-
It
is generally
agreed that
Acts was
written by
the same
person who
wrote Luke,
and
therefore it
was written
around the
same time,
80-90 AD.
-
The
book was not
called
"Acts..."
by the
original
author; this
title was
given to it
by later
church
writers.
-
"Acts"
was a common
title in
Hellenistic
literature
for works
describing
the deeds
(or acts) of
famous men.
-
"...of
the
Apostles"
is an odd
title, since
most of the
twelve are
barely
mentioned.
-
The
book focuses
on two major
figures:
-
Peter
(chs.1-12)
-
Paul
(chs. 13-28)
-
The
book is best
described as
a
"Greco-
Roman
History"-
a type of
history
writing sometimes also called "apologetic
historiography":
-
Although
Luke clearly
does record
valuable
information
about the
history of
the Early
Church
community,
this is not
his primary
purpose.
-
His
purpose is
apologetic-
he seeks to
defend the
claims of
Christianity:
-
He
seeks to
show the
reader how
God's will
and purpose
for the
world are
fulfilled in
the person
of Jesus and
the activity
of the Early
Church
founded in
his name.
-
How
does Acts
portray God
as being
"in
control"
of events in
human
history?
-
Consider
the prologue
to Acts, where the
author
mentions the
following
details:
-
Jesus
remained on
earth for
forty days
before he
ascended:
-
Forty
days
symbolizes a
new
relationship
between God
and his
people:
-
Moses
was on Sinai
for forty
days
-
The
Israelites
wandered in
the desert
for forty
years
-
Jesus
was tempted
in the
desert for
forty days
-
Forty
days and
nights of
rain during
the flood
story in
Genesis
-
Jesus
ascends to
heaven from
the
"Mount
of
Olives."
-
The
two men in
white
garments
claim that
he will
return the
same way he
left-
meaning he
will return
to the
mountain.
-
In
Zech
14:4-21,
this is the
place where
God will
appear and
cast his
final
judgment
over the
Earth.
-
Before
Pentecost,
the apostles
must account
for the fact
that there
are only
eleven left,
so they
appoint
Matthias as
twelfth.
-
Why
did they
need twelve?
What does
Matthias
ever do
after this?
-
The
purpose of
the twelve
is symbolic,
they
represent
the
"new
Israel"-
new judges
of new
tribes.
-
Remember
that, in Mt
and Lk,
Jesus
promises the
disciples
that they
will sit on
"thrones"
and
"judge
the 12
tribes"
in the
coming
kingdom.
-
The
holy Spirit
descends on
the apostles
at
Pentecost.
-
Pentecost
(the Feast
of Weeks)
was
celebrated
seven weeks
or fifty
days after
Passover.
-
It
was a
pilgrimage
feast.
-
It
was an
agricultural
feast of
thanksgiving
celebrated
in May or
June.
-
The
feast had
acquired
additional
meaning from
the Exodus
story:
-
The
Jews
believed
that Moses
and the
Israelites
had left
Egypt and
arrived at
Sinai just
over a month
and a half
later.
-
Thus
Pentecost
became the
feast that
celebrated
the giving
of the law
to Moses on
Sinai, the
moment the
Israelites
became
"chosen."
-
Luke
suggests
that this
Pentecost is
meant to
replace the
first one.
-
As
a
consequence
of the gift
of the
spirit, the
disciples
immediately
begin to
speak in
tongues.
-
Why
this gift?
Why would
the
disciples
need the
power to
speak in any
language,
unless their
message was
intended to
be received
by people
who spoke
those
languages?
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Also
in Prologue,
Acts 1:8,
Jesus
claims,
"You
will be my
witnesses in
Jerusalem,
all of Judea
and Samaria,
and to the
ends of the
earth."
-
Accordingly,
Acts can be
divided as
follows:
-
Ch.1
= prologue
-
2:1-8:1a
= Mission to
Jerusalem
-
8:1b-12:25
= Mission in
Samaria and
Judea
-
13:1-28:31
= Mission to
the Ends of
the Earth
-
Acts
begins in
Jerusalem
and ends in
Rome, the
capital of
the empire.
-
Judas'
death in
Acts 1:16-20
(compare to
Mt 27:3-10)
-
Both
agree on the
following:
-
Themes
of Acts:
-
The
message of
God's
redemption
goes forth
from
Jerusalem,
because it
was rejected
there.
-
Just
as Jesus was
rejected,
the apostles
are as well.
-
Remember
Lk 4- Jesus
reads a
scroll from
the prophet
Isaiah- he
is rejected
by the Jews
who hear him
because he
suggests
that his
mission
(like those
of Elijah
and Elisha)
was to the
Gentiles.
-
Salvation
(God's
redemption)
is offered
first to the
Jews,
because they
are God's
chosen, but
when they
reject it
the Gentiles
receive it.
-
Acts
1:8: Gospel
will go to:
-
Jews,
Samaria and
Judea, the
ends of the
earth.
-
The
time of the
end is
unknown, but
it has been
delayed
while the
worldwide
mission
takes place.
-
Not
only Jesus,
but the
entire
Christian
movement is
a
fulfillment
of
scripture.
-
When
Judas is
replaced,
Peter claims
that his
death and
the need to
replace him
were
predicted by
David in the
Psalms (see
69 and 109).
-
This
tells us
that in the
early days
of the
church,
Christians
probably
sought to
explain
everything
that was
happening to
themselves
and
everything
that had
happened to
Jesus in
terms of the
OT.
-
Lk
did not see
Christianity
as opposed
to Judaism
or breaking
from it, he
saw
Christianity
in direct
continuity
(continuing),
even
fulfilling
Judaism.
-
Lk
therefore
implies that
Jews who
oppose Jesus
have opposed
their own
religion and
their own
God.
-
Christianity
is not
opposed to
Rome, nor a
threat to
it. It is
not
"subversive."
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Centurions
see Jesus
and Paul as
innocent.
-
Four
trials each
for Jesus
and Paul,
both are
found
innocent by
the Romans.
-
Speeches
in Acts
-
There
are 36
speeches in
Acts, making
up roughly
one third of
the
narrative.
-
They
are made
primarily by
four people:
-
All
of the
speeches
have the
same basic
features in
common
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