Acts 1-18

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Acts 1-18

• Intergenerational Seminary
• New Testament
• Session 1

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Basics of the New Testament (review)
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How did the NT come about?

• Took a while
• Early Christians were very eschatological
• First form was letters (fit with eschatology)
  Pauline
• I Thess, Gal, Philemon, Phil, I/II Corin, Romans
• By the mid-60s the first generation had mostly
  died, so letters took on a more enduring tone
  (Deutero-Pauline)
• II Thess dont focus too much on the Second
  Coming
• Colossians/Ephesians talks about the Church
• I/II Timothy, Titus discuss bishops, priests,
  deacons

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How did the NT come about?

• Also the Catholic/General Epistles (directed to
  the worldwide church)
• I/II Peter
• James
• Jude
• I/II/III John

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How did the NT come about?

• The Gospels
• Mark (70 CE) his readers were not Palestinian
  Jews of Jesus lifetime, but Gentiles who were
  unfamiliar with Jewish customs
• Emphasis on suffering and the Cross may reflect
  Marks personal experience
• Matthew/Luke (20 years later) used Q
• Fourth Gospel (90-100 CE)

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How did the NT come about?

• Other books
• Acts
• By the same author as Luke
• One narrative, moving the story of Christianity
  beyond Jerusalem to Samaria and beyond

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Why those books in the NT?

• Apostolic origin
• Gospels attributed to apostles (Matthew, John) or
  apostolic men (Mark, Luke)
• Letters supposedly written by Paul, Peter, James
• Debates
• Revelation almost didnt make it in when
  Dionysius (250 CE) proved John didnt write it
• Hebrews only made it in when it was thought to
  have been written by Paul
• Not always sufficient
• Gospel of Peter rejected based on its theology

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Other criteria

• Importance of the addressed Christian communities
• Antioch in Syria Matthew
• Asia Minor and Greece Pauline and Johannine
  writings
• Rome Romans
• Conformity with the rule of faith
• Gospel of Peter rejected because of its Docetism

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Evolving NT canon

• Pauline letters
• 100 CE 10 letters (not Pastorals or Hebrews)
• 200 CE 13 letters (not Hebrews)
• 300 CE 14 letters
• Gospels
• Likely each early community only knew of one of
  the gospels
• No record before 150 CE of more than one gospel
  being read in any specific church
• By late 4th century there was widespread
  acceptance of the 27 books

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Chronology of Pauls letters
1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Philippi
ans Philemon 1 2 Corinthians
Romans

Ephesians
Mark Matthew/Luke-Acts John
50 60 70 80 90 100
1/2 Timothy Titus
Galatians Colossians
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Luke-Acts

• Originally one book
• Luke addressed to Theophilus (11-4)
• Acts In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote
  about al that Jesus did and taught. (11)
• Two main characters
• Peter (chapters 1-12)
• Paul (chapters 13-28)

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Language Disciples and Apostles

• In general, an apostle (from the Greek word for
  messenger) is a person who received a mission
  directly from God or Jesus
• The twelve Jesus chose
• Saul/Paul
• Some inferior disciples who, under the direction
  of the Apostles, preached the Gospel, or
  contributed to its diffusion
• Barnabas (Acts 144, 14)
• Andronicus and Junias (Romans 167)
• Epaphroditus (Phil., ii, 25)
• Two unknown Christians who were delegated for the
  collection in Corinth (2 Corinthians 723)
• A disciple (from the Latin word for pupil) is
  any follower of Jesus.

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Beginning of Acts of the Apostles

• Chapter 1
• Jesus appears for 40 days, then ascends to heaven
• Matthias chosen to replace Judas
• Chapter 2 Pentecost
• Jewish feast celebrated 50 days after Passover
• Commemorates giving of the Law at Sinai (when
  Israel was called to be Gods own people)
• Peter summarizes the Gospel to the amazed
  onlookers
• Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
  name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be
  forgiven. (238)

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Peter and John preach the gospel to the Jews in
Jerusalem

• Chapter 3
• Peter heals a cripple and preaches in Solomons
  portico
• Chapters 4-5
• Peter and John brought before the Council
• By what power or by what name did you do this?
  (47)
• The Council orders Peter and John not to speak
  or teach at all in the name of Jesus
• Peter and John refuse, and are released
• The apostles give thanks and share everything
• Except Ananias and Sapphira, who died (51-11)

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Apostles continue to heal and preach

• After healing many (including those who simply
  fell in Peters shadow), the apostles are jailed
• An angel lets them out of prison, and they
  continue to preach
• The Council wants to execute them, but Gamaliel
  (Pauls teacher) says not to
• If they preach a false gospel, it will fail
• But if it is of God, you will not be able to
  overthrow them. (539)
• Apostles are flogged and released
• Debate among Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) and
  Hebrews about equitable distribution of food
• Seven leaders chosen

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Stephen, the first martyr

• After preaching and doing great wonders and
  signs, Stephen is arrested on the false
  testimony of others in the synagogue
• We have heard him say that this Jesus of
  Nazareth will destroy this place and will change
  the customs that Moses handed to us.
• High priest Are these things so?
• Stephen
• Recounts salvation history from Abraham on down,
  noting how all the prophets had been persecuted
  (Joseph, Moses, etc.)
• You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart
  and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy
  Spirit, just as you ancestors used to do.
• Stephen is stoned (754-60)

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First mention of Saul

• Approved of Stephens execution and led a
  sustained persecution of the disciples,
  scattering all but the apostles
• Philip went to Samaria, where many (including
  Simon the magician and the Ethiopian eunuch)
  believed and were baptized
• Peter and John then went to Samaria and laid
  hands on the converts

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Israel (Northern Kingdom) and Judah (Southern
Kingdom)
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Conversion of Paul (Acts 9)

• On the road to Damascus
• Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
• Who are you, Lord?
• I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get
  up and enter the city, and you will be told what
  you are to do.
• The Lord brings Saul and Ananias together
• Saul preaches the Gospel in the synagogues in
  Damascus, and then returns to Jerusalem
• Attempts to join the disciples, but they fear him
• Barnabas learns of a plot against Sauls life,
  and so sends him to Tarsus

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Sauls initial travels
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Peters continuing ministry

• Heals Aeneas, bedridden for 8 years (932-35)
• Raises Tabitha from the dead (936-43)
• Begins ministry to the Gentiles
• Vision on the roof (109-16)
• Meeting Cornelius, the Roman centurion
• I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
  but in every nation anyone who fears him and does
  what is right is acceptable to him. (1035)
• Defends his ministry to the Church at Jerusalem
  (111-18)

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Antioch

• Gospel had spread there after disciples dispersed
  following Stephens death
• Church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas there to
  encourage them
• Barnabas went to Tarsus to get Saul
• Saul and Barnabas spent a year with the church in
  Antioch
• Believers first called Christians there

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Herod (Acts 12)

• This is Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the
  Great
• Killed James, the brother of John, and imprisoned
  Peter
• Peter released by an angel
• Herod dies because he did not give glory to God

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Pauls First Missionary Journey
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Pauls First Journey
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Pauls First Journey

• Barnabas and Saul (Paul) commissioned by church
  in Antioch
• Cyprus confrontation with Bar-Jesus, a magician
  and false prophet
• Bar-Jesus blinded
• Proconsul (Sergius Paulus) converted
• Pisidian Antioch
• Many Jews converted
• Explicit proclamation of mission to the Gentiles
  (1347)

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Pauls First Journey (contd) Galatia

• Iconium
• Unbelieving Jews stirred up dissent among
  Gentiles
• Paul and Barnabas flee upon fear of stoning
• Lystra and Derbe
• Paul and Barnabas perform miracles, but the
  people think theyre Zeus and Hermes
• Jews from Antioch and Iconium come and stir up
  dissent, and Paul is stoned
• Return to Antioch

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Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15)

• Issue of Gentile Christians not resolved in Acts
  11
• Back then it was a few Gentiles joining a large
  number of Jews
• But here its the question of large, entirely
  Gentile churches
• Peter and James agree to accept uncircumcised
  Gentiles
• What argument is missing?
• Some rules abstain from food sacrificed to
  idols, from blood, and from what is strangled
  and from incestuous relationships
• But what of Galatians 2?

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Pauls Second Missionary Journey
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(No Transcript)
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Pauls 2nd Missionary Journey

• Timothy joins Paul and Silas (who has replaced
  Barnabas), and is circumcised
• Philippi very dear to Pauls heart
• Conversion of Lydia
• Paul and Silas thrown in prison, freed by
  earthquake, but dont flee (so as to save the
  jailer and his family)
• Thessalonica
• Many converts, but Jews stirred up dissent
• Even chased Paul and Silas to Beroea

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Pauls 2nd Missionary Journey (contd)

• Athens, speaking on Mars Hill (Areopagus)
• Acknowledges the peoples thirst for God
• Quotes secular poets (Epimenides, Aratus)
• Tells them Jesus is the answer theyve always
  been looking for
• Corinth
• Origin of tentmaker
• Came to focus exclusively on the Gentiles
• Stayed there for 18 months
• Wrote 1 Thessalonians

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To Read for Next Week

• Review
• Acts 15 (Council of Jerusalem)
• Acts 1816-32 (Paul in Athens)
• 1 Thessalonians
• Earliest writing in the New Testament
• A Greek community (notice that Paul doesnt refer
  to explicitly Jewish issues)
• Galatians
• Notice the difference in tone
• Compare Galatians 2 with Acts 15