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THE KING ’S BUSINESS
Apostles,” for, as we shall see later, but few o f the apostles are dealt with in the book, and even the life and practice o f these but sparingly. The Author of the Book. Luke, the beloved physician, who is also the author o f the third gospel (cf. Luke 1:1-3 with Acts 1:1). Luke was an eye witness to many o f the things narrated in the book (cf. personal pronoun “we,” 16:11; 20:6, etc.). He was the companion and scribe o f Paul (Acts 16:10; Colos- sians 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11). The Time Covered in the Book. The Acts cover a space o f tHirty years, 30-61 A. D., from the ascension o f Christ (1:11) to the imprisonment o f Paul at Rome (28:30). The Theme of the Book. In a strikingly graphic way the Church o f Christ is described with respect to its founding, guidance, and extension in Israel and among the Gentiles, from Jerusalem even unto Rome. The organization, en vironment, development, belief, teaching, and practice o f the Church, as well as God’s dealings with it, is the record pre It is a personal letter to Theophilus, a noble and influential Greek, informing hinj of the events transpiring in the life o f the early Church from the ascension o f Christ to the imprisonment o f Paul at Rome. (See Luke 1-24, from Christ’s birth to His ascen sion, Acts resuming where Luke leaves off). The book is not to be considered a com plete life o f all the apostles, not even o f Paul and Peter, the two chief characters. Strictly speaking, the title o f the book is “ Practice o f Apostles,” the word “the” being omitted. It is not a complete life o f the apostles any more than the gospels are a complete life o f Christ (John 20:30, 31). For example, nothing is said o f the intro duction o f Christianity into Rome, nor of the death o f Peter or o f Paul. The record drops Peter after the 12th chapter, with the exception o f a brief mention in chapter 15. served for us in this book. The Object of the Book.
’ 6 . The captivities o f Paul, 21 :27-28:31. (a) In Jerusalem, 21:27-23:35. (b ) In Caesarea, 24:1-26:32. (c ) En route to and in Rome, 27:1- 28:31. The Title of the Book. Many titles have been applied to this book, each being determined by the specific subject chosen as representing the main theme o f the book. “ The Gospel o f the Holy Ghost,” prob ably because it describes so vividly the .ac tivities o f the Holy Ghost through the apostles, as well as recording the advent o f the „Holy Spirit. Indeed, so closely related is the Holy Spirit to this book that some Bible scholars divide- the Acts into three main parts, each part being indicated and marked by a notable outpouring o f the Holy Spirit: “ (1) 2:1-4, connected with the witness in Jerusalem ( 2 :5-7:60) ; (2) 8:17, with the witness in Judea and Samaria (cc. 8-9) ; (3) 10:44, 48, with the witness in the uttermost parts o f the earth (cc. 10-28). “ The Book o f the Diffusion o f the Gos pel” (1 :8 ). In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John the gospel is practically restricted to the Jews in Palestine. But how it did spread in the Acts! From a single upper room to temples, dwellings, streets, plains, markets; to palace, to hostelry, to prison and to camp; in chariot or on shipboard; to pities, towns, and isles; amongst Jew and Gentile, praetors, captains, soldiers, eunuch, captives, slaves, marines, women and children; from Jerusalem, Athens, and to Rome; in Jerusalem (3-7), in Judea and Samaria (9-12), to the uttermost parts of the world (13-28). “ The Book o f Origins,” evidently so called because it sets forth the first Chris tian church, apostolic miracle and.sermon, church organization, Christian martyr, Gentile convert, and European church. So Genesis is “the book o f origins” o f the Old Testament. The title given to it in the King James Version is “ The Acts o f the Apostles” or, more properly speaking, “ The Practice of
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