From Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the

From Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the Ends of the Earth The Spiritual Geography of the Gospel A five week reflection

The Book of Acts • Who? Someone named Luke; possibly addressed to a wealthy patron(Theophilus). Probably Greek, very learned, maybe an accomplice of the Apostle Paul. • What? The second volume of a two volume set (Luke). A theological interpretation of the spread of the Gospel across geographical and cultural lines. Over 25% of the NT. • When? The scholarly consensus it was written around 80 – 90 C. E. • Where? Divided opinions: Rome, Antioch, or Asia Minor • Why?

Theological Characteristics • Irenic – meaning to make peace or engage the ministry of reconciliation. There were many different strands of the faith that needed to work together in unity. • Polemic – meaning to argue against. With the addition of new people from many different backgrounds, there was a danger that some idolatrous practices might be brought into the orthodox faith. • Apologetic – (does not mean “I’m sorry”) meaning to illustrate that the faith was not a threat to the ruling authorities (Rome) and that Christianity was not antithetical to citizenship. Note that allegiance to the Gospel was primary. • Evangelistic – meaning that the narrative speaks to the power and effectiveness of the proclaimed Gospel in the missional spread of Christianity across geographic and cultural boundaries. • Pastoral – meaning that the writing was intended to strengthen the fragile faith of new believers.

Jerusalem • I. Acts 1: 1 -2, The Prologue • II. Acts 1: 3– 2: 13, Preparing to Continue the Ministry of Jesus • A. 1: 3 -14, The Apostolic Succession • B. 1: 15 -26, And Then There Were Twelve • C. 2: 1 -13, Pentecost: The Spirit of Prophecy Falls upon the Community • III. Acts 2: 14– 15: 12, Part One: A Narrative of Conversion • A. 2: 14 -41, Peter’s Pentecost Proclamation • B. 2: 42 -47, The Community of the Uncommon Life • C. 3: 1– 8: 3, “You Shall Be My Witnesses in Jerusalem”: The Jerusalem Mission • 3: 1– 4: 4, Story One: The Apostles Heal the Lame of Israel • 4: 5 -31, Story Two: The Apostles vs. the Sanhedrin, Round One • 4: 32– 5: 16, Interlude: “One Holy and Apostolic Church” • 5: 17 -42, Story Three: The Apostles vs. the Sanhedrin, Round Two • 6: 1 -7, Interlude: Resolving Conflict Within the Community of Goods • 6: 8– 8: 3, Story Four: Stephen, a Prophet Mighty in Word and Deed

Jerusalem • I. Acts 1: 1 -26 • Prologue – “In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught… giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles… ordered them not to leave Jerusalem… wait there for the promise…” • Ascension – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. ” • Apostolic succession – “When they entered the city, they went to the room upstairs… devoting themselves to prayer… Peter stood among the believers… scripture had to be fulfilled…concerning Judas… Let another take his position… and the lot fell on Matthias.

Power • “Dynamis” – “to be able, ” “to be capable of. ” When we turn from the Greek and Hellenistic world to that of the (Bible)…, we enter a different atmosphere. In place of a neutral idea of God we have the personal God. In place of the neutral forces of nature we have the power and might of the personal God, which do not operate in terms of immanent law but which rather carry out the will of God according to His direction. This difference, based upon the whole conception of God, is plainly expressed in the concept of power. Grundmann, W. (1964–). δύναμαι, δυνατός, δυνατέω, ἀδύνατος, ἀδυνατέω, δύναμις, δυνάστης, δυναμόω, ἐνδυναμόω. G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds. ), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed. , Vol. 2, p. 290). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Witnesses • “Martyria” - To understand the NT use, it is basic to remember that non-biblical Greek uses the concept of witness both in the sense of witness to ascertainable facts and also in that of witness to truths, i. e. , the making known and confessing of convictions. Both uses are also found in the NT, and the development of the distinctive Christian use is the result of their application to the content of Gospel proclamation and to the circumstances in which this took place. Strathmann, H. (1964–). μα ρτυς, μαρτυρε ω, μαρτυρι α, μαρτυ ριον, ε πιμαρτυρε ω, συμμαρτυρε ω, συνεπιμαρτυρε ω, καταμαρτυρε ω, μαρτυ ρομαι, διαμαρτυ ρομαι, προμαρτυ ρομαι, ψευδο μαρτυς, ψευδομαρτυρε ω, ψευδομαρτυρι α. G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds. ), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed. , Vol. 4, p. 474). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Jerusalem • Jerusalem, as the most holy and sacred place, represents the home or the center of the church’s activities. This is what the Catholic Church refers to as the “Domestic Church. ” The term “domestic church” is found as far back as the first century and the Greek word ecclesiola refers to “little church. ” This is our home or family. • The significance of Jerusalem is based on the fact that it is elevated to be the residence of the house of David, that it becomes the place of the presence of Yahweh. • Sometimes the term Zion-Jerusalem is used in transition from designation of the city to symbolizing of its inhabitants. It is the city of the temple and servants of Yahweh, the community. • In contrast to the positive estimation of Jerusalem is the prophetic criticism in which the city is granted no privileged status but regarded as the city of sin in the midst of a sinful people. Mostly the prophetic denunciation applies equally to Jerusalem and Judah, so that the city as such is not iniquitous as distinct from the land Lohse, E. , & Fohrer, G. (1964–). Σιών, Ἰερουσαλήμ, Ἱεροσόλυμα, Ἱεροσολυμίτης. G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds. ), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed. , Vol. 7, p. 303). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Jerusalem • II. 2: 1 -47 • The coming of the Holy Spirit – “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound… and it filled the entire house… Divided tongues as of fire… rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages…” • Peter addresses the crowd – “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem… these are not drunk… what was spoken through the prophet Joel… Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ” • First converts – “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart… what should we do? . . . Repent… be baptized… you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit… They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ” • Life among the believers – “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would share their possessions and good and distribute the proceeds to all as any had need… with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. ”

The Gospel Proclamation “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as yourselves know – this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power… Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah…” (Acts 2: 22 -24, 36)

Jerusalem III. 3: 1– 4: 24 • The Apostles Heal the Lame of Israel – “”One day Peter and John were going up to the temple… And a man lame from birth was being carried in… so that he could ask for alms… When he saw Peter and John. . He asked them… Peter… said, ‘Look at us…. Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk. ’…All the people… recognized him… and they were filled with wonder and amazement…” • The Apostles vs. the Sanhedrin – “While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests… and Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So the arrested them… but many of those who heard the word believed… The next day their rulers… inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit… said to them… let it be known to all of you… that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus… for there is no other name under heaven… by which we must be saved… After they were released, they went to their friends and reported… When they heard it, they raised the voices together to God. ”

Jerusalem • 6: 1– 7 • Servants, witnesses and conflict resolution – “Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among you seven men of good standing full of the Spirit… whom we may appoint to this task… they chose Stephen, a man full of faith… They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. ”

Closing thoughts on Witnessing • Witnessing is personal • Witnessing is about the life giving resurrection • Witnessing is about Jesus Christ • Witnessing is accompanied by the abiding presence of the Spirit • The goal of witnessing is inviting others to a transforming relationship with Christ, not just information

Questions to chew on… • We are promised the power of the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes of the blind and softens the heart. How can we receive that power? How have you experienced that power? • We are called to use that power for witnessing, first in Jerusalem. What does witnessing look like for you? Where is the Jerusalem in your life where you are called to witness? • What will be the content / story of your Gospel proclamation?

Judea • D. 8: 4 -40, “And in All Judea and Samaria”: Philip’s Mission to Outcasts Beyond Jerusalem • 8: 4 -25, Philip’s Mission to the “Outcasts of Israel”: The Samaritans • 8: 26 -40, Philip’s Mission to the “Outcasts of Israel”: The Eunuch from Ethiopia

To the Ends of the Earth • E. 9: 1– 15: 12, “And to the End of the Earth”: Paul’s Mission as “Light for the Nations” • 9: 1 -31, The Conversion and Commissioning of Saul • 9: 32– 11: 18, Back to the Future: Peter’s Prophetic Ministry Beyond Jerusalem • 11: 19– 12: 25, The Succession of the Twelve • 13: 1– 14: 26, Paul’s Mission to the Nations • 14: 27– 15: 5, The Jerusalem Council: Report and Reaction to Paul’s Mission • 15: 6 -12, The Jerusalem Council: Evidence That Demands a Verdict • IV. Acts 15: 13– 28: 28, Part Two: A Narrative of Consecration • A. 15: 13 -35, The Jerusalem Council: The Verdict of James

Continued Mission to the Gentiles • B. 15: 36– 16: 10, Interlude: Paul Beyond Roman Asia • C. 16: 11 -40, Paul’s Mission to the Philippians • D. 17: 1 -15, Conflict and Conversion Among Diaspora Jews • E. 17: 16 -34, Paul’s Athenian Mission • F. 18: 1 -17, Paul’s Corinthian Mission • G. 18: 18 -23, Interlude: Paul’s Pilgrimage from Corinth to Antioch • H. 18: 24– 19: 7, Interlude: Paul Returns to Ephesus • J. 20: 1 -16, Paul’s Pilgrimage to Jerusalem • K. 20: 17 -38, Paul’s Speech of Succession • L. 21: 1 -16, Paul’s Journey into Jerusalem • M. 21: 17 -26, Paul Meets with James • N. 21: 27 -39, Paul’s “Arrest” • O. 21: 40– 23: 35, Paul Defends Himself Before Jews in Jerusalem

Finally, to Rome • • • P. 24: 1 -27, Paul’s Roman Trial in Caesarea Q. 25: 1 -12, Paul Appeals to Caesar R. 25: 13 -27, Interlude: Festus Twice Reviews Paul’s Case S. 26: 1 -32, Paul Defends Himself Before King Agrippa and Bernice T. 27: 1 -12, Setting Sail for Rome U. 27: 13 -26, Stormy Weather V. 27: 27 -44, Surviving the Shipwreck W. 28: 1 -16, “And So We Came to Rome” X. 28: 17 -28, Paul’s Mission in Rome V. Acts 28: 30 -31, The Ending of Acts Primary resource: Robert W. Wall. “The Acts of the Apostles: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections. ”. The New Interpreters Bible, Volume X (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994).