Acts

Main message:

• !The ongoing work of Jesus through his new covenant people by the Power of the Holy spirit. 

• Jesus is fulfilling the Messianic- Kingdom through his New Covenant people by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

• … fulfills prophetic/ messianic expectations 

• …. Subverts cultural/political expectations

Key Distinctives 

1. Empowering of the Holy Spirit (real)

2. Love and Unity of the Church (ideal)

3. Missionary Journeys to the Ends of the Earth 

4. Centile Inclusion and the Jewishness of the New community 

5. Persecution, Opposition, Martyrdom 

Peter

• Main Apostle

• Simon (Jewish name) 

• Apostle to the Jews 

• Converts the Centlies household of Cornelius 

Paul

• Main apostle 

• Saul (Jewish name)

• Apostle to the Gentiles 

• Recognizes Jesus as Yahewh (9a) 

• Three missionary journeys to Asia Minor and Greece (12-20) 

• Paul ends up under house arrest preaching the gospel at the heart of Rome (28)

Others Apostles 

Stephen

• Preaches against Israel's leaders and is stoned to death, marking the beginning of persecution 

Philip

• Converts an Ethiopian Eunuch 

Cornelius 

• Peter converts the Gentile household of Cornelius 

Pentecost 

• Pentecost is the Day they receives the Holy Spirit

• The Spirit fills the community as the New Temple (Exodus 40; Haggai 2) 

• The Apostles share the gospel in many languages at once (Genesis 11)

Jerusalem Council

• Declares that Gentile believers don’t have to follow Jewuish customs to become Chrisitans 

Main Conflicts 

1. (Mainly) The Racial/Cultural Division Between Jews and Gentiles

2. The Political Tension between “Jesus is Lord” and “Caesar is Lord”