Acts (Written)

Monday, 27 September 2021

until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, Acts 1:2

Note: You can listen to today’s verse  and commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen).

The Greek of these words allows for various translations. Note the connection to the Holy Spirit in these –

until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen (NKJV)

Until the day in which he was taken up, after he had commanded the Apostles whom he had chosen by The Spirit of Holiness, Aramaic Bible (also CEV)

Another option is that he was “taken up” through (or by) the Holy Spirit.

The most natural and obvious translation is connecting the Holy Spirit to the giving of the commandments by Jesus. Also, the word translated as “He was taken up” is actually at the end of the verse. A literal reading would be, “until the day, having given orders to the apostles by Spirit Holy, whom He had chosen, He was taken up.”

With these things stated, the words can be more thoroughly evaluated. The previous verse noted that Jesus both began to do and to teach “until the day in which He was taken up.” The words anticipate what is coming in verse 1:8. In other words, there is a period between His resurrection and ascension that formed the basis of the words of verse 1. This period will be seen in the next verse to be forty days. For now, the words next state, “after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments.”

The word “after” is inferred by the translators and is tied to the words “had given commandments.” That can be seen in the literal translation (above). The single word translated as “having given orders” is an aorist participle. The giving of the commandment through the Holy Spirit occurred and then He was taken up.

The purpose of what is being said is that everything about Christ’s ministry was directed by the spirit of God. He was filled with the Spirit (see Luke 4:1). The Spirit was involved in raising Christ (Romans 8:11), and after His being raised, then He gave commandments through the Holy Spirit. Thus, everything about the process is at the sanction of God. Of the work of the Holy Spirit, Albert Barnes more fully states the situation –

“It was to be his office to carry forward the work of redemption in applying it to the hearts of people. Whatever was done, therefore, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, was to be regarded as under the unique influence and direction of the Holy Spirit. Even the instructions of Jesus and his commission to the apostles, were to be regarded as coming within the department of the sacred Spirit, or within the province of his unique work. The instructions were given by divine authority, by infallible guidance, and as a part of the work which the Holy Spirit was sent down to accomplish. Under the direction and guidance of that Spirit the apostles were to go forth; by his aid they were to preach the gospel, to organize the church, to establish its order and its doctrines; and hence, the entire work was declared to be by his direction.”

With this understood, the verse finishes the thought of Christ giving the commandments (through the Holy Spirit) “to the apostles whom He had chosen.” The process of establishing the church and its guidelines for functioning was to be initiated by these men who were to receive the Promise of the Father (Luke 24:48), meaning the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them.

This immediately sets the stage for understanding everything that will occur from this point on. It is the Holy Spirit that will be the One who directs the process. He is also the One who inspired Luke to record these things (see 2 Timothy 3:16 & 2 Peter 1:21). As such, this should clue the reader into several key doctrines that will be expanded upon later in Acts.

1) There is one church that goes through a developmental and transitional process that is guided by the Holy Spirit.
2) There is one gospel that will be conveyed to this church body as conveyed by these apostles.
There is a united purpose in the apostles, even if their audience is specifically designated (meaning to the Jew and to the Gentile – see Galatians 2:8).
3) The New Covenant forms the basis of everything that occurs from this point on.

a) There is one, and only one, New Covenant in Christ’s blood that is applied to both Jew and Gentile (see Luke 22:20 as conveyed to these same apostles by Jesus, and 1 Corinthians 11:25 as conveyed by Paul to the Gentile church in Corinth).
b) This New Covenant is specifically given to “the house of Israel” and “the house of Judah” (see Jeremiah 31:31). Clearly demonstrating that the church has not replaced Israel.
c) The church is a single, unified body of Jew and Gentile with the exact same gospel to both. Gentiles are simply grafted into this body (see Romans 11:16-25), sharing in the one commonwealth of Israel (see Ephesians 2:11-13).

Understanding these points, we can be aware – in advance – of several insidious teachings within the church. This includes false teachings such as Hebrew Roots, Hyperdispensationalism, and so forth. They are heretical and must be vehemently argued against.

There is one, and only one gospel that is given to one, and only one, body. The question of national Israel, their eventual restoration, and the rule of Christ during the millennial reign, along with all of the associated promises made to them, is not unrelated, but it is separate and distinct from what is occurring in the church at this time.

Life application: Understanding the intent and purpose of the book of Acts, in relation to everything else that is going on in redemptive history, is necessary to form a full picture of what God is doing in the world.

To separate the church into two separate entities, as hyperdispensationalism does; to reinsert the law (in part or in whole) into the New Covenant, as the Hebrew Roots movement does; or to say that the church has replaced Israel as replacement theology claims, blemishes the intent of what God is doing in the world.

Depending on the teaching, it can doctrinally destroy the effective working of Jesus Christ on behalf of all people. It can incorrectly apply other covenant promises made by God to the people of Israel. It attempts to diminish the efficacy of the shed blood of Christ, marring or destroying the marvel of what God has done through His perfect life, sacrificial death in fulfillment of the law, and His resurrection.

Let us carefully pay attention to what Acts reveals. In doing so, we will avoid these false teachings, and we will be able to hold fast to the wonder of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful and precious word that leads us to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May we carefully and faithfully present the gospel of Christ to those who so desperately need to hear it. And may we conduct our lives in holiness all of our days. To Your glory, O God! Amen.

Sunday, 26 September 2021

Note: You can listen to today’s verse and commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen).

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Acts 1:1

To open the book of Acts, Luke immediately refers to his first work concerning the ministry of the Lord, saying, “The former account, I made.” The word translated as “former” (prótos) is literally “first,” and it should be translated as such. It was the beginning of his writings concerning the work of the Lord Jesus.

This is not being nitpicky. Rather, Luke is being precise because someone could – ostensibly – claim that another book, a forgery, was written by Luke to detail the interim years of Jesus’ life from His youth (see Luke 2:42) until the time He began His ministry (see Luke 3:23). There is another such false writing known as the “Infancy of the Gospel of Thomas.” Such a writing could not be ascribed to Luke because of Luke’s careful wording.

In stating that the gospel of Luke is his first such writing, it then sets the sequence from that point on. In the next verses, he will show that the ending of the gospel leads directly into this writing. As such, this is his second writing concerning what has occurred.

The word translated as “account” (logos) is literally “word.” It signifies the expression of a thought. It is a discourse. Various translations say “account,” “treatise,” “book,” “narrative,” and so on.

Next, the word “made” signifies “to do.” A good paraphrase, because of the content, would be “composed.” Luke wrote his gospel, and now he is composing another work to build upon what he previously put forth. And this is addressed as, “O Theophilus.”

The Greek word ó is used much as our “oh!” today. It is an expression of deep emotion. One can almost feel Luke’s intensity and sense the joy of his beginning this second composition as the blood pulses through him as he considers the enormity of all of the things he had come to know, and that he – at times – had personally participated in.

The name Theophilus is found only here and in Luke 1:3. It is a compound name, coming from theos (God) and philos (friendly). Thus, his name means “Friend of God.” In Luke 1:3, the honorific “most excellent” was affixed to the stating of his name –

“it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus.”

As such, he may have been a person of note or rank. Not including that title now may indicate that the two had become more intimate friends since the penning of the first letter. Or, it may simply be that having used the honorific in the first composition, and because this composition can be considered a continuation of what occurred, Luke didn’t feel the honorific was necessary again. With the recipient established, Luke explains what the first composition detailed, saying, “of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.”

The words “of all” do not necessarily mean “everything.” Rather, the Greek word can be used in a superlative sense, such as in Matthew 2:3. Or, it can simply refer to everything that Luke chose to include in his gospel narrative. This is obvious. Luke doesn’t record what Jesus ate for breakfast on any given day. Thus, this is referring to the works of the Lord that were pertinent to conveying the message intended by Luke to convince his reader that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah given by God.

The word translated as “began” can be either a historical statement which encompasses the words “to do and teach,” or it can be a note of ongoing activity. In other words, in Genesis 9:20, it says, “And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.” It is a Hebraism where the statement encompasses everything about his actions in farming. Or, the words could be conveying the idea of “My first letter began the story of what Jesus said and did, and this letter continues those things.”

The first option may be correct, but it is also true that Acts is a continuation of the works of Jesus. He is spoken of directly in Chapter 1, and He appears at several key points in the book as well (such as in Acts 9:5). Of this word, Charles Ellicott states the following –

“The verb ‘begin’ is specially characteristic of St. Luke’s Gospel, in which it occurs not less than thirty-one times. Its occurrence at the beginning of the Acts is, accordingly, as far as it goes, an indication of identity of authorship. He sought his materials from those who had been ‘from the beginning’ eye-witnesses and ministers of the word (Luke 1:2).”

The word “do” signifies the acts accomplished by the Lord, such as healings, miracles, signs, and wonders. His actions demonstrated that He was appointed by God to do the works of God.

The word “teach” signifies those things that either corrected the people’s thinking about the law, or which established doctrines that needed to be set forth for the people to properly live before God. The word certainly also includes the giving of His parables to enlighten both the state of man in many ways (morally, for example) and in what would come upon Israel in the future (such as the parable of the ten minas as detailed in Luke 19:11-27).

A note concerning translations: It is the intent of this Acts commentary to teach what is right, correct that which is deficient, and to highlight that which is wrong. One error found in the church, and which has – unfortunately – turned into a cult, is that of King James Onlyism. When someone is in a cult, there is little chance of training them out of it.

However, others can be made aware of the cult, and they can be instructed on what is proper. This commentary will not highlight all of the errors in the KJV in relation to the book of Acts. If it did, the commentary would be many pages longer, and for little reason. But it is worth highlighting that the KJV has a knack of mistranslating the first sentence of many books in the Bible, such as Acts 1:1 –

The word “former” is the “first,” and it should be translated as such. (see Matthew 10:2). Also, the words “have I made” should be “I made.” Of this, Cambridge states, “The time is indefinite, and we have no warrant in the text for that closer union of the two books, in point of date, which is made by the language of the A. V.”

So common is this, that their translation of the first sentence of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, is in error –

The KJV translates ha’shemayim (literally, the heavens) in the singular (the heaven). They then translate the exact same phrase in the plural in Genesis 2:1, 2:4, etc. There is an annoying lack of consistency in this. This is not a great way to start a Bible translation, with such an obvious error, and it does not bode well for the reader who desires to know what is being conveyed in the original texts.

Although these are minor deficiencies, the KJV is – literally – riddled with error. If you would like to read an ongoing list of errors in this translation, please go to the Superior Word website, then go to WRITINGS, and there will be a list of them there. This is updated from time to time. Enough said of that. Just be sure to read many translations to get a better sense of what is being said.

Life application: In the book of Acts, Luke will put forth one of the most detailed writings found in the entire Bible. It is a beautiful follow up to the gospel that bears his name, and it is important that the book be studied carefully, contemplated intensely, and not rushed through. It is a foundational book to understanding what God has done in order to continue the redemptive narrative of man, as it transitions from the time of the law to the age of the church.

Let us slowly and methodically pursue each detail. It has been given by God to us, and therefore we should be willing to spend the time necessary to say we have done our best to understand what He is conveying to us. To His glory!

Lord God, help us to be methodical, patient, and studious in our pursuit of Your word. Give us the time and desire to do so, and may we not cut corners in our search of it. Your word is a reflection of who You are, and so let us tend to it with that in mind. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Saturday, 25 September 2021

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen).

The Book of Acts; a Brief Guide on How to Interpret and Apply its Contents

Before beginning a detailed study of Acts, it should be noted that a vast majority of errors in proper doctrine within the church are found in ignoring the five main rules of sound biblical interpretation. They are –

Prescriptive. The verse or passage prescribes something.
Descriptive. The verse or passage merely describes what happens without establishing a precedent that is to be followed, obeyed, adhered to, and so on.
Context. This defines who is being spoken to, under what circumstances, under what covenant, under what dispensation, and so on.
Context. See above.
Context. See above.

In misapplying a verse as prescriptive or descriptive, a faulty view of what the Christian is to do will result. A prescriptive verse under one covenant is not necessarily prescriptive under another, such as –

“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.” Numbers 15:38

Obviously, we are not under the law of Moses, and we do not need to have tassels on our garments. This thinking is true within testaments when the author or speaker is referring to one covenant or another. In other words, Jesus’ words – when speaking to Israel in the synoptic gospels – do not necessarily apply to conduct within the church. This is because the context is:

He is speaking to Israel, not the church.
He is speaking under the Law of Moses (the Old Covenant), prior to the establishment of the New Covenant in His blood – which sets aside, annuls, and makes obsolete the Old Covenant (see Hebrews 7:18, 8:13, and 10:9). For example –

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23, 24

&

“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ ⁴² As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. ⁴³ And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Mark 1:41-44

In the first example, under the New Covenant, there is no altar because there is not a temple to go to. Christ is the fulfillment of those things. In the second example, there is no priest (apart from our great High Priest, Jesus) to go to if cleansed, and there are no offerings to be made for such a cleansing. In both examples, Jesus was speaking to members of the Israelite society, under the law, prior to His fulfillment of the law.

These examples are obvious, but everything must be evaluated in this manner. In understanding these five principal rules of biblical interpretation, it must be noted that almost all doctrinal error within the Christian church stems from not properly following these basic rules. Inserting the synoptic gospels into one’s New Covenant theology will (not maybe) result in error –

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6

There is no need for a believer in Christ to “pray always” that he “may be counted worthy” as Jesus said. Jesus was speaking to Israel about matters pertaining to Israel. In Christ, believers are accepted in the beloved, and are not appointed “to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Understanding this, it must be noted that of all of the major doctrinal error found within the church, we can estimate that apart from the obvious error of improperly applying the synoptic gospels to one’s doctrine, 99.827635% (obviously this is intended as humor) of all major error can be avoided (or corrected) by properly applying the five basic rules mentioned above to the book of Acts.

The book of Acts is almost entirely a descriptive account of what occurred during the establishment of the church. Other than just a few verses, it prescribes pretty much nothing. And of that which is prescriptive at the time it was given to the church (such as the ruling of the council in Acts 15), even that is later explained, set aside, or expanded upon in the epistles. The things prescribed were often short-term expediencies that were given for guidance to the church until the epistles were written by the New Testament writers through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Luke merely documents these things.

Therefore, outside of a very small number of verses (such as Acts 1:7, 8) there is almost nothing that can be considered prescriptive for the church –

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ ⁷ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:6-8

A good example of the misapplication of a passage, which has resulted in faulty doctrine or even heresy within the church (such as in the Church of Christ denomination) is found in Acts 2 –

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’” Acts 2:38, 39

Peter was speaking solely to the men of Israel who had just crucified their Messiah. The baptism was mandated as an outward demonstration of their inward repentance. And the repentance (the word means “to change one’s mind”) was necessary because they had just crucified Jesus. Paul’s epistles (and even later verses in Acts) clearly set aside both of these things. Believers now receive the Spirit immediately upon belief in the work of Christ (see Ephesians 1:13, 14), and belief alone – even without repentance, based upon the circumstances – is all that is necessary for salvation (see the gospel as detailed in 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).

The number of failed points of doctrine and even heresy that have resulted from a misunderstanding, or a misapplication, of the book of Acts is immense. If Acts is taken in its proper light, error within the Church of Christ, the charismatic/Pentecostal movement, the heresy of hyperdispensationalism, and so on would be eliminated in part or entirely.

Acts is obviously a key transitional book, coming after the gospels but prior to the doctrine-setting epistles. It is indispensable in what it contains, but it is also to be handled properly, evaluated carefully, and applied correctly. With this approach, the faithful Christian will be properly trained in how to continue along his path of growth and understanding of this precious gift we call the word of God.

If you are willing to commit to the next 1007 days, one day at a time, to reading each coming commentary, I will attempt to provide you with my very best effort to instruct you properly in this marvelous treasure we call the book of Acts. May you be blessed as you seek the Lord’s face, and as you pursue Him through this study – and indeed all of your studies in His sacred word.

Emlen S. “Charlie” Garrett

Life application: Take time to memorize these five principal rules of biblical understanding: Prescriptive, Descriptive, and Context, Context, Context.

Lord God, help us to pursue Your word properly. Help us to maintain the proper context, and to never misapply verses or precepts. It is our hope and great desire that we will be pleasing to You because we have rightly applied Your word to our walk in Your presence. Thank You for Your wonderful word, O God. Amen.

Friday, 24 September 2021

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, at this link on YouTube. (Click Here to listen).

As noted in the first introductory segment, this segment will reveal some of the patterns of Acts, and how Acts fits into the overall structure of how the Bible is laid out.

Main Purposes:

There are several purposes concerning the need for the book of Acts as well as its placement in the Bible.

1) The Spreading of the Gospel:
Acts is a historical narrative that develops the theme set forth by Jesus before His ascension. In Acts 1:8, He will say –

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Both a purpose for the book and one main structure of the book are found in this statement. Acts begins in Jerusalem. It then extends out to Judea and then to Samaria. Eventually, it extends out into the Gentile world. From that point, the implication is that the narrative then continues throughout the whole world, exactly as Jesus proclaims. Paul and Barnabas use this terminology when speaking to the Jews at a synagogue in Acts 13:47 (a quote from Isaiah 49:6).

The pattern is set forth by sections of chapters –

• Chapters 1 through 7 largely deal with the area of Jerusalem and focus on the Jews.
• Chapters 8 through 12 largely deal with the areas of Judea and Samaria. As the Samaritans are a mixed-race, this is a key transition that leads into…
• Chapters 13 through 28 largely deal with the evangelization of the Gentiles as the message spreads to the uttermost parts of the earth.

2) The Transfer of Authority from Jew to Gentile:
This transition from predominantly a focus on the Jews to that of the Gentiles is clearly seen in the fact that the Apostle Peter (aka Simon), who is the “apostle to the circumcision” (as noted in Galatians 2:7), is mentioned over 60 times in Chapters 1-12. At the same time, Paul (aka Saul) is seen more than 20 times in those chapters, but he is always mentioned by his Jewish name Saul.

However, in chapters 13-28, Peter (Simon) is mentioned only twice. Both times are in Acts 15. In these same chapters, Paul (Saul), who is the “apostle to the Gentiles” (as noted in Romans 11:13, etc.), is mentioned over 130 times. The only time he is called by his Jewish name Saul in these chapters is when referring to accounts already mentioned in the first 12 chapters of the book.

To highlight these underlying patterns, between Peter and Paul which reveals the transfer of church authority from Jew to Gentile, a comparison of events that are detailed between Peter and Paul is provided by Luke –

Act of the Apostle/Chapter Act Occurs ** (see footnote)

1.Peter’s work began by the Holy Spirit (2)
1. Paul’s work began by the Holy Spirit (13)

2 Peter was thought to be drunk and & then explains himself (2)
2. Paul was thought to be mad and then explains himself (26)

3. Peter’s first sermon begins a new section of book (2)
3. Paul’s first sermon begins a new section of book (13)

4. Peter has a time of work, preaching, and then persecution (2-11)
4. Paul has a time of work, preaching, and then persecution (13-19)

5. Peter has trouble after healing a man lame from birth (3)
5. Paul has trouble after healing a man lame from birth (14)

6. Peter says, “Silver and gold have I none” (3)
6. Paul says, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold” (20)

7. Peter’s shadow heals (5)
7. Paul’s handkerchief heals (19)

8. Peter is arrested in the temple and taken to Sanhedrin (4, 5)
8. Paul is arrested in the temple and taken to Sanhedrin (21-23)

9. Peter confronts Simon the sorcerer (8)
9. Paul confronts Elymas the sorcerer (13)

10. Peter performs an exorcism (5)
10. Paul performs an exorcism (16)

11. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead (9)
11. Paul raises Eutychus from the dead (20)

12. Peter lays hands for the reception of Spirit (8)
12. Paul lays hands for the reception of Spirit (19)

13. Peter worshipped (10)
13. Paul worshipped (14)

14. Peter imprisoned with miraculous escape (12)
14. Paul imprisoned with miraculous escape (16)

15. Angel stood by Peter (12)
15. Angel stood by Paul (27)

16. Peter called by vision to preach in Caesarea (10)
16. Paul called by vision to preach in Macedonia (16)

17. Peter’s success brings Jewish jealousy (5)
17. Paul’s success brings Jewish jealousy (13)

18. Peter heals the bedridden Aeneas (9)
18. Paul heals the bedridden father of Publius (28)

19. Peter ordains deacons (6)
19. Paul ordains elders (14)

20. Peter is “filled with the Spirit” (4)
20. Paul is “filled with the Spirit” (13)

21. Peter is bound with two chains (12:6)
21. Paul is bound with two chains (21:33)

22. Peter (twice) the Apostle to the Jews
22. Paul (four times) the Apostle to the Gentiles

3) The Fulfillment of the Blessing of Noah:
In Genesis 9, a key to the entire redemptive scenario, from that time on, is given in Noah’s blessing upon his sons –

 And he said:
“Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.
²⁷ May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.” Genesis 9:26-27

The primary blessing was given to Shem. It is he (his descendants) that would carry the spiritual blessing of the Lord from that time forward. However, a secondary blessing was laid upon Japheth saying, “And may he dwell in the tents of Shem.” Though cryptic, it reveals what would occur in the possession of this spiritual banner.

The “tents of Shem” speaks of Shem’s possession of this banner more than once. Japheth dwelling in those tents is a way of saying that he would also possess this banner at some point. It is evident from the structure of Acts that this spiritual banner transfers from Jerusalem to Rome, from Shem to Japheth, from Jew to Gentile (as expressed in the highlight of the apostles who ministered to these groups – Peter and Paul). All of the epistles are written to people groups descended from Japheth.

A key to this is found in the trade in which Paul was employed, a tentmaker (see Acts 18:3). It is a subtle note confirming the entire concept as he works with his hands, building up the “tent of Japheth.”

This tent will, according to the dispensational model, end at the rapture of the church – a doctrine revealed by Paul. From there, the spiritual banner will transfer back to Shem, meaning the Jews of the tribulation and following into the millennial reign of Christ. This pattern is then actually seen in the structure of the Bible itself as is seen next.

4) The Pivotal Placement of Acts:
The layout of the Bible forms innumerable patterns. One is seen in the order of how the books are placed, with Acts providing a key turning point anticipated by John’s gospel –

a. Tent of Shem:

Genesis – Malachi (Law)

Synoptic Gospels according to naming of Noah’s sons (OT Law Fulfillment)
* Matthew – Directed predominantly to Shem
* Mark – Directed predominantly to Ham
* Luke – Directed predominantly to Japheth

b. Mixture/Transition

John (mixture of OT Law and NT concepts/theology)

Acts – Transition / Jerusalem to Rome / Peter to Paul / Jew to Gentile / Shem to Japheth

c. Tent of Japheth (dwelling in, meaning between, tents of Shem)

Romans-Philemon – to Gentile-led church

d. Tent of Shem

Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter to Jews (Shem)

e. Mixture

John (mixture)

Jude (mixture, final letter of warning)

f. Summary from John’s time until the end

Revelation – 1:1 – 4:1 (church – Japheth)
4:2 – 19:21 (tribulation upon the whole world)
21 – (millennial reign and final battle – Shem)
22 – (restoration of all things good for all of mankind)

* In the sons of Noah, a secondary pattern is found in Acts as well. The three sons are mentioned together six times in the Old Testament (Genesis 5:32, 6:10, 7:13, 9:18, 10:1; and 1 Chronicles 1:4). In all instances, they are listed as Shem, Ham, and Japheth – regardless of their actual birth order. Significantly, this is the order in which the gospel is received by descendants of these three sons –

• Sons of Shem – Acts 2 (the men of Israel)
• Son of Ham – Acts 8:27 (the Ethiopian eunuch)
• Sons of Japheth – Acts 10 (the house of Cornelius, the Italian)

5) Doctrinal Themes:

Historical – This reveals the development of Acts 1:8 (Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, ends of the earth)
Spiritual – This reveals the transfer of the spiritual banner from Jew to Gentile
Apostolic – This reveals the united message, but distinct audience, of Peter and Paul
Political – This reveals the truth that Christianity a legitimate religion (Religio Licita) stemming from the Jewish faith
Prophetic – This reveals the fulfillment of Noah’s blessing in the stream of redemptive history

6) A Very Brief Outline:

The Book of Acts – Fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission

**I did not discover most of these Peter/Paul patterns. Many came in a college course conducted by Dr. W. Gary Phillips of Southern Evangelical Seminary. Credit is to him, if discovered by him.

Lord God, thank You for allowing us to see wonderful treasures in Your word. They give us every confidence that it truly is from You, and it is revealing Your heart and mind to us. Yes, Lord God, thank You for Your precious word. Amen!

Thursday, 23 September 2021

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

The Book of Acts; an Introduction.

The book of Acts is comprised of 28 chapters of 1007 verses (as in the NKJV). Therefore, a daily evaluation of Acts, one verse per day, will take approximately 2.76 years to complete.

Explanation of the Title:
The name, Acts, is a shortened form of “The Acts of the Apostles.” That is often dismissed in favor of another title, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” Though it is true that the Holy Spirit is behind the events occurring throughout the book, this is actually true throughout the entire body of Scripture.

The “Acts of the Apostles” is an acceptable title because it details exactly that. In particular, it details the acts of Peter and Paul as the church goes through a particular transition that will be noted below. It is these two that are the main focus of what occurs in the book. Thus, the title, “The Acts of the Apostles” is both pertinent and acceptable.

Author:
It is almost unanimously agreed upon that the book of Acts was written by Luke the physician and the author of the Gospel of Luke. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to a person named Theophilus –

“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, ² just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” Luke 1:1-4

“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, ² until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, ³ to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:1-3

There are other clues that Luke is, in fact, the author of Acts. The writing style, meaning structure and vocabulary, are noticeably similar. There are sections within Acts, known as the “we” sections, where Luke is with Paul and he writes in the first person – “We did this,” or “We went there.” When analyzed, it becomes clear that Luke is the only person who fits the identity of the author. For example, those referred to in the “we” sections in the third person can be excluded. Also, those known to have not traveled at such times can be excluded. In this, only Luke is the obvious author.

Also, there are topics common to both Luke and Acts. Luke details aspects of individuals that others would simply brush over. He has a particular interest in Gentiles. He refers to aspects of the resurrection appearances consistently in both books – specifically mentioning only the appearances related to Judea. Along with this, are details found only in gospel of Luke that are also repeated in Acts.

As Luke is a Gentile (see Colossians 4:11 and 4:14) with no noticeable role in the gospels or Acts, it becomes notable that so many early church commentaries and witnesses so heavily agreed upon him as the author. It is its own mark of agreement that he is, in fact, the true author. For these, and numerous other reasons that stand out, it is certain that Luke is the author of both the gospel that bears his name as well as the book of Acts.

Luke:
As this is the case, it is of value to understand who Luke is. The anti-Marcionite Prologue to the gospel that bears his name, and which is believed to date to around AD170, says –

“Luke was an Antiochian of Syria, a physician by profession. He was a disciple of the apostles and later accompanied Paul until his martyrdom. He served the Lord without distraction, having neither wife nor children, and at the age of eighty-four he fell asleep in Boeotia, full of the Holy Spirit. While there were already Gospels previously in existence, that according to Matthew written in Judaea, and that according to Mark in Italy, Luke, moved by the Holy Spirit, composed the whole of this Gospel in the parts about Achaia, showing in the Prologue this very thing, that others had been written before it, and that it was necessary to expound to the Gentile believers the accurate account of the dispensation, so that they should not be distracted by Jewish fables, nor be deceived by heretical and vain imaginations and thus err from the truth.”

Later, the same source states, “And afterwards the same Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles.”

Dating:
The detail of Luke’s writings makes the dating of Acts rather certain. If there were major events that occurred during the time of his writing, he would have included them. Such an event is found in Acts 18:2 with the expulsion of the Jews from Rome –

“And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.”

As such, the dating of Acts can be reasonably assigned to the period of AD62-64. The book ends with Paul being imprisoned in Rome. That was in AD62, and so it was written (or at least completed) after that. But there is no mention of Nero’s persecutions (AD64), the war between the Jews and Rome (AD66), nor – most poignantly – the destruction of Jerusalem/the temple in AD70. The lack of these evidences point, rather certainly, to around AD62-64.

Internal Structure:
There are innumerable patterns running through Acts that reveal a wisdom that goes beyond a careful human planner of such a book. Rather, these patterns demonstrate a higher wisdom that guided the hand of Luke, inspiring him to reveal a transition in the redemptive narrative prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures long before his time.

One main structure, however, which still fits that theme, is the transition of the church from predominantly Jewish to one which is predominantly Gentile –

The book begins in Jerusalem; it ends in Rome.
The book carefully details the acts of Peter (the Apostle to the Jews) from Chapter 1 until Chapter 12. After this, it carefully details the acts of Paul (the Apostle to the Gentiles) from Chapter 13 until Chapter 28.
The book is preceded by the gospels, detailing Christ’s life in fulfillment of the law given to Israel. The book is immediately followed by Paul’s epistles (beginning with Romans) which detail Christ’s work and how it is pertinent not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles.

The main thought of this transition from Acts 1 is found in these verses that anticipate the restoration of the kingdom to Israel –

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ ⁷ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:6-8

The main thought of the transition from Acts 28 (the last chapter) is found in these verses that reveal the rejection of the message of Christ by the Jews, but its certain acceptance by the Gentile world –

“So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. ²⁵ So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying,
‘Go to this people and say:
“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
²⁷ For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”’
²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” Acts 28:23-28

In the next introductory segment, several patterns found in Acts will be provided. Including them now would be too lengthy for a single commentary without a short division.

Main Themes/Purpose:
There are a multitude of themes running through the book of Acts. It is certain that Acts is given as a transitional book showing the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises that Gentiles would be included in God’s redemptive plans. This becomes evident early on (in Acts 8) where Samaritans were brought into the young church. It is expanded upon in the same chapter when an Ethiopian eunuch is also noted as being accepted. Still during Peter’s ministry, Gentiles of the house of Cornelius are accepted in Chapter 10. This not only continues, but it blossoms in the chapters where Paul becomes the main focus.

As such, a secondary theme, though not as obvious, is the rejection of the gospel by the Jews as a nation. This would lead to their exile and punishment set forth very clearly in the Old Testament.

In this, however, an interesting concept develops. Throughout Acts, the Jews consistently attempt to separate this new aspect of the faith from their authorized religion. In other words, only religions identified as Religio Licita, or “permitted religion,” were acknowledged by Rome and considered acceptable to be practiced in the empire. Judaism was considered Religio Licita.

Time and again, the Jews are seen to dismiss faith in Christ as an acceptable expression found under the umbrella of Judaism. And yet, each time this attempt is made, it is overturned by the Roman authorities, thus allowing the Christian faith to grow unimpeded in the empire. Further, it implicitly demonstrates that Christianity (meaning faith in Christ Jesus) is the logical, correct, and accepted outcome of the Scriptures held to by the Jewish nation.

There is also a historical theme running through the book. In Acts 1:8 (cited above), Jesus says that the faith was to be proclaimed “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This pattern, proclaimed by Jesus, is methodically and exactly followed in Acts. Exactly as stated by the Lord, the gospel goes forth beginning in Jerusalem, expanding to Judea and then Samaria, and then even throughout the Gentile areas of the Roman empire. The gospel continues spreading beyond these locations to this day.

There is an ecclesiastical purpose to the book as well. The edification of the church is certainly a determined purpose of Acts. It is further a book that demonstrates the effectiveness of the church in doing what it was commissioned to do because the Lord is directing it for His purposes and with a specific intent in mind. This is seen, at times, both implicitly and explicitly in the book. It is thus a reassurance to the church that the same Lord who began the church is even now surely working out His purposes within the church.

A Note Concerning Luke’s Writings:
Despite being a Gentile, Luke has been given the honor of penning more content in the New Testament than any other author. His writings (Luke and Acts) comprise approximately thirty percent of the New Testament, exceeding the writings of both John and Paul. Without his gospel, a full picture of the work of Christ in fulfillment of the law would be lacking. Without Acts, there would be a great deficiency in understanding the role of the church early on, and a void in our understanding of the importance of Paul’s writings.

Life application: With this all too brief summary of the book of Acts, and with more introductory comments to come – and before we begin to analyze the book’s content – a discussion of how to analyze, evaluate, and apply the book of Acts will be provided. Acts is a book that must be considered carefully. It is certain that almost all major theological errors within the church arise by a misapplication, or a misuse, of the book of Acts.

If the book is taken in its proper light, it is an invaluable tool for understanding what God is doing in the redemptive narrative in human history. If it is taken incorrectly, failed doctrine, and even heretical ideas, will arise (and consistently have arisen) within the church.

Let us consider the book of Acts in its proper light. In doing so, these errors in thinking and theology will be avoided.

Heavenly Father, how we thank You for Your precious word. Help us to consider it carefully, handle it with respect, and be filled with joy as we search out its treasures. May we find Your proper purpose and intent for us in it, and may we apply what we learn to our lives. Yes, may it be so to Your glory. Amen.