4266—The Acts of the Apostles
AUTHOR: Luke, the beloved physician, 2216. The book is in some sense a sequel to the Gospel of Luke and is addressed to the same unknown person, Theophilus, Acts 1:1.
DATE WRITTEN: Probably prior to Paul’s trial (A.D. 62).
PURPOSE: To document the growth of the early church.
TO WHOM WRITTEN: Specifically, Theophilus, Acts 1:1. Also believers throughout history who would know their “roots”; and unbelievers who sincerely seek to know the historical basis behind Christianity’s early rapid expansion.
MAIN THEME: The history of the development of the early church from the Ascension of Christ to Paul’s imprisonment at Rome and the opening of his ministry there. Many Bible students see in the book the formal beginning of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. The departing Christ makes the announcement of a great campaign of world-wide missions through human agency under the power of the Spirit, Acts 1:8.
See the Tree of Paul’s Life, 4309.
KEY WORDS: Holy Spirit and the Church.
KEY VERSES: Acts 1:8; 2:42–47.
SYNOPSIS: The book may be divided into two parts.
I. The Period of Home Missions with Jerusalem as the center. The work mainly in Palestine among the Jews; the apostle Peter being the most prominent figure.
(1) The preparatory events.
(a) The divine commission, Acts 1:4–8.
(b) The ascending Lord, Acts 1:10–11.
(c) The descending Spirit, Acts 2:1–4.
(d) The workers’ equipment, Acts 2:4; 4:31.
(2) The ministries.
(a) Of Peter at Pentecost, Acts 2:14–40.
Peter’s second sermon, Acts 3:12–26.
Peter’s address to the Sanhedrin, Acts 4:5–12.
(b) Of Stephen, Acts 7:1–60.
(c) Of Philip and Peter, Acts 8:5–25.
(d) Of Philip, Acts 8:26–40.
(3) Facts concerning the church.
(a) The growth of. See Additions, 733.
(b) The infilling of, with the Holy Spirit, Acts 4:31.
(c) The unity and benevolence of, Acts 4:32–37.
(d) The spiritual power of, Acts 5:12–16.
(e) The appointment of deacons, Acts 6:1–6.
(4) The persecutions of the church, Acts 4:1–3, 17–22; 5:17–18, 40; 6:8–15. Persecutions under Saul of Tarsus, 8:1–3; 9:1.
II. The Period of Foreign Missions opening with Jerusalem as the center of operations, which was soon transferred to Antioch in Syria.
(1) Preliminary events leading up to world-wide missions:
(a) The ministry of Philip in Samaria in association with Peter and John, Acts 8:5–25.
(b) The conversion of Paul, who becomes the great missionary and the leading figure in the church during this period, Acts 9:1–30.
(c) The broadening of Peter’s views by his vision at Joppa, resulting in his ministry among the Gentiles at Caesarea, Acts 10:1–43.
(d) The outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles at Caesarea and the vindication of Peter’s ministry there, Acts 10:44–11:18.
(e) The sanction of the work at Antioch by Barnabas, the representative of the church at Jerusalem, Acts 11:22–24.
(f) The bringing of Paul from Tarsus to Antioch by Barnabas and the cooperation of the two men in establishing the church in the place where the disciples were first called Christians, Acts 11:25–26.
(g) Parenthesis. The persecution of the church at Jerusalem by Herod. The death of James and the imprisonment and deliverance of Peter, Acts 12:1–19.
(2) The epochal event in the history of foreign missions. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the sending forth of Paul and Barnabas as missionaries by the church at Antioch. John Mark accompanies them, Acts 13:1–5.
(3) Paul’s first missionary journey. Missionaries Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark, Acts 13:4–14:26.
Places visited and outstanding events:
(a) The island of Cyprus where the proconsul was converted and Saul’s name changed to Paul in the record, Acts 13:4–12.
(b) Perga in Pamphylia, where John Mark deserted the party, Acts 13:13.
(c) Antioch in Pisidia, where Paul preached his great sermon in the synagogue, Acts 13:14–41.
(d) Opposition by the Jews and work among the Gentiles, Acts 13:44–49.
(e) Driven from the city by the Jews, the missionaries go to Iconium. Here they work for some time, but persecution arising. They flee to Lystra and Derbe, Acts 14:6.
(f) The healing of the lame man at Lystra results in the people proposing to worship Paul and Barnabas, but the Jews stir up opposition and Paul is stoned.
(g) Undaunted, the two heroes escape to Derbe, where they preach the gospel and teach many, Acts 14:8–20.
(h) From this point the missionaries retrace their steps, revisiting and organizing the churches, and return to Antioch in Syria, where they make a report of their journey, Acts 14:21–28.
(4) The council at Jerusalem.
(a) The question at issue, Acts 15:5–6.
(b) Peter’s argument in favor of Christian liberty, Acts 15:7–11.
(c) Paul and Barnabas relate their experiences, Acts 15:12.
(d) The speech of James and the decision of the council in favor of exempting the Gentiles from the rules of the ceremonial law, Acts 15:13–29. Judas and Silas are sent to Antioch to deliver the letter from the council to the church, Acts 15:27–30.
(5) Paul’s second missionary journey, Acts 15:36–18:22.
Preliminary events: a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas concerning John Mark. Silas chosen by Paul to accompany him on the journey, Acts 15:36–40.
Places visited and outstanding events:
(a) Visitation of the churches of Syria and Cilicia, Acts 15:41; at Lystra, Timothy joins the missionaries, and various cities of Asia Minor are visited and the churches strengthened, Acts 15:41–16:5.
(b) The Spirit guides them to Troas, where they are called into Europe by the Macedonian vision, Acts 16:7–10.
(c) At Philippi Paul and Silas are imprisoned, the jailor is converted, Acts 16:12–34, and a church is established.
(d) The founding of a church at Thessalonica. Persecution arises and they depart for Berea, Acts 17:1–10. Here the missionaries find some candid students of the Word who become ready converts, Acts 17:11–12.
(e) The storm of persecution breaks out again, and Paul goes on to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy to establish the church, Acts 17:13–15.
(f) At Athens Paul finds a city filled with idols. He preaches a sermon on Mars’ Hill, but secures only a few converts to the faith, Acts 17:15–34.
(g) At Corinth Paul is soon joined by Silas and Timothy, and a church is founded. The work is carried on in the midst of persecution for eighteen months, Acts 18:1–17.
(h) After a considerable time Paul bids the brethren farewell and sets sail for Syria, making a brief stop at Ephesus. He closes his journey at Antioch, Acts 18:18–22.
(6) Paul’s third missionary journey, Acts 18:23–21:15.
Places visited and outstanding events:
(a) Visitation of the churches in Galatia and Phrygia, Acts 18:23.
(b) Parenthesis. Apollos at Ephesus, Acts 18:24–28.
(c) Paul returns to Ephesus and finds a company of imperfectly instructed disciples and leads them into the larger life of the Spirit, Acts 19:1–7.
(d) He continues in the work at Ephesus for two years, Acts 19:8–10. The Lord showed His approval of the work by bestowing upon Paul the gift of healing, Acts 19:11–12. Sinners were confounded and many burned their evil books, Acts 19:11–20.
(e) There arose a great uproar among the silversmiths, fearing that Paul’s doctrine would destroy their business of idol making, Acts 19:23–41.
(f) Paul leaves Ephesus. After visiting the churches of Macedonia, he comes to Greece, Acts 20:1–2, where he spends three months. He then returns to Macedonia, comes to Troas, and preaches, Acts 20:3–12.
(g) From Troas he goes to Miletus and sends for the Ephesian elders to come to him.
(h) At Miletus he delivers his great farewell address to the elders, Acts 20:17–38.
(i) From Miletus Paul starts for Jerusalem, although warned by the Spirit of the sufferings awaiting him there, Acts 21:1–17.
(7) Paul in Jerusalem and Caesarea.
(a) He relates to the church the experiences of his ministry among the Gentiles, Acts 21:18–20.
(b) To silence suspicion, he is urged to take a Jewish vow, which he does, Acts 21:20–26.
(c) Seized by Jewish enemies in the temple and rescued from their fury by Roman soldiers, Acts 21:27–40.
(d) His defense before the multitude, Acts 22:1–21.
(e) He asserts his Roman citizenship to escape being scourged, Acts 22:25–30.
(f) He appears before the Sanhedrin, Acts 23:1–10.
(g) The Lord appears to him in the night with a message of cheer, Acts 23:11.
(h) A conspiracy among the Jews to kill him leads to his being sent to Caesarea, Acts 23:12–33.
(i) The accusation brought against him by the Jews and his defense before the governor, Felix, Acts 24:1–21.
(j) His speech before Felix concerning his faith in Christ, Acts 24:24–26.
(k) His defense before Festus and his appeal unto Caesar, Acts 25:1–12.
(l) His address before Agrippa, Acts 26:1–29.
(8) Paul’s journey to Rome as a prisoner, Acts 27:1–28:16.
(a) The first stage of the voyage, Acts 27:2–13.
(b) The storm and the moral ascendency of Paul, Acts 27:14–36.
(c) The shipwreck and the escape to land, Acts 27:38–44.
(d) The experiences on the island of Malta, Acts 28:1–10.
(e) The arrival at Rome and Paul’s ministry there, Acts 28:16–31
PROMINENT PEOPLE: Luke, Peter, John, James, Stephen, Philip, Paul, Barnabas, James—the brother of Jesus.
Frank Charles Thompson and John Stephen Jauchen, eds., Thompson Chain Bible Book Outlines, Updated and Expanded., The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (Indianapolis, IN: B.B. Kirkbride Bible Co., Inc., 1997), 2081–2082.
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