Part IThe Acts of the Apostles

Part IThe Acts of the ApostlesPivotal Event – PentecostPersecution and GrowthThe Church in Jerusalem, Galilee and Samaria

Part IIThe Missionary Activity of PaulThe Church of Jews and Gentiles The Church of Rome

Overview

You may not be able to answer each of these questions “perfectly,” but you should be able to offer some ideas and be able to support those ideas with evidence from Acts. How did a Jewish messianic movement develop into a

Gentile religion? What sequences of events and ideas affected this transformation?

How is it that Paul, who did not know the historical Jesus, became his chief interpreter?

How does Acts show Jesus’ disciples, motivated by the same Sprit that had inspired Jesus, carrying his work into the Greco-Roman world.

Why/How does this new way appeal to the people?According to Acts, what are the essential elements for

becoming a believer.What is Paul’s contribution to the international mission?

A Continuation of Luke’s Gospel Also addressed to Theophilus

The Purpose It’s an account of the progression

from a Jewish movement to a Gentile faith.

Christianity is a legitimate religion that does not threaten the Roman government.

Many of the events involving the apostles in Acts mirror events involving Jesus in Luke.

Through the proclamation of the risen Lord, God opens the way for “all peoples” to join his flock.

Where did Acts

come from?

St. Luke

Rightfully speak of Luke / Acts

Written most likely after 64 AD – Paul is in Rome

Not isolated writing, but rather an integral part in a well-ordered series.

Acts presupposes its readers to know the Gospels

Where did Acts

come from?

St. Luke

According to the early Church historian Eusebius, born in Antioch of Syrian or Greek parents in 31 A.D.

Identifies Luke as the author of the third gospel that bears his name, and the Acts of the Apostles.

One of the first Gentile converts to Christianity Travelling companion of Saint Paul on his many

missionary journeys. Even after everyone else had deserted Paul, Luke was with him in his last days and final imprisonment in Rome.

After 64 AD? Luke was unmarried and wrote his gospel in Greece at Boeotia, where he died at age 84.

Because Luke's gospel was believed to be an accurate account of the life of Christ, and especially of Christ's birth, Luke was taken as one of the patrons of notaries. Luke's is the gospel of the poor and social justice.

Who was St. Luke?

There is some tradition that Luke met Mary sometime before her death – hence the focus on Mary at the beginning of his Gospel and Acts

Trained as physician, St. Luke is also the patron of medical profession. He was reported to have been a fine painter (although this has not been proven), and is also patron of artists, painters, sculptors, craft workers and lace makers. His feast day is on October 18.

Symbol of St. Luke is an OX or bull taken from the beginning of his gospel where Zachary was in the temple to sacrifice – a bull or ox. The OX actually represents Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.

Who was St. Luke?

Our Lady of Czestochowa

Read Acts Chapter 1What do we know about the

early Church?

Acts of the Apostles – Part I

The Church in Jerusalem, Galilee

and Samaria

Before Pentecost

The Lord Prepares the Disciples (The Great CommissionThe Ascension The Lord Re-Establishes 12 Apostles The devotion to prayerThe Motion of Peter to Choose

Another Apostle Role of Peter as Leader The criteria for an apostolic

replacement The Development of Tradition -

The Method of choosing Matthias chosen – ranked among

Apostles

Acts of the Apostles – Part I

The Church in Jerusalem, Galilee

and Samaria

Before Pentecost

Read Acts Chapter 2 What happened in that upper room?

Acts of the Apostles – Part I

The Church in Jerusalem, Galilee and Samaria

Pentecost