Acts Outline

Introduction to Acts of the Apostles

Key Verse: Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This verse provides the basic outline of the book of Acts.

Name
1. Not given by inspiration
2. Some called it “Acts of Apostles”: Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-217), Origin of Alexandria (A.D. 185-254), Dionysius the Great (A.D. 190-265), & Cyril of Jerusalem (A.D. 315-386).
3. Ancient Manuscripts & the book of Acts:

i. Codex Sinaiticus (A.D. 350)--“Acts”

ii. Codex Vaticanus (A.D. 350)--“The Acts of the Apostles”

Some have suggested the name “Acts of Peter & Paul”, “Acts of the Holy Spirit” or “Gospel of the Holy Spirit.” The name “Acts of the Apostles” is somewhat misleading since one might think it records all of the acts of the apostles. A better name might be “Some of the acts of some of the apostles.”

Authorship
1. Though the actual author is never stated, we know that the same person also wrote the book of Luke to a man named Theophilus (“the former treatise,” Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3).
2. Language style of both books is similar. J. W. McGarvey said there are over 50 words common to both books that are not found anywhere in the New Testament (Commentary on Acts, viii).
3. The author of Luke/Acts joined Paul at Troas (Acts 16:10). Prior to that time, the author used 3^rd person plural pronouns to describe missionary activities of Peter and Paul (Acts 1:3; 2:2; 3:5; 13:4; 16:7-8).

i. In Acts 16, the author uses “we” where he joined Paul at Troas and was left at Philippi (Acts 16:10-17).

ii. In Acts 20:5-15---21:1-18, the author joined Paul’s missionary company in Macedonia (Philippi is in Macedonia) and went with them to Jerusalem.

iii. Acts 27:1--- 28:16 The author was a constant traveling companion of Paul from Caesarea to Rome until 28:16 when Paul was placed under house arrest in Rome. During this two-year imprisonment, Paul wrote 4 epistles and mentioned Luke as his companion (Col. 4:3,14; Philemon 9-10, 24).

iv. Luke was also with Paul in his last Roman imprisonment (2 Timothy 1:12; 4:11).

External evidence for Luke’s authorship of Acts. The evidence is so ancient & strong that both conservative and liberal scholars are in agreement on Luke’s authorship:

i. Muratorian Canon—a 2^nd century document that lists authoritative books of the NT

ii. Irenaeus—(A.D. 140-202), understudy of Polycarp (A.D. 69-156, who was an understudy of the Apostle John) who listed the books of the NT that should be accepted as Scripture

iii. Clement of Alexandria—(died A.D. 102), elder of church in Rome who personally knew Paul & Peter, he wrote letters to congregations having problems & exhorted them to follow the writings of the apostles. He gives a list of NT books.

iv. Origen—(A.D. 185-254) a brilliant scholar & defender of Christianity against educated pagan thinkers, he listed the writings that he considered authoritative.

v. Other early church leaders considered Luke the author of Acts: Tertullian, Eusebius, & Jerome.

Luke’s Personal Life
1. Distinguished from the house of the circumcision, Luke was a Gentile (Colossians 4:11-14).
2. Called “Luke the beloved physician,” his writings are of an educated man who knew medical terminology: e.g. Jesus’ burial cloth was like a medical bandage (Luke 24:12). When shipwrecked with Paul on Malta, Luke gave medical treatment to some of the inhabitants (Acts 28:9). Perhaps Paul’s thorn in the flesh required continuous medical treatment (2 Cor. 12:7).
3. Luke was a cautious and meticulous researcher. He interviewed many witnesses before compiling his data (Luke 1:3).

Date of the Book.
1. Written before Paul was released from his 1^st Roman imprisonment about A.D. 62. Paul came to Rome in A.D. 59/60 and had a two-year imprisonment. The abrupt ending of Acts means Luke had nothing more to report.
2. It covers events of the early church beginning with its establishment in A.D. 30 to A.D. 62.
3. This would place its composition before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and Nero’s persecution of the church from A.D. 65-67.
4. This would place the writing of Acts about A.D. 60-62.

Purposes of the book
1. Historical---The beginning of Christianity at Jerusalem is chronicled until it reaches the center of the Roman Empire. Luke bridges the gap between the Gospels (Matthew—John) and the epistles (Romans—Revelation) and shows how the church grew.
2. Doctrinal---The book of Acts is a continuation of what “Jesus began both to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1). The early Christians lived what Jesus & the apostles taught (Acts2:42). Thus the early church’s growth, purpose, work, worship, organization, etc. was patterned after the will of Jesus. If 1^st century Christians lived God’s Way, all Christians should follow their example. One name for the church was “the way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Luke shows how the Gospel is superior to the philosophy of any other religious/cultural idea. He also documents how the church distinguished between tradition, human opinion, and matters of faith.

i. The great commission is recorded in 5 places in the New Testament:

1. Matt. 28:18-20 go teach baptism

2. Mk. 16:15-16 go preach believe baptized saved

3. Lk. 24:46-47 preached repentance remission of sins

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Total G P/T faith repent baptism saved

ii. The Great Commission fulfilled in Acts

Scripture believe repent baptism saved

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Pentecost (Acts 2:36-38) X X X X

Simon (8:13) X X

Samaria (8:12,14) X X

Ethiopian Eunuch (8:26-40) X X

Saul (9:18; 22:16; 26) X X

Cornelius (10:43,48, 11:18) X X X X

Lydia (16:13-15) X

Philippian jailer (16:31-34) X X

Corinthians (18:8) X X

Crispus (18:3; 1 Cor. 1:14) X X

Relational--- The church begins with the Jews and eventually encompasses every race of humans. It shows the church struggling with interracial issues (Jew/Gentile). God chose to place Jews & Gentiles in the same spiritual body.
Evangelistical---The religious movement that began with a few disciples explodes into thousands in just a short time. Acts is God’s handbook on church growth. We would do well to study the methods used by the apostles and 1^st century Christians. Luke records how people under the guidance of the apostles became Christians. Of all who became Christians in the 1^st century, God selected a handful of them to record their salvation experience. Those having a different salvation “experience” are not genuinely saved.
Apologetical---The Greek word APOLOGIA, (άπολογίa) means a defense. Thus, apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith. Jews and pagans sometimes charged that Christianity was an unlawful religion. Christianity’s founder had been executed by a Roman governor on the charge of sedition. Luke shows that the Christian way was different from Judaism but was also the natural outgrowth of Judaism. He also showed that several Roman officials had been favorable to the Christian movement. Some have speculated that Theophilus may have been a Roman official who was a Christian & that Luke’s intent was to provide a trial-brief for Paul’s upcoming court hearing. Although possible, such a view is still speculation since there is scant evidence for it.

i. 13:7,12---Sergius Paulus, pro-consul of Cyprus “believed.”

ii. 18:12-17---Gallio refused Jewish charges against Paul

iii. 19:31---Asiarchs at Ephesus were friendly toward Paul

iv. 24-26---Felix, Festus, & Agrippa found nothing illegal in Paul’s words or actions

v. 28:30-31---Paul’s two-year restriction under house arrest would never have been allowed if Christianity had been dangerous or illegal.

vi. 16:39 is the only exception to this rule. Paul & Silas were beaten & imprisoned by civil authorities in Philippi. However, the next day they apologized for their actions.

Outline of the book
1. Brief outline

i. Acts of Peter (Acts 1-12)

ii. Acts of Paul (Acts 13-28)

More detailed outline

i. Jerusalem

1. Resurrection, ascension, & preparation (Acts 1)

2. A church is born (Acts 2)

3. 1^st persecution & account of church growth (3-4)

4. 2^nd persecution & account of church growth (5)

5. “Seven” special servants (deacons?) selected (6:1-7)

6. Stephen’s debate & martyrdom (6:8---7:60)

ii. Judea & Samaria

1. 3^rd persecution (8)

2. Saul’s conversion (9)

3. Cornelius & the 1^st Gentile converts (10-11:18)

4. Syria, a new center of Christianity (11:19-30)

5. 4^th persecution (12)

iii. The Roman Empire

1. 1^st missionary journey (13-14)

2. Jerusalem conference on circumcision (15)

3. 2^nd missionary journey (16-18:22)

4. 3^rd missionary journey (18:23---21:14)

5. Paul’s defense before a mob (21:15---22:30)

6. Paul’s defense before the Sanhedrin (23)

7. Paul’s defense before Felix (24)

8. Paul’s defense before Festus (25)

9. Paul’s defense before Agrippa (26)

10. Paul’s voyage to Rome (27-28)

Miscellaneous
1. To learn what one must do to be saved, study the examples in Acts how 1^st century people were made Christians. Conversions recorded in Acts passed under two levels of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration: apostles’ & Luke’s. When we do what they did, we become what they became.
2. All Christians should study Acts to learn how to present Jesus to neighbors & friends. Evangelism in the 1^st century was not just done by apostles & preachers but by the average church member.
3. Missionaries should study Acts to learn how to present Jesus to various peoples with diverse beliefs and philosophies.

i. To Jewish audiences, the apostles always began with Scripture

ii. To Gentile audiences, the apostles always began with creation

Preachers should study Acts to learn how to preach to people’s needs. Acts describes spiritual growth of individuals and the church.
Acts records five visits of Paul to Jerusalem (9,11,15,18,21-23). See also Galatians 1-2
Acts records twenty-nine speeches or excerpts:

i. 9 are from Peter

ii. 5 are from Paul

iii. Gamaliel (5:35-39)

iv. Stephen (7:2-52)

v. James (15:15-21)

vi. Demetrius (19:25-27)

vii. Ephesus’ town clerk (19:35-40)

viii. Tertullus (24:1-8)

ix. Festus (25:24-27)

Acts furnishes the background for ten of Paul’s epistles:

i. Galatians written after the Gospel went to the Gentiles (10-11) and Paul went to Jerusalem (15). Uncertain where the chronology would fit but some see Galatians as one of Paul’s 1^st letters written somewhere between late A.D. 40’s— late A.D. 50’s.

ii. 1-2 Thessalonians written from Corinth on the 2^nd missionary journey (18)

iii. 1 Corinthians written from Ephesus on the 3^rd missionary journey (19)

iv. 2 Corinthians written from Macedonia on the 3^rd journey (20)

v. Romans written from Corinth on the 3^rd journey (20)

vi. Paul wrote four epistles while under house arrest in Rome (28)

1. Ephesians

2. Philippians

3. Colossians

4. Philemon

Acts shows it is costly to be a Christian. Some were run out of town but others paid the ultimate price with their lives.
The Holy Spirit is a dominant theme in Acts being mentioned 53 times:

i. Apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit & equipped to lead the church (Acts 2).

ii. Those obedient at baptism receive the indwelling Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38; 5:32).

iii. Only apostles could transmit the Spirit’s power to 1^st century Christians (8:15-16).

iv. The Spirit told the apostles what, when & where they were to speak (8:29; 10:19, etc.)

v. The Spirit appointed elders to lead the church at Ephesus (20:17, 28).

William Ramsay was a 19^th century British archaeologist whose mind had been poisoned by Europe’s liberal theology. He spent years retracing the places Luke describes. The accuracy of Luke in Luke-Acts as a historian caused Ramsay to change his mind. He later said that he had not been able to find a single error of Luke in any of his writings and Luke was a historian of the highest order.