Acts of the Apostles

Artist drawing of a market place in old Jerusalem

Art copyrighted and used courtesy of Artist Alex Pokos

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

Author = Luke, writer of the Gospel of Luke

Date = 63 A.D.

Theme: The work of the risen Jesus Christ continues through the Holy Spirit and His presence in establishing the Church through the spreading of the message by the men that had seen and heard Jesus Christ personally.

The book originally had no title. In the second century it became known by the title “The Acts of the Apostles”. Some have said the title was given because the Apostles are all named in the first chapter.

Many of these Apostles are never mentioned again and some only briefly. A simpler title would be “The continuing work of the risen Christ through the Holy Spirits presence on the men that were His disciples while he was on earth”.

Acts chronicles the Apostles and believers setting out to fulfill the commission set forth in Acts 1:8 by Jesus. He told them to go “be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Book can be divided into three sections.

SECTION I - Acts chapter 1 through Acts 8:3

It is a definitive record of the foundations and structure that established the group of early believers. This section covers the beginning and start in “Jerusalem and all Judea. THIS STUDY WILL ONLY DISCUSS SECTION I

SECTION II

Records the spread of the Gospel to “Samaria” following the start of heavy persecution following the death of Stephen.

SECTION III

Probably the most taught on section as it records the addition of Paul to the faith and his ministry to the “uttermost part of the earth”.

CHAPTER OVERVIEWS

Acts 1 to Acts 8:3 ONLY

Chapter 1 Waiting for the Promise

Chapter 2 Pentecost – The Arrival of the Holy Spirit

Chapter 3:1– 4:31 Directly to the Temple

Chapter 4:32 – 5:42 Ministry Begins

Chapters 6-8 Ministry and Life Witness of Stephen

External Websites and Documents

related to the Book of Acts.

These links may redirect away from this website.

Copyright and Duplication Notification:

With exception of the quoted Scripture verses from the King James Bible, all items located on this website are either created by WD Kemner (unless indicated otherwise) and free for your use or are in the public domain and free to use.

Documents created by other authors are referenced to by external hyperlinks. Those items are protected by the copyrights which govern those websites and permission to use materials from those sites must be obtained from those authors.

Emperors of Rome during the time period of the New Testament.

Caesar Augustus – during the census and birth of Christ

Caesar Tiberius – during the time of the Crucifixion

Calegia – known as “little boots” – bloody

Claudius – book of Acts

Nero – known as persecutor of Christians

Disperian – during Book of Luke, Jews are ordered destroyed

Dalmetian – reign was while John in prison

Map of Jerusalem in first century