Acts_Of_The_Apostles,_13-Outline

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE _XIII. Analysis._

- 1. The connection between the work of the apostles and that of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11).

2. The equipment of the early disciples for their task (Acts 1:12-2:47). (a) The disciples obeying Christ's parting command (Acts 1:12-24). (b) The place of Judas filled (Acts 1:15-26). (c) Miraculous manifestations of the presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13). (d) Peter's interpretation of the situation (Acts 2:14-36). (e) The immediate effect of the sermon (Acts 2:37-41). (f) The new spirit in the Christian community (Acts 2:42-47).

3. The development of the work in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1-8:1). (a) An incident in the work of Peter and John with Peter's apologetic (Acts 3). (b) Opposition of the Sadducees aroused by the preaching of the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:1-31). (c) An internal difficulty, the problem of poverty (Acts 4:32-5:11). (d) Great progress of the cause in the city (Acts 5:12-16). (e) Renewed hostility of the Sadducees and Gamaliel's retort to the Pharisees (Acts 5:17-42). (f) A crisis in church life and the choice of the seven Hellenists (Acts 6:1-7). (g) Stephen's spiritual interpretation of Christianity stirs the antagonism of the Pharisees and leads to his violent death (Acts 6:8-8:1).

4. The compulsory extension of the gospel to Judea, Samaria and the neighboring regions (Acts 8:1-40). (a) The great persecution, with Saul as leader (Acts 8:1-4). (b) Philip's work as a notable example of the work of the scattered disciples (Acts 8:5-40).

5. The conversion of Saul changes the whole situation for Christianity (Acts 9:1-31). (a) Saul's mission to Damascus (Acts 9:1-3). (b) Saul stopped in his hostile course and turns Christian himself (Acts 9:4-18). (c) Saul becomes a powerful exponent of the gospel in Damascus and Jerusalem (Acts 9:19-30). (d) The church has peace (Acts 9:31).

6. The door opened to the Gentiles, both Roman and Greek (Acts 9:32-11:30). (a) Peter's activity in this time of peace (Acts 9:32-43). (b) The appeal from Cornelius in Caesarea and Peter's response (Acts 10). (c) Peter's arraignment before the Pharisaic element in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18). (d) Greeks in Antioch are converted and Barnabas brings Saul to this work (Acts 11:19-26). (e) The Greek Christians send relief to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30).

7. Persecution from the civil government (Acts 12). (a) Herod Agrippa I kills James and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:1-19). (b) Herod pays the penalty for his crimes (Acts 12:20-23). (c) Christianity prospers (Acts 12:24).

8. The Gentilepropaganda from Antioch under the leadership of Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13-14). (a) The specific call of the Holy Spirit to this work (Acts 13:1-3). (b) The province of Cyprus and the leadership of Paul (Acts 13:4-12). (c) The province of Pamphylia and the desertion of John Mark (Acts 13:13). (d) The province of Galatia (Pisidia and Lycaonia) and the stronghold of the gospel upon the native population (Acts 13:14-14:24). (e) The return and report to Antioch (Acts 14:25-28).

9. The Gentilecampaign challenged by the Judaizers (Acts 15:1-35). (a) They meet Paul and Barnabas at Antioch who decide to appeal to Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-3). (b) The first public meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:4). (c) The second and more extended discussion with the decision of the conference (Acts 15:6-29). (d) The joyful reception (in Antioch) of the victory of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:30-35).

10. The second great campaign extending to Europe (Acts 15:36-18:22). (a) The breach between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark (Acts 15:36-39). (b) From Antioch to Troas with the Macedonian Cry (Acts 15:40-16:10). (c) In Philippi in Macedonia the gospel gains a foothold in Europe, but meets opposition (Acts 16:11-40). (d) Paul is driven also from Thessalonica and Berea (compare Philippi), cities of Macedonia also (Acts 17:1-15). (e) Paul's experience in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). (f) In Corinth Paul spends nearly two years and the cause of Christ wins legal recognition from the Roman governor (Acts 18:1-17). (g) The return to Antioch by way of Ephesus, Caesarea and probably Jerusalem (Acts 18:18-22).

11. The third great tour, with Ephesus as headquarters (Acts 18:23-20:3). (a) Paul in Galatia and Phrygia again (Acts 18:23). (b) Apollos in Ephesus before Paul comes (Acts 18:24-28). (c) Paul's three years in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-20:1). (d) The brief visit to Corinth because of the troubles there (Acts 20:1-3).

12. Paul turns to Jerusalem again with plans for Rome (Acts 20:4-21:16). (a) His companions (Acts 20:4). (b) Rejoined by Luke at Philippi (Acts 20:5). (c) The story of Troas (Acts 20:7-12). (d) Coasting along Asia (Acts 20:13-16). (e) with the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Acts 20:17-38). (f) From Miletus to Tyre (Acts 21:1-6). (g) From Tyre to Caesarea (Acts 21:7-14). (h) From Caesarea to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15).

13. The outcome in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-23:30). (a) Paul's reception by the brethren (Acts 21:15-17). (b) Their proposal of a plan by which Paul could undo the work of the Judaizers concerning him in Jerusalem (Acts 21:18-26). (c) The uproar in the temple courts raised by the Jews from Asia as Paul was carrying out the plan to disarm the Judaizers (Acts 21:27-30). (d) Paul's rescue by the Roman captain and Paul's defense to the Jewish mob (Acts 21:31-22:23). (e) Examination of the chief captain (Acts 22:24-29). (f) Brought before the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30-23:10). (g) Cheered by the Lord Jesus (Acts 23:11). (h) Paul's escape from the plot of Jewish conspirators (Acts 23:12-30).

14. Paul a prisoner in Caesarea (Acts 23:31-26). (a) The flight to Caesarea and presentation to Felix (Acts 23:31-35). (b) Paul's appearance before Felix (Acts 24). (c) Paul before Festus (Acts 25:1-12). (d) Paul, as a matter of curiosity and courtesy, brought before Herod Agrippa II (Acts 25:13-26:32).

15. Paul going to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:15). (a) From Caesarea to Myra (Acts 27:1-5). (b) From Myra to Fair Havens (Acts 27:6-8). (c) From Fair Havens to Malta (Acts 27:9-28:10). (d) From Malta to Rome (Acts 28:11-15).

16. Paul in Rome at last (Acts 28:16-31). (a) His quarters (Acts 28:16). (b) His first interview with the Jews (Acts 28:17-22). (c) His second interview with the Jews (Acts 28:23-28). (d) Two years afterward still a prisoner, but with freedom to preach the gospel (Acts 28:30).

+  LITERATURE

Besides the works referred to above see Wendt's edition of Meyer's Kommentar (1899); Headlam in HDB; Knowling on Ac in Expositor's Greek Testament (1900); Knowling, Witness of the Epistles (1892), Testimony of Paul to Christ (1905); Moffatt, Historical New Testament (1901).

Here is a selected list of important works:

1. Introduction:

Bacon, Introduction to the New Testament (1900); Bennett and Adeney, Biblical Introduction (1899); Bleek, Einleitung in das New Testament (4 Aufl, 1900); S. Davidson, (3rd edition, 1894); C. R. Gregory, Canon and Text of the New Testament (1907), H. J. Holtzmann, Einleitung in das New Testament (3 Aufl, 1892), Jacquies, Histoire des livres du New Testament (1905-8); Julicher, Introduction to the New Testament (translation, 1904); Peaks, Critical Introduction to the New Testament (1909); Reuss, Canon of the Holy Scriptures (translation, 1886); Salmon, Hist Introduction to the Study of the Books of the New Testament (7th edition, 1896), von Soden, The History of Early Christian Lit. (translation, 1906), B. Weiss, A Manual of Introduction to the New Testament (translation, 1889), Westcott, History of the Canon of the New Testament (1869), Zahn, Introduction to the New Testament (translation, 1909), Moffatt, Introduction to the Lit. of the New Testament (1911).

2. Text:

See general works on textual criticism of the New Testament (Gregory, Kenyon, Nestle, Tischendorf, Scrivener, von Soden, B. Weiss, Westcott, etc.). Of special treatises note Blass, Philology of the Gospels (1898). Acta Apostolorum (1895); Bornemann, Acta Apostolorum (1848); Chase, Old Syriac Element in the Text of Codex Bezae (1893), Corssen, Der cyprianische Text der Acta Apostolorum (1892); Klostermann, Probleme im Apostel Texts (1883), Klostermann, Vindiciae Lucanae (1866); Nestle, Philologia (1896); J. Rendel Harris, Study Codex Bezae (1891).

3. Apostolic History:

For literature on the life of Paul see Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul (1909), 321-27, and article PAUL in this encyclopedia. Important general works are the following:

Bartlet, The Apostolie Age (1899); Baumgarten, The Apostolic History (translation, 1854); Blunt, Studies in the Apostolic Age (1909); Burton, Records and Letters of the Apostolic Age (1895); Doellinger, The First Age of the Church (translation, 1867); Dobschutz, Christian Life in the Primitive Church (translation, 1904); Ewald, History of the Apostolic Times (translation, Vol VI in History of Israel); Farrar, Early Days of Christianity (1887); Fisher, The Beginnings of Christianity (1877); Gilbert, Christianity in the Apostolic Age (1908); Harnack, The Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries (translation, 1904-5); Hausrath, Neut. Zeitgeschichte (Bd. 2, 1872); Heinrici, Das Urchristentum (1902); Holtzmann, Neut. Zeitgeschichte (1895); Hort, Judaistic Christianity (1898); Organization of the Early Christian Churches (1895); Lechler, The Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Times (translation, 1886); Lightfoot, Dissertations on the Apostolic Age (1892); Lindsay, The Church and the Ministry in the Early Centuries (1902); McGiffert, A History of Christianity in the Apostolic Age (1897); Neander, History of the Planting and Training of the Christian Church (1889); Pfleiderer, Christian origins (1906), Pressonse, The Early Years of Christianity (1870); Purves, Christianity in the Apostolic Age (1901), Ramsay, The Church in the Roman Empire (1893); Ritschl, Die Entstehung der altkath. Kirche (1857); Ropes, The Apostolic Age in the Light of Modern Criticism (1906); Weizsacker, The Apostolic Age of the Christian Church (translation, 1894-95); Pictures of the Apostolic Church (1910).

4. Special Treatises on the Acts:

Belser, Beitrage zur Erklarung der Apostelgeschichte (1897); Benson, Addresses on the Ac of the Apostles (1901); Bethge, Die paulinischen Reden der Apostelgeschichte (1887); Blass, Acta Apostolorum secundum Formam quae videtur Romanam (1896); Chase, The Credibility of the Book of the Ac of the Apostles (1902); Clemen, Die Apostelgeschichte, im Lichte der neueren Forschungen (1905); Fiene, Eine vorkanonische Nebenlieferung des Lukas in Evangelium und Apostelgeschichte (1891); Harnack, Luke, the Physician (translation, 1907); The Ac of the Apostles (1909); Hilgenfeld, Acta Apostolorum Graece et Latine (1899); Jungst, Die Quellen der Apostelgeschichte (1895); Krenkel, Josephus und Lucas (1894); Luckok, Footprints of the Apostles as Traced by Luke in the Ac (1897); J. Lightfoot, Hebrew and Talmudical Exercitations on the Ac of the Apostles (1768); Paley, Horae Paulinae (Birks edition, 1850); Ramsay, Paul the Traveler (1896); Pauline and Other Studies (1906); Cities of Paul (1908), Luke the Physician, and Other Studies (1908); J. Smith, Voyage and Shipwreck of Paul (4th edition, 1880); Sorof, Die Entstehung der Apostelgeschichte (1890); Spitta, Die Apostelgeschichte, ihre Quellen und deren geschichtlicher Worth (1891); Stiffler, An Introduction to the Book of Ac (1892); Vogel, Zur Characteristik des Lukas nach Sprache und Stil (1897); J. Weiss, Ueber die Absicht und die literarischen Charakter der Apostelgeschichte (1897); Zeller, The Contents and Origin of the Ac of the Apostles (translation, 1875); Maurice Jones, Paul the Orator (1910).

5. Commentaries:

There are the great standard works. like Bede, Bengel, Calvin, Chrysostom, Grotius. The chief modern commentaries are the following:

Alexander (1857), Alloral (6th edition, 1868), Bartlet (1901), Blass (Acta Apostolorum, 1895), Ewald (Apostelgeschichte, 1871), Felten (Apostelgeschichte, 1892), Hackett (1882), Holtzmann (Hand-Commentar, 3 Aufl, 1901), Knabenbauer (Actus Apostol, 1899), Knowling (Expositor's Greek Text, 1900), Luthardt and Zoeckler (Apostelgeschichte, 2nd edition, 1894), McGarvey (1892), Meyer (translation by Gloag and Dickson, 1885), Meyer-Wendt (Apostelgeschichte, 1888). Noesgen (Apostelgeschichte, 1882), Olshausen (1832), Page (1897), Rackham (1901), Rendall, (1897), Stokes (1892), B. Weiss (Apostelgeschichte, 1892, 2nd edition).

A. T. Robertson

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.