Deck 24: The Acts of the Apostles

Question 1

5. Many readers have noticed similarities between what happens to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke and to Christian believers in the book of Acts. List a few examples of such parallels. How does Luke strengthen his theological emphases through such parallels and other conventions of ancient historiography?

Answer 1

Students might proffer numerous parallels. A few examples are listed in Box 24.1, including Jesus' baptism // the baptism with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; the Spirit's empowerment of Jesus // the spirit's empowerment of the apostles; Jesus' healing of the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead // the disciples performing the same; and conflicts with Jerusalem leadership, including execution. In addition, the preaching content between the two books matches closely. In ancient histories, speeches were fabrications that were intended to fit the occasion; they were not historically accurate records of the words of the characters. Luke, then, follows the conventions of the genre by supplying speeches that are appropriate to the narrative audience and setting. Luke's use of these historiographic elements allows him to continue to emphasize the repeated rejection of Jesus and his teachings by the Jews and the inclusion of the Gentiles into the kingdom of God. The travel narratives, as well as many of the speeches, present the apostles as appealing to the Jews first, as Jesus did and then, once rejected, taking the gospel to the Gentiles.

Question 2

1. Acts was written by the author of the Gospel of Luke.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

2. In Acts, Paul continues to observe the Jewish Law.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

3. Acts emphasizes the connection between Christianity and Judaism.

Question 5

4. The various speeches throughout Acts were actually written by the author of Acts.

Question 6

5. Acts ends with the martyrdom of Paul in Rome.

Question 7

6. The speeches in Acts emphasize atonement through the death and resurrection of Jesus rather than repentance.

Question 8

1) To whom is the book of Acts attributed?

A) Jesus
B) Paul
C) Luke
D) Peter

Question 9

3) The book of Acts is probably best understood as a(n)

A) Greco-Roman biography.
B) Greco-Roman novel.
C) ancient history.
D) apocalypse.

Question 10

19) Luke-Acts does not emphasize the continuity between

A) Jesus and Judaism.
B) Judaism and Christianity.
C) Jesus and the Church.
D) Jesus and Moses.