The Word of God and the Spirit of God (Acts 16:1-10)

I’m in love with certain books

The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke’s Account of God’s Unfolding Plan Title Page

NEW STUDIES IN BIBLICAL THEOLOGY 27

Series editor: D. A. Carson

The acts of the risen Lord Jesus

LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF GOD’S UNFOLDING PLAN

Alan J. Thompson

The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke’s Account of God’s Unfolding Plan The Continuing Reign of the Lord Jesus

Luke’s Gospel was written to provide assurance to Theophilus about the person and work of Jesus, that God’s purposes were accomplished through him, that Jesus’ suffering and death were anticipated in Scripture, and that Jesus brought about the inauguration of God’s kingdom, the fulfilment of God’s saving promises. The book of Acts, therefore, is about the continuation of those saving promises, the kingdom of God, through the Lord Jesus. Jesus is still the mediator of that kingdom, the one who administers those saving promises and the one who carries out God’s saving plan.

Luke’s statement in the first verse of Acts that his first book was about all that Jesus began to do and teach and therefore that his second book will be about what Jesus is continuing to do and teach is already a corrective to some popular approaches to Acts. Strictly speaking then the book is not primarily about the ‘Acts of the Apostles’. After Acts 1, of the twelve apostles named in 1:13 and 26, only the names of Peter and John appear again. Some have correctly noted the importance of the Holy Spirit in Acts and have suggested that the book should be called the ‘Acts of the Holy Spirit’. As important as the Holy Spirit is in Acts, it should be noted that even this designation does not quite capture the emphasis of Luke in Acts. Acts 1:1 indicates that the book is going to be about what Jesus is continuing to do and teach; therefore, the ‘Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus’ would be a better title. It must be said, though, that this could also be understood as a shorthand expression for something like ‘the Acts of the Lord Jesus, through his people, by the Holy Spirit, for the accomplishment of God’s purposes’!

Jesus reigns from heaven!

The travels of Paul

Luke’s telling of The Story- section by section, panel by panel

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts 8. The Structure of Acts

The Acts of the Apostles was originally written as the second part of a two-volume work, and its inseparable relation to Luke’s Gospel must be kept in mind if we are to understand the work. As Cadbury insisted over fifty years ago: “Their unity is a fundamental and illuminating axiom.… They are not merely two independent writings from the same pen; they are a single continuous work. Acts is neither an appendix nor an afterthought. It is probably an integral part of the author’s original plan and purpose.”

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts 8. The Structure of Acts

The Prologue to the two-volume work (Luke 1:1–4) suggests, in fact, that the author’s intention was to write “an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us”—things that stretched from the birth of John the Baptist to the entrance of the Good News into Rome. And his use of the emphatic verb “began” (ērxato) as he commences his second volume (Acts 1:1) sets up the parallel between “all that Jesus began to do and to teach (italics mine)” as recorded in his Gospel and what he continued to do and to teach through his church as is shown in Acts.

Luke includes six summary statements or “progress reports” (Acts 6:7; Acts 9:31; Acts 12:24; Acts 16:5; Acts 19:20; and Acts 28:31), each of which seems to conclude its own “panel” of material.

The Introductory Events of the Christian Mission (Acts 1:1–2:41)

Part I: The Christian Mission to the Jewish World (Acts 2:42–12:24)

Panel 1—The Earliest Days of the Church at Jerusalem (Acts 2:42–6:7)

Summary Statement: “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

Panel 2—Critical Events in the Lives of Three Pivotal Figures (Acts 6:8–9:31)

Summary Statement: “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9:31).

Panel 3—Advances of the Gospel in Palestine-Syria (Acts 9:32–12:24)

Summary Statement: “But the word of God continued to increase and spread” (Acts 12:24).

Part II: The Christian Mission to the Gentile World (Acts 12:25–28:31)

Panel 4—The First Missionary Journey and the Jerusalem Council (Acts 12:25–16:5)

Summary Statement: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers” (Acts 16:5).

Panel 5—Wide Outreach Through Two Missionary Journeys (Acts 16:6–19:20)

Summary Statement: “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power” (Acts 19:20).

Panel 6—To Jerusalem and Thence to Rome (Acts 19:21–28:31)

Summary Statement: “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31).

Derbe, Lystra, Iconium

(1) The Word of God Strengthens (16:1-5)

Acts 16:1–5 ESV

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

Timothy - it saves and transforms

Galatians Ephesians, Philippians, 1&2 Timothy

2 Timothy 3 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Acts 16:6–10 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The churches and young believers - it strengthens

(2) The Spirit of God Guides (16:6-10)

Acts 16:6–10 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 9: John and Acts A. Providential Direction for the Mission (16:6–10)

The heightening of terminology in vv. 6–10 from “the Holy Spirit” to “the Spirit of Jesus” to “God” is not just stylistic but an unconscious expression of the early church’s embryonic trinitarian faith. All three terms refer to God by his Spirit giving direction to the mission. But just how the Holy Spirit revealed his will we are not told. Perhaps in one or more instances Silas had a part, for he was a prophet (15:32).

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, God

(a) The Spirit - restrains

(b) The Spirit - reveals

(c) The Spirit - refreshes (empowers and emboldens)