1But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. 4He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5He said, “Who are you, Lord?”
The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”
7The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. 8Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
11The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, 12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. 14Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. 19He took food and was strengthened.
Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 21All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
22But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 23When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28He was with them entering into Jerusalem, 29preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him. 30When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed. 34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose. 35All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. 37In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
We find the sequel to the work of the Gospel writer Luke in the book of Acts. This second work continues where his Gospel left off, and even overlaps with the ascension of Jesus into the heavens. Few scholars doubt that Luke wrote the work, but some do question his accuracy. Fortunately, numerous studies done by historians and archaeologists have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt, that Luke was a highly accurate historian, being very familiar with the subject areas of his book, whether it be customs, political titles, cities and countries, and the like.
The book of Acts is written sometime after the Gospel of Luke and ends with Paul preaching the gospel under arrest while waiting for his first trial under Nero. Thus we are speaking of a date in the early 60s.
The recipient of this second work is also Theophilus, but probably intended for a larger audience. Some have sought to argue that the Acts is really a legal brief to defend Paul. Though it has some elements to seek to show that Christianity was not a revolutionary movement against Roman rule, nonetheless the primary focus of the book is elsewhere. Luke seeks to move the life of Jesus from suffering Savior to Lord of the church. Jesus is seen throughout the book in some form, but particularly He is working through the promised Holy Spirit.
The Acts is more than a history of the church, but is a theology of the movement of God in His people and in the world through the proclamation of the Gospel that began at Jerusalem and finally reaches the capital of the empire, Rome.
The first portion of Acts centers on Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria. This discussion introduces the apostles, Stephen the Hellenistic Jew, and Philip the evangelist. The primary figure, however, is the apostle Peter, particularly through his proclamation to the Gentile centurion Cornelius in chapter 10 and subsequent defense before the apostles and elders at Jerusalem in chapter 11.
The major human character of the Acts only emerges in chapter 8, and he is not a friend of Jesus or Christianity. Saul the Pharisee and rabbi is present at the stoning of the martyr Stephen and assented to his death. It is only in chapter 9 that this fervent Jew is brought to faith in the Messiah that he had been persecuting. From this point on, Luke’s book focuses on the ministry of the apostle to the Gentiles. Luke covers three missionary journeys and the final trip to Rome, where the Roman citizen and Christian Paul must give testimony to the risen Lord and Savior before the Romans, and ultimately before Caesar himself. We find the book ending with Paul sharing about Jesus with Roman soldiers without hindrance. Only in church tradition do we discover he was found innocent at this time. He later died after a second trial toward the end of Nero’s reign in A.D. 66, after he had written his last letter to Timothy, his son in the faith.
One discovers in the Acts a number of theological ideas, of which I will only mention three. Luke emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, empowering the apostles and disciples to preach the Gospel and giving them strength in times of persecution. Secondly, the book of Acts indicates, along with the remainder of the New Testament, that salvation is through faith and not works. Last of all, Acts makes clear that the Gospel is intended for all people, Jews and Gentiles.
Acts is a unique book in the New Testament in that it bridges the gap between the life, passion and resurrection of the Messiah with the work of the apostles and the Holy Spirit in the life of the church that Jesus said he would establish. Without this book there would be considerable confusion regarding Paul, the major author of the epistles, as well as the life of the church.