David W. Pao - Commentary on Acts: From The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary

David W. Pao

Introduction

According to the modern versions of the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles follows the four Gospels. This arrangement highlights the fact that Acts provides an account of the period following the life of Jesus the Messiah. As the second volume of the writings of Luke, however, Acts does not simply provide the historical account of growth of the church. It also testifies to the work of God through the apostles of Jesus, who continue to witness the power of the gospel as it fulfills the ancient promises made to Israel. In other words, instead of simply an appendix to the work of Jesus, this work points to yet another phase in the fulfillment of salvation history.

[ Copyright Baker Photo Archive. Courtesy of the Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem, 2001. Reproduction of the City of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple presently located at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. ]

The Unity of Luke-Acts

Since the work of Henry Cadbury in the 1920s ( The Making of Luke-Acts ), most scholars recognize that Luke-Acts has to be read as two parts of a single work. This affirmation of the unity of Luke-Acts not only points to the need to interpret any one passage within the literary context of this wider narrative but also allows the reader to notice the numerous parallels between the two parts of the narrative. These parallels in turn reveal the theological emphases of the author, and these emphases often serve to address the needs of the church. In his Gospel, for example, Luke emphasizes the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus as he began his ministries on earth (Luke 3:2122). In Acts, Luke likewise draws attention to the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles as they began their ministries (Acts 2:113). Such parallelism addresses a practical concern of the church: Luke encourages the early Christians that, although Jesus is no longer with them in person, the Spirit, who works behind him, is the one who is working behind the church that bears his name.

Although some (e.g., Mikeal Parsons and Richard Pervo, Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts ) have continued to question the unity of Luke-Acts, most see this as the basic assumption behind any informed reading of the Lukan writings. In terms of genre, these two works are not simply representatives of the ancient biographies and histories; together they point to the faithful God who fulfills his promises to Israel. In terms of narrative flow, several themes introduced in Luke (e.g., Holy Spirit, Gentiles, repentance, Samaria/Samaritans, temple, rejection of the prophet) are fully developed only in Acts; therefore, to read only one part would provide a partial picture. In terms of theological framework, one finds the same emphases on significant theological topics: identity of Jesus, the mission of the apostles, the progression of the kingdom of God, the universal relevance of the gospel message. In terms of the use of Old Testament paradigms, both works also draw from one prophetic tradition in the description of the climactic work of God at the dawn of the eschatological era.