Acts Bible Study: Overview/Review

OPENING QUESTIONS:

What were your favorite parts of the book of Acts?

Do you have any unanswered questions regarding Acts?

The Author: Luke

He was a Gentile and most likely, the only Gentile writer in the Bible. I say “most likely” because we don’t know for sure who wrote the book of Hebrews.

Most scholars believe Luke was from Antioch in Syria. Others believe he was Macedonian (Acts 16:9) because he didn’t join up with Paul until them met in Troas (Acts 17:1) on the 2nd missionary journey.

Luke was a physician and well educated. That’s probably why he more detailed and uses more proper names, locations and technical terms than all the other New Testament authors combined.

He was with Paul on both the 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys and he also accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Rome.

QUESTIONS about Luke:

Why does the author matter? What details about Luke help us better understand why God used him to author Acts?

The Theme of Acts:

Acts 1:8 (NASB)

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

QUESTIONS about the theme:

Why is understanding the theme important? In what ways can you see the them clearly lived out in the book of Acts? In what ways can we better apply the theme in our own lives?

Timeline: Written around Sometime between 63-70 AD.

It covers the first 30 years of early church history, or so, primarily that of Apostles Peter and Paul, between 30/33–63 AD.

Dates we know for sure:

Acts 12 (44 AD)

Acts 12:23 (NASB)

23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Josephus tells us that Herod Agrippa died in 44 AD. The Apostle James, the bother of the Apostle John, was executed prior to this in the same chapter (Acts 12:1-2). Some time elapses between James’s execution and Herod’s death, but not a lot of time. James’s death was most likely in 43 or 44 AD.

The First Missionary Journey with Paul and Barnabas happens after this, giving us a date of the First Missionary Journey of 44 or 45 AD (Acts 13)

Acts 24 (59 AD)

Acts 24:27 (ESV)

27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Josephus tells us that Festus replaced Felix in 59 AD. And we know Paul was in prison in Caesarea for 2 years. That means that Paul came to Jerusalem (Acts 21) sometime in 56 or 57 AD.

At least two years before that, Paul was in Ephesus ministering.

Acts 19:10 (NASB)

10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

That gives us a timeline of 55-58 AD in Ephesus (Acts 19-20).

15 Books of the NT written during the timeline of Acts:

Galatians (48-49 AD)

Written after the 1st missionary journey in Acts 13-14.

James (50 AD)

Most likely written right after the events of Acts 15.

1 & 2 Thessalonians (52-53 AD)

Written during Paul’s 2nd missionary journey after the events of Acts 17:1-13.

1 Corinthians (53-55 AD)

Written after Apollos went to Corinth (Acts 19:1-10)

2 Corinthians (55-56 AD)

Paul wrote this from Macedonia (2 Corinthians 1:15-16) and that took place in Acts 20:3.

Romans (57-58 AD)

He was about to go to Jerusalem when he wrote the book of Romans (Romans 15:25) so it had to be written shortly before Acts 21, but it also had to be written after he had already been to Corinth (Acts 18), based on who he mentions in Romans 16:3.

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians & Philemon (62-63 AD)

Written while Paul is in prison for 2 years in Rome (Acts 28:30-31).

An obvious other:

Acts (63-67 AD)

Luke clearly wrote Acts prior to Paul’s death at the order of Nero in 67 AD. He was clearly recording it while some of the events took place but also did’t finish it until after shortly after’s Paul’s 2 year house arrest in Rome (62-63 AD)

And others that had to be as well:

The Gospel of Mark (50-69 AD)

Almost all scholars, conservative and liberal, agree that Mark was the 1st of the four gospel to be written. Matthew followed closely thereafter. Mark was clearly written after the 1st missionary journey in Acts 13-14 but also after the 2nd missionary journey after the events of Acts 15:36-41. Paul’s first missionary journey was sometime between 45-48 AD. But it was also written prior to Jerusalem being destroyed in 70 AD (liberal scholars disagree because they don’t believe in biblical prophecy).

The Gospel of Luke (60-63 AD)

In Acts 1 Luke states that his gospel was written prior to the book of Acts. This means it had to have been completed and given to Theophilus before he wrote Acts. That’s why most reputable Bible scholars date it around 60 AD. And Mark would have to have been written prior to Luke so pre 60 AD but post 50 AD. So sometime between 50-60 AD for Mark. There is a 2 year window at the end of Acts that Luke may have written the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.

The Gospel of Matthew (Approx. 60 AD)

Most scholars, both liberal and conservative, agree that Matthew was written after Mark but prior to Luke. That gives us that approx. 60 AD date.

QUESTIONS about the timeline:

How does the timeline affect your perspective on the book of Acts? How can it help our understanding of the other books written during the events of the book of Acts?

Two Major Sections:

Peter’s ministry: (Acts 1-12)

Paul’s ministry: (Acts 13-28)

The only other time Peter is mentioned in the book of Acts is during the first church council in Acts 15

Acts 15:7 (ESV)

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Starting in Acts 13, Luke focuses his writing primarily on the ministry of Paul.

Peter’s ministry could be summed up as the Judea part of Acts 1:8.

Paul’s ministry could be summed us as the “remotest parts of the earth” part of Acts 1:8.

But what about the Samaria part? That falls under Peter’s ministry, with the help of John, and another “P” …Philip!

Acts 8:4–8 (NASB)

4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.

Acts 8:14–17 (NASB)

14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

QUESTIONS about the two major sections:

Why do you think Luke divided the book like this? In what ways does knowing about these two major sections impact how you think about the book of Acts? Any other thoughts about the two sections?

Key Church Firsts in the Book of Acts:

The birth of the church (Acts 2)

The 1st deacons, Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas. (Acts 6)

The 1st Church martyr, Stephen. (Acts 8)

The 1st Gentile converts. (Acts 8, the Ethiopian) and (Acts 10, Cornelius)

The 1st church plant. (Acts 11:19-26)

The 1st of the 12 Apostles to die, James. (Acts 12:1-2)

The 1st missionaries, Paul, Barnabas and Mark (Acts 13)

The 1st church council [Jerusalem]. (Acts 15)

QUESTIONS about the 1sts in the church:

Why is it important to know and understand these church 1sts? What sticks out to you the most in the church 1sts?

LAST QUESTION:

Did anything else stick out to you in the book of Acts?