Tertullian.org: The Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (1923) J. M. WILSON, D.D. Initially, the Jews are receptive to the Christian message, but later they turn against the followers of Jesus. [16] By and large the sources for Acts can only be guessed at,[17] but the author would have had access to the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures), the Gospel of Mark, and either the hypothetical collection of "sayings of Jesus" called the Q source or the Gospel of Matthew. Peter, directed by a series of visions, preaches to Cornelius the Centurion, a Gentile God-fearer, who becomes a follower of Christ. Paul’s refusal to impose the Mosaic law upon his Gentile converts provoked very strong objection among the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1), but both Peter and James supported his position (Acts 15:6–21). This summary of the book of Acts provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Acts. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends and confers God's power on them, and Peter and John preach to many in Jerusalem and perform healings, casting out of evil spirits, and raising of the dead. The early chapters, set in Jerusalem, describe the Day of Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit) and the growth of the church in Jerusalem. It was written in Greek anonymously as early as c.AD 65, but more likely later in the century, as a sequel to the Gospel of St. Luke [2]. The inspired historian begins his narrative of the Acts of the Apostles, I. The book of Acts illustrates how the Savior continued to direct His Church through the inspiration of the … For other uses, see, Title, unity of Luke – Acts, authorship and date, Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles, The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Textual variants in the Acts of the Apostles, "The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles: Telling the Christian Story", "Luke–Acts and the Imperial Cult: A Way through the Conundrum?". Both were probably written by Luke , an early Christian who traveled with the apostle Paul. "[9] (An example can be seen by comparing Acts's accounts of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–31, 22:6–21, and 26:9–23) with Paul's own statement that he remained unknown to Christians in Judea after that event (Galatians 1:17–24). There is a James mentioned in Acts, which the Catholic Encyclopedia identifies with James, the brother of Jesus: "but he [Peter], beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. In the interpretation of Acts, care must be exercised to determine Luke’s theological aims and interests and to evaluate his historical data without either exaggerating their literal accuracy or underestimating their factual worth. "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put … There is a reason for this. II. 2 Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. By stressing the continuity between Judaism and Christianity (Acts 13:16–41; 23:6–9; 24:10–21; 26:2–23), Luke argues that Christianity is deserving of the same toleration accorded Judaism by Rome. There are also differences between Luke and Acts, amounting at times to outright contradiction. This missionary venture generally failed to win the Jews of the diaspora to the gospel but enjoyed success among the Gentiles (Acts 13:14–14:27). ©2021 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Explore more inspirational selections here, The Preparation for the Christian Mission (, The Inauguration of the Gentile Mission (, The Mission of Paul to the Ends of the Earth (. Rejected by the Jews, the message is taken to the Gentiles under the guidance of the Apostle Peter. 4 But many of the people who heard … He repeats the command in Acts, telling them to preach "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth." The title, κύριος, was often ascribed to the Roman emperor in antiquity, rendering its use by Luke as an appellation for Jesus an unsubtle challenge to the emperor's authority. Journey alongside Luke as he documents the joys, hardships and miracles of the early Christian church in this Word for Word (NIV), full dramatized film of the Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. Read Acts commentary using Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Peter states that "this one" [οὗτος], i.e. [2] Luke–Acts can also be seen as a defense of (or "apology" for) the Jesus movement addressed to the Jews: the bulk of the speeches and sermons in Acts are addressed to Jewish audiences, with the Romans serving as external arbiters on disputes concerning Jewish customs and law. Acts, as it is commonly called, is a second volume of the Gospel of Luke. Acts of the Apostles. "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known" (Romans 15:20) Home; EGW Writings; Books; The Acts of the Apostles. [18][19] He transposed a few incidents from Mark's gospel to the time of the Apostles—for example, the material about "clean" and "unclean" foods in Mark 7 is used in Acts 10, and Mark's account of the accusation that Jesus has attacked the Temple (Mark 14:58) is used in a story about Stephen (Acts 6:14). 1, 2. Luke tells his story with the hope that Christianity will be treated as fairly. Stay up to date with the latest news, information, and special offers. 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation. It is the only 1st-century account of the expansion of Christianity in its earliest period. At first many Jews follow Christ and are baptized, but the followers of Jesus begin to be increasingly persecuted by other Jews. Acts 2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11; Acts 2:9 That is, the Roman province by that name; Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles) Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11 (see Septuagint) Acts 2:35 Psalm 110:1 [5] On the one hand, Luke portrays the followers of Jesus as a sect of the Jews, and therefore entitled to legal protection as a recognised religion; on the other, Luke seems unclear as to the future God intends for Jews and Christians, celebrating the Jewishness of Jesus and his immediate followers while also stressing how the Jews had rejected God's promised Messiah. Acts of the Apostles, book of the New Testament [1]. The travels of Peter and Paul are in reality the travels of the Word of God as it spreads from Jerusalem, the city of destiny for Jesus, to Rome, the capital of the civilized world of Luke’s day. The spread of Christianity, according to Luke's account, 30 years after the departure of Jesus: Peter's community, its trials and martyrs;:Paul's travels,after his conversion, to Antioch and Rome. The promise of the Holy Ghost and the Ascension of Christ are then briefly recorded. If you are interested in the title for your course we can consider offering an examination copy. Moreover, when he stands before Roman authorities, he is declared innocent of any crime against the empire (Acts 18:13–15; 23:29; 25:25–27; 26:31–32). His history of the apostolic church is the story of a Spirit-guided community and a Spirit-guided spread of the Word of God (Acts 1:8). Only the main lines of the roles of Peter and Paul serve Luke’s interest. 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. An Outline of the Acts of the Apostles: . After Jesus was victorious over Satan and returned to heaven, the enemy turned his attention to Jesus’ church on earth. Be there as Saul of Tarsus is confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road. The Gospel of Luke began with a prologue addressed to Theophilus; Acts likewise opens with an address to Theophilus and refers to "my earlier book", almost certainly the gospel. [33], Prior to the 1950s, Luke–Acts was seen as a historical work, written to defend Christianity before the Romans or Paul against his detractors; since then the tendency has been to see the work as primarily theological. The Gentile church is established in Antioch (north-western Syria, the third-largest city of the empire), and here Christ's followers are first called Christians. The Acts of the Apostles forms a bridge between the record of Jesus Christ’s life and teachings in the four Gospels and the writings and labors of His Apostles. 5.3K likes. [41], As the second part of the two-part work Luke–Acts, Acts has significant links to the Gospel of Luke. Peter serves as the leader of the apostles and the small congregation of the faithful in Jerusalem. Saul of Tarsus, one of the Jews who persecuted the followers of Jesus, is converted by a vision to become a follower of Christ (an event which Luke regards as so important that he relates it three times). The Holy Spirit represents God's power (at his ascension, Jesus tells his followers, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you"): through it the disciples are given speech to convert thousands in Jerusalem, forming the first church (the term is used for the first time in Acts 5). [35] His "salvation history" stretches from the Creation to the present time of his readers, in three ages: first, the time of "the Law and the Prophets" (Luke 16:16), the period beginning with Genesis and ending with the appearance of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5–3:1); second, the epoch of Jesus, in which the Kingdom of God was preached (Luke 3:2–24:51); and finally the period of the Church, which began when the risen Christ was taken into Heaven, and would end with his second coming. 2 Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Stephen is accused of blasphemy and stoned. St. Peter advises that a successor be chosen in the place of Judas Iscariot, and Matthias is chosen by lot. His approach to the history of the church is motivated by his theological interests. Matthew Mark Luke John Acts of Apostles Romans 1 Corinthians. On a visit to Jerusalem he is set on by a Jewish mob. For example, the gospel seems to place the Ascension on Easter Sunday, immediately after the Resurrection, while Acts 1 puts it forty days later. [13], There are two major textual variants of Acts, the Western text-type and the Alexandrian. It opens with a brief notice of the forty days succeeding the Resurrection of Christ during which He appeared to the Apostles, "speaking the things concerning the Kingdom of God". Rather, there are ways in which each may have considered having a relationship with the other rather advantageous to its own cause. 1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. Chapter 5 . The Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)1 When the day of Pentecost a came, they were all together in one place. I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. The answer is ambiguous. Paul spends the next few years traveling through western Asia Minor and the Aegean, preaching, converting, and founding new churches. 1 In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning 2 until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. Luke 1:1-4; Acts … The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter. [14], The title "Acts of the Apostles" (Praxeis Apostolon) would seem to identify it with the genre telling of the deeds and achievements of great men (praxeis), but it was not the title given by the author. [23], Acts was read as a reliable history of the early church well into the post-Reformation era, but by the 17th century biblical scholars began to notice that it was incomplete and tendentious—its picture of a harmonious church is quite at odds with that given by Paul's letters, and it omits important events such as the deaths of both Peter and Paul. The second key element is the roles of Peter and Paul, the first representing the Jewish Christian church, the second the mission to the Gentiles.[30]. On Pentecost the Holy Ghost descends on … The Acts of the Apostles presents the amazing story of the early Christian church through the rest of New Testament times. [2] This theme is introduced in Chapter 4 of the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus, rejected in Nazareth, recalls that the prophets were rejected by Israel and accepted by Gentiles; at the end of the gospel he commands his disciples to preach his message to all nations, "beginning from Jerusalem." The Holy Spirit descends on Cornelius and his guests, thus confirming that the message of eternal life in Christ is for all mankind. Study the bible online using commentary on Acts and more! [44] Acts omits much from the letters, notably Paul's problems with his congregations (internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead), and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem (Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that is accepted, a trip that has no mention in the letters). But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory: for example, according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus, but according to Luke it was the Jews (2 Corinthians 11:33 and Acts 9:24). [24], Luke was written to be read aloud to a group of Jesus-followers gathered in a house to share the Lord's supper. Acts continues the story of Christianity in the 1st century, beginning with the ascension of Jesus to Heaven. [6], The title "Acts of the Apostles" was first used by Irenaeus in the late 2nd century. With Bradai, Edoardo Torricella, Jacques Dumur, Mohamed Kouka. Jesus, "is lord [κύριος] of all." [21] Other sources can only be inferred from internal evidence—the traditional explanation of the three "we" passages, for example, is that they represent eyewitness accounts. [25] He begins his gospel with a preface addressed to Theophilus (Luke 1:3; cf. Western texts of Acts are 6.2–8.4% longer than Alexandrian texts, the additions tending to enhance the Jewish rejection of the Messiah and the role of the Holy Spirit, in ways that are stylistically different from the rest of Acts. Part of Paul’s defense before Roman authorities is to show that Christianity is not a disturber of the peace of the Roman Empire (Acts 24:5, 12–13; 25:7–8). This is the opinion of Comely in his “Introduction to the Books of the New Testament” (second edition, page 315). For the literature genre, see, "Acts" redirects here. The Acts of the Apostles. To register your interest please contact collegesales@cambridge.org providing details of the course you are teaching. [4] Together they account for 27.5% of the New Testament, the largest contribution attributed to a single author, providing the framework for both the Church's liturgical calendar and the historical outline into which later generations have fitted their idea of the story of Jesus and the early church. While the main purpose of the Acts is to describe the triumphant (but not unmolested) progress of the gospel, there is a secondary motive in that Paul is presented as no less an apostle than Peter, though only in Acts 14 is Paul explicitly called an apostle. )[10] The author "is an admirer of Paul, but does not share Paul's own view of himself as an apostle; his own theology is considerably different from Paul's on key points and does not represent Paul's own views accurately. 1. Be there as Saul of Tarsus is confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road. [5] The Romans never move against Jesus or his followers unless provoked by the Jews, in the trial scenes the Christian missionaries are always cleared of charges of violating Roman laws, and Acts ends with Paul in Rome proclaiming the Christian message under Roman protection; at the same time, Luke makes clear that the Romans, like all earthly rulers, receive their authority from Satan, while Christ is ruler of the kingdom of God. The book of the Acts of the Apostles was written by Saint Luke toward the end of the first century, as the second part of his history for Theophilus about Christ and His Church. The Acts of the Apostles is not narrated . The inability of Christian missionaries to allay this apprehension inevitably created a situation in which the gospel was preached more and more to the Gentiles. 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