Acts. Harding School of Theology. Dr. Richard Oster

Acts. Harding School of Theology. Dr. Richard Oster.
Selective chapter study on the most significant passages on the book of Acts.
Acts as a piece of Literature:
Second part of Luke-Acts:
The Lukan prologue. Lk. 1:1-3: Luke acknowledges that others have written something similar to
what he is doing: not an eyewitness but is relying on information passed through eyewitnesses.
We don`t know if he means something chronological or systematical. Theophilus is thought to be a
historical character but we don`t know anything about him.
In Acts 1:1 Luke refers to the first book: Luke. The ending of Jesus’ ministry is not his resurrection
but the ascension and enthronement (identical events for Luke): Underestimation of this event in
the light of the Christology of the resurrection: in old days the event overestimated was the cross
and the resurrection. Only in the last 30 years there is a growing interest in the enthronement.
Literary connection with Luke: largest document in the NT.
The historicity: it is history embedded also with theology. It is very selective in the choosing of the
events recorded: a doctrinal and theological emphasis. There are two extreme sides: pure history
or not history at all.
- The nature of the speeches:
No one thinks that these speeches are complete. How did they become so short in the writing of
Acts? They represent the theology and intent of the original person given to the original audience.
Peter’s and Paul’s first sermon are the longer ones: representative of the whole. Similar to Luke 4
and the first sermon of Jesus.
- The title
It was given generations after Luke: it begins with the twelve apostles but after 13 Paul comes to
the center of the stage.
Luke does not refer to Paul as an apostle. When he calls him that he also refers to Barnabas.
Apostle is just a transliteration and not a translation.
Paul as the evangelist and Paul the apologist: the two main sections from chapter 13 onwards.
In most of the last part of the book there are very little accounts of conversion or evangelization.
What we don’t have in Acts:
Limitations in geographical descriptions: very little known of Christianity in North Africa for
example.
:’(
The question about the kingdom: Jesus does not rebuke the apostles for this questions he only
addresses the impossibility about knowing the times or seasons.
*To understand Jesus and the apostles is necessary to read the same Bible that they read.
Concerning the restoration of the kingdom: the same themes occur in a few passages in the OT.
Jer. 30-33; Ezek. Is. 11. Joel 2. How this manifested in the first few chapters of Acts.
1. You must have the presence of the H. S. understood in the OT as the presence of Yahve. Lk.
3:15-17. Ezek. 37 – Restoration of the people in their land. Joel 2-3; Is. 11.
2. It has to include all the 12 tribes; it is a symbolic form. Jer. 31: the house of Judah and Israel.
Ezek. 37:15ff unification under one nation.
*Both themes are present in Acts: Pentecost, the replacement of Judas with the (symbolic) twelve
tribes*
The restoration theme of the 12 disspaears after the first chapters: the death of James.
3. The significance of the diaspora coming together.
4. The centrality of Jerusalem
5. A Davidic king.
6. Witness to the gentiles.
It is interesting that all of these themes are present with the apostles in Acts 1, this is the
background of the question. It is not a brand new Kingdom, but a restoration of the Davidic
Kingdom.
Pentecost in second temple Judaism associate the Pentecost with the beginning of the Mosaic Law
and covenant renewal. A form of giving of the Law for Christianity. Oster does not see this taking
place in Acts.
The tongues in Acts: Oster thinks about two kinds of languages: of men and of angels.
The prophecy of Joel cited in ch. 2 has themes that resemble the first two chapters of Luke
(Zecharaia, Mary, Elisabeth, Simeon, Anna). Also in Luke there is a strong Christological emphasis
on David’s line of kingship.
v. 19 – 22: signs and wonders applied specifically to the works of Jesus.
The selection of the passage from Joel is to call for repentance: the need to start calling the name
of the Lord again. Instead of all the other where there is only consolation.

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Acts. Harding School of Theology. Dr. Richard Oster

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Acts. Harding School of Theology. Dr. Richard Oster.

Acts as a piece of Literature:

Second part of Luke-Acts:

- The nature of the speeches:

Apostle is just a transliteration and not a translation.

What we don’t have in Acts:

3. The significance of the diaspora coming together.

4. The centrality of Jerusalem

6. Witness to the gentiles.

v. 19 – 22: signs and wonders applied specifically to the works of Jesus.

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