Introduction to Acts

The book of Acts (also called Acts of the Apostles) begins where the Gospel of Luke left off. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus commissions His disciples to be His witnesses from Jerusalem to the end of the Earth (Acts 1:8). In fulfillment of this command, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, the early church expands. Acts shows what it means to be part of Jesus’ mission to the world. The apostles set the example of what it means to be fully devoted to Christ and enveloped by the Holy Spirit.

Background

According to early church tradition, the author of Acts is Luke the physician, who traveled with the Apostle Paul (Col 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11; Phlm 24). The Gospel of Luke is also ascribed to him; this makes Acts his second volume about the story of early Christianity (Acts 1:1; see the “Introduction to Luke”). Four passages in Acts seem to indicate that the narrator is a firsthand witness of particular events he describes (Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16)—which is fitting with Luke being the author.

Like the Gospel of Luke, the book of Acts is addressed to Theophilus, who might have provided financial support for Luke to write both books (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Luke’s broader audience appears to have been people who were already Christians, or at least were interested in Christianity (Luke 1:4). Since the narrative of Acts ends with Paul’s captivity in Rome, it might have been written shortly after his arrival there, in the early to mid-60s ad. Another possibility is that Paul preaching the gospel in Rome provided a natural stopping point for the book because it showed that the church was fulfilling Jesus’ command to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth—Jerusalem and Rome were on opposite sides of the empire (Acts 1:8). In this case, Acts could have been written later in the first century ad.

Structure

The structure of Acts follows the outward expansion of the gospel, which spreads from Jerusalem to Judaea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth—across the world (1:8). This geographical framework takes shape in the first section (1:1–8:3), which is set in Jerusalem. In Acts 2, Peter preaches to a crowd of Jews from all over the world (2:9–11); in Acts 6, Greek-speaking Jews become leaders in the church. The first major expansion comes in Acts 8:4–12:25, with the apostles taking the gospel to other parts of Judaea and to Samaria. In Acts 13, another expansion occurs as Paul launches his first missionary journey. The rest of the book follows his church-planting activity through Asia Minor and Greece until he finally makes his way to Rome, the capital of the empire, and a place representative of the entire known world of the time.

Within this geographical framework, Acts also expands from the Jewish mission of the church to the Gentile mission. Peter, as head of the Jewish mission, figures prominently in the early chapters, but fades from view after Acts 12. Paul, the leader of the Gentile (non-Jewish) mission, becomes the focus in the remainder of the book.

Outline

• The church in Jerusalem (1:1–8:3)

• The church in Judaea and Samaria (8:4–12:25)

• Paul’s missions to the Gentiles (13:1–21:16)

• Paul in Jerusalem (21:17–26:32)

• Paul’s journey to Rome (27:1–28:31)

Themes

Acts repeatedly demonstrates that the gospel involves unexpected reversals. The scene at Pentecost (Acts 2)—with its depiction of people from various languages understanding the good news of Jesus in their own tongues—reverses the confusion of human language at Babel (Gen 11:7). And it is Saul the Pharisee, the leading persecutor of the church, who becomes known as the apostle to the Gentiles. And it is the Gentiles who themselves are a surprise inclusion in God’s people (Acts 10:45; 11:18). Salvation through Jesus is not just for Jews; it’s for everyone.

Acts broadly depicts the rapid outward movement of the gospel to people from an incredible array of races, languages, social ranks, and religious backgrounds. In tandem with the depiction of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel, Acts demonstrates that Jesus is the culmination of world history: He is what the world needs. Acts shows how Jesus continues His work in the world through His followers, by the power of the Holy Spirit in them.

Instead of providing a fully detailed account of the early church’s expansion and leadership structure, Acts focuses on specific moments, showing in broad strokes the gospel’s rapid expansion. Acts is meant to inspire us to be part of God’s work in the world.

The work of bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth is far from finished—as God’s people today we are called to continue the effort.

Further Reading

Mission in the Biblical Narrative

Cornelius’ Conversion and the Mission to the Gentiles

Jesus and His Witnesses as Prophets in Luke—Acts

Acts of the Apostles CLBD