Let's unpack this.....
Acts 1:4-9
4. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
What can be definitively learned from this passage:
1) Over 40 days, no Holy Spirit yet given to the apostles
The text in no way says that. Indeed - since they are believers, they have the Holy Spirit in some sense and fashion, because "no one CAN believe without the Holy Spirit."
But of course, the Holy Spirit might be given in a rich diversity of ways, and for a rich diversity of purposes.
I think you ASSUME that there can be only ONE giving, only in ONE way, for only ONE purpose and to only ONE degree. I don't think Scripture supports your assumption, but in any case, you are assuming this. I think your ASSUMPTION conflicts with the texts, but the texts do not conflict with each other.
2) Messiah is promising that it is yet to come
Yes. There will be a BAPTIZING of/by/with the Holy Spirit. He's not predicting that the Holy Spirit will come for the first time or only time. Or that the Holy Spirit can/will ONLY come to them in THAT way and in THAT place. But yes, He is promising this specific "Baptizing with/by/of the Holy Spirit" will come to them.
The BAPTIZING of/for/by the Holy Spirit is traditionally seen as recorded in Acts 2:5-12 (although, I admit, it doesn't specially state that). In Acts 2, they are in Jerusalem. But of course, He gave the Great Commission on a different occasion, it's recorded in Matthew 28 and seems to be briefly after Easter in Galilee.
3) Messiah is taken up after uttering this statement, again without the giving of the Holy Spirit.
Again, you are assuming they didn't have the Holy Spirit. Actually, they could not have been believers if they didn't have the Holy Spirit. But yes, this "BAPTIZING of/with/by the Holy Spirit" didn't happen - or at least that's the most direct "take" on the text.
4) One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is to empower the disciples to be apostles in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to "the ends of the earth"
5) JERUSALEM, NOT GALILEE, is the place where this is to happen
It doesn't say that ANYWHERE.
If Acts 2 is the fulfillment, they were in Jerusalem for the "Baptizing of/for/by the Holy Spirit."
Lost me again.
Here is the problem: On the very same evening of Resurrection day. John 20:19-23 The - very - same - evening. No instructions to wait after already waiting 40 days.
Let's quote this text as you did with Acts:
19. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
What about the WHERE? Well according to Matthew, it is in Galilee! NOT JERUSALEM.
Matthew never mentions this specific Baptism by/of/from the Holy Spirit at all.
Galilee is where Messiah gives the Great commission. What about John? ALSO GALILEE. The disciples meet Jesus while they are fishing on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, which is another name for the sea of Galilee.
Okay, so your point is Jesus gave the Great Commission only once.... and that was in Galilee. Okay. Sorry, I'm not seeing where the texts contradict themselves.
Where is any "contradiction" in these? You didn't say.
Yes, at Easter, Jesus gives a gift of the Holy Spirit. Nothing here is said of the Great Commission.... nothing is said of any "Baptism with/of/by the Holy Spirit.' Nothing is said of baptizing and teaching. These two texts not only are NOT - in any way - in conflict, they aren't even speaking of the same thing.
No - because it is given with the same purpose - to empower the disciples to become apostles and His witnesses. Matthew's Witness also has the Great Commission (empowerment of the Disciples to become Apostles) at the same time - day of Resurrection - NOT after 40 days and NOT after ascending in the heavens.
The only "conflict" is your ASSUMPTIONS (quite unbiblical, IMO) with the Bible, not the Bible with itself. The Holy Spirit is given in a rich diversity of ways, senses and for various purposes. I have the Holy Spirit because I believe.... and because He comes in Word and Sacrament. That doesn't mean that ALL believers since Adam and Eve have the SAME giving for the SAME purpose. Again, no one CAN say "Jesus is Lord" without this giving of the Holy Spirit. The giving of the Holy Spirit is usually associated with EMPOWERING various things (not necessarily all things), especially things to which someone is especially called to. It's been a long time since Sunday School for me, but I seem to recall Samson being given the Spirit so that he could cause those pillars to fall.... does that mean that all Christians can do that? (Perhaps I'm not recalling the story correctly).
LUKE's ACCOUNT IN ACTS CONTRADICTS IT ALL.
Not in the least. Not at all. Sorry, I entirely fail to see your point.
Let's take this step by step.
According to Matthew Jesus tells the disciples to go to Galilee to meet Him. (Matthew 28:10, 28:16)
Again according to Matthew, the great commission is given there (Matt 28:16-20)
Is this true, or not?
True. What verse states that Jesus only gave the command only once - but it was not in Galilee but elsewhere?
Blessings!
- Josiah