BIBLE IN TEN

Acts 1:9

Monday, 4 October 2021
 
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Acts 1:9
 
With His instruction and commission to His apostles stated in the previous words, Luke next says, “Now when He had spoken these things.” Luke makes a point of repeating that Jesus had spoken the words of the previous verses –
 
1:4 – remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father
1:5 – you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit
1:6 – questioned by the apostles concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel
1:7 – it is not for you to know the times and the seasons reserved by the Father
1:8 – you shall receive power and you shall be witnesses to Me
 
The Holy Spirit (the Promise of the Father) would be given. Despite this, with the giving of the Spirit, we do not have a direct connection to all of the infinite knowledge of God. Certain things are withheld at the Father’s prerogative. However, the Holy Spirit will endow the Lord’s people with everything needed to accomplish His purposes with the main point being to witness to the Person of Jesus Christ.
 
With this focused on by Luke, meaning it is what is of primary importance (even if the Lord spoke with them for an hour about a hundred other subjects), Luke next says, “while they watched.”
 
In his gospel, Luke notes the following at this time –
 
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” Luke 24:50-53
 
The Lord spoke to the apostles (and any others who may have accompanied them), He blessed them, and then “while they watched, He was taken up.” It is of note that none of the apostles “watched” as Jesus was resurrected. The fact that He appeared to them was sufficient evidence that the resurrection had occurred. The four gospels then relay the events surrounding that event in various ways, each highlighting certain aspects of the event.
 
It is also of note that only Luke especially highlights the timing and events surrounding this ascension. Mark’s gospel simply refers to it as if it were commonly known –
 
“So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” Mark 16:19, 20
 
After the ascension, it was spoken of, or written about, by the apostles at various times and in various ways. A couple of them are –
 
“This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” Acts 2:32, 33
 
“God was manifested in the flesh,Justified in the Spirit,Seen by angels,Preached among the Gentiles,Believed on in the world,Received up in glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16
 
The fact that the ascension is simply referred to as an actual occurrence, without any notable highlight apart from Luke’s words, adds a level of credibility that would otherwise not exist. The event happened, it was documented, and then it is taken as an axiom that it occurred.
 
The taking up of Christ is of the highest importance. Charles Ellicott gives his thoughts on possibilities that may have arisen if Christ did not ascend –
 
“We may add that there was something like a moral necessity, assuming the Resurrection as a fact, for such a conclusion to our Lord’s work on earth. Two other alternatives may, perhaps, be just imagined as possible: He might, like Lazarus, have lived out His restored life to its appointed term, and then died the common death of all men; but in that case where would have been the victory over death, and the witness that He was the Son of Man? He might have lived on an endless life on earth; but in this case, being such as He was, conflict, persecution, and suffering would have come again and again at every stage, and in each instance a miracle would have been needed to save the suffering from passing on to death, or many deaths must have been followed by many resurrections.”
 
Ellicott’s thoughts are well stated and what Peter says to Israel in Acts 3 explains Ellicott’s final point quite well –
 
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21
 
The redemptive narrative must take its course. There is no need to endlessly speculate on what it would be like if Christ remained, although there is no harm in doing so. God saw the ascension as an integral part of what is necessary for His plans to come about, and so Christ was taken up.
 
In this, sin is allowed to run its course, faith – rather than sight – is an essential part of the reception of the gospel, the kingdom promised to Israel is not denied them, but it is withheld until they (as a nation) receive Jesus as their Messiah, and so on. But importantly, Christ gave a personal reason for His going away –
 
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7
 
In order for one thing to occur, another must take place. What is promised to come upon the believers cannot happen until Christ ascends. Hence, the ascension of the Lord to the Right hand of God is a fundamental part of the workings of the Triune God. While the Holy Spirit is accomplishing His role at this time, Christ is in heaven performing His many roles before the Father – mediation, advocacy, and so on. With these things considered, the verse finishes with, “and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”
 
The symbolism goes back to the Old Testament where the Lord is repeatedly said to dwell in a cloud, or even to be taken up in a cloud –
 
“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:34-38
 
“The Lord reigns;Let the earth rejoice;Let the multitude of isles be glad!2 Clouds and darkness surround Him;Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:1, 2
 
The ascension of Christ was bodily, and it was visible. At some point, he was taken into the clouds, and He was no longer seen by those who beheld this. But it was another confirmation to them that Jesus is, in fact, the Lord (Yehovah) incarnate. As Paul said to Timothy (see above), He was “Received up in glory.”
 
Life application: The Lord’s words to the apostles before He was taken up were His final instructions of what was to be known and also accomplished by them. The same instructions applied to Paul as applied to those who stood watching. And from there, the same message is now carried on by those who have their testimony. There is one Lord and one gospel that is to be carried to the world. There is one church in which this is to occur, despite the countless denominations that divide that church.
 
The content of Acts, the epistles that are set forth after Acts, and the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation confirm this. The Lord ascended and during the time until He returns, we have a commission to perform. Let us be about the Lord’s business, conveying this message that cannot be believed unless it is first conveyed –
 
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:14, 15
 
Heavenly Father, thank You for the surety we possess in Christ. We have the written testimony of who He is and what He did. The eyewitnesses who recorded those things provide us with the certainty we need to live by faith and not by sight. But, Lord, when our faith is challenged, help us through such times. Help us in our weakness and be with us as we wait for the glory to come. Amen.
 
 

Acts 1:8

Sunday, 3 October 2021
 
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 1:8
 
Jesus just told the disciples that it was not their business to know “times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” He now explains what immediately matters, and it isn’t speculating on the day of the rapture (a doctrine not yet revealed to the church as is indicated in 1 Corinthians 15:51) or the time when the kingdom promised in the prophets would come about.
 
Rather, the se disciples had a job to perform. In this task, they would be both directed and assisted, as Jesus notes saying, “But you shall receive power.” The Greek word is dunamis. It carries various meanings including might, ability, efficacy, deeds of power, and so on.
 
In this case, it is a received power granting the disciples the ability to perform what is necessary to accomplish the task set before them. It is the basis of our modern word dynamite, though the meaning is obviously different in that case. Jesus next notes this power will be received “when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
 
This is the same Spirit that rested upon the Lord in His ministry –
 
“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” Luke 4:14, 15
 
It is the same power referred to as being available to the saints in Rome –
 
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
 
This power of the Holy Spirit is referred to again and again throughout the New Testament. It is what ultimately directs those who are working in accord with the will of the Spirit to meet the charge of Jesus that He has given to His church, which is stated with the words, “and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
 
As noted in the introduction to Acts, this is a purpose of the book of Acts. It is to detail the fulfillment of this command of the Lord as set forth in these words. Hence, it also forms one of the main structures of the book. The disciples are, in fact, recorded as following this pattern exactingly.
 
First is the recorded witness in Jerusalem –
 
“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.’” Acts 2:14
 
Next, the word went out into Judea –
 
“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” ... “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” Acts 8:1 and Acts 8:4
 
This is immediately followed up in Acts 8:5 –
 
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.”
 
And then, the beginning of the final portion of the fulfillment of Christ’s words is recorded in Acts 13 –
 
“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:“I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:46-47
 
The words of Acts 1:8 are quite similar in content to those spoken by Christ just after the resurrection, even if the structure varies –
 
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 1:8
 
“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.’” Luke 24:46-49
 
The consistency of Luke’s recording of Jesus’ words demonstrates careful attention to the detail He spoke forth. Christ spoke of what His resurrection meant to the world, and then He reminded those who heard Him again before He departed. In essence, “You have been told the significance of what I have done. Now, you are to take that knowledge and share it with the world.”
 
Life application: The words of Jesus in this verse, accompanied by their fulfillment as noted above in the book of Acts (to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the world), once again reveal the false nature of the doctrine of hyperdispensationalism. The same unified message, being empowered by the Holy Spirit, is carried out by the Lord’s command in the manner He set forth.
 
However, that one message was set forth by both Peter and Paul. They are not speaking a different gospel, nor is one speaking of an earthly kingdom while the other is referring to a heavenly one. Instead, it is one message being proclaimed by two people – one better qualified to speak to his own countrymen while the other is better qualified to speak to the Gentiles.
 
In dividing up the gospel of Jesus Christ, a heretical view of what is commanded by Jesus, and a heretical doctrine pitting Jews against Gentiles arises. Be careful when listening to teachers to determine if they are doing this. If they are, it is best to find someone else to listen to. Otherwise, you are bound to quickly lose proper footing in your understanding of what God is doing in redemptive history.
 
Glorious God Almighty! You have set forth Your plan of redemption, You have ou tlined how it will come about, and You are – even to this day – leading people by the power of Your Holy Spirit to bring it to completion. Lord God, if You can use me, failing as I am, be pleased to do so. You are greater than all of my faults. So, use me Lord, according to Your wisdom. Amen.
 
 
 

Acts 1:7

Saturday, 2 October 2021
 
And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. Acts 1:7
 
The question pressed upon Christ Jesus by the apostles has been submitted, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” The answer He will give to that question is telling. Of all of the answers He could have given, the answer is direct in one way, but indirect in another. It is direct enough that the reader should not make particular errors concerning it, but it is indirect enough to allow for the future to remain completely open to the timing of the event to occur.
Luke records, “And He said to them.” It is the word of the Lord to His disciples concerning their pressing question. As such, it is an answer sufficient to fully express to them what they need to know, which is, “It is not for you to know.”
 
If the restoration of the kingdom, of which they had asked about, was not ever going to come then He would have said something like, “You have misunderstood Scripture. There will be no kingdom restored to Israel.” Instead, He would have quite clearly said something like, “The kingdom that you are anticipating is now to be fulfilled spiritually by the church.” He didn’t hint at any such notion.
 
The reason for this is obvious. He had already told them, just a short time before, that Israel had a long difficult road ahead of her –
 
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:20-24
 
The disciples failed to understand what would occur in the days ahead concerning their people and their nation. This is what Luke will detail in the chapters and verses ahead. The lack of a direct answer concerning this matter clearly indicates that a kingdom will be restored to Israel, but that the event would not come “at this time” as they had anticipated. In this, Replacement Theology fails.
 
With this understood, Jesus continues with His answer. It was not for the disciples (meaning any that follow after them as well) to know “times or seasons.” Jesus carefully leaves off definite articles, stating the words in an indefinite manner. The Greek words are –
 
chronos – this expresses time in sequence (think of a chronometer or the idea of chronology). It is a succession of moments that occur as the stream of time. In reference to God, it is that time that has been allocated by Him for events (such as a person’s life, or the time of Israel’s punishment) to occur.
 
kairos – it is a word coming from kara, or “head,” that speaks of things “coming to a head.” As such, it is a designated time, a favorable moment, a particular time, and so on. For example, in the harvest cycle, there is a time for the harvest to come. Thus, it is a season in which that occurs.
 
Jesus tells the apostles that such things are not for them to know. Paul uses the same words, with the articles, in 1 Thessalonians 5:1 –
 
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.”
 
Paul had just described the rapture at the end of 1 Thessalonians 4. He then went on to detail the Day of the Lord, of which the coming of “the man of sin” would also be revealed (as he details in 2 Thessalonians 2). It is these events that Paul specifically refers to as “the times and the seasons,” nothing that they would come as a “thief in the night.” As such, it means that no one will know when they will occur and that believers are always to be ready for them.
 
As Jesus said this, and as Paul repeats it concerning both the rapture and the Day of the Lord, anyone who claims that he knows the timing of these events is to be ignored. Predictive Rapture Theology fails.
 
Rather, these “times and seasons” are those “which the Father has put in His own authority.” Of the words te idia, or “the His own,” Vincent’s Word Studies states –
 
“Stronger than the simple possessive pronoun. The adjective means private, personal. Often used adverbially in the phrase κατ' ἰδίαν, apart, privately.”
 
In other words, God has a timeline that is set, and we are not privy to it – either in the chronological sense or in the event occurrence sense. They personally belong to Him. Jesus has spoken this. As such, it is thus an inviolable truth. Paul has repeated it concerning the rapture, the Day of the Lord, and the revealing of the antichrist. As such, we are to leave those matters to God and not attempt to interfere in them or “outsmart” Him.
 
Life application: Core doctrinal truths are confirmed or are revealed in this one verse. Israel as a nation is not through as far as God’s redemptive purposes are concerned. That is clearly and unambiguously stated elsewhere, but it is confirmed by Jesus’ response. As such, the church has not replaced Israel. This is clearly seen later, such as in Paul’s words of Romans 9-11.
 
Further, the Lord has purposefully told His disciples (and thus us who follow in succession to them in church history) that the events of life and of redemptive history belong to God the Father. As such, we are to leave those things in God’s hands and accept His will concerning them.
 
What is implied now, but which will be stated explicitly in the coming verse, is that there is a job to be done and we are to get out and do it. Therefore, let us do it to the glory of the Lord who has so commissioned us.
 
Lord God, help us to be careful as we anxiously await the events to come that have been revealed in Your word. Christ Jesus has told us that the timing of those events belongs to You alone. Therefore, may we accept this truth and not get misled by those who claim to have secret insights into what You have kept private. Instead, may we be about Your business, working to bring others the good news of Your gospel. Amen.
 

Acts 1:6

Friday, 1 October 2021
 
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6
 
The verse now folds into what was said in the previous two verses. In verse 1:4, it says “And being assembled together.” After that, they were given instruction by the Lord. Now, it reiterates that they had been assembled. However, this doesn’t negate that they were assembled in one place, and then they came together in another.
 
In other words, verse 1:4 may be the same event recorded in Luke 24:49, and this verse now is their assembling on the Mount of Olives many days later, or verse 1:4 could be a repeat of the thought of Luke 24:49 many days later, and the words now are recorded at that same time. Either way, no damage is done to the chronology.
 
The Promise was made, events occurred over the next many days, and now forty days later (after the resurrection – Luke 1:3) the Lord gives his final words to His disciples. In this context, the words begin with, “Therefore, when they had come together.”
 
This is the final gathering on the Mount of Olives (see 1:9). The disciples don’t yet know this, but this location is chosen in anticipation of the fulfillment of a prophecy from Scripture that will be explained when verse 1:11 is evaluated. For now, it next says, “they asked Him.”
 
The verb is in the imperfect tense. It thus indicates a repetition of the question, urging Him for an answer. As such, it is like an interrogation – “they were asking Him” (repeatedly). This was a topic of much importance to them as they were “saying, Lord, ‘will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
 
One can see John asking, “Lord are we going to kick the Romans out of the land?” The next asks, “Where is your palace going to be?” A third might have asked, “Lord, can I choose the area I will supervise. I really love the area around Galilee.” In other words, the questions are all stemming from a particular perspective – that of the promised messianic kingdom age.
 
This would have been the hope of every Jew who held to the veracity of their Scriptures. They literally drip with such promises, such as –
 
“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter daysThat the mountain of the Lord’s houseShall be established on the top of the mountains,And shall be exalted above the hills;And all nations shall flow to it.3 Many people shall come and say,“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,To the house of the God of Jacob;He will teach us His ways,And we shall walk in His paths.”For out of Zion shall go forth the law,And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.4 He shall judge between the nations,And rebuke many people;They shall beat their swords into plowshares,And their spears into pruning hooks;Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,Neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:1-4
 
So certain is this particular prophecy that it is carefully repeated in Malachi 4:1-4. Understanding their thought that this is a literal, earthly rule, and understanding that even Jesus appears to confirm it as such elsewhere (such as Matthew 19:28 and in several of His parables), this was what was most pressing on the minds of the disciples.
 
It is this idea, that of a literal rule on earth known as the “kingdom age,” that causes a great deal of confusion among scholars. Many deny the literal nature of the prophecies, saying that when the Jews rejected Christ, the kingdom was transferred to the church and the church has replaced Israel.
 
That view, known as replacement theology, is not heretical, but it is dismissive of a literal interpretation of Old Testament passages, it denies a literal reading of the “thousand years” referred to six times in Revelation 20, and it disregards the establishment and fulfillment of the covenants with the fathers (meaning both that made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that made to the people brought out of Egypt and given covenantal promises at Mount Sinai) in the books of Moses.
 
Others find this kingdom to be one designated for the Jews, and therefore there must be two gospels (one to the Jew through Peter and one to the Gentiles through Paul). This is a heretical view known as hyperdispensationalism. It takes the words of the New Testament authors and epistles, and it divides them up in such a manner that only the words of Paul are accepted as a valid presentation of doctrine and practice to the church today. It dismisses the words of Revelation 1-3, saying they belong solely to Israel of the future, and it rejects the words of Jesus which are prescriptive for the church concerning baptism and evangelism.
 
There are innumerable other incorrect ideas concerning the status and future of Israel that have been presented. Some are simply poor doctrine, some are heretical. One must carefully pay heed to what is stated in the Old Testament in order to form a proper understanding of what the future of Israel will be.
 
Life application: The “kingdom” spoken of in Acts 1:6 is not always the same kingdom referred to by the apostles in the epistles. Further, in Acts 8, Philip preaches “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” This kingdom of God is then validated and approved of by Peter and John who went to Samaria in response to Philip’s preaching. This same kingdom is then referred to in Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; and 28:23 & 28:31 when it is proclaimed by Paul and those with him.
 
The “kingdom of God” refers to a right relationship with God because of the final, full, and finished work of Jesus Christ. It applies to Jew and Gentile (obviously, because Paul first proclaims it to the Jews in every location he goes, such as in Acts 28:23 noted above, and then he proclaims it to the Gentiles immediately afterward).
 
The “kingdom” of Israel is the fulfillment of the “kingdom age” promises made to Israel for possession of and security within the land of Israel, and of ruling by the Lord over the nations from that land. In dismissing the latter (replacement theology), or incorrectly mixing the two (hyperdispensationalism), a faulty view of the redemptive narrative is arrived at.
 
Be careful what you absorb into your doctrine, or you are bound to wind up as confused as the countless souls who have accepted such views. Your walk with the Lord will be harmed, and your understanding of other core doctrines (such as eternal security, the covenant-keeping nature of the Lord, the eternal nature of God’s decrees, and so on) are all tied up in what you believe about the literal nature of the kingdom promises to Israel, and how they relate to the overall “kingdom of God” that proclaims a right restoration with God because of the work of Jesus Christ.
 
Lord God, how wonderful it is to know of Your faithfulness to Your covenantal promises to Israel. If You were to not fulfill them, then how could we trust You with our souls in the New Covenant that was established through the blood of Christ. But You are faithful to that unfaithful nation, and we know that You will always be faithful to us, even when we fail You. Praise You forever, O God! Amen.
 
 

Acts 1:5

Thursday, 30 September 2021
 
for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:5
 
The words now complete the thought of the previous verse where Jesus spoke to the apostles concerning “the Promise of the Father.” He had already told them of the Promise to come on several occasions. Two such times are found in John 14 –
 
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16, 17
 
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26
 
References to the coming, indwelling, and work of the Spirit are also found in John 16 and 17. In these descriptions, the Spirit’s role is more fully understood, but Jesus next explains that the Spirit’s coming is an antitype that was anticipated in typology previously set forth, saying, “for John truly baptized with water.”
 
To understand what Jesus is referring to, a few verses from the gospels should be considered –
 
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11
 
“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire’” Luke 3:16
 
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.” 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’32 And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’” John 1:29-34
 
John’s baptism was one in water and of repentance. But more, his ministry was one directing the people to Another who was to come (see Acts 19:4). His typological baptism anticipated the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John baptized the people, immersing them in water, based on repentance. In contrast, Jesus (see above, “He will baptize you”) baptizes the people into the “Holy Spirit and fire” based upon belief in His accomplished work.
 
The “water” of John’s baptism was an outward washing of the body. It was a ritual purification intended to demonstrate an inward change in the person. The “fire” of Jesus’ baptism is an internal purification of the soul. Fire in this case is not literal fire, but what fire symbolizes, meaning purification. Peter refers to this internal purification in 1 Peter 3 –
 
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” 1 Peter 3:21, 22
 
The promised baptism that John spoke of is now repeated by Jesus. This is “the Promise of the Father” referred to in verse 1:4. As He next explicitly states, saying, “but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
 
Just as John immersed the people in the waters of Israel, turning them again to the Law of Moses (his words “unto repentance” signify a change in mind), so Christ would immerse the people in the Holy Spirit of God, based on their acceptance of His completed work under (and in fulfillment of) that same Law of Moses. The Spirit is to be given to those who accept that He has accomplished all things, died in fulfillment of them (thereby establishing the New Covenant in His blood), and was raised again – thus confirming the validity and doctrine of the New Covenant.
 
This coming of the Holy Spirit was to be God’s stamp of approval concerning the work of Christ, His evidence of it, to the people of Israel. With that understood, Jesus next says that it will be “not many days from now.”
 
No set time is given. All the apostles knew was that they were to wait in Jerusalem. Having already seen Christ’s fulfillment of the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:5), and the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14), if they were attentive, they could have logically guessed that this Promise would be coming in just a few more days. Whether they deduced this or not is unstated, but certainly when the time came, they would understand the event as the fulfillment of the typology set forth in the law. That will be seen in Acts 2.
 
Life application: There is a very poor doctrine set forth concerning baptism based on the heresy of hyperdispensationalism. This says that believers today do not need to perform water baptism, but that was only intended for Israel. Though it is true that John’s baptism was in water and a baptism of repentance, this does not negate the requirement for water baptism for believers under the New Covenant. In fact, it is after the establishment of the New Covenant that Christ mandates water baptism for believers –
 
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20
 
Jesus says nothing of repentance there. He gives this not as a part of the salvation process, but as an ordinance to those who have believed already. They have been baptized into the Holy Spirit. As such, the ordinance is an outward display of the inward change that has taken place. It is a public acknowledgment of the act of God upon the believer. Though none of the accounts in Acts are prescriptive, time and again, those who believe the gospel in the book of Acts – Jew and Gentile – are baptized in accord with the word of the Lord stated in Matthew. The precedent is given to highlight the precept. And the precept is a command of the risen Christ.
 
The same people who deny that baptism is expected of believers will faithfully proclaim that believers are to take the Lord’s Supper. That was an ordinance also commanded by the Lord, even before He was crucified and rose. It, like baptism, is a public acknowledgement concerning what the Lord has already accomplished as well as an anticipation of His return someday.
 
It is the epitome of confused theology to say that the Lord’s Supper is an expected ordinance of the Lord, but that water baptism is not. The antisemitic undertones of saying that one ordinance applies to the church and the other only applies to Jews are evident. But more, it destroys the purpose and intent of the Lord’s words that are directed to “all the nations.”
 
Followers of the Lord Jesus do not baptize others into the Holy Spirit. Only Christ does that. Followers of Christ (well, faithful followers of Christ) baptize converts into the typology of what Christ has accomplished. Such baptism is not for the believer so much as it is for those who see the rite and understand the commitment to Christ. The twisting of Scripture by this heretical ideology is to be ignored and spoken against.
 
Glorious God, how good it is to share in the wonder and marvel of what Christ Jesus has done for us. Not only are we freed from the stain of sin upon our souls, but we are also given the absolute guarantee that it is so through the sealing of Your Holy Spirit when we have faith in what He has done. We have moved from death to life, even life eternal! Hallelujah and Amen!
 
 
 

Acts 1:4

Wednesday, 29 September 2021
 
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; Acts 1:4
 
Luke just noted that Christ presented Himself alive to the apostles through a forty-day period “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” The idea of a kingdom is that of a particular place and/or group that are ruled by a king. There is nothing stated in Scripture to negate the same term applying to more than one thing at the same time.
 
For example, Paul speaks of the kingdom of God (as noted in the previous verse) in Acts. And yet, this was during a time when Rome ruled, where kings and kingdoms were in place, and where Christians were subject to those earthly rulers, such as Herod in the land of Israel. This fact that there are various meanings to the word “kingdom” will become important in just a few verses. For now, Christ Jesus has spoken of the kingdom of God. That is now immediately followed by the words of verse 1:4, beginning with, “And being assembled together with them.” 
 
Some translations say, “And eating together.” This is based on a variant spelling of the word. In one spelling, it signifies to “crowd,” or “throng.” In the other, it signifies “salt” (hence, eating salt, or dining together). Either translation is possible, because Luke’s words follow after those of his gospel. In Luke 24:43, it says that Jesus “ate in their presence.” In that same encounter, it then says –
 
“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49
 
Only after that does He lead them out to Bethany. As the accounts state the same events, but without specificity, either word (assembled or ate) is possible. With that analyzed, it next says, “He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem.” This is perfectly in accord with the words of Luke 24:49. They were in Jerusalem, He appeared to them and spoke to them, and so on.
 
However, it is true that Matthew and John record Jesus as meeting with the disciples in Galilee. Therefore, various events occurred somewhere in between the events Luke records. Luke’s gospel, and these beginning verses of Acts, are directed to particular events leading from the resurrection to the ascension. This is their focus, and no contradiction between his words and those of the other gospels can be inferred.
 
The words to not depart from Jerusalem, then, are referring to the time after His ascension, not after the resurrection (as might be inferred from the end of the gospel narrative). As such, what ais being stated now by Jesus is at the end of the forty-day period. In this, Luke continues by saying, “but to wait for the Promise of the Father.”
 
The word translated as “wait” is found only here in the Bible. It signifies to “remain all around.” It is a way of saying that they are to stay despite any obstacles that may be involved. In other words, there may be business back at home that needs to be attended to. Whatever would normally keep them from remaining was to be secondary to staying and waiting for what was promised to come.
 
Also, the word translated as “Promise” is defined by Vincent’s Word Studies as, “Signifying a free promise, given without solicitation. This is the invariable sense of the word throughout the New Testament, and this and its kindred and compound words are the only words for promise in the New Testament.” Further, Walter Kaiser says of this word, “Almost every NT use of the word promise ( ) points back to the OT.” It is a legal term that speaks of a promise which is officially sanctioned. This is the Promise, “‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me.’”
 
This is referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit as is repeatedly spoken of in John 14, 15, and 16. However, this may also be the words of the Promise recorded in Luke 24:49 (cited above) which occurred just after the resurrection. He may be restating that now, just prior to the ascension. Hence, the timeline should not be called into question when placed along with the events recorded in the other gospels.
 
Life application: Though there are difficulties in forming an exact timeline in the events recorded in the gospels and now in Acts, none of the accounts contradicts any other. Rather, inferences have to be made. But this is the same with any such record when various eyewitnesses are brought together.
 
Each gives his own perspective, and a chronology is then developed based on that. In the case of Luke’s words, it is possible, and even likely, that Jesus said the Promise was coming soon after His resurrection, and then He said it again, just prior to His ascension – reminding the disciples that they were to remain in Jerusalem.
 
The matter ahead was of such importance that they were not to be pulled away for any lesser reason. And Jesus has promised to return again for His church. We are not to be pulled away from our hope for any lesser reason. Let us remain vigilant and not get our attention sidetracked by the things of this world. But let us hold fast to this great hope that we possess.
 
This thought is repeated again and again by Paul, by the author of Hebrews (probably Paul), and by Jesus. HOLD FAST! Good things are in store for those who do so.
 
Lord God, Your word asks us to hold fast to the name of Christ, to the things that we have been given in Christ, to our hope in Him, to the doctrine that has been laid before us in Your word, to our confession of faith, and so on. Help us to be responsible with the wonderful treasure we have been blessed with – the hope of glory. May we hold fast to it always. Amen.
 
 

Acts 1:3

Lord God, how good it is to know that our hope in Christ Jesus is grounded in the certainty of those who beheld Him after His resurrection. It is a well-documented set of events that happened at various times and in various places, and which included a great number of first-hand witnesses. Thank You for the surety we possess as we continue in the faith we profess. Amen.

Acts 1:2

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 consider other covenant promises made by God to the people of Israel, it diminishes 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 fulfilment 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.

Acts 1:1

Sunday, 26 September 2021
 
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 the previous 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 “I have 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 the very 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.
 
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.

The Book of Acts; an Introduction. 3 of 3

Saturday, 25 September 2021
 
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. But a prescriptive verse under one covenant, such as Numbers 15:38, is not prescriptive under another. As an example –
 
“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.”
 
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 and 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 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 apply 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.

The Book of Acts; an Introduction. 2 of 3

Friday, 24 September 2021
 
As noted in the first introductory segment, this segment will reveal some of the patterns of Acts and of 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 over 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).
 
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 –
 
Tent of Shem:
 
Genesis - Malachi (Law)
 
Synoptic Gospels according to naming of Noah’s son (OT Law Fulfillment)* Matthew – Directed predominantly to Shem
* Mark – Directed predominantly to Ham
* Luke – Directed predominantly to Japheth
 
Mixture/Transition
 
John (mixture of OT Law and NT concepts/theology)
 
Acts – Transition / Jerusalem to Rome / Peter to Paul / Jew to Gentile
 
Tent of Japheth (dwelling in, meaning between, tents of Shem)
Romans-Philemon – to Gentile-led church
 
Tent of Shem
 
Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter to Jews
 
Mixture
 
John (mixture)
 
Jude (mixture, final letter of warning)
 
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
 
Book Superstructure/
Jewish-Gentile contrast
Book Structure/
Church Growth
Book Outline
 
Structure given by the Lord – v.8
1.  The Ascension and awaiting the Promise.
Jewish witness with harvest.
Witness in Jerusalem.
2.  The Omer is counted, the time has come!  The birth of the Church – Pentecost.
 
 
3.  Apostolic signs of healing.
 
 
4.  Organized opposition begins.
Jewish resistance.
Witness to cities surrounding Jerusalem – v16.
5.  The Spirit cleans house within; the Sanhedrin debates without.
 
 
6.  Resolution of internal conflicts.
Jewish leadership rejection of the message.
 
7.  Stephan’s trial and martyrdom.
Jewish active persecution of the church.
Persecution resulting in witness to Judea and Samaria – v1.
8.  Reception of the message by Samarians and proselytes.
 
Conversion of the Apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13)
9.  Saul’s conversion.
 
First witness to the Gentiles.
10.  Divine message to Cornelius and Peter – Gentile conversion.
Jewish believers confusion at Gentile acceptance.
Witness spreading out rapidly.
11.  The message spreads as far as Antioch where the term “Christian” is established.
 
 
12.  The Apostle James is martyred; Peter is imprisoned and escapes; Herod dies.
Continued Jewish rejection – Paul and Barnabas turn to the Gentiles (v.46)
Official missions work established.
13.  Saul and Barnabas set aside for missions.
 
 
14.  Effective missions with great Jewish resistance.
 
Witness guidelines for Gentiles.
15.  The council at Jerusalem.
 
Witness carried forth with full church sanction.
16.  Encounters in Macedonia.
 
 
17.  Encounters in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens (Paul at the Areopagus).
Book Superstructure
Book Structure
Book Outline
 
 
18.  Encounters in Corinth, Ephesus, Antioch, Caesarea, Galatia, and Phrygia.
 
 
19.  Church growth and uproar in Ephesus!
 
 
20.  Paul’s encounters on the way to Jerusalem.
 
 
21.  Paul’s arrival and arrest in Jerusalem.
Total Jewish rejection of Paul’s testimony to the Gentiles
 
22.  Paul’s testimony before the people of Jerusalem.
 
 
23.  Paul’s hectic path to Caesarea.
 
 
24.  Paul’s trial before Felix.
 
 
25.  Paul’s trial before Festus and King Agrippa.
 
 
26.  Paul’s trial before Festus and King Agrippa (2).
 
 
27.   Sailing to Rome; lost at sea; shipwrecked on Malta.
Salvation of God has gone to the Gentiles – and they will hear it! (v.28)
Witness arrives in the Seat of Power – Rome.
28.  Paul arrives in Rome.
 
**I did not discover most of these Peter/Paul patterns. They came, I believe, in a college course conducted by Dr. W. Gary Phillips of Southern Evangelical Seminary. Credit is to him, if discovered by him.

The Book of Acts; an Introduction. 1 of 3

Thursday, 23 September 2021
 
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 Luke among the gospels that are repeated in Acts.
 
As Luke is a Gentile (see Colossians 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 points, 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.