Despite sometimes facing intense opposition, including. His favorite device is persecution, because it is a direct attack upon god himself. But stephen reminded the jews that god was bigger than any temple. Acts tyndale new testament commentaries book 5 kindle. The book of acts is full of historical details that have been verified by modern research. This work, originally out in 1857, has proved helpful to many, though it is now far out of date as to literature commenting on acts. Acts with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. We face relentless opposition as our postmodern world mirrors the world of the apostles. We will see later in the book of acts that in many cities where paul took the gospel, the jews started riots. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. You see, jesus is still active and alive on planet earth today, and he still has a body. Through the power of the holy spirit, they lived out a triumphant faith in the face of opposition and persecution, established order for the growing movement, and took the gospel to the ends of the earth. Mar 30, 2011 nevertheless, acts clearly demonstrates that no obstacle can withstand the power of the holy spirit. Along with the priests and the captain of the temple, they arrested peter and john and put them into prison acts.
The following are the five that i have found to be the most helpful. Demonic forces, worldly powers and authorities, governmental opposition, language and cultural barriers, intense suffering and bloody persecution, unjust imprisonment, unbelief, internal disunity, and even shipwrecks and snakes all threaten to slow down the gospels advance. But the demand for total loyalty will turn into total opposition when the state faces christians who confess, jesus is lord. A good study bible we recommend the following features. Situated in the northwest corner of syria and about twenty miles from the sea, antioch was, for anyone traveling northward, a gateway to asia minor. We do not recommend loose translations or oneman translations. Acts 4 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary provides notes on all 66 books of the bible, and contain more than 7,000 pages of material. We read about imprisonments, beatings, stonings and plots to kill the apostles. You can find the best commentary on acts for you using the tools on the right side. Bruce also wrote a larger 580 pages and more scholarly commentary on acts as part of the new international commentary on the new testament nicnt series. But just as satans power was expressed in him, so the power of the. Another overriding theme in the book of acts is opposition. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. In the book of acts, it is his new body, which is the church, and jesus is alive and well today in his mystical body.
This book of the new testament begins where the first four come to a close. In acts, the gospel expands not through human strength, but through weakness, opposition, and persecution. Church growth and evangelism in acts 59 the terms defined at this point it is necessary to define the two words used to describe the central activity of acts. Acts everyday bible commentary series charle c ryrie this book is a simple commentary on the book of acts.
Christianity today book award winner book award of excellence, foundation for pentecostal scholarship preaching today book award editors pick commentaries highly respected new testament scholar craig keener is known for his meticulous and comprehensive research. Its an exhilarating story, and there are even more treasures lying. Acts 1 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. Herods opposition at jerusalem citizens of todays nationstates often succumb to an almost religious reverence for the power of the state willimon 1988. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ.
In fact, we find all these in the first fifteen chapters. Although many faithful servants were used to preach and teach the gospel of jesus christ, saul, also called paul, was the most influential. As an example of the helpful points he makes in evaluating acts, marshall offers the following aspects of the theology of acts in the introduction. As he did in the early church, the holy spirit teaches us in acts to expect great things. Acts 3 commentary peter petts commentary on the bible. Oct 12, 2014 this is the first entry in the bible junkies online commentary on the acts of the apostles this will be a. Joseph a alexander acts commentary 1857, 1866 over pages. There are a number of good commentaries on the book of acts. Martyn lloydjones called acts that most lyrical of bookslive in that book, i exhort you. So, anyone who opposed the christians was opposing god.
In the book of acts the first deed of a reformed life or the first act of turning that follows true repentance is the act of being baptized acts 2. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy english. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Acts of the apostles online commentary america magazine. This is the first entry in the bible junkies online commentary on the acts of the apostles this will be a. It is interesting to note that much of the opposition to the church in the book of acts came from the sadducees, through the sanhedrin. His name being changed to paul, he is given special revelations from god as to the heavenly character of christianity, and these take the foremost place before the book of acts closes. Theophilus and his peers lived under regimes where homage to the emperor was not only a civic duty but a welcome way of expressing appreciation for the safety net the emperor had. Chapter 1 verse 1 establishes the fact that luke a gentile is the writer, the former treatise being his gospel lk. In the book of acts we often read of men journeying between antioch and jerusalem. Elymas was an apostate jew, who had sold himself to the service of the devil, and he became the chief opponent of the gospel at paphos. Had infinite wisdom seen fit, we might have had as many books of the acts of the apostles as we have gospels, nay, as we might have had gospels.
Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. The book of acts is critical for our understanding of the churchits origins, mission, and purpose, both in its early days and into the present. Book of acts matthew henrys bible commentary concise. Luke in the opening chapters of the acts upon the unanimity of the believers, it is not unlikely that he should use the phrase, at all events in acts 2.
It traces the first decades in the history of the church after the resurrection of christ, focusing in particular on the work of peter and paul. Click chart to enlarge chart from jensens survey of the nt used by permission. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. Opposition from the powers of darkness is an encouraging sign, rather than the reverse. Evangelism in acts is the communication of the good news of jesus christ through verbal proclamation and lifestyle witness, with the. Although there were pharisees as members in the sanhedrin, it was controlled by the sadducees. Everyone was filled with the holy spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.
Stephen said some words from the book by the prophet isaiah isaiah 66. Nevertheless, acts clearly demonstrates that no obstacle can withstand the power of the holy spirit. Drawing on an unparalleled range of ancient extrabiblical sources, keeners extensively documented and insightful exegesis paves the way for fully understanding acts in its first. Models for church government, guidelines for evangelism and mission work, the challenge to triumphant faith in the face of opposition and persecutionthis is the book of acts.
In the gospels, it was his material, physical body. The temple in this book called acts was the third temple. Some of these incidents are found recorded in the book of acts acts 9. This leads in to peters second sermon and peter and johns arrest in chapter four. The history of this book which was always received as a part of the. Acts 812 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. This man might have been a christian wanting instruction. In acts, part of the multivolume paideia commentary series, leading biblical scholar mikeal parsons gleans fresh theological insight from acts by attending carefully to the cultural and educational context from which it emerges. Rejection of the gospel and persecution of its messengers, however, worked to accelerate the churchs growth. Introduction to acts bible commentary theology of work. John macarthur takes readers through the book of acts, exploring how the early believers relied on gods spirit for. Peter does not give them a sermon on facing persecution though he will teach on this subject in his first epistle, first peter. Acts overview mcgarveys original commentary on acts. This first volume takes in the ascension of jesus, the coming of the spirit, the birth of the church, the start of persecution, the conversion of saul, and the divine call to.
In the gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. Introduction to acts bible commentary produced by tow project the acts of the apostles depicts the early church working hard to grow itself and serve others in the face of opposition, shortages of people and money, government bureaucracy church bureaucracy came later, internal strife, and even the forces of nature. John calvin wrote that the book of acts was a kind of vast treasure. Acts reminds us that the story of the church remains incompletethat there continues to this day an acts 29. Considering the fact that acts is such a strategic chapter in regard to world evangelism, take a moment and study irving jensens chart at top of the page click it to enlarge it which is what i have to do at age 72. The book of acts chronicles the foundation of the christian church on the day of pentecost and its spread throughout the known world in the first century. The sadducees claimed to be guardians of orthodoxy and they opposed innovative. Wright on the book of acts p10 sadducees and resurrection, inheritance. In the book of acts, you find out what jesus is doing in his mystical body, the church. Known for his meticulous and comprehensive research, new testament scholar craig keener presents his magnum opus in this fourvolume magisterial set, acts. It is a record of amazing accuracy, without any proven flaw. This first volume takes in the ascension of jesus, the coming of the spirit, the birth of the church, the start of persecution, the conversion of saul, and the divine call to worldwide evangelism. Most can be obtained from a good religious bookstore.
Acts 14 contains events and teachings from sauls first missionary journey, during which time he began to be known as paul. In this verse, see introduction, the keynote is struck of the contents of the whole book, and the great divisions of the acts are marked, see, e. This commentary on acts, his magnum opus, may be the largest and most thoroughly documented. For many basic details verse by verse, it still is of good value and often. Acts 3 commentary mark dunagan commentary on the bible.
He also wanted to show to the jews that the christian faith was not a separate religion. First of all luke mentions the fact that acts is the sequel to the gospel of luke written around 5560 ad, and therefore must have been written later. As are all the books in the reformed expository commentary series, this exposition of acts is accessible to both pastors and lay readers. This book is to the gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. A lot of christians are intimidated by a commentary, as they tend to be full of footnotes, hebrew script and often prove difficult to follow. Church leaders prayed for courage to proclaim the gospel in the face of opposition. Read acts commentary using commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible.
Acts is a transitional book in the sense that it gives us the record of the way god moved in the minds and hearts of men to found and establish the church and begin its great work in the world today. For more information about barnabas with saul, see the commentary for acts 9. Study the bible online using commentary on acts and more. Acts 4 begins with a strong and sudden reaction, especially from those who were sadducees. This is the first instance of opposition and persecution in the book of acts. With bible gateway plus, you gain instant access to a digital bible study library. Although discouraging, resistance to our witness for christ is to be expected. Planting and growing churches in such an environment poses particular challenges. This versebyverse bible study and commentary of the acts of the apostles the book of acts or simply acts is indepth but uses plain language that everyone can understand, as well as a format that will engage you. The book of acts is the link between the gospels and the epistles. But a certain man named ananias, with sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
Even opposition to the gospel will sometimes be silent provided the spread of religion will tend to humble and mortify those against whom we may be opposed. Considering the fact that acts is such a strategic chapter in regard to world evangelism, take a moment and study irving jensens chart at top of the page click it to enlarge it which is what i have to do at. Acts is a fastmoving historical account of the first three decades of the church. Acts 3 ends somewhat abruptly, for we are not yet given any indication of the impact of peters message in the temple precincts. It was by no means a short trip, for the distance was about three hundred miles. The book of acts gives the history of the christian church and the spread of the gospel of jesus christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it. The nineteenthcentury archaeologist william ramsay started his career as a thoroughgoing skeptic, but after many years of examining the relevant evidence, much of which he himself had unearthed. This mission led to the establishment of branches of the church in areas far removed from jerusalem and opened the door of faith unto the gentiles. Now peter and john were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
An immense amount of apostolic service is left unrecorded, and mention is made of just a few incidents which serve to show the way the spirit of god operated in bearing witness to the risen and exalted jesus, and in conducting the disciples into the fulness of christian blessing. That larger volume has been called one of the best commentaries on this book of scripture. But ye will receive power, the holy spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in jerusalem and in all judaea and samaria and to the end of the earth. The book will therefore have been written only after the end of this time. Top 5 commentaries on the book of acts ligonier ministries. Luke, our historian, begins with the lord being taken up into heaven, and shows us the apostles and the nucleus that. There is no more thrilling part of the bible than the book of acts, and no better guide to it than albert mohler. As formerly in the case of jesus the messianic name was made to serve as a basis for the charge of high treason, so here with the confessors of jesus as. This very short chapter narrates the preliminaries of stephens martyrdom, noting that it occurred following a period of great growth and prosperity for the new faith, that stephens rise to prominence was a result of his appointment as one of the seven chosen to administer the distribution of food to the needy, an appointment brought about by complaints of neglecting. What starts as a jewish based movement in jerusalem under the leadership of peter, develops into more of a gentile orientation led by paul and the members of his missionary team sent out from. One reason the book of acts is a precious resource is that it informs us about all the main devices satan uses to oppose the work of god. Secondly luke at the end of acts luke mentions pauls twoyear imprisonment in rome. Commentary on the book of acts of the apostles by matthew.