Blogger Note: Our church family began a study in the Book of Acts on January 21, 2024. The following is a copy of the introductory handout from that sermon.
Author: Luke. We know this because of the similar opening to Luke’s Gospel. Luke’s authorship of Luke’s Gospel and Acts has been attested to throughout church history. He was a close companion of the Apostle Paul even at the end of his life; when everyone else left Luke stayed by Paul’s side (Philemon 24, 2 Timothy 4:11)
Recipient: Theophilus. His name means “lover of God” or “beloved of God.” We do not know if he was a believer who needed further instruction or an unbeliever learning about the Christian faith. He was likely a Roman official, since Luke addressed him as “most excellent Theophilus” in Luke 1:3 (see also Acts 24:2; 26:25).[1]
Date Written: We do not have a date given to us. However, we know that this book was finished sometime after Paul’s house arrest in Rome since the book closes with this information. Since Paul’s death for Jesus is not mentioned in this book even though Luke was with him at the end (2 Timothy 4:11), it is safe to assume that this was written before Paul was martyred. That gives us an estimated date of the early A.D. sixties (maybe 60-62).
Volume 2: Acts 1:1-3 tells us that this is the second volume of a history written to Theophilus. Look at verse 1 again, “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach…”
Volume one is clearly the Gospel of Luke which is why we read Luke 1:1-4. And Volume One, Luke’s Gospel, tells us the things that Jesus began to do and teach. That implies that this volume deals with the things that Jesus continued to do and teach.
Title:
- Traditional: The Acts of the Apostles
- Longer and More Complete: The Continuing Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ Through His Apostles By the Power of Promised Holy Spirit According to the Father’s Purposes.
Outline of the Book:
The outline of this book can be divided by using Acts 1:8. The Lord Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Book of Acts breaks up into this outline:
- The Witness of Jesus in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7)
- The Witness of Jesus in All Judea and Samaria (Acts 8-12)
- The Witness of Jesus to the End of the Earth (Acts 13-28)
This book can also be outlined by the key apostles Jesus was working through within the chapters:
- Peter (1-12)
- Paul (13-28)
[1] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017),352.
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