A Closer Look at The Book of Acts Essay

Paul preaches sermon of remembrance that ends in Jesus at King in the line of David

The book of Acts is particularly referred as the book of the Spirit. In fact, during the early days, it was referred as The Acts. However, the title was not original since the book of Acts is the second part of the writings of Luke. It is apparent that Luke went along way to point out the presence and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Further, from the writings of Luke as documented in the Bible, it is evident that he was a historian and a theologian. The book of Acts is a prolongation of the ministry of salvation that was started by Jesus Christ (Shelton & James, 2000). The book of Acts highlights and emphasizes on baptism through the Holy Spirit. Luke identifies that it is through the Holy Spirit that God empowers and fills the people. The Holy Spirit played a vital role on the Apostles lives in preaching and continuing the works that Jesus had started before his death. The Holy Spirit is essential in lives of believers as he speaks to them, and guides them on how to live a consecrated life, preach the word of God, and He manifests through speaking in tongues.

2:36-41 says “Peter was telling the crowd to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

Acts of the Apostles chronicles the rapid advancement of the Gospel by way of the gift of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles: The Charismatic Community in Mission” takes into account the narratives succeeding Pentecost including Spirit Baptisms from Samaria to Ephesus (Acts

the early church from the time of Jesus' ascension to Paul's arrival as a prisoner in Rome. Acts was written by the author of Luke's gospel, Luke. Although the author does not name himself, evidence from the book itself proves that the author was Luke.

Copy and paste the down arrow ( ) into boxes to show that a unit of material is continuing.Copy and paste the left arrow ( ) into boxes to show where a unit of material ends.

This book was written by Paul the Apostle around 61AD, to the church in Philippi that he started around 49 – 51 AD during his second missionary journey, this is his first church in Europe (Acts Chapter 16). Paul reached the town through the harbor of Neapolis accompanied by Timothy, Silas and Luke (if the “we” in Acts 16:10 -17 included Luke). The first convert was Lydia however when writing this letter Paul does not include the happenings in Philippi when he was planting the church i.e. his imprisonment and the jailers conversion, his exit from the town and even the girl who had the spirit of divination. The Apostle Paul’s attachment to this church was great as seen in the words and terms used in this literary work. Two times, they had supported him financially before the writing of this letter and after they heard of his imprisonment, they sent Ephaproditus with another support and this prompted

But only when they received this power that Comes from God. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts1:7)

In reading Howard I. Marshall, “Acts”, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. He implied, the most significant for studying and interpreting the book of Acts is how a reader gets out of what he is reading and how he approaches it (Marshall, 17). He states that, “an average reader studies the books of Acts as a history book of the early church” (Marshall, 17). Readers should use critical thinking to seek a deeper revelation. For example: recognizing the authorship to the Gospel of Luke. And seek for what the author’s purpose of writing Luke-Acts (Marshall, 19). Accurate information gives better understanding. In fact, if a reader did not know the culture or customs of the first-century Christian writers of the early church. They would not know the first-century Christian writers were only known to write Letters and Gospels, and not large history literature, as the author did in the book of Acts (Marshall, 18). Who was the author addressing with his literature (Marshall, 18)? With these considerations, it is most significant to have accurate information to be able to study and interpret the true of the book of Acts.

The first message from Peter was a blast. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, professor of theology at the University of Helsinki, says: "…Pentecost is a dramatic work of the Spirit: Three thousand repent, and charismatic elements are visible."(31) Ockenga includes an interesting fact: "This sermon resulted in the conversion of 3,000 people, who continued in the apostles ' doctrine and in prayer. They were note temporary conversions."(35)

Traveling from the church in Antioch to Jerusalem, Barnabas, Paul and Mark set out to spread the Gospel. "Both Acts 15 and Galatians 2:1-10 detail a meeting in Jerusalem. Although they are not identical, the overwhelming similarities suggest that both passages are indeed descriptions of the same event."

Paul, formerly known as Saul, is first introduced in Acts 7-8 as a persecutor of Christians, and one compliant during Stephen’s stoning. In Acts 9, Saul has an encounter with the risen Christ that changes his life forever. Throughout Paul’s ministry, whether preaching to Jews or Gentiles, he will always proclaim the resurrection. Paul is extremely important to the book of Acts as he picks up Peter’s ministry and continues to take the gospel further and further into the Gentile world. While Luke is recording Paul’s ministry in the book of Acts, Paul is also writing letters (also known as the Pauline epistles) which now make up a majority of the New Testament. It is in these letters that Paul goes into detail defending his apostleship, but Luke will also defend him by describing him as a man filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:9), an apostle (Acts 14:14), and showing the parallels between the miracles both he and Peter performed.

What truly is amazing however is the hypocrisy which so characterizes the first portion of Acts five. Here there is a husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira, after many believers had shared their possessions, Ananias and Sapphira, being very knowledgeable figured that they would keep part of the money they had to themselves. But then they gave the rest and, “put it at the apostles' feet.” What is amazing then is the Peter

“The Book of Acts portrays Jesus’ followers carrying on his work, directed by the same divine Spirit that

At the birth of the Early Church there were no Gentiles within the Christian community. The relationship between Judaism and Christianity became more complex as people began to accept Gentiles into the church. The book of Acts makes clear to us that the conflict that had arisen was between two different groups of Jewish people, the Hellenists and the Hebrews. The Hellenists, although Jewish, were open to a Hellenistic culture unlike the Hebrews, and it was through them that a connection to the gentile world was created. The Jewish church would eventually wain and the leaders of the Christian movement proclaiming the Gospel would then become predominantly Gentile.