Acts of The Apostles - Assignment Example

Acts of the Apostles The account of events in the book of Acts is nuanced so as to support some of the main theological aims. What, do you think, do these nuances reveal of these aims? In the case in Luke’s double volume - the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts the writer’s beliefs affect the way in which he presents his narrative. The items included have been selected with a particular purpose. Not just historical facts but also theological points. Luke sought to give a full picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the early church in order to defend the gospel and convince readers of its truth. The church is the true Israel – the people of God reborn, its members described as the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy ( Luke 24 verse 25) The church has come to accept as normal and justified the deeds recorded, yet at the time some caused severe disagreements. The acceptance of Gentile converts as full church members is an example that was in Luke’s time cause for contention and misunderstanding. Luke shows understanding of their position within society and the church, but also before God, and as being just as much in need of the gospel and salvation. Luke records events that were still fresh. Faith is so entwined in the story that it is more than a list of events. It was written to introduce faith to readers who, up until this point, do not really know who Jesus is. He records the expansion of the gospel to include non-Jews, in ways that are fulfillments of prophecy. He begins with Jesus – it is he who pours out his Spirit which empowers the church ( 2 v 33). It is he who has the power to save ( 3 v 16) and it is Christ who is the subject of all of Peter’s sermons as recorded by Luke. They are also of course about the Holy Spirit and its work. The book, a story of the events of the early spread of the gospel.. At first glance just a narrative, yet if the book is read in the context of the gospels, and the epistles, the theological aspect is clear. It is not however the complete story of the events which took place within the church of the early First Century. Chapters 1 – 5 record events that elapsed in about 24 hours. Some people are reported on fully and others less so– what else did Phillip do for instance? It is a story told in four main sections each of which can be seen to end in a key speech:- 1 v 1 – 8 v 3 - The beginnings of the Jerusalem church. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, speaking of the Theology of Luke /Acts describes ‘ the basic assumption that God works out salvation within a special history that is also a part of general world history’. In Acts 2, verses 28 - 32 Peter, quotes from the book of Joel, where the prophet had predicted that a time would come when God would break into history in a unique way. Joel spoke in the future tense ‘Afterwards I will pour out my spirit’ ( Joel 2 v 28) and ‘At that time’ ( Joel 2 v 29) Peter declares that the day has come – the future had become the present through Christ. The message first of all is the coming of the age of fulfillment as predicted by the prophets - the Messiah has come, Jesus descendent of David ,crucified and died, as God had purposed, and then raised to life by the power of that same God. The church had witnessed these things. Acts 4 v 12 emphasizes Jesus as the true climax of Gods saving work; because :- Salvation is to be found in him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us. The section concludes with Stephen’s speech. The healing of the beggar recorded in 3 v 16 is a sign of God’s purpose – restoring his relationship with his people so that they too will come to him in praise as the beggar did. Luke records how the first deacons were chosen. There were Greeks within the church –enough to need their own helpers. Stephen’s death marks the final rejection by the church of the authority of the Jerusalem religious rulers. 8 v 4 - 15 v 35 The main point of this section is the gradual expansion of the church to include both Samaritans and Gentiles in fulfilment of the prophecy of Jesus in chapter 1 v 8. It includes Philip preaching to the Samaritans. His meeting with the Ethiopian was a foretaste of the gospel’s spread to the furthest reaches of the Earth – also predicted by Jesus. James’ speech to the Jerusalem council end s the section.. Acts 15 verses 9 – 11 is important as James acknowledges that salvation is the result of faith not of works, and that this is truth for both Jews and Gentiles - Chapter 15 v 11 ‘We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.’ He goes on to quote from the prophet Amos ( Acts 15 verses 16 – 18 and Amos 9 verses 11 and 12 :- I will return says the Lord, and restore the kingdom of David. I will rebuild its ruins and make it strong again. And so all the rest of mankind will come to me , all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own. God’s attempt to restore the broken relationship with his creation. The section includes the conversion of Paul. He is styled ‘the apostle to the Gentiles’ their inclusion as full church members began with Peter and his vision in Joppa. Peter said ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism’ (Acts 10 v 34, Bible, New International Version) He is proved right when the Spirit is poured out upon his Gentile hearers. 15 v 36 – 28 v 31 This section is concerned with Paul and his mission, including the expansion into Europe. It was14 years since his conversion (Galatians 2 v 1).Antioch was the first church where Jew and Gentile believers combined in large numbers. Among the teachers were Paul and Barnabus and shows the move of the centre of action and decision making away from Jerusalem, to Antioch as in the latter half of chapter 15. The move out of stable church life into an itinerant ministry among the Gentiles by Paul and his companions is described in Chapter 13. There follows visits to various locations. The pattern was to preach first in the synagogues, as in Acts chapter 13 v 15.The closing speech is that by Paul to the Ephesian elders. All this activity leads up to the meeting in Jerusalem where James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, concludes that the Gentiles, were required to be circumcised – Christianity was breaking away from its Jewish roots to be entity in its own right. Paul’s aim is to show, to a mainly Jewish congregation, that Jesus is the Christ, the fulfilment of centuries of prophecy. James (Acts 15 v 16)seems to see the inclusion of Gentiles as the fulfilment and restoration of Israel. 21 v1 – 28 v 31. Paul and his adventures become the focus of attention. This section relates Paul’s various struggles for the gospel. He is shown repeatedly by Luke as a loyal Jew, as in Acts 21 v 26 where he carries out a purification ceremony. He was criticised by Jewish leaders but continues, to believe in the resurrection, the view of the Jewish majority ( Acts 24 v 21).The section and the book concludes with Paul addressing the Jewish leaders in Rome itself. ‘He preached about the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking with all boldness and freedom.’ The section also includes the visit to Athens, where he speaks to the Greeks philosophers . Luke is quite selective in what he includes - a period of several years is illustrated by incidents that only occupy a few days, and there is no mention of the many letters written. He speaks of what is happening where they are, rather than of problems in distant places. Luke’s gospel is often defined by theologians as ‘catholic’ in nature. In the essay by John Briggs’ ‘God , Time and History’, included in the 1977 Lion handbook ‘The History of Christianity’ he makes it clear ( page 13) that this refers to the work of the Holy Spirit throughout history. It is a book of action founded on strong belief. Phil 2:5 For Saul/Paul, the main any action is based upon belief. In earlier years he had believed that it was an act of blasphemy to worship Jesus as Messiah and had persecuting the new born church. After his conversion, he continues to believe in action based upon belief – but by then in Christ as God on earth. Acts 9 v 22 ‘Saul’s preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing.’ In Acts 20 v 24 Paul was able to state:- I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the good news about the grace of God. Paul, along side many other early believers did not just learn about theology -he and they lived it in their every action as he commended the Philippians to do in Philippians 2 v 5 . The beliefs Paul discusses in his letters are not merely theoretical ; they have implications that must be acted out in response to the embodiment of God in Christ Jesus and the task to which he commended his followers. Acts 1 v 8 :- When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Romans 10:9 ‘That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ These are of course Paul’s words, but they reflect the theology contained in Acts. Paul wrote to the Philippians (Philippians 2 v 5) ‘The attitude you should have is that Christ Jesus had.’ That passage of course goes on to the early Christian hymn which explains how Christ humbled himself so that men could be restored in their relationship with God. In the same way Luke reports how church members sacrificed themselves for the gospel. In chapter 4 Peter and John are brought before the Sanhedrin and risked their lives by proclaiming the faith. In the same chapter ( verse 32 -36) we are told how the believers shared their possessions in common. Chapter 11 ( verse 27-30) tells of money collected in order to help victims of famine, and in chapter 28, there are recorded many healings . So throughout this book there is evidence of Luke’s belief that Christians should have the same self sacrificing attitude to others that Christ himself had. Acts was the second of two books by Luke contained in the New Testament, the first being of course his Gospel. He was not of course present at the events he records as he makes clear in his prologue, Luke 1 verse 3 and 4 , addressed to Theophilus, I have carefully studied all these matters from the beginning. I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught. The gospel, by what is included and what omitted, stresses certain points. The inclusion of the Song of Simeon in Luke 2 v 29-32,:- ‘Your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light to reveal your will to the Gentiles .’ In the book of Acts that we see how Gentiles were included among those saved by faith in Christ. In his prologue to his second book, that of Acts, he continues ( Acts 1 v 1 and 2):- In my first book I wrote about all the things that Jesus did and taught from the time he began his work until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he was taken up, he gave instruct by the power of the Holy Spirit to the men he had chosen as his apostles. The remainder of the book is of course concerned with the working out of those instructions in practice. Luke’s theology is consistent with the same important ideas over and over. His emphasis for instance upon who Jesus really was. W. Liefield in his essay ‘Theology of Luke’ points out how Luke omits much Marcan material in his gospel in order that his narrative moves quickly from the question ‘Who is this?’ after the stilling of the storm on Lake Galilee in Luke 8 v 25 to Herod’s question in 9 v 9 ‘Who is this man?’ and then to the question Jesus addresses to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi in Luke 9 v 20 ‘ Who do you say I am?’. In Acts we have Paul’s question on the Damascus road side ‘Who are you Lord?’ ( Acts 9 v 5) Oswald Chambers comments in ‘Utmost for the Highest’ first published in 1927 ( page 140) how knowing the true answer to this question had a transforming effect – this was seen in the early chapters of Acts when Peter, who had earlier denied his Lord, was able to speak out boldly ( Acts 2 v 14) The knowledge transformed Saul, the persecutor to one willing to suffer for the gospel’s sake. He describes in 2nd Corinthians 11 – shipwrecks, floods, robbery and beatings. In Acts 9 v 17 Luke tells us how Paul’s sight was restored, but also he received a true answer to his earlier question ‘Who are you Lord?’ From then on ‘I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.’ ( I Corinthians 2 v 2, Weymouth Bible) In Chapter 4 Peter, explains exactly who Jesus is ‘i.e the promised Messiah.. In verse 12 he says ‘Salvation is to be found through him alone.’ In Acts 17 Paul in Athens, comes across the altar ‘To an unknown god’. He uses this to explain to the crowd who God is Luke’s description continues the history of Israel. Christ had come as promised by the prophets - not in some vague future state, but among them on a date in history. There are speeches, such as that by Peter on the day of Pentecost, reminding people of the miracles that Jesus performed ( Acts 2 v 22) and how this fitted in with Old Testament prophecies ‘that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the one the God has made Lord and Messiah.’ (Acts 2 v 36). The God of Jesus was also the God of Jewish history – ( Acts 3 v 13) ‘The God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has given divine glory to his servant Jesus.’ Luke’s story reveals God at work in the time and space of his age. The coming of the Christ is the total focus, which is perhaps why, in his gospel there is included the story of the forerunner and ( In Luke 1 ) the miracle of Christ’s conception and birth. the universality of the salvation he offers is hinted at in the genealogy of Luke 3 In Acts chapter 7 there is Stephen runs through Jewish history from Abraham to Moses . So the fact that God has been at work throughout history is important to Luke , but now God is doing a new thing – the Spirit falls in chapter 2 but on all believers ( Acts 2 v 4) Luke records how , despite doubts and opposition from some quarters, the idea of a gospel of salvation for all who believed came into being. Most Christians see a theology based upon events and the faith they brought into being. A point made by Steve Walton in his book of 2000 ‘Leadership and Lifestyle: the portrait of Paul in the Miletus speech and 1 Thessalonians’ ( page 9) is that often in Acts Paul is speaking to unbelievers and so the emphasis of the theology contained in his word s is rather different to that in his letters which were of course directed towards believers. Luke was a historian because he was a theologian according to Margrueret et al in their book of 2000, ‘The First Christian Historian: Writing the Acts of the Apostles’ ( page 34) They speak of how for Luke the world is where God and man meet. The truth of the resurrection in the book of Acts is portrayed as a turning point in history, for without it how could the church come into being? In the book of Acts Luke reveals how the special relationship between God and his chosen people had been extended to include the whole world – if they would only believe. The ‘His Holy Church ‘ web page, commenting on the purpose of God says :- ‘The Church has both a mission and a purpose, the body of Christ appointed by Him for His purposes. Leadership and Lifestyle: The Portrait of Paul in the Miletus Speech and 1 Thessalonians When Paul recalls that meeting on the road ( Acts 26 verses 16 – 18) he quotes the Lord as saying :- You are to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God’s people. This is Luke’s theology in short passage – that those saved by Christ are to be his servants, proclaiming his message of salvation to all. The ‘their’ refers not just to a limited group, but to all.. There is of course much theology outside the pages of Luke’s work, but this summing up of the act of grace by God himself in Christ is important for the work and purpose of the church – then and now. Paul of course went on to say to King Agrippa in Acts 26 v 19 ‘I did not disobey the vision I had’. Luke’s account is of the working out of visions such as this with Christ as both message and messenger. So is the book of Acts could be described as including history in order to explain theology. References Briggs, J., God, Time and History, Lion Handbook, the History of Christianity, Lion Publishing, Tring, Herts,1977 Good New Bible, United Bible Societies, Collins/Fontana, London 1976 Margrueret,D. et al, The First Christian Historian: Writing the “Acts of the Apostles”, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2002 Walton,S. Leadership and Lifestyle: The Portrait of Paul in the Miletus Speech and 1 Thessalonians, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000 Electronic Sources Bible, New International Version, Bible Gateway.com, 2nd April 2009, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2010:34-48;&version=64; Liefield, W. Theology of Luke, Advanced Information, 2nd April 2009, http://mb-soft.com/believe/txw/luketheo.htm The purpose of His holy church, His Holy Church, Living Stones Network, 2nd April 2009 http://www.hisholychurch.net/purpose.html The theology of Luke/Acts, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, 2nd April 2009, http://bible.crosswalk.com/Dictionaries/BakersEvangelicalDictionary/bed.cgi?number=T450 Read More