The second half of Luke's history of the church, which was commissioned by Theophilus. It covers the actions of the Apostles from Christ's ascension to heaven to Paul's imprisonment in Rome.
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votes
2answers
82 views
What language(s) would the Jewish Christians in the various Macedonian cities have spoken?
In Acts 16-18, Paul is shown moving from city to city in Macedonia - e.g. Phillipi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth - many of to whom he would later write letters. Acts 17:2 explains that it was his ...
8
votes
1answer
184 views
Does Luke's supposed profession matter when interpreting his work as an author?
Paul makes reference to a physician named Luke:
Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.—Colossians 4:14 (ESV)
Tradition also assigns Luke as author of the gospel that bears ...
7
votes
3answers
364 views
Why did Stephen give such a long speech?
Before he was stoned, Stephen gives a huge speech (Acts 7) going over Israeli history, from Abraham through Moses to David.
I really don't understand the purpose of it. What is the overall message? ...
9
votes
5answers
3k views
Why did the witnesses lay their coats at Paul's feet?
During the stoning of Stephen, according to the book of Acts, "the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul," who later converted to Christianity and took the name Paul.
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5
votes
2answers
138 views
Is “calling on the name of the Lord” in Acts 9 literal or figurative?
How did Paul fetch out the followers of Jesus in Acts 9?
I've always thought that it was simply their practice of calling on the name of the Lord (precisely "Jesus") aloud as the phrase "calling on ...
4
votes
2answers
78 views
Where did the idea that the law was administered through angels come from?
The idea that the law was given through angels seems common enough in the first century literature:
Galatians 3:19
Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring ...
4
votes
2answers
390 views
Did Luke use Josephus as a source?
Richard Carrier summarizes an argument made by Steve Mason in his book Josephus and the New Testament that Luke knew of Josephus' Jewish War (79 CE) and Jewish Antiquities (94 CE). At it's core, the ...
4
votes
2answers
3k views
Who were the Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews of Acts 6:1?
In Acts, it talks about a division in Judaism that I had not heard of before:
Acts 6:1 (NIV)
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained ...
