Acts and Paul's Writings

Paul Chart:

Chart of Paul’s Letters	Disputed or Undisputed? If disputed-why?	Date/Paul’s Location	Initial Audience	Topics/Themes	Names of people (cast of major characters)
1 Thessalonians	Undisputed	Phillipia 49-52	Thessalonians-Roman city (mostly Gentiles)	imitation: find a model be a model Parousia: second coming conduct of Paul’s ministry, honor and shame, sexual morality, working for a living.	Paul, Timothy, Silas
2 Thessalonians	Disputed- appears to imitate 1 Thess., sets out events for Parousia, overargues Pauline authorship.	Corinth 50-53 CE	Thessalonians- Roman City (Mostly Gentiles)	certainty of judgement coming of the “Lawless One” problem of idleness	Paul, Timothy, Silas
1 Corinthians	Undisputed	Corinth, Ephesus 50s	mixed groups- some Jewish, mostly Gentiles	marriage church unity wisdom and power resurrection Christ crucified freedom, the lords supper excommunication sexual morality food Living as Christ followers with bodies	apollos, aquila, priscilla, paul
2 Corinthians	Undisputed	Macedonia 50s	mixed groups- some Jewish, mostly Gentiles	personal attacks on Paul theology of Ministry collection super-apostles charity and giving	titus, paul, super apostles
Romans	Undisputed	Ephesus 57-58	Romans- Jewish and Gentile believers	righteousness of God Justification by grace Obedience of faith universal availability of salvation death and resurrection God and Israel obedience to the government accommodating for the weak	Phoebe, Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, Junia
Galatians	undisputed	mid-50s probably from Ephesus- location unknown	Galatians- providence in modern-day Turkey	paul’s claim to authority Christ and law justification by faith, not by works God’s favor is universal in scope the fullness of time has come the spirit produces what the law cannot affect	Paul, Peter, James
Philippians (Prison Letters)	undisputed	Possibilities for paul’s location: Ephesus Caesarea Rome	Philippians (Gentiles)	incarnation humility suffering fellowship/friendship shared ministry shared thinking	epaphroditus timothy paul
Philemon (Prison Letters)	undisputed	same possibilities as Philippians	Philemon	powers of persuasion paul’s attitude towards slavery	philemon onesimus paul
Colossians (Prison Letters)	disputed- authorship questioned, could be pseudigraphic- developed beyond undisputed, ties to ephesians	same possibilities as Philippians	Colossians	the cosmic christ realized eschatology knowledge and maturity ecology	Epaphras Paul
Ephesians (Prison Letters)	disputed- authorship (if it was Paul) questioned. similar to Colossians, dissimilar to undisputed. could have been written for legacy.	Same as Philippians	Ephesians- Church is Laodicea (circular letter)	mysterious plan of God church idealized status of believers MYSTERY	Ephesus Paul
1 Timothy (Pastoral Letters)	Disputed Presumes Paul and Timothy together in Ephesus and this is Paul writing back to Timothy who now runs the church	Macedonia	Timothy- written to him	church government false teaching and sound doctrine women and ministry encourages fervent prayer Christ as mediator	Timothy Paul
2 Timothy (Pastoral Letters)	Disputed Presumes Paul is in prison and he expects to be executed, wants Timothy to come.	In Prison in Rome	Timothy- written to him	false teaching and sound doctrine women and ministry suffering and shame	Timothy Paul
Titus (Pastoral Letters)	Disputed Presumes Paula and Titus were ministering together in Crete but Paul had left Titus to continue work	unspecified (probably Ephesus)	Titus - written to him	Church government false teaching and sound doctrine Women and ministry	Titus Paul

Pastoral Letters:

“Gaps in the Record” Theory
“Second Career” Theory
“Pseudegraphic Composition” Theory

Definitions:

Pseudegraphic- wrongly of falsely attributed work to an author.
Eschatology- Branch of theology concerned with the end times.

Acts

I. Literary Shape of Acts

A. Unity of Luke and Acts in a single, continuous story

Common Themes:
1. Holy Spirit
2. Role of Prophetic Figures
3. Riches
“Predictions” of Luke fulfilled in Acts; not prophecies but rather expectations of the reader that are fulfilled
1. behavior of missionaries
2. Parable of great banquet
3. fate of apostles and prophets
4. treatment of apostles
5. so one learns to read Luke looking forward and Acts looking backward
Types of Patterns:
1. prophet “types” and divine reversals
2. Stephen’s last words parallel those of Jesus’, and both were vindicated.

Narrative Structure

Geography
1. Acts 1:8 is programmatic
Periodic narrative summaries
Speeches 20% of Acts
1. Rehearsals of Israel’s history to bring the story to Christ
2. to present Christ as the next logical step
3. Summarize kerygma (the proclamation of the early church)
Luke’s Literary Achievement
1. Only Luke writes a sequel, not an afterthought
2. A grand scale in terms of history and geography
3. a story with global implications
4. Luke stresses the purposeful, coherent plan of God
Luke’s Convictions
1. The presence and power of Jesus continue
2. the followers of Jesus continue his work
3. The presence of Jesus is revealed in certain events:
  1. Signs
  2. Wonders
  3. Moments of Proclamation
Luke’s narrative strategy that underscores his convictions

Overview of chapters 1-12: Word, prophets, and people of God in Judea and Samaria

Luke 24 and Acts 1: Both set in Jerusalem, risen Lord present, disciples as witness. After ascension, selection of Judas’ replacement and reconstitution of the twelve.
Acts 2: Pentecost- the Messianic age inaugurated. Fulfills Luke 24. Peter’s sermon telegraphs the themes of Acts: divine fulfillment, protection, universal outreach.
Acts 3-7: leadership within Israel redefined. The “twelve” replace the Jewish Jerusalem leadership, confirmation by Gamaliel. Stephen’s speech confirms God’s activity outside Israel, vindication reminiscent of Jesus.
Acts 8-12: Word of God in Samaria and environs. Especially important:
1. Cornelius, conversion of Gentiles, a “second Pentecost,” vindication seen in Peter’s release and the death of Herod.
2. Ethiopian Eunich and Philip.
  1. First non-Jewish, African convert to the Jesus movement
3. image: Stephen being stoned, surrounded by traditional leaders of Jerusalem.

Acts 13-28: The Irrepressible Word of God

Paul ends up being persecuted himself, flees to Arabia and then to Tarsus on Black Sea (his hometown)
- Eventually his friend from Damascus was leading Jesus followers to Antioch of Syria
- Invited Paul to join him at church of Antioch

Missionary “centers” are better than “missionary journey” of Paul
Fiive centers:
1. Damascus
2. Tarsus
3. Antioch of Syria
4. Corinth
5. Ephesus
Outline
1. acts 13-14: Syria and Asia Minor
  1. The church at Antioch commissions Barnabus and Paul
    1. sent out to tell people about Jesus
  2. They travel to Cyrus and Turkey, sermon at Antioch of Pisidia (another Antioch).
  3. They travel to Iconium and Lystra
    1. Great results preaching to Jewish and Gentiles.
  4. Events in Asia Minor that prompt the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15
    1. Barnabus and Paul traveling to tell people about Jesus- they start to convert Gentiles (not Jewish). Paul is seen as a traitor.
2. Acts 15: the Jerusalem Conference
  1. Central issue that spurs the conference: Whether or not people have to be Jewish in order to saved/transitioned into the Jesus movement. Membership is becoming multi-ethnic.
  2. James’ Compromise: Gentiles will follow the Covenant of Noah- they will abstain from blood sacrifice and idol worship. They do not have to follow Judaism.
  3. Paul splits ways with Barnabus because Barnabus wants to bring Mark, Silas joins Paul at the end of Acts 15.
  4. Paul goes to Europe because he has a vision of a Macedonian man inviting him.
3. Acts 16-20 Greece and Turkey