ACTS

Acts
Author: Luke
Date: 62-65ish. (28:30). 2 years, importance
(Luke !t. 2)
"n #istory $ritin% in the Ancient $or&'(
)io%raphy * #istory+Distinction
#istory
- ,or po&iticians: socia& memory- .here they came ,rom, .here to %o
- /hrono&o%ica&
)io%raphy ()ios)
- su0set o, history, sho. character (1irtue * 1ice) o, person
- /hrono&o%y takes a 0ackseat- %enera&&y ,o&&o.e', not strict&y.
Arran%ement o, materia&
/oncern ,or accuracy+#ar' to recor' e2act .or's o, others
3ummari4in%, not creatin% speeches
$ork 0t.n 2 po&es o, historica& accuracy * rhetoric
- #istorica& Accuracy+5ye.itness accounts, persona& accounts
- 6hetoric+$ritin% ,or au'ience, keep them in min'.
- Luke: concerne' .ith accuracy * theo&o%y
a responsi0&e ancient historian
se&ecti1e in recor'in%, as accurate&y as possi0&e
7he !&an o, Acts
(8.8) "ut&ine: .itnesses in 9erusa&em, 9u'ea, 3amaria, * to en's o, earth
- /h. 8-: 9erusa&em * 9u'ea
- /h 8-82 3amaria * "ut&yin% 6e%ions
- /h 83-28 !au&;s <ourneys thru-out the 5mpire
- $here;s the =en's o, the earth>
6ome 5thiopia ?a'es (@n 3pain)
- 7he =?enti&e $or&'>: em0races a&& other i'eas (@saiah AB.6)
- #o. the ?ospe& sprea's %eo%raphica&&y * ethica&&y--
0rin%in% the ?ospe& to the peop&e.
ACTS
7he 3econ' !art: 7he /hristian Cission to the ?enti&e $or&' (82.25-28.38)
!ara&&e& 0t.n !eter * !au& in Acts
7he Dirst Cissionary 9ourney * the 9erusa&em /ounci& (82.25-86.5)
3ummary 86.5
7he 52tension o, the ?ospe&+the 3econ' * 7hir' Cissionary 9ourneys (86.6-8B.20)
3ummary: 8B.20)
7o 9erusa&em * 6ome
3ummary: 28.30
7he /hrono&o%y o, Acts
A De. !e%s
Death o, #ero' A%rippa (Acts 82.20-23)
AD AA
Damine in 9erusa&em (Acts 88.28)
AD A5-A:
/&au'ius 52pe&s the 9e.s ,rom 6ome (Acts 88.2)
c. AD AB
?a&&io, !roconsu& o, Achaia (Acts 88.82)
AD 58-52
7he !urposes o, Acts
7his 0ook is a0out the continuing work of Jesus Christ thru his messen%ers
empo.ere' 0y the #o&y 3pirit.
3ame story as Luke, 0ut Cs% han'e' o,, to apost&es, .ho in po.er o, 3pirit
continue to proc&aim Cs% =3uccession narrati1e>
!eter-!au& para&&e&s, 9esus-Apost&es para&&e&s /ommon Cs%
Acts has to 'o .ith the geographic extension * a&so the ethnic expansion o, the
?ospe& o, 9esus /hrist.
9e.s ,irst, a&so to ?enti&es
3yna%o%ue ,irst, 0ut uni1ersa& inc&usion
9e.s re<ectin%, ?enti&es in
#as ?o' ,orsaken #is peop&e (6omans)
Acts a&so sho.s ho. the Word of God confronted men an' .omen throu%hout the
empire throu%h the churchs proclamation o, the %ospe&.
Kerygma : preachin%, proc&amation EEE
--e2amination o, !eter;s sermon in ActsF main pts.
($hat is the content o, ear&y /hristian proc&amation)
ACTS
A. 7he promises of God ma'e in "7 'ays ha1e no. 0een fulfilled, an'
the Cessiah has come:
(Gtime o, ,u&,i&&ment has come)
--/ontent o, ear&y /hristian proc&amation
(to 9e.s- s&i%ht&y 'i,,. ,or ?enti&es)
). #e is Jesus of Nazareth, .ho:
$ent a0out 'oin% %oo' * e2ecutin% mi%hty .orks 0y the po.er o,
?o'-
$as cruci,ie' accor'in% to the purpose o, ?o'-
$as raise' 0y ?o' ,rom the 'ea'-
@s e2a&te' 0y ?o' an' %i1en the name =Lor'>-
$i&& come a%ain ,or <u'%ment an' the restoration o, a&& thin%s
(G triumph o, /hrist)
/. 7here,ore, a&& .ho hear the Cs% shou&' repent (turn to ?o' ,rom sin)
an' 0e aptized.
(G /a&& to repent)
As in the %ospe&, Luke p&aces specia& emphasis a&so on the sal!ation of God
=sa1e> use' o,ten in ne.spapers o, 9esus; time
=true sa&1ation>: ans.er to a&& Huestions
7here is a&so an apologetic purpose ,or this 0ook.
3u,,erin% ,rame' .Fin ?o';s purposes
3e&ecte' Acts in Acts
7he @ntro'uction: 7he Doun'ations o, the /hristian Cission (8.8-2.A8)
Commission (8.6-8)
:: Iot yet- .e 'on;t kno. .hen
8: A&rea'y
Ascension (8.B-88)
(2.33-2A, 3.28, 5.38, :.55- !hi&. 2.6-88- #e0. 8.3, A.8A, :.26, B.2A- 8 !et. 3.22)
8. 9esus; e2a&tation * &or'ship
2. 9esus %i1es the 3pirit
Ascension * Cission+ascension 0ut not a0sence
Lo1in%, 0e&ie1in%, ,o&&o.in% .Fo seein%
"atthias (8.82-26)
Jua&i,ications to 0e one o, 7.e&1e:
- $ith 9esus 'urin% ministry
- $itness o, the 6esurrection
ACTS
#entecost (2.8-A2)
-6eception o, 3pirit
2.8A-28 Apo&o%etic * @nc&usion o, a&&
2.22-36 Kery%ma
2.3:-A8 /a&& to 6epentance
-9e.ish ,eastF Deast o, $eeks
- 6ene.in% co1enant .ith ?o' each year
- 51ery0o'y prayin% in ton%ues
3!""KL 37MDD Nnot <ust a0out o0ser1in% a co'e
Empowering that comes because of human limitation
- 9eremiah 38.33-3A
=@ .i&& put my &a. in their min's an' .rite it on their hearts.
@ .i&& 0e their ?o', an' they .i&& 0e my peop&e.
Io &on%er .i&& they teach their nei%h0ors,
or say to one another, OKno. the Lor',;
)ecause they .i&& a&& kno. me, ,rom the &east o, them to the %reatest(
Dor @ .i&& ,or%i1e their .icke'ness an' .i&& remem0er their sins no more.>
--$ritin% o, La. in heart
--Dor%i1eness o, sins
--Kno.&e'%e o, ?o'
- 54ekie& 88.8B
--emphasis on chan%e to come
--/hristianity: 7rans,ormation o, &i,e. 5mpo.erment. /han%e.
- Acts 2.3:-3B
8. Dor%i1eness o, sins
2. #o&y 3pirit
--Ie. /o1enant
- Acts 2.8-A
Du&,i&&ment o, 9ohn;s promise+'i1ine source
--=)apti4e' .ith the #o&y 3pirit>
8A-28 Apo&o%etic
N9oe& 2: no 'istinction o, c&ass .hatsoe1er (a%e, %en'er, socia&)
22-36 Kery%ma
3:-A8 !reachin% 9esus
--Daith (6epentance is thru ,aith, )aptism is e1i'ence o, ,aith
--)aptism: rite o, con1ersion initiation (1s. to'ay: con,irmation)
Ie. /o1enant: Dor%i1eness o, sin, ?i,t o, the #o&y 3pirit (38)
ACTS
- 5 Di,,erent @nterpreti1e Cetho'o&o%ies :
8. #esherE
(Jumran * I7, esp. Catthe.)
--.hat .as .ritten in "7 (e2: prophecies) is happenin% no. (I7P)
--more to 'o .ith ,u&,i&&ment o, prophecy (1s. 7ypo&o%ica&)
2. $iteral %nterpretation
--5Q: =thou sha&t not ki&&>
3. "idrash
--popu&ar metho'o&o%y amon% ra00is
--ho. La.FIarrati1e te2t app&ies to &i,e
--commentary on 3cripture ,or app&ication (Rru&es)
A. Allegorical
--sym0o&ic o, i'eas, hi''en rea&ities
5. &ypological
--pre,i%urin% 0t.n "7 * I7 (R1isua& prophecy)
--more to 'o .F peop&e * e1ents (1s. !esher)+(5Q: Coses * /hrist)
Cission to the 9e.ish $or&' (2.A2-82.2A)
A. 7he Dirst Days o, the /hurch in 9erusa&em (2.A2-6.:)
i. !eterF 9ohn * the hea&in% (ch. 3-A),
appearances 0e,ore the 3anhe'rin (ch. A-5)
). Ananias * 3apphira (5.8-88)
i. =7"!"3> (7opic)+Drien'ship
Acts: not a0out communism, 0ut true ,rien'shipS
6eco%nition o, !ri1ate property 0ut notion o, ?enerosity .Fin community
!ro0&em: em0e44&ement (=kept 0ack> G the,t), the 1o. to %i1e a&&
/. /hoosin% the =Ca%ni,icent :> (6.8-:)
i. #e&&enistic 9e.s comp&ainin% a%ainst #e0raic 0c .i'o.s 0ein% o1er&ooke'
8. !re<u'ice ,rom history 0t.n #e&&enisticF#e0raic
ii. A&& chosen : are ?reekF#e&&enistic