What makes Acts special?
Acts, the longest book of the New
Testament, is the second volume of a two-part work written by the same
person who wrote Luke's Gospel. The style, vocabulary, and theology of
both books are strikingly similar. The author of Luke-Acts was neither
an apostle nor an eyewitness of Jesus' ministry (see Luke 1:1-3);
rather, he was a "third-generation" Christian who relied on the
accounts of others who were themselves dependent upon previous
eyewitness reports that circulated orally. New Testament scholar Marla
Selvidge describes Acts as a "remarkable and idealistic tale about the
origins of the early Christian communities"... The overall story of
Luke-Acts is interesting when the two texts are taken together. In the
Gospel, Jesus is the central figure; in Acts, it is the church that
takes center stage. Thus, the author seems to imply that the church
represents a virtually seamless continuation of the work of Jesus
Christ here on earth.
Why was Acts written?
The
writer of Luke-Acts addresses the recipient as "Theophilus," which is a
Greek name meaning "friend of God" (or "lover of God" or perhaps
"beloved of God"). Historically, it has been suggested that Theophilus
is a symbolic name referring to any believer who reads Luke-Acts. Most
modern scholars, however, regard Theophilus as an actual historical
person. He could have been a Roman official (note the writer's use of
the title "honorable" in Luke 1:3, CEV, and cf. Acts 23:26; 24:3; and
26:25 where the same title is used in reference to Roman governors) and
quite possibly a recent convert to Christianity (see Luke 1:4). In
addition, Theophilus may well have been someone who financially
sponsored the publication of Luke's work.
Those passages, often
referred to as the "we-passages," in which the writer mentions having
traveling companions, (Acts 16:10-18; 20:5-21:18; and 27:1-28:16) have
led some to argue that the writer of Acts was a companion of the
apostle Paul. This remains a matter of debate. The image of Paul that
emerges from Acts seems quite different from the Paul as seen through
his letters (viz., Romans, Galatians, Philippians, 1 and 2 Corinthians,
1 Thessalonians, and Philemon). In Acts, Paul is an eloquent speaker
(see e.g., Acts 13:16-41; 17:22-31; 21:39-22:21; and 26:1-29), but the
Paul revealed in the letters is not (see e.g., 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 2
Corinthians 10:9,10; and 11:6). Moreover, nowhere in Acts is it said
that Paul wrote letters to the churches he founded. Perhaps, most
important is the fact that the Paul of Acts seems to share few, if any,
of the key theological ideas of Paul of the letters - for example, the
centrality of the cross of Jesus Christ in Christian experience, or the
idea that salvation comes through faith in Christ and not through
"works of the law." Of course, this in no way proves conclusively that
Paul and the writer of Acts were not companions, and many scholars
still uphold the idea that they were.
The idea of the
fulfillment of prophecy and promise is prominent throughout Acts. The
writer frequently uses various synonymous words and phrases to make his
point (1:16; 3:18), and he also makes references to events that occur
according to God's plan (2:23; 4:28; 5:38f.; 20:27) and which are
consistent with God's will (21:24; 22:14). Paul's sermon in Pisidian
Antioch (Acts 13:13-41 provides numerous examples of this theme (see
e.g., verses 27, 29, and 33) and illustrates the way in which Scripture
is used to support the writer's theology (see e.g., verse 33, 34, 35,
and 41).
Acts is, in part, an apology (or defense) on behalf of
the early Christian movement vis--vis Rome. Consequently, the writer of
Acts wanted to show that nothing could keep the good news about Jesus
from spreading everywhere. He also demonstrates that the good news did
not pose a threat to the Empire. Still, Acts is a story of origins,
told in retrospect, that shows how the earliest followers came to
understand who could belong to God's people (see e.g., Acts 10 and 15).
What's the story behind the scene?
The
writer of Luke and Acts uses the techniques of classical rhetoric, and
follows the style of writing used by other Hellenistic historians and
public speakers of the time. Writers of that period wrote history
differently from historians do today. They had no qualms about shaping
their materials in whatever manner seemed necessary to communicate
their point. That is not to say that the writer of Acts simply invented
everything said in the speeches and all the events of the story.
Rather, the writer endeavored to portray certain characters and their
speeches in a way that captured their importance in relation to the
overall story and to the writer's interpretation of those events.
Acts
also bears a striking resemblance to ancient novels written around the
same period. In order to create the setting and establish the tone, the
writer utilizes many details about the people and places the apostles
visited and about how those who spread the good news did miracles in
Jesus' name. Furthermore, the journey motif which runs throughout Acts
is reminiscent not only of the ancient romances, but also of the
Homeric epics.
Taken together, these aspects of the text enable
us to understand why, for instance, Luke's Gospel has more in common
with the apostle Paul's speeches in Acts than do Paul's own letters. An
awareness of these characteristics of Acts should also help one to
better appreciate the entertainment value of Acts, which is indeed a
spectacular story.
How is Acts constructed?
The Lukan
emphasis, in both the Gospel and Acts, on the fulfillment and the
perfect realization of God's plan, coupled with the writer's frequent
reference to God's Word or message (e.g., Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20; et
al.), has led some scholars to identify a number of these Lukan summary
statements as section breaks.
Introduction 1:1-2:47
The Mission in Jerusalem 3:1-6:7
Stephen, Philip, and Saul 6:8-9:31
The Gospel Spreads in Syria-Palestine 9:32-12:24
The First "Missionary Journey" and the Jerusalem Council 12:25-16:5
The Second and Third "Missionary Journeys" 16:6-19:41
To Jerusalem and Then Rome 20:1-28:31
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