The book of Acts is the pivotal
book of the Bible. It is where we read about the center
of the Bible’s message - Jesus Christ Resurrection and His Church established. Some have
called it the Hub of the Bible. It is often called 2nd Luke as it is an
extension of his prior gospel work (Acts 1:1). The apostles Paul and Peter through
the Holy Spirit often refer to many Old Testament references in teaching New
Covenant fulfillment's and instructions pertaining to worship, church
operations, serving and working for the Lord, and Gods plan of salvation to the
Jews and the Gentiles. The book of Acts provides a
detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early
church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of
Jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. The
work also constructs a link between the Gospels and the Epistles.
Written by the disciple Luke, Acts is the
sequel to Luke's Gospel, furthering his story of Jesus, and how he built his
church. The book ends quite abruptly, suggesting to some scholars that Luke may
have planned to write a third book to continue the story.
Authorship of the book of Acts
is attributed to Luke. He was a Greek and the only Gentile Christian writer of
the New Testament. He was an educated man and disciple of Jesus, and we learn
in Colossians 4:14 that he was a physician. Luke was not one of the 12
disciples later to become Apostles.
Although Luke is not named in
the book of Acts as the writer, he was credited with authorship as early as the
second century. In later chapters of Acts, the writer uses the first-person
plural narrative, "we," indicating that he was present with Apostle Paul. We
know that Luke was a faithful friend and travel companion of Paul.
Date Written:
Between 62 and 70 A.D., with
the earlier date being more likely.
Landscape of the Book of Acts:
The book of Acts details the
spread of the gospel and the growth of the church from Jerusalem and throughout
the Roman Empire.
Themes in the Book of Acts:
The book of Acts begins with
the outpouring of God's promised Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1).
As a result, the preaching of the gospel (Acts 2:14-39), and the witness of the
newly formed church sparks a flame that spreads across the Roman Empire. The
opening of Acts discloses a primary theme throughout the book. As believers are
empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) they bear witness to the message of
salvation in Jesus Christ. This is how the church is established and continues
to grow, spreading locally and then continuing to the ends of the earth.
In summary, the book of Acts needs
to be studied to have the full understanding of the whole Bible! That’s quite a
statement. Enjoy this video lesson on the groundbreaking book of the infant church of Jesus Christ.
