New Testament Survey Notes to Reader Student: Karina Loayza

THE BOOK OF ACTS

This is the second volume of the account of Luke, one of the faithful companions of the apostle

Paul, about Christ. The events are a continuation of those narrated in his gospel which

culminates in Jerusalem with the disciples worshipping God in the temple. Now, in the Book of

Acts we will see how Lukes narrative is going to extend the action of the mission beyond

Jerusalem. The starting point for this is the event of Pentecost, and then we are going to notice a

pattern of progression in Jesus command to bear witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Lk. 1:9).

Regarding the dating, many have discussed that since the martyrdom of Paul is not recorded the

book was probably written after his death. But this argument poses a question about the real

purpose of the book of Acts: was it written with the express purpose of portraying the active

ministry of the apostles after the ascension of Jesus? If so, then the book in fact does not reach its

goal because it only records some events in the life of Peter and John in the beginning and much

attention is given to Stephen and Philip who were not apostles. Therefore, would better say that

the account portrays how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church in order to accomplish the

command of his Lord.

In the advancement of the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the first disciples of Jesus, we need

to notice that not only geographical barriers are torn down but also and more important is the

overcome of the ethnic barriers between the Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). We find in the first

chapters, the Holy Spirit at action in Samaria (8:4-8), in the conversion of the eunuch from

Ethiopia (8:26-39), in the gentile Pentecost in the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion

(10:44-48), then the progression of the events reaches a higher level with the ministry of Paul,

the apostle for the Gentiles. When Paul bore witness of the gospel in Rome in the end we can

New Testament Survey Notes to Reader Student: Karina Loayza

fairly say that the goal of the narrative was met, and Luke could have known of Pauls death but

he did not included it.

The Church is a major theological theme in the book of Acts, and the event of Pentecost is

recorded to signal its creation (2:14-41). Then, Luke is going to signal to different characteristics

of the church: First and foremost, the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church which is

extending beyond Jerusalem and breaking the deep rooted ethnic identity of the Jews. Second, a

development in the understanding of being the body of Christ with its cohesion based on his

Lordship, the presence of the Spirit, and their obedience to the teaching of the apostles. Third,

the temple is not the center of the worship of the believers, now it is the person of Christ and the

proclamation of his gospel. Fourth, the expansion of the church develops the concept of the one

people-many people, the addition of the Gentiles to the church brings Gods plan of blessing of

all the nations (Gen.12:3) to its completion. Finally, there is no interest in establishing a

hierarchy among the churches with Jerusalem at the head, but to establish communion among the

churches based on the reality that now, they are a family, not like a family, but real brothers and

sisters in Christ.