Historical purpose (expansion of the church from Jerusalem to Rome)

(1) The Acts of the Apostles is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel records the ministry of Jesus on earth, while the Acts records the ministry of the resurrected Jesus, who ascended to heaven. The resurrected Jesus continues His work through the apostles and the church, with the Holy Spirit guiding both the apostles and the church. (2) With this in mind, “The Acts of the Apostles” or “The Acts,” may not be the most accurate title. “The Work of the Resurrected Jesus,” would be a better title that describes the content. (3) Luke records the first 30 years of church history according to its geographical expansion. (a) Evangelism in Jerusalem (1:1–8:4). (b) Evangelism in Judea and Samaria (8:5–12:25). (c) Evangelism to the ends of the earth (13:1–28:31). (4) Additionally, Luke divides the 30 years of church history into two parts: the first 15 years and the latter 15 years. (a) The first part centers around Peter (1:1–12:25). (b) The second part centers around Paul (13:1–28:31). Peter and Paul are depicted in parallel, which serves as a defense of Paul’s apostleship. (5) The Acts of the Apostles is a coupler that seamlessly connects the Gospels, the Epistles, and Revelation.

Theological purpose

(1) Luke aimed to prove that Christianity is a legitimate faith derived from the Old Testament. There is continuity between what God promised to the people of Israel and what the church has received. (2) Even in the church time, the promises God made to the people of Israel have not been annulled. Currently, the people of Israel are in opposition to God, but ultimately, they will be saved. (3) A point to make note of is that since the Acts of the Apostles is a historical record, one must not derive universal applications from it. This includes experiences of Pentecost, Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus, the apostles’ rulings, miracles, and judgments. The only theological theme intended for universal application is “the conditions for the salvation of Gentiles.” This theme addresses whether Gentiles need to convert to Judaism to be saved. Through the Acts of the Apostles, we can learn about the conditions (historical, social, cultural, political, and religious) surrounding the early church during its first 30 years. We can also learn how the church that was born in Jerusalem has come to be as it is today. Our role is to apply the lessons learned from the Acts of the Apostles to the present day.