Purpose

To record the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome.

Author

Luke, the beloved physician and Paul's traveling companion, who also wrote the Gospel of Luke. As an eyewitness to many events and careful historian, Luke provides the authoritative account of the early church.

Historical Context

Written: 62-64 AD. The continuation of Luke's Gospel, showing how Jesus' work continued through His disciples.

Significance

The only record of early church history, showing how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Key Themes

Holy Spirit, Church Growth, Missions, Persecution, God's Sovereignty

Interesting Facts

• Acts is volume 2 of Luke's two-part work (Luke-Acts makes up 27% of the New Testament)
• The Holy Spirit is mentioned 57 times - more than any other book
• Records the conversion of 3,000 people in one day (Pentecost)

Prophecies

• Jesus' promise that the gospel would spread to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) Fulfilled: Ongoing fulfillment as the gospel spreads worldwide (2000 years later)

Acts 17 narrates the continuation of Paul’s missionary journeys as he travels through significant cities in Macedonia, namely Thessalonica and Berea, before moving on to Athens. Upon arriving in Thessalonica, Paul follows his custom of preaching in the synagogue, engaging with the Jewish community for three consecutive Sabbaths. He presents the necessity of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, successfully persuading some Jews and a multitude of God-fearing Greeks, including notable women. However, the jealousy of the Jewish leaders leads to a mob uprising against Paul and Silas, resulting in the arrest of Jason, a supporter of the missionaries. The unrest prompts the brothers to send Paul and Silas away to Berea, where the reception is more favorable. The Bereans are described as noble-minded, diligently examining the Scriptures to verify Paul’s claims, which leads to many conversions. The hostile Jews from Thessalonica soon learn of Paul’s presence in Berea and stir up further trouble, compelling Paul to escape to Athens, while Silas and Timothy remain behind. In Athens, Paul is deeply troubled by the city’s idolatry. He engages in discussions at the synagogue and the marketplace, stirring interest among philosophers of diverse schools of thought, including Epicureans and Stoics. They take him to the Areopagus to explain his teachings, intrigued by the novelty of his message about Jesus and the resurrection. This chapter illustrates the spread of the gospel amidst varying receptions in different cultural contexts, highlighting both the opposition Paul faced and the genuine quest for truth among the people he encountered.

Purpose

To record the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome.

Author

Luke, the beloved physician and Paul's traveling companion, who also wrote the Gospel of Luke. As an eyewitness to many events and careful historian, Luke provides the authoritative account of the early church.

Historical Context

Written: 62-64 AD. The continuation of Luke's Gospel, showing how Jesus' work continued through His disciples.

Significance

The only record of early church history, showing how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Key Themes

Holy Spirit, Church Growth, Missions, Persecution, God's Sovereignty

Interesting Facts

• Acts is volume 2 of Luke's two-part work (Luke-Acts makes up 27% of the New Testament)
• The Holy Spirit is mentioned 57 times - more than any other book
• Records the conversion of 3,000 people in one day (Pentecost)

Prophecies

• Jesus' promise that the gospel would spread to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) Fulfilled: Ongoing fulfillment as the gospel spreads worldwide (2000 years later)

Acts 17 narrates the continuation of Paul’s missionary journeys as he travels through significant cities in Macedonia, namely Thessalonica and Berea, before moving on to Athens. Upon arriving in Thessalonica, Paul follows his custom of preaching in the synagogue, engaging with the Jewish community for three consecutive Sabbaths. He presents the necessity of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, successfully persuading some Jews and a multitude of God-fearing Greeks, including notable women. However, the jealousy of the Jewish leaders leads to a mob uprising against Paul and Silas, resulting in the arrest of Jason, a supporter of the missionaries. The unrest prompts the brothers to send Paul and Silas away to Berea, where the reception is more favorable. The Bereans are described as noble-minded, diligently examining the Scriptures to verify Paul’s claims, which leads to many conversions. The hostile Jews from Thessalonica soon learn of Paul’s presence in Berea and stir up further trouble, compelling Paul to escape to Athens, while Silas and Timothy remain behind. In Athens, Paul is deeply troubled by the city’s idolatry. He engages in discussions at the synagogue and the marketplace, stirring interest among philosophers of diverse schools of thought, including Epicureans and Stoics. They take him to the Areopagus to explain his teachings, intrigued by the novelty of his message about Jesus and the resurrection. This chapter illustrates the spread of the gospel amidst varying receptions in different cultural contexts, highlighting both the opposition Paul faced and the genuine quest for truth among the people he encountered.