 4:38). Also as a side light, according to Clement of Alexandria he had children and his wife was martyred.

God Bless!!!
 
Norval said:
In the Acts of the Apostles 1:15 it states that there was a group of about 120 people gathered in one place. Verses 16 - 26 tell of choosing of Judas replacement that there would again be 12 Apostles.
Any idea or comments why there were 120 people in the upper room (Acts 1:13) ?
God Bless!!!
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This was a symbolic number 12 X 10 =120
 
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