Chapter 14 (E&Y)
End of Acts 7
Acts 7 ends with Stephen's stoning in the same city where Jesus was crucified among his persecutors stood one named Saul (7:58) premier enemy of the fledgling church, this Saul came to be one of the greatest advocates of Jesus Christ that the early church produced the next chapters of Acts relate the drama of his conversion, as well as the continued spread of the gospel's transforming truth
Genre of Narrative
Acts furnishes, generally speaking, historical narrative, and it understandably relates events that people in later times should not expect to see repeated (e.g., Jesus's ascension in Acts 1) yet much of what it describes has at least indirect analogies with Christian experience in all times and places the careful reader will exercise due caution in light of the special interpretive challenge that Acts presents
The Response to Peter
Acts gives only a summary of Peter's sermon (2:40) Peter's remarks were direct, sensitive, and persuasive, yet also threatening, all features reminiscent of messages preached by his master, Jesus his electrifying claims met a massive response: more than 3,000 men (see 2:41; women and children were either not present or not counted) presented themselves for baptism
Literary Quality of Acts
Acts is notable for its high literary quality its prose possesses elegance and polish without succumbing to rhetorical excess like Luke, Acts employs a wide-ranging vocabulary: it uses more than 400 words not found elsewhere in the NT, with an additional 60 of its words appearing elsewhere only in Luke's Gospel (which uses more than 250 words not found elsewhere in the NT) by comparison, Matthew has just over, Mark just fewer than, 100 such words
Historical Value of Acts
Acts mentions more than thirty countries, more than fifty towns or cities, numerous islands, and nearly one hundred people, about sixty of whom are not mentioned elsewhere in the NT the author of Acts demonstrates impressive knowledge of geography, local politics and customs, seafaring, and the first-century Mediterranean world generally
Opening of Acts
Acts takes up where Luke's Gospel ends: focused on Jesus Christ Luke 24:51 relates that several weeks after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven Acts opens with an additional disclosure of what Jesus said and did prior to his physical departure from the earthly scene
Jesus' Standing Orders (1:1-11)
He instructed his disciples, who were expecting him to establish some kind of earthly reign (1:6), not to waste energy speculating on the Father's timetable, which he would fulfill in due course instead, they should ready themselves for a transforming divine visitation in the immediate future (1:8) after Jesus left, his Spirit would furnish fresh impetus for them to carry out the mandate he had entrusted to them that mandate involved testifying to who they knew Jesus Christ to be: the Lord of all creation, redeemer of all who trust in his death for their deliverance, and stern judge of all who reject his call to repent and pledge their life's loyalty to him
Outline of Acts 1-7
I. The Witness to Christ in and around Jerusalem (1:1-7:60) A. Introduction and Instructions (1:1-8) B. The Ascension (1:9-11) C. The Selection of Judas's Replacement (1:12-26) D. Pentecost: Emergence of the Church (2:1-47) E. First Encounter of the Church with the Religious Leaders (3:1-4:35) F. Ananias and Sapphira: A Case of Discipline (4:36-5:16) G. Second Encounter of the Church with the Religious Leaders (5:17-42) H. The Seven Servants: An Example of Problem Solving (6:1-7) I. Stephen: Fatal Clash with Judaism (6:8-7:60)
Theological Value of Acts
Luke does not set out to write a systematic account of early church teaching yet in powerful fashion he narrates the development, discussion, and at times dissension surrounding the spread of early preaching about Jesus Christ particularly in Acts' speeches and sermons, which account for some one-fifth of the book, the body of early apostolic teaching emerges
Growth
Luke takes pains to specify that "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (2:47) here Acts tells not so much of human religious activity or social organization as of the amazing work of God's Spirit he was marvelously transforming people both in their inner beings and in the way they related to one another the gospel's outworkings were dramatic at both personal and social levels
What was Pentecost?
Pentecost (2:1) refers to the ancient Hebrew holiday instituted in Moses's time (Deut. 16:16, there called the Festival of Weeks) it took place seven weeks after the Passover observance and is still celebrated by Jews today Pentecost Sunday is likewise a day of celebration in the Christian calendar
Structure of Acts
although no single description of Acts' literary structure has gained universal acceptance, many agree that the book divides naturally into two large sections taking note of Jesus's programmatic words in 1:8 ("you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth"), scholars suggest that chapters 1-12 recount the gospel's spread in and around Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria chapters 13-28 relate the early church's witness to Christ as it radiated out into "the ends of the earth" during the early church's beginning decades
The alert reader will ask the question: how much of Acts merely describes what once took place, and how much prescribes what should take place in other times and settings?
an answer to this question must result from study and reflection on each individual passage in light of all of Scripture and other relevant factors lots of passages are primarily descriptive, though they may also contain important prescriptive insights
Evidence in Consistency
evidence of the gospel's power is also seen in the intensity and consistency with which it was preached suffering lots of persecution, opposition, prison, etc., the apostles remained steadfast and consistent in their preaching of Jesus the same generous yet stern gospel seen at the church's beginning continued to go forth as the church expanded a major result of this message was a high level of growth and social cohesion among converts
Jesus' Presence (1:1-11)
first of all, he left his own personal presence curious as it sounds, NT writers are agreed that although Jesus plainly and publicly died, his physical departure did not mean that he was no longer a factor in earthly affairs His real, though nonphysical, presence remained, as he had promised it would (see Luke 24:49; John 14:16) thus Acts 1:2 speaks of Jesus "giving instructions through the Holy Spirit" the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the risen Jesus Acts, along with the Gospel of Luke, makes extensive mention of the Holy Spirit, so much so that scholars speak of the Spirit being a pervasive Lukan theme
Meeting in the Temple Courts
for many, if not most, this would have been normal practice prior to hearing Peter's message but now they were not merely Jews but messianic Jews, descendants of Abraham who had bravely and gladly received the apostolic word that God's ancient promises to their divinely chosen progenitor had been fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah their presence in the temple was therefore significant as witness that the God who had instituted temple worship had now delivered an additional and climactic word
Stephen's Sermon
highly representative of the apostolic message is Stephen's lengthy sermon (7:2-53) it may well sum up key elements of apostolic instruction in the earliest church, tracing the work of God's saving grace from Abraham through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob to the Israelites in Egypt Stephen pointed to the Israelites' stubborn defiance of Moses, God's chosen deliverer, as an example of his hearers' rejection of Jesus
"Apostles"
however, "apostles" in the broad sense refers simply to early Christians who were specially authorized and empowered by the Spirit of Jesus Christ numerous persons in Acts fit that description also the accomplishments of Peter and Paul may be seen as representative of the work of other apostles in other places of which Luke had less ready firsthand knowledge
Christian Community
in addition to growth, these years were marked by an enviable social cohesion that is, people lived with an eye to the needs of others and with a common spirit of sacrifice and love that lifted up their neighbor rather than centering on themselves this high degree of common concern was rooted, however, in a high regard for Christ and his commands, not in bare humanitarian impulse prayer and preaching had a tangible, practical effect
A Sense of Awe
in part due to wondrous works done by the apostles
Peter's Focus of Repentance
it was not primarily fervor for which Peter called; rather, it was repentance (2:38) Peter's Jewish hearers, or at least their leaders, had conspired along with the Romans to put Jesus to death the publicly attested facts that Jesus had been raised and then ascended to heaven (2:32) demonstrated that God endorsed the one they had bitterly opposed because they had not heeded Jesus or his message when he himself preached it earlier, it was imperative that they do so as his disciples preached it now if they refused, the judgment Jesus had repeatedly announced would befall them. If they accepted, they would receive the Holy Spirit and new life, now and forever this would fulfill "the promise" (2:39), presumably the covenant promise made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and assure their place among the people of God (2:39)
Fellowship
may be taken as including both "breaking of bread" and "prayer" "fellowship" apparently refers to what now marked all their lives and bound them intimately together: Jesus Christ and his Spirit, whom they had all received shared meals, which almost certainly included observance of the Lord's Supper, and corporate prayer indicated a common bond with one another and expressed devotion to the Lord
Acts as Narrative
narrates historical events much of what it narrates does not directly relate to Jesus's own deeds and teaching rather, it tells how Jesus's followers, and many other people as well, were part of, and sometimes opposed to, the gospel's spread
Both Descriptive and Prescriptive
other passages, however, seem both descriptive and prescriptive in nature it is likely that Acts not only describes but also prescribes what those who follow Christ ought to affirm as true its description relates to other biblical events or statements, whether in the OT, the Gospels, or the Epistles, in such a way that it seems to be furnishing trustworthy doctrinal affirmation (or teaching), not simply reliable historical information
Date of Acts
probably written no later than the early 60s, when Paul was under house arrest in Rome awaiting trial this is the time, at any rate, when Acts concludes (see Acts 28:30) the most likely reason why it ends here is that at the very time he was writing, Luke came to the end of the history he could recount key portions of Acts imply that the writer was part of the narrative he relates - scholars call these portions the "we sections" (16:10-17; 20:5-21:28; 27:1-28:16)
1:9-11
soberly recounts Jesus's ascension although it is not easy to understand or describe the technical details of what the onlookers saw, the validity of their experience is no less trustworthy than their testimony to Jesus's physical reappearance following his undeniable public death (Luke 24:39) Jesus ascended to the place from whence he first came. And he would be back (1:11) until then, his followers had work to do. Jesus himself through the Spirit saw to it that they got started
Title
some maintain that the title "Acts of the Apostles" is not entirely apt only one of the original twelve, Peter, receives extensive attention otherwise, the book is primarily concerned with Paul's ministry some have suggested that titles like "Acts of the Holy Spirit" or "The Growth of the Gospel through the Church" (see 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20) might serve better
Peter's Message at Pentecost
stunningly sober drawing on the OT prophet Joel, he asserted that the end times of prophetic pronouncement were now at hand it was time to call on the Lord, the God of Old Testament history and Scripture, with new fervor and intensity, for he was as close to them, and as fiercely firm in his expectations, as the person of Jesus had been in recent weeks
Sharing of Possessions
such sharing may have been necessary because Jews who chose to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah had been socially rejected or lost employment (see Heb. 10:32-34) then as now in many locations around the world, becoming a serious follower of Jesus carried painful consequences
Placement of Acts
taken together with Luke's Gospel, Acts makes up more than one-fourth of the entire NT its position—between the Gospels, which tell of Jesus Christ's coming, and the Epistles, which explain Christ's significance in concrete local church situations—indicates its theological importance Acts explains how the kerygma, the earliest proclamation about the dead and risen Jesus, made its way into the ancient Roman world and thus acquired universal significance this in turn assures its importance as a witness to early church practice and doctrine, or theology, for all ages since
Long-Term Outcomes of Pentecost
teaching fellowship a sense of awe sharing of possessions meeting together in the temple courts heartfelt praise of God growth
The Book of Acts
tells the story of the earliest church's rise and expansion
The Spirit at Pentecost
the Spirit's intensive presence on this particular occasion (2:2-4) symbolizes the completion of God's redemptive work through Jesus on Good Friday and Easter, linking it with the onset of a harvest of souls in response to the proclamation of the Messiah's cross "Messiah" is the Hebrew form of the Greek word "Christ" and is an especially appropriate title for the risen Jesus in the overwhelmingly Jewish setting of the early chapters of Acts the privilege of being the first to make that proclamation fell to Peter
Teaching
the apostles' teaching occupied center stage this is understandable, because Jesus had commanded them to make disciples ("disciple" means pupil or learner), and because they, and in those earliest days no others, were the spokesmen whom Jesus had authorized to relay the saving message of his death and resurrection
Effect of the Spirit
the central effect of the Spirit's unusual presence involved the announcement of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah an international assortment of Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for Pentecost—2:9-11 names more than a dozen nations or ethnic groups, representing perhaps scores of languages—heard "the wonders of God" (2:11) proclaimed in their native tongues not all onlookers were equally impressed, to be sure; some quipped that they were observing nothing more than a disgraceful instance of early-morning public drunkenness
Three Dominant Themes in Acts
the continuing work of the gospel through the joint working of miracle and message life together in the community of believers, conflict
Arrival of the Spirit
the dramatic appearance of the Spirit that Jesus promised was some days in coming the eleven waited obediently in continual prayer, joined by Jesus's mother, some other women, and his (formerly skeptical) brothers (1:13-14) this assembly, following Peter's suggestion, acted to appoint a replacement for the traitor Judas the lot fell to Matthias (1:26), about whom little else is known
Luke's Gospel
the opening verses of Luke's Gospel (1:1-4) are worth recalling as one comes to Acts Luke informs the reader of three things: - reliable traditions about Jesus and the early Christian movement have been handed down by eyewitnesses - Luke has made careful investigation of these experiences and reports - he dedicates his work to the reader's knowledge of and growth in the Christian faith these three statements apply not only to Luke but also to Acts as well they help to account for the plausibility, careful reporting, and theological sensitivity of the book
Author of Acts
the opening words of Acts declare, "In my former book...." - this clearly refers to an earlier work scholars agree that this work is the third Gospel, Luke. Ancient tradition as well as similar literary features of the two documents establish their common authorship if Luke, the physician and coworker of Paul (Col. 4:14), wrote the Gospel that bears his name, then he also wrote Acts
Miracles and Message
the same unusual signs of the divine presence that attended Jesus's ministry continued as the early days of church life stretched into weeks, months, and years as the disciples' ranks swelled, signs and wonders continued as they preached their message, Jesus's original followers, who were the authoritative bearers of the message about him, were enabled to duplicate the work they had done when their Master first sent them out: healing the sick and delivering those tormented by demonic influence (5:16; see Luke 9:1-2) Wonder-working power spread from the apostles to at least a few additional stalwart believers, among them Stephen
Heartfelt Praise of God
their home-to-home camaraderie, shared meals, and mutual gladness were apparently as distinctive at that time as they would be in modern Western society today
Conflict
this portion of Acts records that leaders were repeatedly jailed and sometimes physically brutalized; Stephen was martyred the persecution was unjust but understandable Christian preaching seemed to undermine widely accepted views of what mattered in religion and society it appeared that Jerusalem and Jewish custom were under siege in the name of Jesus (6:14) the threat of harsh Roman response to prolonged social unrest (see John 11:48) was real, as the events of AD 70 later showed
