02/08/2021 – Day 267 – Acts 1 – 2 / 2 of ? / Introduction To Acts
Good morning!
I am pulling from Halley’s Bible Handbook unless I note otherwise:
Acts: Formation and Spread of the Church / Extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles / Life and Work of Paul
“WIthin the Apostolic Generation The Gospel expanded in all directions till it reached every nation of the then known world (Colossians 1-23) .” We see in Chapter two – the Day of Pentecost, devout Jews from the early diaspora from many nations (see those listed), that had come into Jerusalem for the Passover. For what purpose?: To go back out spreading the Gospel!
“The book of Acts, however, confines itself to the expansion of the Gospel over Palestine, northward to Antioch, and thence westward, through Asia Minior and Greece, to Rom, covering the region that then constituted the backbone of the Roman Empire.
This book, called the Acts of the Apostles, is, mainly, the Acts of Peter and Paul, mostly Paul. Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, that is, book, if not the leading subject, in its relation to the the general scheme of Bible books, is the Extension of the Gospel to Gentiles.
The Old Testament is the story of God’s age-long dealing with the Hebrew Nation for the specific purpose of , through the Hebrew Nation, Blessing All Nations. The Hebrew Messiah, long foretold by the Prophets, at last had come. And in this book of Acts the Great and Wonderful Work Among the Nations Begins. And the Household of God, in this book, passes from being a National Set-Up, and becomes an International World Institution.”
- The book spans from the formation of the Church in Jerusalem, chapter 2 in A.D. 30. to Paul’s imprisonment and execution in Rome spanning A.D. 61 to 63. For context, the Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was ransacked in 70 A.D. by the Romans, leaving an estimated one million deaths according to Josephus, the reknowned Jewish historian of the era.
- Luke is widely recognized as the author, who also wrote the third gospel bearing his name. “Little is know of Luke. In Colossians 4:11, 14 he seems to be classed as a Gentile, which if so, would make him, as far as known, the only Gentile writer of the Bible. “
- “Eusebius says Luke was a native of Antioch; Ramsey, one of the greatest Pauline scholars, thinks he was of Philippi.”
- “He first appears as the one who brought Paul from Troas to Philippi; was a leader in the Philippian Church for its first 6 years; then rejoined Paul (Acts 16:10; 16:40; 20:6)…..
- “Chapter 2: 37 -47 The New-Born Church // 3,000 the first day (2:41): a testimony to Unmistakable Evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus. ‘Baptized’ (2:38, see page 568)
(to be continued and close out nlt EOD – 02/09/2021. On to 3 of ? lol )
Soli Deo Gloria!