It describes the coming of the holy spirit at pentecost in acts 2, the spread of the gospel outside of jerusalem in acts 8 and to the gentiles in acts 10, how the church made decisions in regards to doctrine acts 15, and more. Many scholars think these acts of peter were among the first of the apocryphal books. Two soldiers were chained by the wrist to each of peters two arms. He at this time ruled over all his fathers dominions. This versebyverse bible study and commentary of the acts of the apostles the book of acts or simply acts is indepth but uses plain language that everyone can understand, as well as a format that will engage you. Acts tells us how the christian movement came into beginning. Then peter, filled with the holy spirit, said to them acts 4. The purpose of the book of acts is governed by the jews response to peter and paul. This is above all a factual report of the divine initiative via interpreted acts to bring salvation to the gentiles.
But peter had not yet been enlightened concerning the extent to which god would save gentiles, or on what basis. In acts 10, god gave peter a vision of a sheet descending from the heavens. The death of agrippa serves as one anchor for our chronology of events reported in the book of acts, for among historians there is no doubt that he died in ad 44. The book of acts is an important book for understanding the actions of the apostles, mostly paul and peter, after jesuss ascension into heaven. All paul has is that story about the time jesus asked him one stupid little question and then blinded him. Acts has been called a transitional book because it serves as a bridge between the gospels and the epistles. The book of acts tells us of some of the acts of some of the apostles, but more so it tells us history.
Acts is a fastmoving historical account of the first three decades of. Acts 2 peters sermon peters sermon in acts 2 is critically important since it demonstrates how the apostles interpreted the life, death and resurrection of jesus, including the ascension. Renunciation handing over christ people set free by people. In the american standard version of acts there are fiftysix references to the holy spirit. Throughout acts, there seems to a tiny bit of tension between peter and paul. Of the 27 books that make up what we know as the new testament, the one called the acts of the apostles is unique in the information it contains.
One further sample of apostolic preaching is assigned to peter acts 10. The book of acts, also called acts of the apostles, does not specifically identify its author. After a vision, peter went to the house of a gentile. And it proposes to show the continuation of all that jesus began both to do and teach 1. The tradition from the earliest days of the church has been that luke, a companion of the apostle paul, wrote the books of luke and acts colossians 4. This time the message is proclaimed to the household of cornelius of caesarea a gentile indeed, but a gentile who worships the god of israel and practices several of the pious customs of jewish religion. To go to corneliuss house and stay there, peter must leave behind the scriptural commands of god that require separation of foods and persons into the categories of.
Maybe herod had heard from the jewish leaders how peter and john had mysteriously escaped from custody a few years before acts 5. The vision had nothing to do with the mission god had given peter. The patriarch moses, significance of peter, preacher and teacher. And he commanded us to preach to the people meaning the jews were to preach to the gentiles. In his commentary on the book of acts, professor of scripture dr. Seven major speeches of the apostle peter are recorded in a total of 97 verses in the book of acts compare chart 156. Herod the kinggrandson of herod the great, and son of aristobulus. Peter uses the old testament in this sermon and cites texts which were fulfilled in the events of jesus life, but also in the events of pentecost. It is an important book in understanding how we can be directed by the holy spirit and the role of jesus lessons in our lives. Church persecution at the hand of saul of tarsus acts 8. The book is roughly 2,750 lines fifty lines less than the canonical acts. He wanted to make sure that it did not happen this time, so he assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him around the clock. Much of what the spirit of god accomplished in the book of acts was in spite of men.
Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. By comparison to other portions of the new testament the special significance of the holy spirit in the book of acts can be demonstrated. The letters or epistles after acts tells us of the supreme care and guidance that god has for his people then, now, and in the future. The combined sixtyeight chapters of the synoptic gospels contain only thirtyfour references to the holy spirit. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. The story of ananias and sapphira is found in acts 5, and it is a sad story, indeed. Peters vision what did it mean and why was it repeated. It contains the acts jesus carried out after his ascension, through the holy spirit, in establishing the church. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. If the book of acts underscores any truth, it is that of the sovereignty of god, who works all things in accordance with his will, whether or not men believe or obey. A chapterbychapter bible study of the book of acts 4 acts a short introduction heres what well be reading as we study through the book of acts.
The miracles in the book of acts lists the miracle, where it happened, and where it is recorded in scripture. Peter s failure to get his vision is not the result of hardened resistance or spiritual obduracybut reflects the sheer difficulty of deciphering the symbols of gods message. Acts 12 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. After a vision, peter went to the house of a gentile named cornelius. Peter preached a text from a jewish book joel to a jewish audience, warning them of impending judgment and offering them salvation in the name of.
It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of the apostles through the work of the holy spirit. The latin manuscripts dating to the sixth century have 44 chapters. This is the story of christianitys beginnings and how evangelism played a role in the spread of faith around the world. All allow that the writer of the acts of peter knew and used the acts of paul. Church gospel holy spirit chapters 28 next 20 years major emphasis. This title may be a bit misleading, because 11 apostles are barely mentioned, while the book concentrates almost exclusively on the early work of peter chapters 112 and the short but influential ministry of paul chapters 28. It is the historical link that joins the life of christ with the growth of the christian church. A list of sermons in the book of acts leadership resources. The holy spirit in the book of acts preaching source. Antioch was an important city in early christian formation and was where the term christian was coined. A pivotal point in the book of acts is when saul of tarsus the apostle paul meets jesus on the road to damascus and is converted. The book of acts gives a unique glimpse into the life and practice of the early church. In the latter portion of acts, luke recorded three rejections of the jews to pauls overtures of salvation.
Peter s activities are described at some length, and john and philip are mentioned, but more than half of the book is about paul and his connection with the christian movement. Peter knew that he was not to kill and eat the animals that were upon the sheet. While antiochene chrisitians sponsored pauls outreach to gentiles, the book of acts portrays the city and paul as subservient to the longstanding influence and traditions of the jerusalembased leadership, especially peter. The book has been called the acts of the apostles, really a misnomer because acts has very little to say concerning most of the original twelve apostles. The importance of the book of acts liberty university. The significance of the speeches for interpreting acts. The book focuses primarily on the acts of two apostles, peter and paul. Peter spoke to a wide variety of audiences, from believing christians on the day of pentecost in acts 2 to the leading apostles and elders of the church at the jerusalem conference in acts 15, and from the leading priests and elders of the jews in acts. As such it answers the question many firstcentury observers would have.
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