The Theology of the Acts of the ApostlesWho are the people of God? Luke's purposes in the Acts of the Apostles are to identify the church, to establish the legitimacy of its gospel and to demonstrate that God was an active force in history. He wanted to show that the communities of Jewish and Gentile Christians are the true heirs of God's promises to Israel. He gives the history of the early church from the last decades of the first century as the communities become separated from their Jewish origins, and Paul plays the lead role. Acts offers an apologetic for the mixed mission of the church: to Jews and Gentiles. Luke was an eyewitness to some of what he reports, but his authorship and views have been questioned. This is a theological interpretation of the history of the church within history: Luke is an artist, a narrator rather than a systematic theologian, but writes about the roles of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, and of the church. |
Contents
The author and his sources | 1 |
Purpose and historical setting | 11 |
The theology of Acts | 18 |
Acts and the New Testament | 116 |
Acts in the history of early Christianity | 123 |
The significance of Acts for today | 128 |
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Common terms and phrases
according to Luke aphesis apologetic apostles Apostolic Council Apostolic Decree authority charismatic Christ christology clear coming concern congregation connection Conzelmann David death of Jesus ecclesiology eschatological faith fathers forgiveness of sins fulfilled Gentile Christians Gentile mission given God-fearers God's gospel Haenchen history of Israel idea important interpretation Israel Acts Israelites Jerusalem Jervell Jewish Christians Jews and Gentiles Judaism keep the law kerygma kingdom kingdom of Israel Lord Lucan Luke knows Luke-Acts Luke's mass conversions means Messiah of Israel miracles Moses non-Jews Old Testament outpouring parousia Paul's Pauline persecution Pharisee political preaching problem proclamation promises to Israel prophecy prophets question quotation readers reference rejected repentance restoration of Israel restored Israel resurrection role Roman Rome salvation saviour Scriptures Scriptures Luke Septuagint soteriology speaks speeches in Acts St Luke story suffering synagogue Testament writings Theology Theology of St tion tradition Twelve Unknown Paul witness words