He wrote this gospel and its sequel, the book of acts. It is not uncommon to find christians that have never read the book of acts completely in a historical, geographical, and hebraic perspective. The acts of the apostles forms a bridge between the record of jesus christs life and teachings in the four gospels and the writings and. Peter was with jesus throughout his entire ministry and was a witness to the baptism, transfiguration, arrest, trial and crucifixion of jesus. Its the only book in the entire bible that tells the story of the early church in the years after jesus died. Although it is incredibly immense, the twentyeight chapters of the book of acts can be divided into four major sections.
In this lesson, our aim is to get a birds eye view of the book of acts. This chapter functions as a transition from the former account that is, gospel of luke with a narrative prelude verses 15, repeated record of. Read the following sets of verses and answer the questions below. There are tremendous advantages to this step, which will only become more apparent as you make your way through the book. It makes reference to about 100 geographical places including regions, provinces, cities, and islands around or near the mediterranean sea. Many scholars assume acts was written then because it does not record pauls defense, release, and further gospel preaching. Lesson 1 will cover authorship, date, purpose and main themes. Nov 08, 2012 an overview of the book of acts, which provides an introduction to the apostles and gives a brief summary of the leaders, peter and paul, as well as the other apostles. Authorship of actsluke is the author of the book acts. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1.
Aug 24, 2014 the book of romans has been said to be one of the favorites in the new testament. An overview of the book of acts, which provides an introduction to the apostles and gives a brief summary of the leaders, peter and paul, as well as the other apostles. Building christianity into the most popular religion in the world wasnt easy. Education was a major force for social change with regard to slavery. An introduction to the book of acts jack wellman patheos. The author of the acts of the apostles is the same author of the gospel of luke. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. It shows how the holy spirit worked through the apostles of jesus in the life of the early church. The inscription of the acts of the apostles probably reaches back to the beginning of the second century ce, since it is found in virtually every manuscript. Acts introduction commentary commentary critical and.
It has ties to the old covenant as well as the new covenant. Yes, jesus spent 30 years trying to do it, but his followers racked. Up until chapter 16, the book is written in 3rd person. Acts of the apostles are the acts of the risen christ through the holy spirit working in the church. Before he ascended he gave his instructions, through the holy spirit, to the special messengers of his choice. Acts introduction, good news bible gnb the bible app. Acts ends with paul under house arrest, awaiting trial before caesar, c. The beginning of acts picks up the narrative where the gospel of luke left off. He was also the author of its companion work, the gospel of luke. In the gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. The author is someone who traveled with paul, as evidenced by the pronoun usage in the book. In acts of the apostles, writer lukes account of jesus disciples and the early christian congregation picks up where the gospels left off. God took a christianhating murderer and transformed him into historys greatest christian evangelist, the author of. Several questions can be answered from the first 2 verses.
Paul was not one of the original apostles, but he later adopted that title for himself. Introduction to the book of acts by chuck swindoll. At the end of each section is a summary statement 6. It has also been shown to be a book that is accurate historically. In only three decades, a small group of frightened believers in jerusalem transformed. Luke was a physician and a travel companion of the apostle paul.
The theme of the book of acts is the spread of the gospel. Chapterbychapter bible studies acts the beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church bible studies. The book of acts, sometimes called the fifth gospel, is a continuation of the gospel of luke. Archaeological findings support the accuracy of lukes account. Acts tyndale new testament commentaries ivp numbered. The book describes some developments in detail, but sometimes skips several years at a time. The value of this book is found in the fact that it is an indepth explanation of the gospel by the converted rabbi, saul of tarsus, called to be an apostle to the gentiles cf. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. This book is to the gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. Howard marshall focuses primarily on lukes role as a historian.
Luke acts makes up 28% of the new testamentmore than that written by either paul or john. Acts reveals a progression of the gospel that divides the book into six parts. Both books are addressed to theophilus, and the latter acts refers. Intro to acts biblica the international bible society. The book of romans has been said to be one of the favorites in the new testament. An introduction to the book of romans jack wellman. Besides linking the gospel narratives on the one hand and the apostolic letters on the. I believe that this is the reason why so much confusion is found 10. Acts introduction, good news bible catholic edition in. A chapterbychapter bible study of the book of acts 4 acts a short introduction heres what well be reading as we study through the book of acts.
The events described in acts occurred over a period of about 30 years about a. Luke the book of acts was authored by the same person who wrote the third gospel account. If the book of acts were taken out of our new testament, we would never understand the rest. Shalom, the book of acts is one of the most important historical books that has been greatly neglected by christianity. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. Jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry the good news of his kingdom to the nations of the world. The beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church a chapterbychapter bible study of the book of acts 6 acts 1 50 days 1. It is the bridge between the gospels and the epistles. The book of acts is a small look into what was done in carrying out that command.
Therefore, when a church begins to dwindle, lose its power, and turn dull and drab in its witness, it needs desperately to get back into the spirit, expectation, knowledge and teaching of the book of acts. Acts is the book that reveals the power of the church. The book of acts is an adventure thrill ride from start to finish, but we tend to skip over a lot of the incredibly compelling details. Acts 1 niv jesus taken up into heaven in my bible gateway. Introduction to the book of acts study resources blue letter bible.
Introduction to the book of acts acts study guide medium. Youll find david jeremiahs introduction to the book of acts on page 14831485 of the jeremiah study bible. The book of acts mentions about 100 individuals by name. Both were written by luke, a physician who traveled with the apostle paul.
May 15, 2005 introduction to the book of acts the book we know as the acts of the apostles has also been, probably more accurately called the acts of the holy spirit through the apostles. Stories of some of the early church heroesluke is probably the writer. We learn how to enter the church, how it started, how it grew, and the eight major examples of conversion. The book of acts is also the account of the work of the holy spirit in and through the church. Acts ends abruptly with paul imprisoned in rome, waiting to bring his appeal before caesar. Before jesus was taken into heaven where he was enthroned to share gods rule over the world, he instructed his followers to be a witness for him. Acts 2 new international version niv the holy spirit comes at pentecost. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. Introduction into the book of acts this is how we know about the beginning of the church. Acts may be divided into three principal parts, reflecting the ever widening area in which the good news about jesus was proclaimed and the church established. It is mainly about two of the apostles peter and paul. In the book of acts the story of jesus begun in the gospel of luke broadens into the story of the holy spirit, guiding the fledgling church to proclaim the saving reality of jesus.
Most of pauls letters are strongly colored by a local situation, but not romans. The recipient of the book of acts is theophilus acts 1. Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. The book containing this chapter is anonymous but early christian tradition affirmed that luke composed this book as well as the gospel of luke. Luke also, the companion of paul, set down in a book the gospel preached by. These documents give an insight into the walk and life of those who walked with jesus christ. Lesson 2 will sketch a very high level view of the main divisions and events in acts. Acts 1 is the first chapter of the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the christian bible.
Clearly, the author ofthe book of luke is also the one who penned the book of acts. Without the book of acts, our knowledge of the early history of the church would be limited to the small amount provided by the new testament epistles. Theres never been much contention about the authorship of acts. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Lets take a look at some of the most intriguing things in acts and develop a new appreciation for this fascinating book.
While attentive to lukes roles as a literary artist and theologian, i. Moreover, the book discusses the role that education played in the acquisition of freedom. The title the inscription the acts of the apostles probably reaches back to the beginning of the second century ce, since it is found in virtually every ms which contains this book, as well as the antimarcionite prologue to luke c. Acts 1 new international version niv jesus taken up into heaven. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how the church was able to grow and spread out from jerusalem into the rest of the roman empire. Acts of the apostles is the one historical book of the new testament, and much of what we know about the early years of christianity comes from this book. Luke is uniformly identified as the author acts by the second century a.
In the last book of the new testament, readers are given a glimpse into the eternal reward awaiting the children of god, who are saved by christ and in his church. God took a christianhating murderer and transformed him into historys greatest christian evangelist, the author of almost half the books of the new testament. Luke is the writer, as he states in his introduction v. Introduction to the book of acts welcome to soul thoughts. If the book of acts is a transition from the kingdom to the church, the book of revelation is a transition from the church back to the kingdom. Acts 2 niv the holy spirit comes at pentecost bible.
This introduction begins by giving the dictionary definition of one or more of the words in. It is worth noting that in this history of the early christian church, luke. The recipient of the book, theophilus, is the same person addressed in the first volume, the gospel of luke. The book of acts, sometimes called the fifth gospel, is a. The book of acts shows how god essentially took a group of fisherman and commoners and used them to turn the world upside down acts 17. The recipient of the book, theophilus, is the same person addressed in the first volume, the gospel of luke see introduction to luke. Harley howard undoubtedly, the book of acts is one of the most pivotal books in the entire new testament. Introduction into the book of acts introduction into the. Artwork by ken tunell acts of the risen jesus might.
The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Introduction into the book of actsthis is how we know about the beginning of the church. Their acts, their labor for the lord and the working of the church is being written in heaven, i believe, by god to perhaps be taught to those who. Jesus commissions his disciples into the mission of god and then ascends into heaven. May 02, 2020 the book of acts shows how god essentially took a group of fisherman and commoners and used them to turn the world upside down acts 17. Introduction to the book of acts the book we know as the acts of the apostles has also been, probably more accurately called the acts of the holy spirit through the apostles. The gospel of luke records what jesus began both to do and teach in his human body, and the book of acts tells us what jesus continued to do and teach through his spiritual body, the church. Acts can be neatly divided into two sections, the first dealing primarily with the ministry of peter in jerusalem and samaria acts 112 and the second following paul on his. The early church fathers are uniform in attributing the 3rd gospel and acts to luke. The book of acts records the spread of the gospel from jerusalem to rome, thus.
However, dont fall into the trap that the promises of god to israel are forfeited. The book of acts recounts the rise and spread of christianity, beginning in the provincial jewish capital of jerusalem and ending in rome, the great capital of the empire. Bible study of acts lesson 2 bible study blueprint. The earliest possible date of lukeacts is immediately after the events that luke recorded in acts 28, which would have been c. Acts intro to acts biblica the international bible society. Sir william ramsay, after making a critical study of lukes writings, declared that luke was the greatest historian, ancient or modern. Bible study of acts lesson 1 bible study blueprint.