Page 5 - Acts Student Textbook

(Chapters 2, 10, 13, 17), and authentication of the apostolic message by miracles suggest Acts is in
part designed to lead non-believing Romans and Greeks to faith in Jesus.

Apologetic: Acts appears to be, in part, an apologetic for the Christian faith to the Roman people
against charges brought against it (see above): conversions of Cornelius’ household (10:1-11:18), the
proconsul Sergius Paulus (13:12), and the Philippian jailer (16:25-34); Gallio’s ruling (18:12-17); the
apology of the city officers of Philippi (16:37-39); city clerk and proconsuls in Ephesus (19:35-41); the
detailed coverage given to Paul’s trials before Roman authorities (Chapters 22-28) which prove his
innocence and the prejudice of his Jewish opponents (24:27; 25:8-27; 26:30-32). In fact, an
apologetic to Jewish seekers or believers may also be part of Luke’s purpose: Paul is portrayed as a
Jew whose faith in Jesus is a fulfillment of his Pharisaic hopes (16:3; 18:18; 21:17-26; 23:6-8; 24:10-
21; 26:4-11).
Social and economic: Luke provides us information on how the primitive church survived social and
economic hardships. We can see few economic touches where the high and mighty helped the weak
and lowly, “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 and they sold their
possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need” (Acts 2:44-45 (ASV).
Needy widows were taken care of (Acts 6:1-6). Luke records that When the fulfillment of the
prophecy of the world famine which prophet Agabus foretold had come, Barnabas and Saul collected
relief from some gentile churches to take to the most affected in Judea (Acts 11:30).

Missiological: The order in which the book was written has a lot to say about how Luke wanted to
demonstrate the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth of the first century. At
this point it is interesting to note that the key verse in the book of Acts is 1:8: “But ye shall receive
power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (ASV). This verse is clearly
demonstrated in the following divisions of the book: The spread of the gospel in Jerusalem (chapters
1-7), the spread of the gospel in Judea & Samaria (chaps 8-12), and the spread of the gospel
throughout the earth (chap 13-28).

Here is our Summary journey of the main events through the
book of Acts

1) Jesus’ ascension and appointment of Matthias — 1
2) Coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the
church — chap. 2
3) Healing of the lame man at the temple gate — chap.
3
4) First persecution – Chap. 4
5) Trouble within (Death of Ananias & Sapphira) and
without— 5
6) Selection of 7 men (deacons) to serve needy widows — 6:1-6
7) Stephen’s sermon and death — chap. 7
8) Philip (Conversion of the Samaritans, Simon the Sorcerer, and the Ethiopian
treasurer/eunuch) — 8
9) Conversion of Saul and Raising of Dorcas from the dead — 9
10) Conversion of Cornelius (first Gentile convert) — chap. 10
11) Establishment of the church in Antioch — 11:19-30
12) Death of James, & imprisonment and deliverance of Peter — chap. 12
13) Paul’s first Missionary journey; Conversion of Sergius Paulus — 13:1-12
14) Paul’s ministry in Iconium Lystra and Derby (Paul honored as a god, but then stoned at
Lystra) — 14:8-20
15) The great Jerusalem council (Discussion of circumcision at Jerusalem) — chap. 15

4