Opposition in the book of acts explained

While there are some areas of great detail of the acts of the apostles, many times you must use cross references to the gospels of matthew, mark, luke and john as well as some other epistles in the new testament to get the full picture of what was. As luke wrote to theophilus and the early church, he highlighted the vital importance of spreading the gospel of the kingdom of god through their witness to the nations of the earth in the power of the holy spirit. We read of the evangelistic methods and message of the early apostles and preachers 3. He also wanted to show to the jews that the christian faith was not a separate religion. With the help of barnabas, saul is accepted into the circle of disciples in jerusalem. Jul 10, 2014 in acts, the gospel expands not through human strength, but through weakness, opposition, and persecution. Although discouraging, resistance to our witness for christ is to be expected. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy. It traces christianity from its beginnings in jerusalem, following jesus resurrection, to the arrest of the apostle paul in rome, the heart of the empire. When i taught my bible study on the book of acts i used a flannel map as a visual aid. A history of the early church gene taylor2an outline of the book i. In acts, jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry.

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. He was with paul in his dangerous voyage to rome, when he was carried thither a prisoner, was with him when from his prison there he wrote his epistles to. The roman authorities and the persecution of the church. 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. Acts 4 begins with a strong and sudden reaction, especially from those who were sadducees. Accountability of armed opposition groups in international. Opposition from the powers of darkness is an encouraging sign, rather than the reverse. It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of. The book of acts is a remarkable work of history and theology. In fact, we find all these in the first fifteen chapters. Rejection of the gospel and persecution of its messengers, however, worked to accelerate the churchs growth. Jesus had forewarned the disciples that persecution was coming. We read about imprisonments, beatings, stoningsand plots to kill the apostles.

In these names we see that the lord raises up instruments for his work, from various places and stations in life. 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. 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. The letters or epistles after acts tells us of the supreme care and guidance that god has for his people then, now, and in the future. The temple in this book called acts was the third temple. This may explain the surprising fact that the holy spirit does not immediately come upon the.

Mar 23, 2015 this video explains the transitional book that is the book of acts, and how it starts with jews to jews, and slowly changes to gentiles, as the jewish nation as a whole rejects jesus christ, and. It helped me to see more clearly the work of the holy spirit, the communal life of the followers of christ and gives insight into. One of lukes purposes in acts is to show that disciples of jesus were. In acts, the gospel expands not through human strength, but through weakness, opposition, and persecution. Luke records many examples of conversion in the book of acts e.

If this pattern is followed it will always result in the same reactions that you find recorded in this book. In todays world the majority of political conflicts involve nonstate actors attempting to exert political influence such as overthrowing a government or bringing about secession. Barnabas also explained how saul had been proclaiming boldly in the name of the lord. The book of acts is clearly not about the acts of the apostles, for if it were, it has the wrong ending. But just as satans power was expressed in him, so the power of the. The miracles in the book of acts miracles where wrought recorded in peter heals a lame man jerusalem 3. But a certain man named ananias, with sapphira his wife, sold a possession. You can find the best commentary on acts for you using the tools on the right side. Opposition to the gospel in the book of acts introduction.

I suppose being a native english speaker you have always known. It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of the apostles through the work of the holy spirit. Beyond this, lukes record of the gospel witness in jerusalem also follows the pattern of external growth and opposition. 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. Designed for 30minute lunch breaks, the study contains scripture references, thoughtprovoking questions, and prayers to help you apply biblical principles to your. Stephens effective preaching of truth led to opposition. 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. Barnabas took saul, brought him before the apostles, and explained to the apostles how saul had seen the lord on the road to damascus. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of. 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. Reactions to the gospel patterns in acts focus online. Acts 3 ends somewhat abruptly, for we are not yet given any indication of the impact of peters message in the temple precincts. In the gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. We call this series of messages the pattern setters because, in this section of acts, you find the pattern for all christian witness in any age.

Acts introduction commentary commentary critical and. Acts 14 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. The book of acts tells us of some of the acts of some of the apostles, but more so it tells us history. With extensive research and thoughtful chapterbychapter exegesis, bock leads readers through all aspects of the book of acts sociological, historical, and theological. So this constitutes a separate section of this book. We said in our commentary on acts 18 that the likely policy of the early church was to accept johns baptism as legitimate only under three conditions. Who is accountable under international law for the acts committed by armed opposition groups. Have you ever wondered what the dictionary meaning of the word church is. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, this man is rightly called the great power of god. Acts of the apostles introduction new testament matthew. The acts of the apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the new testament.

In his book, the bearing of recent discovery on the trustworthiness of the new testament, ramsay explained that the purpose of his book, st. For many basic details verse by verse, it still is of good value and often will help on word meaning and. The primary commentary i used was comptons interactive bible, a software cd. Although many faithful servants were used to preach and teach the gospel of jesus christ. The title as we know it comes from the second century and only partially discloses the theme of the document. It should not, however, come as a surprise, to us or to the apostles. It alone presents an extensive picture of early church life and history. It opens with a greeting to theophilus, who was also the intended recipient of lukes gospel. This 12week practical study series from crossway orients the student to the near and far context, key questions, gospel glimpses, wholebible connections, and theological and practical implications for every section of the book of acts. It tells of cities and dates and people that were affected by the gospel. Explain how peter preached the gospel and how the people responded. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. The book of acts is the first history of the christian church.

His favorite device is persecution, because it is a direct attack upon god himself. We read about imprisonments, beatings, stonings and plots to kill the apostles. Acts baker exegetical commentary on the new testament. Although there were pharisees as members in the sanhedrin, it was controlled by the sadducees. He ran up numerous debts in rome and fled to palestine. Along with the priests and the captain of the temple, they arrested peter and john and put them into prison acts.

Commentary on the book of acts of the apostles by matthew. The acts is an historical book, but it is not mere history. Luke, the author of the gospel of luke, was a doctor and gentile. So, anyone who opposed the christians was opposing god. T he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. It ends without revealing how pauls trial before caesars tribunal turned out, a certain necessity if the theme of the book were about the apostles, their ministries, and what happened to them. The sadducees claimed to be guardians of orthodoxy and they opposed innovative. The persecution of christians in the new testament is an important part of the early christian narrative which depicts the early church as being persecuted for their heterodox beliefs by a jewish establishment in what was then the roman province of judea the new testament, especially the gospel of john c. Everyone was filled with the holy spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them. Acts 6, new international version niv the bible app.

Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. The gospel, as a whole, outlines jesus christs origins, birth, lifes work, death, resurrection, and final ascension to heaven. Long time therefore abode theybecause in spite of opposition they were meeting with so much success. In this passage, luke is restating the great commission challenge jesus gave in luke 24. This is the first instance of opposition and persecution in the book of acts. But stephen reminded the jews that god was bigger than any temple. 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. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs were. As the fifth book of the new testament and a sequel to the gospel of luke or the second volume of what is often called lukeacts, the acts of the apostles continues the story begun by luke. 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. The genre of the book of acts is narrative history with several sermons. This book is to the gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. They could not explain away the incredible miracle that had just taken place. Beneath the wild waves of the gospels opposition and success, lies a deep.

The narrative of herods opposition and demise can help christians face political opposition with discerning. Oct 04, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In my lecture notes you will find reference to this flannel map. Acts of the apostles is the second section of the gospel according to luke, one of four canonical gospels written by early christian evangelists matthew, mark, luke, and john. Paul the traveler and the roman citizen, was to show. Another overriding theme in the book of acts is opposition.

Bruce, the book of acts,the new international commentary on the new. So they said, believe on the lord jesus christ, and you will be saved. Although many faithful servants were used to preach and teach the gospel of jesus christ, saul, also called paul, was the most influential. 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. 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. Joseph a alexander acts commentary 1857, 1866 over pages. Stephen said some words from the book by the prophet isaiah isaiah 66. For assurance of our own salvation, we can compare our own conversion experience with those in acts. Watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. We may know by his style in the latter part of this book when and where he was with him, for then he writes, we did so and so, as ch.