Acts

The human writer is Luke, whom Paul called “the beloved physician” (Col. 4:14). By simply comparing 1:1-2 with Luke 1:1-4, it is obvious that Luke is the writer. He wrote Acts sometime after Paul’s earliest ministry in Rome because that is where its history ends in 28 (early 60’s AD). Luke was with Paul until his death (2 Tim. 4:11) and we know Paul’s ministry continued after Acts 28. So why did Luke stop the record where he did? Because the book of Acts is the record of the fall and diminishing of Israel. God set His chosen nation aside through a transition as He called out a believing remnant from among them. Acts concludes with the end of that transition. 

The Gospel of Luke records “all that Jesus BEGAN both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up”. The book of Acts takes up the history where the Gospel of Luke left off and records what Jesus CONTINUED to do from Heaven through the Holy Ghost sent down to empower the apostles. By comparing how the Gospel of Luke concluded (24:36-53) with how the book of Acts opens (1:1-12) it is clear that Acts is the sequel to Luke. Therefore the same kingdom program of Israel recorded in the Gospels continues into the book of Acts. 

The message to Israel in the Gospels was “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. The kingdom of heaven is a literal and visible kingdom that the God of heaven will establish on the earth (Dan. 2:44). Christ will rule from the throne of David in Jerusalem and Israel will be a kingdom of priests with authority over the nations. But, the Jews rejected their King and crucified Him. Many wrongly think that God set Israel aside at the time of the cross and began this present dispensation. However, consider what Jesus prayed from the cross (Lk. 23:34). Both Christ and Peter (Acts 3:17) said that the Jews crucified their King in ignorance and therefore they are given an opportunity to repent. If we are going to understand the book of Acts we MUST understand that it records a renewed offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel (Acts 3:19-21). 

We must also understand that Acts is not a book of doctrine. It is a historical record of God moving from Israel to the Body of Christ; from the gospel of the kingdom to the gospel of the grace of God; from the ministry of Peter (1-12) to that of Paul (13-28). Acts is a TRANSITION book because one dispensation is fading out (Law) and another is fading in (Grace). The popular view of Acts is that it is primarily the record of the birth and growth of the church in this age. They assume that it contains the doctrine and practices of the church in its purest form. We are told that we should seek to follow the pattern in Acts. 

Problems:

1. Which message should we preach to those who want to know how to be saved, Acts 2:37-38 or 16:30-31? 

2. Where and to whom should we preach? Should we, like the 12, begin at Jerusalem (1:8)? Or should we, like Paul, depart from Jerusalem and go far hence to the Gentiles (22:21)?  

3. Should we preach to the Jews only (11:19), to the Jews first and then the Gentiles (18:6), or to everybody alike? 

4. Do we receive the Holy Ghost several years after repentance and baptism (2:4), immediately after repentance and baptism (2:38), after the apostles from Jerusalem lay hands on us (8:14-17), before baptism (10:44-48)? 

5. How are we to handle money? Should we sell all our possessions and have all things common with the church (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35) or should we work to supply for our needs (20:33-34)? 

6. Should we expect miraculous deliverance such as Peter’s release from prison (Acts 12:7) or imprisonment in chains with Paul (Acts 26:27)?   

Trying to use the book of Acts for doctrine can be very dangerous! This transitional book is like a bridge that takes us from one dispensation to another. We are not supposed to park on a bridge, we will get run over! Many religious groups go through Acts picking and choosing verses that seem to support their beliefs. The Campbellites teach that water baptism is essential to salvation and so latch on to 2:38. The Charismatics take the tongues in Acts 2 but ignore 2:44-45. 

The correct view of Acts is that from beginning to end it is primarily the account of the fall of Israel. It explains step by step why the chosen people had to be set aside and salvation sent to the Gentiles apart from them (13:46; 18:6; 28:28). It reveals why the commission of the 12 had to be suspended and another apostle raised up to go to the Gentiles with the gospel of the grace of God. 

Acts may be divided into 2 main sections. In the first part of the book Peter is prominent and the center of work is Jerusalem (1-12). In the second part of the book Paul is prominent and the center of the work is from Antioch (13-28). There are some distinctions about his ministry during the transition as he worked to get a remnant out of Israel. 

Understanding the book of Acts is essential to understanding the New Testament. If we were to study Matthew-John and then go right into Romans we would be very confused! The key to Bible study is right division (2 Tim. 2:15). The main division in the Bible is between Prophecy and Mystery (Acts 3:21 with Rom. 16:25). The book of Acts reveals the transition between the prophetic kingdom program of Israel and the mystery program of the Body of Christ. The mystery is not dealt with doctrinally in Acts because it was the Lord’s will for Paul to make it known and not Luke.