Who Wrote This Book: The Book of Acts was written by Luke and is the second part of a two-volume work. The Book of Acts begins with a summary of the previous volume, the Gospel of Luke, and then introduces the second volume.
Date of Writing: At the earliest, the Book of Acts was written two years after Paul's imprisonment in Rome, c. 62.
Written To: Acts is written to Theophilus, a name meaning "the one who loves God." Historians are not sure who this Theophilus (mentioned in Luke 1:3 and Acts 1:1) was, although most likely, he was a Roman with an intense interest in the newly forming Christian faith. Luke may also have been writing in general to all those who loved God. The book is written to Gentiles as well, and all people everywhere.
Why It Was Written: Acts 1:1-5 indicates that Luke wrote the Book of Acts to inform Theophilus about events that took place after Jesus' ascension and after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, "the promise of the Father." One could describe the Book of Acts as the "acts" of the Holy Spirit.
Luke's two-volume work is an account of the appearance of God's salvation in human history. The first volume deals with the coming of the Messiah, his death and resurrection. The second volume deals with the ascension of the Messiah, the sending of the Spirit, and the evangelism of Jews, Samaritans and gentiles, beginning in Jerusalem and moving progressively outward. The focus of the Book of Acts is on Peter and Paul predominantly, which means that Luke was selective in what he included in his work.
Theme of the Book of Acts: In the prologue, Luke describes this as the second part of a two-volume work (Luke being his first) which he has dedicated to Theophilus.
The Book of Acts is a selective history of the early church told from a Christian point of view; it focuses primarily on two figures: Peter and Paul. The title "Acts of the Apostles" was first used by Irenaeus in the late second century (Adv. Haer. 3.13.3); it has been suggested, however, that the better title of the work would be "Acts of the Holy Spirit," since the events described occur consequent upon the giving of the Spirit (Acts 2).
There are three passages consisting of ninety-seven verses in which Luke uses the first person plural, rather than the third person as in the rest of the book (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1). Luke had one written source at his disposal: the copy of the letter sent from the Jerusalem church to Paul's predominately gentile congregations, which he reproduces in Acts 15:23-29. If Luke made use of other written sources, however, it is impossible to identify them based on vocabulary and style; there is such a linguistic homogeneity in Acts that one must conclude that, if they existed at all, Luke thoroughly redacted his sources (Acts 28:16).
There are many speeches in the Book of Acts, constituting about twenty percent of the work: 1:15-22 (Peter); 2:14-36 (Peter); 3:12-26(Peter);4:8-12 (Peter); 4:24-31 (Peter and John); 5:34-39 (Gamaliel); 7:2-53 (Stephen); 10:34-43 (Peter); 11:1-17 (Peter); 13:16-40 (Paul); 15:7-11 (Peter); 15:13-21 (James); 17:22-31 (Paul); 20:18-35 (Paul); 22:1-21 (Paul); 25:14-22 (Festus); 26:1-23(Paul). Although these are probably not all verbatim accounts, Luke no doubt provides an accurate summary of what was said by these people on different occasions.
Acts can be divided into five major sections that combine some of Luke's emphases, as shown in the table below.
Part | Major Personalities | Geographical Regions | Ethnic Groups |
1 | Peter and John | Jerusalem | Jews |
2 | Greek-speaking Jews: Philip and Stephen | Jerusalem, Samaria and Judea | Jews, Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch |
3 | Paul and Peter | Damascus, Judea, Antioch, Jerusalem and Asia | Jews, God-fearing Gentiles and pagans |
4 | Paul the missionary | Europe and Asia Minor | Gentiles and Jews |
5 | Paul the prisoner | Jerusalem, Caesarea and Rome | Gentile rulers, Gentiles and Jews |
Key Verses:
Acts 1:1-5 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:7-9 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)
Acts 5:41-42 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (NIV)
Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. (NIV)
