The Book of Acts

The Book of Acts

Article by David Howell

Of all books in the New Testament, perhaps the hardest one to write about and interpret is the book of Acts. This book dealt with a large range of people, events, and concepts. It becomes necessary for this book to be reduced to what I consider to be the key ideas and concepts of some of the most significant events in the history of the Christian Church. It is my intent to do just that in a way both concise and easily understood. I will discuss the history of Acts, the authorship of Acts, the purpose of Acts, the content of the book itself and its immediate effect on myself and the world.

Acts was written in approximately A.D. 62 or 63. It deals with the history of the Church after Jesus died. Acts explains the beginnings of the first Christian Church, but it also deals with how the Church grew in its early years and the people and events which had grown with it and helped to develop it.

Acts was written by Luke. Luke was generally considered a physician, but he was also a missionary. It is known that he was not a Jew because in Colossians 4:12-14 he is distinguished from those who were said to be of the circumcision. Where exactly Luke was from is unknown, but biblical scholars have suggested Antioch or Syria as possible places for his origin.

It is possible to prove that Luke was the author of Acts by developing the proof along three lines;

The author of Acts was a companion of Paul, and certain people were eliminated by being mentioned in the book itself. These people are Silas, Timothy, Sopates, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaus, Tychiaus, and Tophimus.

Also pointing to Lucan authorship is the fact that the prison Epistles point to Luke's being Paul's companion. (Colossians 4:12)

In addition, the incidence of medical terms which show up so often in Acts leads us to believe that Luke was actually the author of Acts and the book of Luke.

After gathering the pertinent facts Luke announced that he had "closely traced all things accurately," and was ready to begin writing the Book. Luke addressed both Acts and Luke to a man named Theophilus. It is not known exactly who Theophilus was, however it is thought that he was a real person, perhaps even a noble.

There were many purposes of Acts. As said before, Acts provides us with a history of the beginnings of the Church. In a more immediate way by writing Acts Luke tried to command the Roman Government to accept Christianity. Having the history of the Church in written form would make it more tangible to those who wished to know it.

In Chapter One, Jesus talked with the disciples. When asked if at this time he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel, Jesus replied that it was not for the disciples to know the times or dates set by God. After Jesus said this he was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. This was called the Ascension. It was necessary for people to witness the Ascension to prepare them for the second coming of Christ. It was a call to get ready for that day.

Also in Chapter one, the disciples deal with replacing Judas, who after betraying Jesus had killed himself. After casting lots, it was determined that Matthias would be added to the eleven Apostles.

Dealt with in Chapter two is the Pentecost. The Pentecost was when at a celebration the disciples suddenly had the experience of speaking in foreign languages.

After God came to the people at the Pentecost, Peter spoke so well that over three thousand people were added to the number of those baptized in the name of our Lord.

Chapter three discusses Peter and John. On their way to the Temple they came across a crippled beggar. Refusing to give the man money, Peter said, "... In the name of Jesus Christ, walk." The man was then healed and walked. Peter and John then spoke to the crowds at the Temple and urged them to repent.

Chapter four continues the story. The priests, temple guards and Sadducees then arrested Peter and John and put them in jail. However, many who heard the message believed what they were saying and the crowd around the jail grew to about five thousand. When Peter and John were questioned, they told the authorities that it was in the name of Christ that the beggar was healed. When told to tell no one of the miracle they had performed, Peter and John returned to their people and spoke the word of God boldly for all to hear.

Chapter five tells of a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira, who sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept a portion of the money and gave the remainder to the Apostles. Peter told Ananias that he had lied to God by keeping part of the money and Ananias fell down and died. Later, Sapphira came to the Apostles and lied about the money also, causing the same thing to happen to her. After these things happened, Peter went out into the city healing people everywhere he went. Angered by this obvious display of the might of God, the Jews of Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia argued with and forced the authorities to arrest a man named Stephen.

Chapter seven continues the story of Stephen. When asked if he spoke against the law and against Moses, Stephen replied that the people who held him had killed the Righteous one and persecuted all prophets, killing those who predicted his arrival. Saying this caused Stephen to be dragged out of the city and stoned. While they were stoning him, Stephen cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them. He then fell dead. Here begins Chapter eight and the story of Saul, who was present at the stoning of Stephen.

On the day of Stephen's stoning, a great persecution broke out against the Church, while Saul began to destroy the Church. At this time an Angel told Phillip to go to the desert road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. The Spirit of the Lord then took Phillip away.

In Chapter nine, we learn of Saul's conversion to Christianity. Traveling to Damascus, he heard a voice say to him, "Saul, why do you persecute me?" When he asked who it was, the voice replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do." When Saul got up from the ground he was blind. His companions led him into Damascus where he sat blind, without food or drink, for three days. Then the Lord called on a disciple named Ananias to cure Saul of his blindness, which he did. Saul then preached the word of Christ in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, then in Tarsus. After this the Church enjoyed a time of peace.

In chapter ten we learn that at Caesarea there was a centurion named Cornelius, who was commanded by an angel of God to go to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. While the men from Cornelius were on their way to Joppa, Peter had a vision in which the Lord told him that anything which God has made clean was not unclean and was acceptable to eat. God also told Peter of the arrival of Cornelius' men. Peter left with them the next day. Upon arrival in Caesarea, Peter preached to the Gentiles, and the Spirit of God came to all present, proving that all men were able to come to God.

Chapter eleven tells of Peter explaining his actions. When asked why he had eaten in the house of uncircumcised men, Peter explained about his vision, the command to go to Caesarea and the Lord's visit to all present. Those who questioned Peter had no objections and marveled at the fact that God has granted even the Gentiles repentance into life.

We now learn of Peter's miraculous escape from prison. About this time King Herod arrested some who belonged to the Church, including James, the brother of John, who he had put to death. He then seized Peter and put him in prison. While in jail, an angel of the Lord came and freed him so he could walk past the guards out of the city. After discovering his escape, Herod had a thorough search made for him, and when he was not found, he ordered that the guards be executed. Herod then traveled from Judea to Caesarea and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of God, not a man. Herod was then struck dead.

Now in the Church at Antioch, the Holy Spirit commanded that after fasting, Barnabus and Saul should go do the work that he had commanded them. So Saul and Barnabus sailed to Cyprus, where they proclaimed the word of God. They traveled through the whole island until they reached Paphos where they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul Sergis Paulus. The proconsul sent for Saul and Barnabus but Bar-Jesus opposed them. Saul then told him that he was going to be blind and for a time he may be unable to see the light of the sun. When the proconsul saw what happened, he became a believer.

Then Saul sailed to Perga, and the to Pisidian Antioch. There Saul spoke to the people in the temple. So great was this speech, he came at invitation to speak the next Sabbath. Almost the whole city came to hear Saul. The Jews saw this and spoke against Saul, who turned to the Gentiles. Although the Gentiles were overjoyed at this, the Jews caused Saul and Barnabus to be expelled so they went to Iconium.

In Iconium, Saul and Barnabus went as usual to the Jewish temple and preached. After creating a great number of believers and a great number of enemies also, Saul and Barnabus were forced to flee to Lystra and Derbe, where they continued to spread the news. At Lystra, Saul healed a beggar who was crippled. when the people of the city saw this, they said that Saul and Barnabus must be Gods in living form. and thought to make a sacrifices to them. Saul said that they were only men, to thank God instead for all that they had. Then Jews from Iconium came and stoned Saul until they thought he was dead. When they dragged the body from the city and left it, Saul got up, returned for Barnabus and went to Antioch.

Chapter fifteen tells of Saul settling one of the most important questions concerning Gentiles. Saul traveled to Jerusalem to meet the elders and apostles concerning whether Gentiles needed to be circumcised and were required to obey the law of Moses. Saul told the whole assembly of the wonders God had done among Gentiles through him. After hearing, the elders decreed that Gentiles would have to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. Then the elders drafted a letter telling of their decision and sent it to the Gentiles in Antioch with Saul and Barnabus. Then Saul left for Lystra.

In Lystra, Saul picked up a disciple named Timothy to travel with him. They then traveled through Phyrgia, Galatia, and Troas. Saul then received a vision of him going to Macedonia, so they went there and cured a slave girl of possession. This cure caused the girl's owners to have them flogged and put into prison. That evening a great earthquake came. It opened all the jail doors and prisoners chains. Saul refused to leave, and instead stayed and baptized the jailer and his family. This display of God,s might caused the magistrates to reevaluate things. Saul was then escorted from the town by the magistrates.

Timothy, Saul, and Silas traveled to Thessalonica, where people who were jealous of them and God caused a riot to occur. Saul and Silas had to escape to Berea. Saul left soon after for Athens leaving Silas and Timothy in Berea to continue their work. In Athens, Saul (also called Paul) told a group of Stoic and Epicurean philosophers about God. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some sneered, but others believed.

After this Paul went to Corinth. God told him to keep teaching the word and not be afraid, so Paul stayed a year and a half doing that. Once again he was tried for religious crimes, but once again the Jews failed to stop him. Paul then traveled to Ephesus. He lived there for several years, teaching and performing great works. Then once again a riot formed to stop Paul and his message.

When the riot had ended, Paul went to Macedonia, then to Greece to spread the word. When the time came for him to travel to Syria, the Jews made a plot against him, so he went back through Macedonia and Troas, finally arriving at Miletus. There he told his fellow disciples that he was bound for Jerusalem and that none among them would ever see him again. He told them to remember God's words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Paul then sailed for Jerusalem. At every stop along the way disciples warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem. They knew that the Jews would bind him and hand him over to the Gentiles. When Paul arrived at Jerusalem it only took seven days for him to be arrested. Paul then received permission from the garrison commander who had arrested him to speak to the crowd.

In chapter twenty-two, Paul spoke to the crowd in Aramaic, telling them of giving his life to Christ and his travels. The crowd replied that Paul was not fit to live. The commander had him chained and prepared to be flogged. Paul them asked how the men could flog a Roman citizen who had not been found guilty. Once again, the fact that Paul was a Roman citizen caused his beating and possible execution to be postponed. The commander then released Paul and had him brought before the chief priests.

Paul then said that he was a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee, saying, "I stand on trial for my hope in the resurrection of the dead. This caused a rift between the Sadducees and the Pharisees about their own beliefs. Paul was then taken back into custody, imprisoned in Herod,s palace.

Five days later the Jews came and presented their charges against Paul. After Paul presented his case, the Governor Felix ordered him to be kept in jail so he could talk with him. Two years passed before Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, who doing a favor for the Jews, also kept Paul in jail.

After Festus took office, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. When Festus asked if Paul was prepared to stand trial, Paul said that he appealed to Caesar. A few days later as King Agrippa was visiting Festus, he was told about Paul's case and requested to talk to Paul. Paul was then brought to an audience before King Agrippa.

After given permission by Agrippa to speak, Paul told the story of his conversion and life and travels with God. He told of the persecution of Christians by the Jews. Paul then said that what he preached was some and reasonable. It was then decided that if Paul had not appealed to Caesar he could have been set free, for he had not dome anything which deserved death or imprisonment.

In chapter twenty-seven, Paul was handed over to a centurion named Julius with the other prisoners and they set sail for Rome. After a short while a great storm blew in and the ship was driven along fiercely. The cargo was tossed overboard and even the ships tackle. After a long time had passed without food, Paul told the men that they should have courage, that an angel of God had told him that no lives would be lost, only the ship. On the fourteenth night the crew saw that they were approaching land. Paul urged everyone to eat and give thanks to God when they landed safely.

Once they were safely ashore, the men saw that they were on an island called Malta. The natives were friendly and helped Paul and his fellow prisoners. While building a fire, a serpent bit Paul on the hand. When he did not die, the villagers thought he was a God. He cured all the sick on the island and the natives helped them to set sail again.

When Paul arrived at Rome he was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him. Three days later Paul called together the leaders of the Jews, then told them of his beliefs. As usual, some believed and some did not. For two years Paul stayed there in his rented house and taught about the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we come to why Acts ended where it did. It finishes with Paul in jail awaiting judgment. Luke stopped there because his purpose was accomplished. He had shown how Christianity began in Jerusalem and swept across the world until it reached Rome. It also ended because the Holy Spirit accomplished part of its' purpose in using Paul's efforts to give us a trustworthy record of what one must do to be saved, and the results that followed when people pursued Jesus' plan of salvation. Throughout the travels of Paul and the other disciples one thing is constant. In every case, even threatened with death or beatings, the disciples continued to preach the word of God. They demonstrated that by their performing miracles or even living through these things that God was with them on their journeys.

Acts is the Gospel for all races and nations. It applies to everyone and deals with matters that concern everybody. Perhaps the most important function of Acts is the fact that it offers encouragement. It encourages us to continue to serve God to the best of our ability. In the entire book of Acts there is not a single note of despair offered to us. This is important to all of us for a large number of reasons, but it is very important to me personally. It is important because I am able to put things in perspective after reading Acts. I realize that even though my problems are important, there are and have been people who have it much worse. They persevered and sometimes even flourished by doing one common thing, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior.

David is the owner of Interlinguistics of Texas, a document translation company. David graduated from Wayland Baptist University.

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