Luke wrote a two-volume history, with vol. 1 being his gospel, i.e., an account of the life, teaching and works of Jesus Christ up to the ascent of the risen Christ into heaven. Acts is volume 2, an account which describes how the followers of Jesus Christ embody His presence and message in the world.

1. Luke was not an eyewitness: compare
   1. Luke 1.1—4:

      Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely^[a] for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph′ilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.

   2. Acts 1.1-2:

      In the first book, O The-oph′ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

2. Beginning at 16.10—17 Luke will refer to “we” when we refers to Paul coming to a particular place. Luke now is an eyewitness. The Greek-speaking (and educated) physician is now involved in the mission “to the end of the earth”.

1. Introduction to the era of the Church (1.1—26):¹
   1. Witness’s commission and Jesus’ ascension (1.9—14)
   2. The restoration of the Twelve (1.15—26)
2. The mission in Jerusalem (2.1—5.42):
   1. The appeal to Israel (2.1—3.26)
   2. The life and trials of the apostolic Church (4.1—5.42)
3. The mission’s outward path from Jerusalem (6.1—15.35):
   1. The Hellenists and their message (6.1—8.40)
   2. The persecutor becomes the persecuted (9.1—31)
   3. Peter as missionary (9.32—11.18)
   4. Between Jerusalem and Antioch (11.19—12.25)
   5. The first missionary journey of Paul (13.1—14.28)
   6. The Jerusalem conference and resolution (15.1—35)
4. Paul’s path to Rome (15.36—20.38):
   1. The major missions of Paul (15.36—20.38)
   2. Paul as prisoner and defendant in Palestine (20.17—38)
   3. Paul’s last journey and ministry in Rome (27.1—28.31)

¹Adapted from Richard J. Dillon, “Acts of the Apostles” in The New Jerome Bible Commentary, Raymond E. Brown, et al., eds. (Prentice Hall, 1990, at 725—26.)

1. Luke begins by linking his narrative to his gospel account. It’s useful to first read Luke 24.44—53.

   Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”
   
   Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.^[ And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

2. The programmatic verse for the entire book is Acts 1.8:

   “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samar′ia and to the end of the earth.”

   1. The rest of Acts narrates how the disciples fulfill what Jesus has told them is to come.
3. Peter’s speech at vv. 16—22 is the first set speech in Acts.
   1. The tone is set in the address to the disciples as “brothers”.
   2. The betrayal of Jesus is described as part of the divine plan.
   3. The selection of Matthias by lot is an invocation of God’s direct action.

We now encounter the “program” unfolding.

1. The witness in Jerusalem and all Judea (2.1—5.42) is coupled with the life and trials of the early apostolic Church (4.1—5.42) and the beginning of the story of the spread of mission outside of Jerusalem.
2. Pentecost: Described are the event itself (2.1—13), Peter’s sermon about what has happened (2.14—41), and a summary of the message (2.42—47).
   1. Pentecost was a Jewish holiday, Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, the fiftieth day after Passover.
      1. The name derives from the giving of the Law, a commemoration of the giving of the Ten Commandments.
      2. The holiday was one of three festivals of pilgrimage; hence the many pilgrims in Jerusalem.
   2. The imagery is redolent of Isaiah 66.15—20 (most clearly in the LXX version of Isaiah). The heavenly origin of the Spirit is emphasized.
   3. The list of nations is interested, both for those included and for those left out. The regions wherein the rest of Acts will take place are not mentioned.
   4. Peter’s sermon is an accusation against the crowd framed with the kerygma, the proclamation of Jesus as Lord.
      1. The crowd are witnesses both of the outpouring of the Spirit and of the lordship of Jesus (cf. 1.8).
      2. The