Bible study: the Book of Acts

The Book of Acts was written by St. Luke as a sequel to his Gospel. It is an account of the first thirty years of the Christian Church.

THE BEGINNING

After Jesus had risen from the dead, he spent forty days with the Apostles. He told them: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Then he ascended to his Father in Heaven.

The Apostles hurried back to Jerusalem and hid in an upper room, fearful that the fate which had befallen Jesus would be theirs as well. They waited and prayed for ten days. On the fiftieth day after Easter, Pentecost, a miraculous event occurred.

"Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit". (Acts 2 : 2-4).

The experience transformed the Apostles from a group of timid, fearful men into a group of eloquent, Spirit-filled preachers. They unlocked the door, rushed down the stairs and out into the street.

A crowd had gathered, curious about the wind-like sounds which had come from the house. Peter explained what had happened. The people were so profoundly moved by his words and by the Spirit's power which radiated from the Apostles, that 3.000 souls were baptized that day. Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church.

WITNESSING IN JERUSALEM

The Jewish authorities had believed that once Jesus was dead, this heretical new religious movement which threatened their traditional practices would disappear. When Peter and the Apostles began teaching and performing miracles in the streets of Jerusalem, they realized that such was not the case.

The Apostles were ordered to stop their activities, but they replied : We must obey God, rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

A bitter persecution followed. A young deacon named Stephen became the Church's first martyr. (Acts 7)

Because of the persecution, many Christians fled to Samaria and Judea.

 WITNESSING IN SAMARIA

In Samaria, the Christians preached the Good News and many Samaritans came to believe through their words. One outstanding witness for Christ was a young deacon named Philip.

Along with his powerful ministry, Philip performed many miracles and the Bible relates that there was great joy in that Philip's powerful ministry brought Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they laid hands on the new converts and prayed over them. Instantly the Holy Spirit descended on the new Christians. This event came to be known as the "Samaritan Pentecost".

WITNESSING IN JUDEA

Inspired by Philip's success, Peter traveled to Judea and began preaching in cities there. One day, in Caesarea, he was teaching at the home of a Roman officer named Cornelius.

Unexpectedly, the Holy Spirit came upon the officer and his Gentile family. This remarkable event is often referred to as a "Gentile Pentecost". It helped the early Church understand that God intended the new faith to be not just for the Jewish people but for everyone.

It is notable that Peter presided at each new Pentecost.

The second phase of Jesus' commission had taken place. The Good News was preached in Samaria and Judea.

PETER GOES TO ROME

When Peter returned to Jerusalem, the authorities were waiting for him. He was arrested and imprisoned, but escaped through miraculous means. (Acts 12: 1-17)

After meeting secretly with the Christian community, he left the city, probably because his continued presence posed too great a danger for them.

A fourth-century historian, Eusebius, relates that Peter went to Rome. Thus began the third phase of Jesus' commission, "You shall be my witnesses to the ends of the earth."

SAUL

Saul was a fierce opponent of the early Christians. He was Jew and a Pharisee, but he also had Roman citizenship, probably because his father was a Roman. He had been born in Tarsus, which is part of present-day Turkey. He had been present at the murder of Stephen, and if he did not actually participate, he did nothing to stop it.

One day. as he was on the road to Damascus, a bright light suddenly blinded him, and he fell from his horse. A loud voice demanded: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" When Saul, terrified and unable to see, asked who was speaking, the voice replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9: 4-5)

Saul stumbled to his feet and his friends led him into the city. There, a Christian named Ananias restored his sight. Saul believed and became a Christian.

When Saul began preaching that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, his Jewish friends were shocked and angry. As a Pharisee, his words were influential with the people. Eventually, he was forced to flee for his life to his hometown, Tarsus, where he remained for a considerable length of time. (Acts 9:30)

BARNABAS PREACHES IN ANTIOCH

Barnabas was an early Jewish convert who was preaching in the city of Antioch, which is located in present-day Turkey. He persuaded Saul to join him.

It was in Antioch that the disciples were first referred to as Christians. Also in Antioch Saul dropped his Jewish name and adopted the Gentile name, Paul.

PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY TRIP

The Holy Spirit inspired the Christian community to send Paul and Barnabas on a preaching tour of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). After laying hands on them in prayer, the community sent them off.

The first stop was the island of Cyprus, where Paul and Barnabas spoke in the synagogues, and even had an audience with the governor. Proceeding to Asia Minor, they preached in such cities as Iconium and Lystra.

At Lystra, there was trouble. Angry Jews stoned Paul and left him for dead, but he recovered. Paul and Barnabus returned home exhausted. They had been away five years.

THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

Shortly after returning, Paul and Barnabas were called to Jerusalem to attend a solemn meeting to deal with Church problems. One in particular was causing difficulty.

It seems that certain Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentiles be circumcised before being baptized.

The leaders prayed over the problem and decided against the practice. A line from the document issued states: "The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to put any other burden on you". (Acts 15:28)

PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY TRIP

Some months after returning home, Paul found himself wishing to visit communities where he had preached previously. He set off with two young Christians, Silas and Timothy and besides visiting the former sites, he made stops in the region of Galatia.

He set up Christian communities in cities like Philippi and Thessalonica. It became his practice to keep in touch with these communities by letter, after he had departed on other missionary endeavors.

On this trip the Gospel message was carried as far as Greece, to cities like Athens and Corinth.

PAUL IN CORINTH

In Paul's day, Corinth was a major commercial central, and riffraff from around the world gathered and settled there. Paul preached to these unlikely people, and surprisingly, his words took hold. By the time he left the city in 54 A.D. there was a sizable, thriving Christian community.

PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY TRIP

Shortly after returning home, Paul set off again. He visited cities where he had previously set up Christian communities, and proceeded to establish even more in new localities.

In the city of Ephesus, he encountered difficulty. The city's silversmiths had enjoyed profitable businesses selling statues of idols to pagan worshippers. After Paul's preaching took hold, the silversmiths lost many of their customers. There was a violent confrontation and Paul, in the interest of the safety of the Christian community, decided to move on.

After making a few more stops, he returned to Jerusalem.

PAUL IS ARRESTED

Paul's conversion and his successful preaching to the Gentiles infuriated the Jews in Jerusalem. He was arrested soon after he returned from his third journey. Realizing he could never receive a fair trial in that city, he exercised his right as a Roman citizen and asked to be tried in Rome. His request was granted.

PAUL GOES TO ROME

Paul's voyage to Rome is related in detail in the Book of Acts and makes an exciting story. After a fierce storm, a shipwreck, and other adventures he landed and settled in Rome about 61 A.D. Apparently trials did not take place quickly in those days either.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles ends with these words: " He [Paul] remained for two full years in his lodgings and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ". (Acts 28: 30-31)

THE ENDING: TO BE CONTINUED...

The book ends abruptly. We are not told what happened to Paul. Tradition tells that he was beheaded for his faith about 67 A.D.

Perhaps Luke purposely left his account unfinished because he felt there was more to come. He was right. The story, the history of the Christian Church, continues to the present day.

The preaching of the Good News, the coming of God's kingdom, started by Jesus, continued by the Apostles and Paul, passed along by sincere and dedicated Christian men and women through the ages, has been passed on to us in this generation.

Much of the world in this century needs to hear the Gospel preached just as much as the people in Apostolic times. Whether or not the message reaches those who need it, depends now not on the Apostles, Paul, Barnabas, Silas or Timothy, but on you and me.

How will we respond to the Jesus' commission?