The Acts of the Apostles

1
The Acts of the Apostles

• Dr. Ken EasleyMaster of Christian Studies
• Union University

2
Historical Concerns (1)

• Author
• Anonymous, but almost certainly Luke
• Similarities to the third Gospel
• We passages
• Date of writing
• Late date, about AD 80 or even later
• Best date, about AD 60-61 (due to abrupt ending
  and other factors)

3
Historical Concerns (2)

• Place of origin probably Rome
• Destination and Recipient
• Unknown place
• Theophilus, mentioned only in introductions to
  Luke and Acts
• Background and Occasion
• Pauls 2-year detention in Rome (AD 59-61)
• A selective account of early Christianity was the
  necessary conclusion to the third Gospel

4
Theological Concerns (1) (Authors Purposes)

• Religious completion of the account of the works
  of Jesus
• Historical spread of Christianity
• Jew to Gentile Jerusalem to Rome
• Christianity arose in real, human, secular
  history (not made up)
• Apologetic Christianity is the true heir of
  Judaism (also, to vindicate Christianity in the
  eyes of the Roman government)

5
Theological Concerns (2)

• Key Concept Christianity expands from Jerusalem
  to the ends of the earth through the power of
  the Holy Spirit.
• Key Text Acts 18
• Key Word Acts (praxeis)
• Themes activity of the Spirit lordship of Jesus
  in building his churches concern for the poor
  and outcast

6
Literary Concerns (1)

• Style of Greek elegant, literary Koiné large
  vocabulary
• Literary Features
• classical method of dating (1128 182)
• first person narratives we (1610-17
  205-15 211-8 271-2816)
• selectivity (chaps. 1-8 3 years chaps 9-11
  14 years chaps 12-28 14 years)

7
Literary Concerns (2)
8
Literary Concerns (3)(Outline based on 6
summaries)

1. Prologue 11-241
2. Church in Jerusalem only 242-67
3. Widening horizons 68-931
4. Peter the first Gentile Chns 932-1224
5. Paul turns to the Gentiles 1225-165
6. Further Gentile mission 166-1920
7. On to Rome 1921-2831

9
Special Issues (1)

• Pivotal nature of the Book of Acts
• Greek manuscripts of Acts(Western family is 10
  longer)
• Historical-critical study of Acts
• F. C. Baur of Tubingen (1792-1860)
• Thesis Peter and James (Jewish only)
• Antithesis Paul and Apollos (Gentile only)
• Synthesis early Christian orthodoxy

10
Special Issues (2)

• Important German followers
• M. Dibelius, R. Bultmann, E. Haenchen
• Important British dissenters
• F. F. Bruce, I. H. Marshall
• Helpful commentaries
• F. F. Bruce, 1951, Greek
• R. Longenecker, 1981, Expositors Bib. Com.
• I. H. Marshall, 1980, Tyndale
• J. Stott, 1990, IVP, Spirit, Church the World

11
Before Pauls Conversion (1)

• 1. Preparation for Pentecost
• 2. Pentecost
• coming of the Holy Spirit as permanent gift
• power to be and power to do
• Peters sermon
• the first Christian church
• teaching, fellowship, Lords Supper, prayer

12
Before Pauls Conversion (2)The Churchs Baby
Book

• 3. First Christian miracle (lame man)
• 4. First arrest of Christians (Peter John)
• 5. First church discipline first beatings
• 6. First church committee (deacons?)
• 7. First Christian martyr (Stephen)
• 8. Samaritan Pentecost (Philip, Peter, John)
• Peter and the Keys of the Kingdom

13
Peter and the Keys of the Kingdom
KINGDOM OF GOD rule of God all the redeemed
the Spirit baptized (in this era)
Matt. 2143
Matt. 1619
ISRAEL
JEWS, Acts 2 SAMARITANS, Acts 8 GENTILES, Acts 10
14
Paul Phase 1 before the missionary journeys (AD
33-46)

• 9. Conversion and commission of Paul
• 10. Gentile Pentecost (Cornelius)
• 11. First Gentile church (Antioch of Syria)
• 12. Peters miraculous release and Herods
  miraculous death
• end of Peters active ministry in Acts
• The early KERYGMA (proclamation)

15
The KERYGMA

• Jesus lived on earth and did good deeds.
• He was crucified.
• God raised him from the dead.
• He fulfilled the Scriptures.
• You must repent and believe in Him.
• You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

16
Paul Phase 2 three missionary journeys (AD 47-57)

• 13. Paul in Cyprus and Antioch of Pisidia
• 14. Paul in Galatia
• 15. The Jerusalem Council (GALATIANS)
• 16. Pauls advance into Europe
• 17. Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens
• 18. End of the second journey (1 2 THESS.)
• 19. The Ephesian ministry (1 2 COR.)
• 20. Journey toward Jerusalem (Lk. 951) (ROM.)
• 21. Pauls arrest in Jerusalem

17
Paul Phase 3 imprisonment and beyond (AD 57-65)

• 22. Pauls defense before the Jewish crowd
• 23. Pauls defense before the Council
• 24. Pauls defense before Governor Felix
• 25. Pauls defense before Governor Festus
• 26. Pauls defense before King Agrippa
• 27. Voyage and shipwreck
• 28. Rome at last (PRISON EPISTLES)
• Beyond Acts (PASTORAL EPISTLES)

18
WE ARE LIVING IN THE 29TH CHAPTER OF ACTS.

• The Lord GodIs Graciously Building
• a Kingdom of Redeemed People
• for Their Joy and for His Own Glory.
• Therefore . . .
• Gods people are to join in Gods plan to spread
  Christianity to the ends of the earth through the
  power of the Holy Spirit.

19
The Church in Jerusalem (1)

• (1) Preparation for Pentecost
• Prologue
• Ascension
• Selection of Matthias
• (2) Pentecost
• Coming of the Holy Spirit
• Peters sermon
• The first church

20
The Church in Jerusalem (2)

• (3) The First Christian Miracle
• Healing a lame man
• Peters temple discourse
• (4) The First Arrest of Christians
• Before the Sanhedrin
• The resulting prayer
• The resulting unity

21
The Church in Jerusalem (3)

• (5) The First Discipline and the First Beatings
• Ananias and Sapphira
• Success provokes arrest
• Peters advice vs. Gamaliels

22
The Church in Jerusalem (4)

• (6) The First Deacons
• Appointment of the Seven
• Stephens ministry
• (7) The First Christian Martyr
• Stephens defense
• Stephens death

23
Churches in Judea and Samaria

• (8) The Samaritan Pentecost
• Persecution and dispersion
• Philip and the Samaritans
• Peter uses the keys
• Philip and the Ethiopian

24
Churches in Judea and Samaria

• (9) The Conversion of Saul
• Conversion
• Commission
• First ministry
• Peter in western Palestine

25
Churches in All the World

• (10) The Gentile Pentecost
• Corneliuss and Peters visions
• Peters obedience
• Peters sermon
• The Spirits descent
• (11) The First Gentile Church
• Gentile converts approved
• The church in Syrian Antioch

26
Churches in All the World

• (12) Approval of the Churches and Judgment of
  Israel
• Peters miraculous release
• Herods miraculous death
• (13) Paul in Cyprus and Pisidian Antioch
• Commissioning Paul and Barnabas
• Evangelization of Cyprus
• The move to Pisidian Antioch
• Pauls sermon and its result

27
Churches in All the World

• (14) Paul in Galatia
• In Iconium
• In Lystra and Derbe
• Consolidation and return home
• (15) The Jerusalem Council
• The problem
• The debate
• The decree
• The proclamation

28
Churches in All the World

• (16) Pauls Advance into Europe
• Follow-up in Galatia
• Decision to enter Europe
• In Philippi
• (17) Thessalonica, Berea, Athens
• In Thessalonica
• In Berea
• In Athens

29
Churches in All the World

• (18) End of the Second Journey
• In Corinth
• Return to Syrian Antioch
• Departure from Antioch
• Introduction of Apollos
• (19) The Ephesian Ministry
• The Paul in Ephesus
• Riot of the silversmiths

30
Churches in All the World

• (20) Journey toward Jerusalem
• Macedonia, Achaia, Macedonia
• Troas and Eutychus
• Miletus and the Ephesian elders
• (21) Pauls Arrest in Jerusalem
• From Miletus to Jerusalem
• Pauls report and purification
• Arrest at the temple

31
Churches in All the World

• (22) Defense before the Crowd
• Pauls address
• Imprisonment
• (23) Defense before the Sanhedrin
• Divide and conquer
• A Jewish plot against Paul
• From Jerusalem to Caesarea

32
Churches in All the World

• (24) Defense before Felix
• Accusation by Tertullus
• Defense by Paul
• Indecision by Felix
• (25) Defense before Festus
• The Jews appeal to Festus
• Paul appeals to Nero Caesar
• Festus confers with Agrippa
• Paul appears before Agrippa

33
Churches in All the World

• (26) Defense before Agrippa
• Pauls speech
• Agrippas response
• (27) Voyage and Shipwreck
• To Crete
• The storm
• The shipwreck

34
Churches in All the World

• (28) Rome at Last
• Winter in Malta
• From Malta to Rome
• Pauls ministry in Rome