Various Ways of Looking at Acts
This is Blog #2 in my Introduction to the Book of Acts.
Students, commentators, and theologians look at Acts through different lens. The lens is important; it puts a different shade on the same content.
We benefit from looking at the book of Acts through different lens. The one intolerable approach is those whose textual criticism is intended to raise questions in a way as to tear down the authority of God’s Word.
I have benefitted from reading most of several dozen commentaries and writings on the book of Acts. No two authors took the same approach.
Through whatever lens we are looking, it is important to remember Acts continues the action and teachings of Jesus Christ. Consider some of these lenses.
History
The Acts of the Apostles is unique. It is the only God-inspired history of the early church. Acts tells the story of the church’s progress. It also reports failure, dissension, and error.
There are six facets to the history found in Acts:
- It reports early events establishing the church and some of the actions of the leaders.
- Acts gives us a history of the expansion of early Christianity.
- Acts gives us a history of the first conversions of Jews and Gentiles to Christianity.
- Acts clearly portrays human failure. The failings of significant people are told.
- Acts is a history of the way the Holy Spirit worked.
- Acts shows how unbelievers came to desire salvation and how people were converted.
Apologetics
Apologetics is the effort made to defend the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The apologetics of Acts looks at the words used. Were these the Greek words commonly used at the time? Are those words used with accuracy?
An apologetic view of Acts looks at archeology of the Holy Land. Does the science of archeology support what is written by Luke?
Apologetics also looks at the book of Acts through the lens of prophecy. What Old Testament prophecies, statements by the prophet John the Baptist who Jesus called a prophet, or by the Lord Jesus Christ are fulfilled in Acts? Acts cites the Old Testament at least 25 times.
The next blog in my Introduction to the Book of Acts will post tomorrow. I’ll continue with various ways of looking at Acts and discuss the book of Acts as a textbook, a bridge of transition, and a study of God and His workings..
Click here if you missed Blog #1 in my Introduction to the Book of Acts.
Recommended books for additional study:
Acts of the Apostles by G. Campbell Morgan
Exploring Acts by John Phillips
Acts: The Amazing History of the Early Church by Jet Witherspoon
Other books for helps:
**If you purchase any book via clicking a link, the author of the blog receives a small affiliate marketing fee from Amazon.
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