Acts (Practices) of Apostles

New Testament Commentary. Copyright. 2002. Philip G. Roets STL,SSL. Page 1

ACTS (PRACTICES) OF APOSTLES

Commentary by Philip G. Roets. STL SSL

ACTS 1:1-2:47.

Title

The first point to discuss is the title. In English this writing is called “The Acts of the Apostles.” This title is misleading. It seems to say this is a book about all the apostles and their actions.

The Greek title is more defined. The Greek is “Practices of Apostles.” This titleindicates the book is about some apostolic ways of acting in various circumstances. That is exactly what the book is about. The author does not intend to tell us everything that happened in those first years but only some of the highlights and how issues were decided or settled.The author wanted to show what they thought of Jesus, how they put their beliefs into action, and what were the immediate results.

Author

In Chapter 16:10, is the first of “WE” section. The author began to speak in the first person plural. When all these passages are analyzed and the details put together, the only person who would fit the picture is Luke.

Luke was a Greek medical doctor of those days. Luke treated Paul until his death in67 A.D. Luke was responsible for the third Gospel Story. He definitely edited some, and probably all, of the letters of Paul.

Importance of ACTS

The description of the Christians in their daily life is given in 2:42-47. This is probably the most important bit of information for the continuing life of the church. It describes how the members of the church can be effective and why they will be noticed. There is a pattern of action that can be easily followed and, if followed, will be truly effective. If the plan is not followed, the work that Jesus proposed will suffer or be lost.

“Gospel of Holy Spirit”

This Holy Spirit is so important in Acts that the book is frequently called the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit.”The Spirit or Holy Spirit is not a mystery but a powerful understandable reality. The word “spirit” is the translation of the Hebrew word, “ruah” which means “BREATH.” This concept or reality was the most important part of the story of the first Adam. He was a lump of clay. God “BREATHED” into the clay the “BREATH of life” and he became a living being. “Breath” was used as a symbol or sign of the dependence of Adam, and all mankind, on God at all times.This “Holy Breath” established the “koinonia” or community or sharing which characterized the first followers of Jesus.

ACTS OF APOSTLES. PROLOGUE. Acts 1:1-5.

Luke dedicated or addressed this work to the same “Theophilus” that he mentioned at the beginning of his gospel. We have nobody in history who was called specifically by the name, and yet two major writings were dedicated to him. I think this is a “generic” name for a Christian. The word is a compound word in Greek and means “Lover of God.” So Luke was addressing his ideas to anyone who truly loves God.

Luke pointed out that the plan of Jesus was for the apostles to remain in Jerusalem until they were filled with this “Holy Spirit.” Luke said that Jesus made the comparison between the baptism by John Baptist and the apostles being baptized in this Holy Spirit. Remember the word, “baptism” is a Greek word which means the complete immersion into something. The apostles would not begin their mission until they truly understood and were completely immersed in this Holy Spirit. They would be filled with this Holy Spirit and would establish the new creation begun by and in Jesus Christ, the Second Adam.

THE ASCENSION. Acts 1:6-11.

This is the continuation of the gospel story by Luke. The apostles were outside the city with Jesus. They showed by their questions that they did not understand what Jesus had said. They wanted to know if this was the moment in which he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. They were looking for a resurrection of the physical, earthly Kingdom of David that had been destroyed in 587 B.C.

Jesus said they were not to bother about times and dates and temporal kingdoms and such. They were to be open to this Holy Spirit and then go out as witnesses of Jesus and his teaching throughout the whole world.

As Jesus was saying this, he was lifted up and taken out of their presence and sight. The apostles were standing - staring at the sky. Suddenly two men in white were beside them and asking, “Why are you standing here staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken up into heaven and he will come back in the same way.”

Background Information - Age of the Apostles:

In art down through the ages, the apostles have been depicted as old men at the moment that Jesus left them on their own. It is important to correct this notion. Jesus was about thirty when he began his public work. John the Baptist was six months older. Jesus picked men around his own age. One apostle, John, was a teenager and this is explicitly stated. He was 13 or 14 when called. Mark was a young boy at the time of the death of Jesus as we are told in his gospel. The other apostles were in their late teens or early twenties. Paul was twenty-four years old at the time of his conversion. Peter and Paul died the same year, 67 A.D., in Rome. Paul was age 57 at the time and Peter was about the same. This is not old by our standards, today, but would have been more so at that time. Life expectancy was shorter at the time.

THE JERUSALEM CHURCH. Acts 1:12-5:42.

THE UPSTAIRS APARTMENT. Acts 1:12-26.

After Jesus was gone, the little group returned to Jerusalem to the upstairs apartment where they were staying. The eleven apostles were first named: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, Jude, son of James. Judas Iscariot was no longer with the group. There were also women, including Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and some of his cousins. If there is any question as to the equality of women in that early Church, here is the answer. Even though the world of the times saw women as second class people, Jesus and his followers did not.

Remember, Luke told us in the gospel, that the Mother of Jesus was filled with this “Holy Spirit” from the time she conceived Jesus. All through her life with him, she had learned and understood more and more of the work that he intended to establish. Jesus was gone and Mary was now the guide to the full understanding of Jesus’ teaching.

Mary, in no way, took over the group. She did just as she had done at the wedding feast in Cana (J.2:1-11). At Cana, she saw a need and went to Jesus and said, “The wine is gone!” Then, in spite of the seeming indifference or refusal of Jesus, she goes to the servants and says, "Whatever he tells you to do, that you do.”

I think Peter would take over and begin to talk immediately. He would gradually get this brashness under control but he would always speak first and then think about what he has said. The first order of business, as Peter saw it, was to replace Judas. Two candidates were in the running: Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. They drew lots and Matthias was chosen to take the place of Judas.

PENTECOST. Acts 2:1-47.

The term, Pentecost, means “fifty days.” It referred originally to a Jewish feast, celebrated “fifty days” after Passover and commemorating Moses receiving and promulgating the Law on Sinai. Luke tells how the apartment was suddenly filled with a great hubbub. Individual tongues of fire rested above the heads of each of them. They were filled with this Holy Spirit and began to speak excitedly in foreign tongues. They received the gift of “glossolalia”- (Greek) to talk excitedly.

Much has been said of this scene. We are told they were amazed that they all understood what was being said even though they came from all these different countries. However, you must note that Luke says explicitly that all the people were Jews and converts to Judaism. Hence I don’t think we have to posit or explain how the apostles could speak all these different languages. All the people understood the native Jewish language that was spoken at the time.

The gospels stressed that this Holy Spirit could come after Jesus left. After Jesus went, he sent the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Luke described what happened on Pentecost. This story is a parallel, by contrast, to Genesis, chapter 11, and the famous Tower of Balal or Babel.

The Genesis story is the Bible’s account of the origin of all the different languages in the world. Originally, in the Genesis legend, everyone spoke the same language. Then after the flood, they decided to build a tower to climb right up into the clouds. If another flood was forthcoming, they could climb to the top of the tower and keep their feet dry.

God looked down on their audacity and false pride and decided to put a stop to such vanity with one stroke. He started the varying languages. The people could not understand one another and so they had to live as loners or small groups. The variety of languages and the impossibility of understanding each other were evidence of the disunity and disharmony of the human race.

Jesus had come to reestablish the unity and community of mankind, and the coming of this Holy Spirit was the starting point. Luke described the apostles as having the gift of tongues so that they could stand up and talk all different languages and people would understand them. This was the evidence of the gift of this Holy Spirit.

My interpretation of the scene is this. Luke wanted to point out the key to the success of the early church. It came from the sharing or community of the members in this “Holy Spirit” or this sense of oneness and harmony. It was the direct opposite of the spirit of disunity and fighting which had been characteristic of the first Adam.

Jesus, Second Adam, pointed out the new spirit that should permeate his followers. He pointed out the harmony and community that would flow from this spirit and the resultant conversion of the whole world. The human race would be restored to unity and community as planned from the beginning. This Holy Spirit was the secret of the power of the church in the world and all society in those opening years. The people lived by this spirit and fostered this spirit of sharing at all times.

This was the Spirit that Jesus gave in his act of leaving. It was the remembrance of his presence and the evidence of his power. It took the apostles a few days to get this lesson, but when they learned what Jesus meant, they cooperated willingly and the work of Jesus was on its way. This Holy Spirit was the firm conviction in each Christian of his/her individual worth and the willingness to share this worth with others. The two basic notions were stressed: What I have belongs entirely to me and I am willing and happy to share it with you.

The value of each individual person was maintained in all its reality. Jesus loved each person and had died for each one. To be real disciples of Jesus, the followers had to be convinced of individual rights and worth, and then be completely willing to share these with others.

Now Peter stood with the eleven around him and addressed the crowd. He gave a summary of the work of Jesus and the role of the followers in the continuance and spread of that work. When the listeners asked what they must do to share in this offering, Peter said two things: They must have a complete change of attitude and life, and they must be baptized.

The first verb, “metanoieo” is usually translated by “repent.” I do not think this English verb has a full enough meaning to translate the Greek verb. This Greek verb means “to have a complete change of life and outlook.” This meant they must turn away from errors and immoral practices and turn toward the teachings of Jesus.

Peter’s first sermon reached the crowds. Almost 3000 people were converted and baptized that day and became followers of Jesus.

To conclude this story of the first Pentecost, Luke summed up the type of life led by these first followers. The people were

1) faithful to the teaching of the apostles,

2) faithful to the common sharing (koinonia),

3) faithful to the breaking of the bread, and

4) faithful to the prayers.

They lived together and owned everything in common. They sold anything they possessed, put the proceeds in the common center, and used whatever they needed. But at no time did they deny the right of personal worth and private property. They put their things in common and shared with each other because they wanted to. As Peter stressed in chapter 5, this sharing was completely voluntary.

They went to the Temple, every day, as usual, but they met in their homes for the breaking of bread. They shared their food gladly and generously. Everybody noticed and admired them. Their example meant that more people joined the group each day.

There are several conclusions that must be drawn. First of all, the teaching of the apostles was the basis for all their beliefs. They could add to or adapt what had been said. It meant that the apostolic teaching had to be the foundation.

Secondly, sharing was essential. In a short while, this common life would not be practical because the bookkeeping would become an impossible task. Peter said explicitly that this sharing was voluntary. No one had to have property in common to be a good follower of Jesus.

Thirdly, the breaking of bread was the main meal of the day. This had none of the ritualistic double talk that is now the theology of the Eucharist. To break bread meant that the people had their one main meal together, each day. This was what we would call a “potluck” supper or dinner. At the end of the meal, they always had the Friendship Cup: a cup of wine was passed around the group and each person dipped his/her piece of bread into the cup and ate the bread. This last cup of wine was the symbol of their union with and into Jesus Christ. There was none of this Transubstantiation or Real Presence theory or dogma.

Finally, they had their prayers in common. This, too, would be a continuation of their life as Jews. The point that was stressed again was this constant, free sharing of all that they possessed with each other. This sharing or generous giving brought in the new converts daily.

ACTS 3:1-8:25.

CURE OF LAME MAN. Acts 3:1-10.

This is a dramatic story and fits so well with the personality of Peter. He now used his tendency for showmanship to good effect.

It was about 3:00 p.m., Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for prayers. When they came to this one gate, there was a man, crippled from birth, who sat and begged. He was there, day after day.

Peter and John stopped. Peter said, “Look at us.” The man looked up, expecting some big gift. Instead, Peter said, “Silver and gold I have none. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, arise and walk.” Then Peter reached out and took the man by the hand. The cripple came to his feet and began to jump and dance around and went into the Temple with them - jumping and dancing for joy. Everyone saw him. They recognized him for the crippled beggar but they did not know what had happened.

PETER ADDRESSES THE CROWD. Acts 3:11-26.

A crowd gathered in a hurry. So Peter talked to them. He gave them a short summary of life of Jesus and his resurrection. Then he said that he had cured this man in the name and power of Jesus. Peter went on to tell them that he did not hold the death of Jesus against them because they did not know what they were doing. However he urged them to listen now and to follow the teachings of Jesus.

PETER and JOHN -- SANHEDRIN. Acts 4:1-22.

This is a cleverly written action story. We see the qualities of leadership that Jesus had seen dormant in Peter and why he made Peter the foundation stone on which the whole Church was to be established.

There are aspects of the incident that irritated the whole priestly clan. First and foremost, they realized that Peter and John were not formally educated in their schools. Therefore, they were considered ignorant. They saw the hold that these men had taken on the crowds of people and everyone was babbling about the miracle and the power of Jesus seen in it. They decided a show of force and authority was necessary. They figured they could scare Peter and John into silence.