Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles tells the approximately thirty-year story of how the gospel message spread throughout the Roman Empire - from the death and resurrection of Jesus to the arrival of Paul in Rome ready to testify before Caesar. The news spread like wildfire at the hands of the apostles and the many others who, though of more humble calling, withstood persecution and affliction and couldn't but tell their friends and acquaintances of the wonderful news of what God had done through Jesus. But in a way the title of the book is a minomer. It is not a book primarily about what the apostles did, nor is it a biography of the apostle Paul, seemingly its most dominant character. It is an account of the ongoing work of Jesus in establishing his church now that he had ascended to heaven. The sequel to Acts, the gospel of Luke, tells of what Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1). Acts tells of what he continued to do - and continues to do to this day - even though he is no longer on the earth.

Q: Luke and Acts are both addressed to Theophilus, which may be a generic title rather than a proper name. If this indicates that they were written by the same person, how do we arrive at the conclusion that the writer was Luke, who only appears in two verses in the whole New Testament?

A: Answer coming soon!

Q: Is there any evidence to suggest that Acts was written as a sort of C.V. or resume and character reference to be used for Paul in the courts of Rome? Is it a defence of the gospel message?

A: Answer coming soon!

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