The Mission of the Triune God E-Book

Patrick Schreiner

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: New Testament Theology
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Understanding Luke's Narrative in the Book of Acts The book of Acts is unlike any other in Scripture; it has no rival in terms of a book spanning so many different lands. Written by a Gentile, it recounts the birth of the church age and the lives of early Christians that serve as lasting examples for the church today. When believers see how these events worked together to fulfill God's promises, they gain a better understanding of the Trinitarian heart of Acts. In The Mission of the Triune God, author Patrick Schreiner argues that Luke's theology stems from the order of his narrative. He shows how the major themes in Acts, including the formation of the church, salvation offered to all flesh, and the prolific spread of the gospel, connect. Through Schreiner's clear presentation and helpful graphics, readers follow the early church as it grows "all under the plan of God, centered on King Jesus, and empowered by the Spirit." - Covers Main Theological Themes: A great companion to commentaries on Acts - Studies the Birth of the Church Age: Schreiner examines the lives of early Christians after Jesus's ascension - Informative and Accessible: Tables and graphics help readers visualize key theological themes - Part of the New Testament Theology series

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“Given the size and complexity of the book of Acts, scholars have proposed various candidates for the main theological themes and offered analysis for how they all fit together. In this engaging work, Patrick Schreiner shows that the idea of God as Trinity is foundational to the entire book of Acts and that Luke’s other emphases develop and cohere in light of this central truth. This study would be an excellent resource for anyone wishing to delve more deeply into the message and intention of Acts.”

David Peterson, Emeritus Faculty Member, Moore College; author, The Acts of the Apostles

“Patrick Schreiner offers here a valuable and beautifully wrapped gift to every serious reader of the book of Acts. Not only does Schreiner discuss each major theological theme of Acts in depth, which is itself a significant contribution, but he is careful to show how Luke integrates these various themes into an overarching, powerful, and rich theological message that resonates with the church in every age as it desperately seeks renewal. Schreiner’s lively writing style makes this book a joy to read, his many graphs and images render the work easily understandable, and his allusions to contemporary popular culture reinforce his underlying conviction that the message of Acts is every bit as relevant today as when it first burst onto the scene.”

David R. Bauer, Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies; Dean, School of Biblical Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary

“Patrick Schreiner has given us a solid look at the theology of one of the most underappreciated books of the New Testament: the book of Acts. He shows clearly how Luke’s look at history and the promise that is at the heart of the early church is not about the acts of the apostles but about the unfolding acts of God that are still at work in our world. This work will develop your appreciation for what God has done and is doing, and who we are called to be as members of his church.”

Darrell L. Bock, Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, The Hendricks Center, Dallas Theological Seminary

The Mission of the Triune God

New Testament Theology

Edited by Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts, Patrick Schreiner

The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation, Thomas R. Schreiner

The Mission of the Triune God

A Theology of Acts

Patrick Schreiner

The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts

Copyright © 2022 by Patrick Schreiner

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Kevin Lipp

First printing 2022

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7411-5 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7414-6 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7412-2 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-7413-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Schreiner, Patrick, author. 

Title: The mission of the triune God : a theology of Acts / Patrick Schreiner. 

Description: Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, [2022] | Series: New Testament theology | Includes bibliographical references and index. 

Identifiers: LCCN 2021014184 (print) | LCCN 2021014185 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433574115 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433574122 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433574139 (mobipocket) | ISBN 9781433574146 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Acts—Theology. 

Classification: LCC BS2625.52 .S365 2022 (print) | LCC BS2625.52 (ebook)  | DDC 226.6/06—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021014184

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021014185

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2022-01-06 01:49:45 PM

To Hannah—

My coworker in this mission.

Contents

Illustrations

Series Preface

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction: Acts as a Renewal Document

1  God the Father Orchestrates

2  Christ Lives and Rules

3  The Spirit Empowers

4  The Word Multiplies

5  Salvation Spreads to All Flesh

6  The Church Is Established

7  Witness to the Ends of the Earth

Conclusion: Renewal through Retrieval

Recommended Resources

General Index

Scripture Index

Illustrations

Tables

Table 1.1  The Father Orchestrates

Table 1.2  Fulfillment of Isaianic Prophecy

Table 1.3  The Growth of the Word in Acts

Table 1.4  Kingdom of God References in Acts

Table 2.1  Jesus’s Death, Life, and Rule

Table 2.2  The Progeny of the Servant and the Eunuch

Table 3.1  The Spirit Empowers

Table 3.2  The Rhythm and Typology of Jewish Feasts

Table 4.1  Texts on the Growth of the Church

Table 4.2  The Word Multiplies

Table 4.3  Trinitarian Preaching in Acts 28:31

Table 4.4  The Multiplication of the Word in Acts

Table 5.1  Salvation to All Flesh

Table 5.2  Salvation to All Flesh in Luke and Acts

Table 5.3  Paul’s Visit on Malta as a Theoxeny

Table 6.1  God’s People in Acts

Table 6.2  Ezekiel in Acts 2

Table 6.3  Temple Stories in Acts 3–7

Table 6.4  Assembling Outcasts in Acts 8–12

Table 6.5  The Diverse Leaders in Antioch

Table 6.6  Key Places of Gentile Welcome in Acts 13–28

Table 6.7  Four Views on the Apostolic Decree in Acts 15

Table 7.1  Witness in Acts

Table 7.2  Witness in Isaiah

Table 7.3  Parallels between Peter and Paul

Table 7.4  The Scope of the Apostles’ Witness

Figures

Figure 1.1  Uncertainty in Acts

Figure 1.2  Theological Themes in Acts

Figure 3.1  The Ingathering of Exiles at Pentecost

Figure 5.1  Salvation to All Flesh

Series Preface

There are remarkably few treatments of the big ideas of single books of the New Testament. Readers can find brief coverage in Bible dictionaries, in some commentaries, and in New Testament theologies, but such books are filled with other information and are not devoted to unpacking the theology of each New Testament book in its own right. Technical works concentrating on various themes of New Testament theology often have a narrow focus, treating some aspect of the teaching of, say, Matthew or Hebrews in isolation from the rest of the book’s theology.

The New Testament Theology series seeks to fill this gap by providing students of Scripture with readable book-length treatments of the distinctive teaching of each New Testament book or collection of books. The volumes approach the text from the perspective of biblical theology. They pay due attention to the historical and literary dimensions of the text, but their main focus is on presenting the teaching of particular New Testament books about God and his relations to the world on their own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus. Such biblical theology is of fundamental importance to biblical and expository preaching and informs exegesis, systematic theology, and Christian ethics.

The twenty volumes in the series supply comprehensive, scholarly, and accessible treatments of theological themes from an evangelical perspective. We envision them being of value to students, preachers, and interested laypeople. When preparing an expository sermon series, for example, pastors can find a healthy supply of informative commentaries, but there are few options for coming to terms with the overall teaching of each book of the New Testament. As well as being useful in sermon and Bible study preparation, the volumes will also be of value as textbooks in college and seminary exegesis classes. Our prayer is that they contribute to a deeper understanding of and commitment to the kingdom and glory of God in Christ.

Patrick Schreiner’s Acts volume, The Mission of the Triune God, lays out in engaging style the theology of a unique book in the New Testament. The book of Acts bridges the gap between the Gospels and the Epistles and recounts the birth of the church age. But too often its theology, presented in narrative form, goes untapped. Schreiner reads Acts as a programmatic document, calling on and equipping the church to press on with the task of witness to the end of the earth. Acts is about resurrection life, the expansion of the temple of the Lord, and the advance of the word of the Lord. It has a high view of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and also a high view of the church as central to God’s purposes. Delightfully punctuated with appropriate popular culture references, The Mission of the Triune God is an eminently practical as well as profound presentation of the main themes of Acts.

Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

Preface

Every book I study in the Bible becomes my new favorite. That is currently the case with Acts. Spending significant time in any part of Scripture allows one to see the breadth, depth, and beauty of the words from God himself. As Gregory the Great once said, Scripture is shallow enough for a child to play in but deep enough for an elephant to drown in.1 I like to become an elephant, minus the drowning.

This book is a biblical theology of Acts. Biblical theology can be done in a variety of ways. The work in your hands does not trace the narrative of Acts so much as follow the theological themes through narrative order (cf. Luke 1:3). It is a logically and narratively ordered treatment of the major theological themes in Acts.

The outline came to me when I was working on my commentary on Acts in the Christian Standard Commentary Series (2022). Some of that material is reproduced, reorganized, and expanded here. Sections of chapter 2 also stem from my thoughts in The Ascension of Christ with Lexham Press (2020). I am thankful to both publishers for allowing me to reproduce some of the material here.2

My prayer is you will see that the many themes of Acts do not compete with one another but work in harmony. Acts has a Trinitarian shape, and God has a mission to accomplish. Or to put it another way, the Father has a plan for his people, which centers on the exalted Son and goes forth by the empowering Spirit. From this Trinitarian river all other themes flow, like water from the temple renewing God’s church in every age.

The soundtrack for this book came mainly from Jon Guerra’s album Keeper of Days. It released after I was done with two chapters and became my go-to album for the rest of the chapters. I also consistently listened to the soundtrack of the movie A Hidden Life, with the score by James Newton Howard. The newest Lone Bellow album, Half Moon Light, also snuck its way into my playlist.

Because the Scriptures have a musical quality, and because the Father’s plan can also be described as his “orchestration,” I have capitalized on the musical theme and begin many chapters with a musical illustration.

Thanks to the many friends who read this book before it was published and who pointed out many mistakes and unclear sentences. Chad Ashby caught numerous errors, and I can’t give him enough credit. Nathan Ridlehoover read pieces of the book and gave helpful suggestions. Julia Mayo pointed out a few places where I needed to change wording.

Thank you to the series editors, Brian Rosner and Tom Schreiner, for inviting me to be a part of this series. I know Tom somewhat, and Brian is a swell scholar. All other mistakes should be attributed to Voldemort.

1  Gregory the Great, “Letter to Leander,” in Moral Reflections on the Book of Job, trans. Brian Kerns (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press; Athens, OH: Cistercian Publications, 2014), 53: “It has out in the open food for children but keeps hidden away the things that fill the minds of the eminent with awe. Scripture is like a river again, broad and deep, shallow enough here for the lamb to go wading, but deep enough there for the elephant to swim.”

2  Patrick Schreiner, Acts, Christian Standard Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2022); The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine (Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2020).

Abbreviations

Ant.

Josephus, Antiquities

BBR

Bulletin for Biblical Research

BECNT

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

Il.

Homer, Illiad

INT

Interpretation

JBL

Journal of Biblical Literature

JECH

Journal of Early Christian History

JETS

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

JSNT

Journal for the Study of the New Testament

JSNTSS

Journal for the Study of New Testament Supplmental Series

JTS

Journal of Theological Studies

LNTS

Library of New Testament Studies

NIDNTTE

New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis

NPNF

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers

NSBT

New Studies in Biblical Theology

NTS

New Testament Studies

PNTC

Pillar New Testament Commentary

PTMS

Princeton Theological Monograph Series

SNTSMS

Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series

TDNT

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

Introduction

Acts as a Renewal Document

The Uniqueness of Acts

The book of Acts offers something unique in the Christian canon. It has no rival in terms of a book spanning so many different lands. Its references to the Spirit far outpace any other work. It functions as a hinge canonically, bridging the Gospels and Epistles. It recounts the birth of the church age. And its content has no parallel in the New Testament.

Some of Paul’s letters correspond to each other, and the four Gospels overlap, but most of what is found in Acts can be found in no other document. Without Acts, there would be no account of fire and wind at Pentecost. No description of Peter’s encounter with Cornelius. No narrative of the rise of the multiethnic church in Antioch. No story of Paul’s visit to Philippi, Corinth, or Ephesus, or of Paul’s trials in Jerusalem and Caesarea.

Acts is also unique in that it might be our only writing from a Gentile—in addition to the Gospel by Luke. Colossians 4:11–14 gives a strong, but not decisive, argument for Luke’s Gentile status, since Paul lists Luke after those of the circumcision party.

The New Testament is largely written to deal with the Jew and Gentile dispute in light of Jesus’s arrival. If this is what the New Testament concerns, then it is remarkable that 27 percent of the New Testament (Luke-Acts) comes from a Gentile mind, heart, and quill.1

Acts is also unparalleled in that it recounts a new stage in Christian history: post-Jesus life. Everything (canonically) before this has been either pre-Jesus or with-Jesus. No longer are readers or characters looking forward to a Messiah, or following him on the dusty roads of Galilee. Now readers get a glimpse of Jesus’s followers as they seek to be faithful to Jesus after he has departed.

The new community must figure out how to act now that Christ is gone. What has God instructed them to do? Where is the kingdom? How will they respond to persecution and pressures? What is the future of God’s people? How do they live under the rule of Rome as a marginal and contested community?

Acts, as a unique part of the canon, coming from a distinctive voice, lays out the unparalleled story of the early church to encourage the church to press on. It therefore has much to say to the church in every generation. As Erasmus wrote to Pope Clement VII in 1524, Acts presents “the foundations of the newborn church . . . through [which] we hope that the church in ruins will be reborn.”2

In other words, Acts is a model, a prototype, an exemplar for the renewal of the church. Luke, as a travel companion of Paul, kept his eye on the community of faith and so should any modern reading of Acts. This story is for more than the people of God, but aimed primarily to encourage God’s people.

Acts speaks to the church in two different ways: as a transitional and a programmatic book.3 As a transitional book, Acts recounts nonrepeatable events that establish the community of faith. For example, Pentecost is an unrepeatable event, but also not retractable. The reestablishment of the twelve apostles is exclusive to the period of Acts. The fate of Ananias and Sapphira is not likely to be seen requiring the immediate termination of liars in the church today.

However, Acts also confronts Christians as a programmatic book. It provides guidance for the church in every age. Its message can’t be locked in the past. Its accomplishments can’t be relegated to a bygone era. Its miracles can’t be separated to another age. The same Spirit is still active. The same Christ still rules. The same God still sustains his church. The same resurrection days reside.

The scope of what happens in Acts is nothing short of remarkable. Within the space of thirty years, the gospel is preached in the most splendid, formidable, and corrupt cities.4 It reaches the Holy City (Jerusalem), the City of Philosophers (Athens), the City of Magic (Ephesus), and the Empire (Rome). Its message and work were not done in a corner. Its victories and opposition were not minor blips in history. Acts recounts the struggle and success of the gospel message going forth, all under the plan of God, centered on King Jesus, and empowered by the Spirit.

The triumph of this movement cannot be attributed to the apostles or Paul but only to God himself. The change brought about by the twelve apostles is the most inexplicable, mysterious, and wonderful event ever witnessed in this world. Luke writes to encourage the church, telling it this is the plan of God. His kingdom plan is not put on hiatus once Christ leaves; rather, it kicks into higher gear as the Spirit comes and the good news goes to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth (1:8).

The Purpose of Acts: Assurance

The purposes of Acts are bound up in the narrative rather than in abstractions. It is fruitless to try to boil Luke’s story down to one purpose. Surely, Acts is a multilayered and multipurposed document.5 In addition, Spirit-inspired literature such as this outlives its immediate purposes to instruct and challenge future generations, even in ways the human author could not completely foresee.

Having said all that, it is still beneficial to ascertain some key and fundamental purposes for Acts. Luke is the only writer in the New Testament to give us a prescript for both of his volumes (Luke 1:1–4; Acts 1:1–5), which ends up being extremely helpful for determining his purpose. Luke’s preface for his Gospel is as follows:

Since many have attempted to organize a narrative of the deeds that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderlysequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know with certainty concerning the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1–4, my translation)

The purposes orbit around these italicized words: narrative—fulfilled—orderly—know—certainty. The narrative itself, the ordering, provides certainty about the fulfillment of God’s promises. But what was this uncertainty and what was fulfilled?

Interestingly, Luke employs the same language (know and certainty) and concepts (fufill) of Luke 1:4 again in Acts 2:36. At the end of Peter’s Pentecost sermon, he tells the crowd, “Let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (2:36, my translation).6

Thus, Luke provides certainty through an ordered narrative that God has fulfilled his promises to Israel and the nations inJesus Christ.7 He writes an arranged story to show Jesus and the Spirit are the Father’s plan for his people—both now and forevermore. In this way, Acts is a work of edification; it has a theological and pastoral purpose for local communities.8 As Craig Keener states, “Luke’s largest agenda in Luke-Acts is to place the mission of Jesus and the church in its place in salvation history.”9

At the highest level, Luke writes to convince his audience that the bumpy start of the community of God is the plan of God. Luke’s audience needs assurance that they are on the right path. As the church endures rejection and persecution, God’s people might not be sure this is the fulfillment of the kingdom.

In many ways, Acts can be seen as a series of onslaughts of Satan trying to thwart the spread of the word. Ironically, the onslaughts only propel it forward. Luke, therefore, reassures Christians of the nature and plan of God. This is the primary purpose of Acts.

However, many subcategories exist below this larger purpose. If Luke wrote to provide theological and pastoral certainty, then the uncertainty he counters can be identified with even more precision. This uncertainty seems to have stemmed from ethnic, gender, supernatural, social, economic, and political realities. All of these created pressure points, persecution, or disunity.10

Ethnically, the new community now consisted of both Jews and Gentiles, which caused problems. Jews wondered whether welcoming Gentiles to table-fellowship necessarily implied the abandonment of their ancestral faith.

Politically, Gentiles wondered how they fit into a religious movement that had its roots in Judaism, and all Christians pondered how their newfound faith inhabited the Empire.

Socially, this community consisted of both rich and poor, and the culture of the day had a wide separation of the two groups.

In terms of gender, women were a large contingent of the early church, and Luke wrote to affirm the diversity.

Supernaturally, this community was under attack by demonic forces and the power of Satan.

Figure 1.1 Uncertainty in Acts

Luke, therefore, shows readers through his ordered narrative that Jews and Gentiles are to engage in table-fellowship together; Christianity fulfills ancestral Judaism; the gospel is for the rich and the poor; the rich are to provide for the poor; Christianity and Rome don’t have to be at odds; the Way is innocent of sedition against Caesar; both women and men are welcome in the church; and the Satanic and political forces have no power over the message of Christ.

Furthermore, Luke tells these stories so the future church can emulate the virtuous acts and avoid the shameful ones. Literature in the ancient world presented its subjects as exemplars to instruct and inform concerning the current moment.

All of the above points combine to form a theological, pastoral, historical, evangelistic, and even political purpose.11Luke writes to encourage, to embolden emulation, and to evangelize. It is a renewal document for all times.

The Plan and Argument

The rest of this book will outline the ordered narrative theology of Acts. God imparts a theology in Acts for the renewal of the church. Yet the proposals for a theological center or theological heart of Acts twist in a variety of directions.

Many claim Acts focuses on the Spirit. The Spirit is thus the primary actor in Acts, making this the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” Others claim it is the word, which becomes almost a character in Acts with arms and legs. Others claim it is the church. Acts exists to teach us about the struggles of the early church. Others claim Acts is about the transition from Peter to Paul—after all, this is the Acts of the Apostles. More recent proposals focus on the continued work of Jesus.

Elements of truth persist in each of these proposals. But rather than claiming one outdoes the others, it is better to recognize they all relate to one another. Coherency and association rather than conflict and antagonism unite these themes together. Too many propose a different central theme, arguing past one another, not realizing they are arguing for the same thing but from a different angle.

Benefit, therefore, exists in locating these themes in a logical and conceptual order. Rather than being disparate, these themes are a mosaic—the pieces fit together. To put them out of place does damage to our understanding as a whole.

The order, to no surprise, is found in Luke’s narrative (cf. Luke 1:3). To put this another way, one cannot theologize Acts correctly without narratizing it. As Richard Pervo puts it, “Acts is a narrative, and its theology must be recovered from the narrative.”12

For example, one can’t speak about the Spirit according to Acts without putting him in the frame of the risen Christ. One can’t speak of Christ without speaking of the Father’s plan. One can’t speak about the witness of the apostles without relating it to the empowering of the Spirit. This book is most fundamentally about the mission of the triune God.

I have chosen seven themes to summarize Luke’s main theological aims, though certainly many more could be added: (1) God the Father orchestrates; (2) through Christ, who lives and rules; and (3) through the empowering Spirit; (4) causing the word to multiply; (5) bringing salvation to all; (6) forming the church; which (7) witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Luke emphasizes all of these themes in different ways, but my order is purposeful—a Lukan logic exists. The triune God stands at the head because the remaining themes flow from God the Father’s plan, centered on the risen and enthroned Jesus, and the empowerment of the Spirit. The Spirit then empowers the word concerning salvation in Jesus’s name. Through the word, salvation in Jesus’s name is announced to all flesh. Salvation creates the church (the body of Christ), which witnesses to the actions of the triune God.

When all of these are tied together, the priority of the Trinitarian shape surfaces from the message of Acts. Acts is about God, the God who continues his mission to glorify himself by blessing the nations through his chosen people. Though this book is about God, the agency of God never negates the agency of his people; it empowers them. The time has come to look at each of these theological themes in more detail for the renewal of the church.

Figure 1.2 Theological Themes in Acts

1  A few early Christians also identify Luke as from Antioch. The Anti-Marcionite Prologue (end of second century; cf. “Anti-Marcionite [Gospel] Prologues,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 1, ed. David Noel Freedman [New York: Doubleday, 1992], 262) describes Luke as “an Antiochene of Syria.” Some even argue “Lucius of Cyrene” in Acts 13:1 is Luke (cf. Rom. 16:21). If he is from Cyrene, the north coast of Africa, then he likely had dark skin. Though this is hard to confirm, if true, Luke-Acts is the only work authored by a black Gentile. While many modern scholars doubt this, as Paul elsewhere calls him Luke (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24), it should be taken into account that the two most “Roman” books (Romans and Acts) call some obscure figure Lucius.

2  Desiderius Erasmus, Paraphrase on Acts, trans. Robert D. Sider, vol. 50 of Collected Works of Erasmus (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1995), 4.

3  I borrow this language from Brandon D. Crowe, The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020), 4.

4  The next two paragraphs are a reworking and paraphrasing of Barnes’s moving summary of Acts. Albert Barnes, Notes Explanatory and Practical on the Acts of the Apostles (New York: Harper, 1851), vi.

5  Mark Powell categorizes the proposals for a purpose of Acts under six headings: irenic, polemical, apologetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and theological. Mark Allan Powell, What Are They Saying about Acts? (New York: Paulist, 1991), 13–19.

6  The same word for certainty resurfaces once more in the judicial contexts of Acts where Paul argues Jesus is the Messiah (21:34; 22:30; 25:26).

7  The word translated “orderly” (kathexēs) doesn’t so much mean chronological but refers to a logical and coherent sequence (cf. Luke 8:1; Acts 3:24; 18:23).

8  Howard Marshall also claims Acts was intended as “an account of Christian beginnings in order to strengthen faith and give assurance that its foundation is sure.” I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles: An Introduction and Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1980), 21.

9  Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 1, Introduction and 1:1–2:47 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 438.

10  As Philip Esler notes, the actual condition of Luke’s community governs his theology. He has molded his work to minister to the needs of the community and therefore gives modern ministers the impetus to stay attuned to the social, economic, and political realities of our own time. Philip Francis Esler, Community and Gospel in Luke-Acts (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987), 223.

11  F. F. Bruce says Luke is an apologist in Acts: he defends Christianity against pagan religion (Christianity is true, paganism is false), against Judaism (Christianity is the fulfillment of true Judaism), and against political accusations (Christianity is innocent of any offence against Roman law). F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles, 3rd rev. and enlarged ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1990), 22.

12  Richard Pervo, Acts: A Commentary, Hermeneia (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2008), 22.

1

God the Father Orchestrates

For if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.

Acts 5:38–39

The Father and the Ensemble

One of my favorite classical songs is Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jolity.” A long time ago, I found a YouTube video of “Jupiter” performed by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra with Eiji Oue as the conductor. He likely spent countless hours on this project, working through the mistakes, the mistimings, and mismanagement.

Midway through the song, the string section arises in full force. Oue’s face fills with emotion as he directs them to be one with their instruments and one another. He conducts a masterpiece. He guides the song to its natural, prewritten, and beautiful end.1

If Acts is a song, then the Father conducts the ensemble. Similar to Oue, God the Father orchestrates all actions in Acts toward their prewritten and beautiful end. He has a plan. And it will be accomplished.

Though most theological works on Acts don’t begin with the Father (and sometimes don’t even include him in one of the themes), it is clear throughout the narrative that all the action finds its source in and stems from the Father.2

All other refrains in Acts flow from the Father’s orchestration. Acts is about Christ, the Spirit, and the church, but these—to use early church language—are begotten from, spirate from, and are born from God the Father. A theology of Acts must start with the Father, his plan and orchestration.

It is the Father who acts (2:11; 14:27; 15:4, 7–8, 14; 21:19); speaks (2:17; 3:21; 7:6–7; 8:14); attests to Jesus (2:22); raised Jesus from the dead (2:24; 3:15, 22, 26; 4:10;