The Acts of the Apostles

Who wrote the Acts of the Apostles?

The Book of Acts is the second in a two-volume set addressed to Theophilus and written by the Apostle Paul's associates, the physician named Luke.

When was Acts written?

63-64 A.D.

What was the purpose in writing the Acts of the Apostles?

1. Luke wrote this book as a continuation of his gospel to show Theophilus what happened after Christ ascended to heaven.

2. A primary purpose of Acts is to explain the orderly and sovereignly directed progress of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from Jews to Gentiles and from Jerusalem to Rome.

3. To prove to Gentiles and Jews alike that Christianity was not a subversive movement but a faith that Christ had instituted and which now was spreading through the world by means of the Holy Spirit using faithful men.

4. To show that this faith was established, maintained and spread through the planting of local churches whose members were converts to Christ from among Gentiles and Jews.

The message and content of Acts.

1. The book of Acts can be roughly divided into three sections. Each section focuses on a particular audience, key personalities and a specific phases in the expansion of the gospel message.

Chapters 1-7: This section deals with the beginnings of the gospel witness and the establishment of Christianity in Jerusalem. The key people are the Apostles and particularly Peter.

Chapters 8-12: This section regards the spread of Christianity to Judea and Samaria through preaching and persecution. Philip preaches in Samaria, Peter to Cornelius in Caesarea and the Apostle Paul encounters Christ on the way to Damascus.

Chapters 13-28: The final portion of Acts has to do with the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the Roman empire through the ministry of the Apostle Paul and associates like Barnabus, Silas, Luke and Timothy.

2. The book of Acts records selected historical accounts and theological discourses that form the link between the Gospels and the Epistles, tracing the development of Christianity from Jewish Jerusalem to Gentile Rome.

3. Acts records famous sermons and speeches by the Apostle Peter, Stephen and the Apostle Paul.

4. The Apostle Paul's marvelous conversion to Christ and his three missionary journeys and final trip to Rome are recorded in Acts.

5. Luke emphasizes the coming of the Holy Spirit and His ministry in this treatise. Christ had promised taht He would send teh Comforter, therefore Acts gives us teh account of His dramatic entry and empowerment of believers in order to be Christ's effective witnesses.

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