The Book of Acts
BIBL 367.01
Dr. Neil Lightfoot
Maymester 2005
Objectives
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To offer to the student a more advanced course on the Book of Acts that is often
available.
To study certain topics in Acts in some depth—the work of the apostles, the
establishment of the church, the growth of the church, the Holy Spirit, etc.
To relate an increased knowledge of Acts to the practical needs of the everyday Christian.
Texts
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2.
The Greek NT and/or the Revised Standard Version plus other translations of the NT
It is recommended that you purchase, if you have not done so, F.F. Bruce, Commentary
on the Acts of the Apostles; also J.W. McGarvey, New Commentary on the Acts of the
Apostles. The latter is old and must be updated, but it still has valuable material in it.
Requirements
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2.
Assigned readings. See course outline.
Term project. Students have an optional term project of questions and answers on Acts.
There are thirty-one questions listed on the Question sheet. If a student wishes to make
an A in the course, he must do 20 questions. If a student wishes to make a B in the
course, he must do 10 questions. If a student wishes to get extra credit, he may choose to
do all the questions.
The student should state on the title page which category of questions is being done,
including the total number of questions. Several good references should be consulted for
each question. The questions are to be printed or typed (dark ribbon) and double-spaced.
A bibliography should be included; at the end of each question the sources used should
be indicated, with page numbers. Grades on the project will be given according to the
quality of work done. No given number of questions done automatically guarantees a
certain grade. The term project is designed to help the student in his specific
understanding of the Book of Acts. The term project is due August 1.
Tests
One test will be given at the end of chapter 12. A final examination will be given over all
the material of the course. The student’s grade will be based on the test, the term project,
and the final. Those not doing the project will have their grades determined by the test
and the final.
An important requirement of the course is that students come to class. Please—no food or drink
or wearing of hats or caps in class!
ACTS – COURSE OUTLINE
Introduction
A. Title
B. Outline and Contents of Acts
F. F. Bruce, “Acts of the Apostles,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(new edition), Vol. 1, pp. 33-47.
J. W. McGarvey, The New Commentary on Acts of Apostles, pp. vii-xxxvi.
C. Authorship
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction (new ed., 1990), pp. 102-32;
351-402. (Older ed., pp. 92-103; 303-348)
I. H. Marshall, “Acts and the ‘Former Treatise,’” The Book of Acts in its Ancient
Literary Setting, ed. B. Winter and A. Clark, 1993, pp. 163-182.
D. Language and Style of Acts—E. Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 72-81.
E. Date—Colin Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, pp. 365ff.
F.
Chronology
R. B. Rackham, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. lxv-lxix.
E. Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 60-71.
G. Historicity of Acts
W. Ward Gasque, “The Historical Value of the Book of Acts,” Theologische
Zeitschrift 28 (1972), 177-96.
Stephen Neill, The Interpretation of the NT—1861-1961, pp. 1-60, newly
revised,1990.
Also, see esp. Hemer, pp. 101-243.
H. Purpose of Acts
Albert C. Winn, “Elusive Mystery: The Purpose of Acts,” Interpretation 13
(1959), 144-156.
W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts,’ The Confirmation of the Gospel,”
Novum Testamentum 4 (1960), 226-59.
David Peterson, “The Motif of Fulfillment and the Purpose of Acts” in The Book
of Acts in its Ancient Literary Setting, pp. 83-104.
I.
Text of Acts—Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament,
pp. 259-72. (Check pages on new, 4th ed.)
Exposition of Acts
CHAPTERS AND MAIN EVENTS IN ACTS
On the final examination the first twenty-eight questions will be what is in the twenty-eight chapters of
Acts. Listed below are the main things to remember about each chapter.
Learn These!!!
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Ascension of Christ – Selection of Matthias to take Judas’ place.
Holy Spirit comes on the apostles – Peter’s sermon on Pentecost
Lame man healed at Beautiful Gate
Peter and John before the Sanhedrin
Death of Ananias and Sapphira – Gamaliel’s speech
Seven appointed to care for Grecian widows
Stephen’s speech
Philip preaches in Samaria – conversion of the eunuch
Luke’s account of the conversion of Saul
Conversion of Cornelius
Peter retells Cornelius’ conversion – church established at Antioch
Peter’s release from prison – death of Herod Agrippa I
Beginning of first missionary journey – Paul’s longest recorded sermon at Pisidian
Antioch
Paul at Iconium, Lystra, Derbe – return from first missionary journey
Jerusalem conference on circumcision – beginning of second missionary journey
Conversion of Lydia – Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in prison
Church established at Thessalonica – Paul’s speech in Athens
Paul’s arrival and work at Corinth – beginning of third missionary journey
Paul’s work at Ephesus – the uproar in the theater
Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders
Paul observes Jewish rites in temple of Jerusalem
Paul relates his conversion before the Jews in Jerusalem
Jews take an oath not to eat or drink until they kill Paul – Paul brought to Caesarea
Paul speaks before Felix
Paul appears before Festus – Paul appears to Caesar
Paul speaks before Herod Agrippa II
Beginning of voyage to Rome
Paul imprisoned in Rome
SELECTED BOOKS ON ACTS
William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 1953.
C. K. Barrett, Acts, Vols. 1-11, 1994, 1998.
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary,
2nd ed., 1970.
______, Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, 1954; rev. ed., 1988.
H. J. Cadbury, The Book of Acts in History, 1955.
______, The Making of Luke-Acts.
______, The Style and Literary Method of Luke, 1920.
James D. G. Dunn, The Acts of the Apostles, 1996.
Floyd V. Filson, Three Crucial Decades, 1963.
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Acts of the Apostles, 1998.
W. Ward Gasque, A History of the Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, 1989.
Joel B. Green, The Book of Acts and New Testament Historiography, 1994.
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, Vol. 1, Gospels and Acts, rev. ed., 1990.
Colin Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, 1989.
E. Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles, 1971.
Everett Harrison, Interpreting Acts, 1975.
Martin Hengel, Acts and the History of Earliest Christianity, 1986.
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Acts of the Apostles, 1992.
W. J. Foakes Jackson and Kirsopp Lake (eds.), The Beginnings of Christianity, part 1. 5 vols.,
1920-1933.
H. C. Key, To Every Nation Under Heaven: The Acts of the Apostles, 1997.
Simon Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles, 1990.
Robert Maddox, The Purpose of Acts, 1982.
I. H. Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles, 1980.
______, Luke: Historian and Theologian, 3rd ed., 1998.
______ and David Peterson, Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts, 1998.
A. J. Matill Jr. A Classified Bibliography of Literature on the Acts of the Apostles, 1966.
J. W. McGarvey, New Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, 1892.
Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2nd ed., 1994.
Watson E. Mills, A Bibliography of the Periodical Literature on the Acts of the Apostles,
1962-1984, 1986.
A. L. Moore, The Parousia in the New Testament, 1966.
Stephen Neill, The Interpretation of the New Testament—1861-1961, 1964; rev. 1990.
B. M. Newman and E. A. Nida, A Translator’s Handbook of the Acts of the Apostles, 1972.
Frank Pack, Great Preachers of Today series.
R. B. Rackham, The Acts of the Apostles, 1901.
A. N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament, 1963.
David John Williams, Acts, 1990.
Bruce Winter and Andrew Clarke (eds.), The Book of Acts in its Ancient Literary Setting.
Vol. 1 of The Book of Acts in its First Century Setting, 1993.
Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 1998.
QUESTIONS ON ACTS
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Discuss the plan and contents of Acts. How would you outline Acts?
Outline the main reasons for believing that Luke was the author of Acts.
Select some of the main themes of Acts. Develop these themes by way of specific Scriptural
references throughout the book of Acts.
Discuss the purpose(s) of Acts, with primary reference to what Acts itself says.
Who was Theophilus? Was he a Christian?
Discuss the “promise of the Father” in light of Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, and Acts 2:1ff.
Discuss Acts 1:8. Show the importance of this verse for the remainder of the book.
Discuss the feast of Pentecost. How and when was it observed?
Discuss phrase by phrase the meaning of Acts 2:3-4. How is this connected with Acts 1:5?
Outline the main ideas of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14ff.
Explain phrase by phrase the meaning of Acts 2:37-38.
From Peter’s sermon in Acts 3, discuss the following expressions: “Author of life” (3:15), “times of
refreshing” (3:19), and “whom heaven must receive…” (3:21).
Explain about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Why did Luke record this?
Who were the Hellenists? What was the problem in Acts 6 and how was it met?
Discuss some of the main themes of Stephen’s speech in Acts 7.
Briefly discuss the conversion of the Samaritans. In what sense had they not received the Holy Spirit
(Acts 8:15-16)? (Be sure to see McGarvey here.)
Beginning with Acts 8:26, discuss the main points in Luke’s record of the eunuch’s conversion. What
lessons do we learn from this example of conversion?
Sketch out the main points in the conversion of Saul (Acts chaps. 9, 22, 26). In view of Acts 26:16,
what was the purpose of Christ’s appearance to Saul?
In Acts 10 and 11, what was the purpose of Peter’s vision on the housetop? Why did Peter have to go
and preach to Cornelius?
In Acts 13, explain the following expressions: “prophets and teachers” (v. 1), “proconsul” (v. 7ff), and
“baptism and repentance” (v. 24).
Acts 15 is regarded as a very important chapter. What was the problem and how was it solved? What
does this chapter teach on the “way of salvation” for all?
Acts 17 records Paul’s great speech to the Areopagus. What was the Areopagus? Where did it meet?
Summarize the main ideas of Paul’s speech.
Briefly explain Apollos’ characteristics as listed by Luke. What did Priscilla and Aquila and others do
for him?
Explain about the baptism of the men at Ephesus (Acts 19:1ff). Explain verse 2 in light of the context.
(See McGarvey here.)
Who was Artemis or Diana? Describe her temple and her worship. Who were the “Asiarchs”?
Discuss the meaning of “break bread” and the significance of Acts 20:7.
Discuss the main ideas of Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders (20:17ff).
(over)
28. When Paul came to Jerusalem, what was James’ counsel to him (21:18ff)?
29. Acts 22:16 shows the importance of water baptism. Trace this idea throughout Acts and briefly
discuss the relevant passages.
30. Write a few sentences of description on the following persons: Claudius Lysias, Tertullus, Felix,
Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice.
31. Summarize Paul’s preaching to the Jews at Rome (28:23ff). What themes here are echoes of earlier
themes in Acts? What is the significance of the concluding statement of Acts (v.31)?