Introduction:
The Acts of the Apostles is a narrative by St. Luke about the apostles. This is Part 2 of St. Luke's Gospel. Theophilus was likely the patron who sponsored Luke to write and have copies created for both Luke and Acts. To write and distribute this, it may have cost the equivalent today of $10,000 for both books. St. Luke's Greek style is deliberately written in the style of a Greek historian (Example: Herodatus). St. Luke is very educated, likely born from a wealthy family and was educated in Antioch. He was a doctor by trade, and this also would have, for his training in this profession, be trained to read and write.
Acts focuses on the 11 Apostles and Paul. There are actually two versions of Acts, one shorter and one longer. The longer version has more drama and is more descriptive. They both say the same but the longer is simply more descriptive.
The oldest copies we have of the Acts are 2nd and 3rd CE and we have both the short and long versions from those centuries so we do not really know which one was written first and which verison is older but it could be that St. Luke wrote both and did an eventual edit that gave us the longer version. Either way they do not contradict each other. Upon reading it, one finds quite a bit of hindsight in it so the Acts are more than likely written after 70 AD. One will find St. Luke will randomly mention quite a bit of people in Acts like he also did in his Gospel as well. This is likely because he has these people as eyewitnesses and they are still alive, able to still give their testimony to back up Luke's claims. In other words, you could at that time of his writing go to them, talk, and ask if Luke was telling the truth.
[Chapter 1]
1:1-2
Dedication to Theophilus, a reference to his 1st Gospel.
"All Jesus BEGAN"... He has ascended but His work continues through His Apostles and the Church.
1:3-8
What the apostles teach is Christ's teachings. Jesus was seen for 40 days after His death and Resurrection. He showed proof He was really alive and resurrected from death. He spoke of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Jesus showed up and told the 11 to stay in Jerusalem and wait on the Holy Spirit to bapitze them by fire. The Apostles get it and ask "will you restore the kingdom to Israel?" This is a logical question to ask. The prophets do talk about this a lot so it makes sense to ask.
Jesus responds: You don't get to know. He talks of the Holy Spirit and them. They are not asking if he is going to overthrow Rome nor the world's kingdoms here. They are asking when the kingdom of heaven and earth will reunite.
When is the 2nd Coming is what htey are asking here. We are currently in the Last Days.
Jesus tells them their mission: They will evangelize to Jerusalem, then all of Judaea and Samaria, and then to the end of the earth (whole world).
1:9-11
After He says this, He ascends into the heavens/skies until a cloud makes Him disappear. Then two angels tell them to stop gazing into the sky and go. He will come back down the same way that He left. All 11 Apostles and women and Mary and His step brothers all are there (his step-brothers all now believe - including James). James will be in charge of Jerusalem as Jesus appeared to him. Mary, the Theotokos, is named as well here. To St. Luke, she is just as important to list as the Apostles. St. Peter leads the apostles but the number of the disciples is 120 people. At this point, the Church consists of 120 people.
Peter leads and says the Psalm he quotes was from the Holy Spirit spoken of through King David. Peter says it was all prophesied and that Judas' betrayal even of Jesus was part of the plan of God and was fulfilled. Everything Judas did, they the apostles also did.
Judas Iscariot hanged himself in the Field of Blood. When he dropped to snap his neck, it seems that the branch broke, and when that did and his body dropped, it popped in some way that made all his body parts gush out. They see Psalm 68 and 108 (LXX) fulfilled and that to fulfill it, they select another for the office of Apostle. Joseph/Barsabas/Justus and Matthew are chosen as Jesus' witnesses to His death and resurrection. They select Matthew.
Verse 25 says for sure Judas went to Hell. Matthew is now of the 12. Lots are done (which is like rolling dice). In the Pentateuch, the High Priest used it to decide on unclear cases so that if you used it, God would ultimately give the answer here, almost like flipping a coin.
Of note, no one told Peter to do this. All Jesus said was to wait because God already had someone else in mind. Make no mistake that St. Matthias (Matthew) IS STILL A SAINT and APOSTLE even, However, it is tradition, written even in our iconography, that the true 12th Apostle (and icons of Pentecost) is actually St. Paul. Contrary to Roman Catholic doctrine, Peter does not get to choose a replacement. God does. St. Paul fulfills the 12th Office.
God picks Saul. This is reminiscent of 1 Samuel where God says to wait on a king. Israel couldn't wait so they chose Saul when God chose David, the runt of his family, as King, the least likely. This Saul/Paul will become the unlikely one chosen by God.
In fact, the earliest descriptions of St. Paul are that he is a short, ugly, scholarly rabbi with eye problems, who is bow-legged. His enemies also even refer to him as "The Abortion".
[Chapter 2]
The Jewish feast of Pentecost took place; the giving of the Torah. This takes place after Pascha.
Tradition in 2nd Temple Judaism and Early Christianity is the angels were the ones who gave the Law as God's intermediaries. We see this tradition in Hebrews 2:2.
The receiving of the covenant. Moses comes with the entire covenant; not just the 10 Commandments but all of the Pentateuch. The two tablets are copies of each other.
What Moses is given from God, the king to his new vessel (Moses and Israel) is called a Suzerain-vassal treaty (in this case the treaty is a covenant). God has declared He is Israel's Lord and Father and Suzerain. A Vassal like Israel is only allowed to take ONE Suzerain, for to take another "lord", "father" or "king" is tantamount to treason.
Blessings and curses are given and this covenant is given in a language and way that all in Israel will comprehend. Usually, in pagan societies of the Ancient Near East, there would be one copy of the treaty given to the king and the other would be set down by the pagan deity's "feet". With Yahweh though, He is God and King, so this is why both are placed in the Ark of the Covenant; God's footstool. This is to become the Christian Pentecost; which supersedes the Jewish one.
2:1-4
The Apostles hear wind and the Spirit of God comes, filling the whole building. One flame appears and is set eventually on all 120 people there. They then begin to speak other languages that God the Spirit gives them. They are all given the Spirit of God whereas in the Old Testament, it was particular and not always forever that one would receive the Holy Spirit and His gifts. The Spirit of God identifies Himself here by indwelling with them (His people).
glosse - speaking in actual languages, not some indecipherable language nor babbling. It is not a mystery. It is understandable. Pentecostals unfortunately are wrong about this matter.
2:5-13
Jews from every nation (the Diaspora). All Jews, even those who had been scattered. All people of the 12 Tribes were present here. Those from Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Persia, etc. ALL came for the feasts in Jerusalem. Devout men. All of this happens and causes a large commotion. Everyone understands what the 120 are saying and this confuses people because they can clearly see and tell that they are from all over.
Everyone is asking: "Aren't these all Galilean peasant Jews?" Some mock and say that "they are full of new wine" aka drunk.
The 120 proclaim the Gospel fluently in their primary languages. Jerusalem gets the proclamation first, Judea next, and so on.
2:14-15
12 Apostles - 12 Tribes.
70 Apostles - 70 Nations
120+ is the entire world.
A reversal of the Tower of Babel event is happening and begins here. The Restoration from the Exile is now being fulfilled here (not 1948 like dispensationalists wrongly claim) in 33 AD at Pentecost.
St. Peter, with the 11, begins his sermon to Jerusalem and starts with "we are not drunk as you suppose" It is 9 AM (the 3rd Hour).
2:16-21
Peter says Joel's prophecy has been fulfilled. The Holy Spirit has come as Jesus said and fulfilled this promise of the OT. Peter says it has been fulfilled today. The sun and moon became darkened on Jesus' Crucifixion (the Day of the Lord) and this has now ushered in "the last days" aka the epoch of time before the 2nd Coming. Whoever calls on Christ until then will be saved. It has begun now says Peter.
Numbers speak on this too; not just Joel. [The Spirit raised Christ from the dead]. The Crucifixion, Death, and Resurrection is a Day of the Lord.
St. Peter now also is given authority through the Holy Spirit and continues the sermon.
2:22-36
Peter tells them Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and quotes King David from Psalm 15 and then Ps. 109 (LXX). He says David was talking of Jesus even though he was speaking in the 1st Person. The Messiah who would sit at David's Throne is Jesus. Jesus is the True Messiah because He died and He rose. He and the 120 witnessed Jesus rise and gave them the Holy Spirit. He has taken His Heavenly Throne (the Ascension). David did not Ascend, but Jesus has and did (Ps 110 LXX).
"Until I make Your enemies Your footstool"... speaks about reigning in the midst of enemies too in this psalm. It is written as being a long period of time. Peter makes clear here in his sermon that Jesus is both God and Messiah and says He is the "One whom you crucified".
2:37-39
When they (Jews) hear this, they are grieved. Peter says they can repent and be baptized. They are now made aware of their need to repent of this sinfulness.
2:40-41
Peter says more and says "Be saved from this perverse generation" (genos/genea/people group). These people and these people around you. The promise is to you and YOUR CHILDREN and to all who are far off... (they need to preach and teach to ALL people). 3000 people became Christians on this day.
2:42-47
They continue. The 120 becomes 3,120 now in a community that is united together. They were together, did communion, and did THE prayers (formal). These are Jewish prayers being done. They go to the Temple to worship as of yet but also do the Eucharist and the Prayers. They are not sacrificing animals there. This will be controversial but they are for all sakes and purposes, communists in a sense. More were added to the Church daily. They do not forget the Torah or say "screw the Temple". These aren't bad things to use for the Lord. By the 2nd CE, things simply began to change because the Jews who rejected Jesus as Messiah forced them out of the synagogues. With the Christians, there is a continuity of Judaism taking place in the New Covenant. We Christians worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is just that all of it has been more fully revealed to us.
They voluntarily shared everything to help others and sold what they did not need to help the Church and others around them who needed to be helped.
[Note: The Church also blessed weddings like Jews did without the Roman state because Greco-Roman weddings were pagan ones and the Jews and Christians could not marry under Roman pagan customs obviously]
The Early Church at this point is still continuing to go to the Temple on Sabbath (Saturday) and go on the Lord's Day (Sunday) and they are doing the Eucharist in homes. More and more continue to join their commune and are being saved (not a one-time event).
Israel was called to be a light to the world and this is being fulfilled by the Church (who is Israel).
[Chapter 3]
3:1-10
Peter and John in the 9th Hour (a liturgical prayer) are going to pray at the Temple and see a disabled man who is a beggar. He sits at the gate. The beggar expects to get money from Peter and John. Peter however heals this beggar and says "in the name of Jesus, Messiah of Nazareth, rise up and walk". The beggar is instantly healed of his affliction, jumps up, and goes to the Temple. They thank Jesus, Who is God, in the Temple. The people see and recognize something that happened.
3:11-26
Peter preaches and says through Jesus this beggar was healed. The God you (Jews) all denied and His Messiah (also God). They are at Solomon's Porch (temple area). Peter refers to the Trial, Crucifixion, etc., and the Resurrection. He refers to the Old Testament (Covenant) to show them they are currently under a curse (in Deuteronomy 32) and calls them to repent and join the Messiah. He uses Deut. 18 referring to Moses to show Jesus is the New Moses. This is fulfilled by Jesus.
Jesus fulfills the Suffering Servant in Isaiah and Peter says this. He is calling them to repent and be changed. The "be converted" is not to change to a different religion since Jesus and Christianity are just the continuation of Judaism under the New Covenant.
Christ's return will be the restoration of all things (good). Peter says Jesus must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things.
[We are not replacing the Old. We are fulfilling it]
Peter points out that anyone who rejects the Messiah will be cut off. It was okay when they were all ignorant but now they have no excuses to not be a Christian. The 1st Covenant with man was with Abraham and ALL nations would be blessed (Gentiles too). To the Jew first, Gentiles second. The restoration is justice in its proper place. All is going to be put in order. Sin creates disorder and injustice. Restoration will be vindication for the faithful and this is for ALL creation, not just Jews. Jesus is currently resolving the problem that there are two distinct people (through the Church).
[Chapter 4]
4:1-4
The Sadducees freak out. The Captain of the Temple Gaurd, etc. were all freaked out because Peter and John were preaching in Jesus, the resurrection of the dead. The number of Christians now is about 5000. They arrest Peter and John.
4:5-22
All of the Great Sanhedrin came the next day. Annas, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and the High Priests' family were all here in Jerusalem. The John and Alexander mentioned here are Sadducees who compromised with Rome, not our St. John here. Alexander is not a Jewish name at all and is Greco-Roman. Even Annas and Caiaphas aren't Jewish names. Their names actually show that the rulers of the Temple have compromised with Rome to become powerful and you will notice in the Gospels and Acts that the peasant class has more Jewish names (they are staying more faithful to God). Peter and John are put in the Temple's prison.
[Remember that this Temple is Herod's Temple. It has an entire infrastructure that is structured, not like Solomon's Temple. It has some pagan pieces attached to it as well. Herod built pagan temples too and there is also a Temple prison as well (this is where Peter and John were put in).
The Sanhedrin tries to force Peter and John to quit preaching and they call the Sanhedrin to repent. The Sanhedrin let them go because even they see this is a miracle occurring but they try to get John and Peter to quit. They are upset that they healed the man and ask through what name they are preaching. They think they are the experts and the ones with authority. Peter says by Christ Jesus and quotes Genesis 22.
The man Jesus made whole is the beggar. Peter recognizes the rulers as rulers who have authority but says do not be like them and render to Caesar what is Caesar's. He still calls them to repent. If they are condemning them for healing a beggar, what more there is for them to be cursed for killing Jesus.
God made you rulers, sent you Jesus the Messiah, and you rejected Him and murdered Him and He rose. You need to change.
It has only been a few months since Christ has been ascended.
The Sanhedrin sees these are two of Jesus' followers and they at no point consider that they might have been wrong and decide to try and continue fighting Jesus and His followers. They threaten the Apostles but cannot punish them because all the people saw the lame man become whole. It is undeniable.
4:23-31
The Apostles are let go and then tell everyone what happened to them. They continue to preach and quote Psalm 2 here. The Sanhedrin think they have authority and are attacking God with threats and God in the Psalms is laughing because He has all the authority.
St. Luke gives us a bit of irony here in that Rome and the Jews got together to murder Jesus and they still ended up doing as God intended. This is just to show how truly powerless they are.
God, they pray lets them pray more. The prayer was answered and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit there and they spoke now with more boldness than before.
4:32-37
They are all still a voluntary commune. United as one in purpose, they are taking care of everyone. Joses, AKA Barnabas a Levite, joins them. He had land, sold it, and gave it to the Church. They gave all to the Church. Barnabas was a wealthy Levite from Cyprus. He gave it all. His name Barnabas was given by the Church.
[Chapter 5]
5:1-11
Juxtaposed to Barnabas' selfless act, we are presented with a couple, Ananias and Sapphira who sell their land and give only some. They present themselves to the Church as if they are giving all to the Church. Ananias lies to God the Spirit by lying to everyone. They seem to be trying to trick God and test Him and fail. St. Peter confronts Ananias and after he hears this, he literally drops dead. 3 hours later, the wife comes in, unaware her husband has died and St. Peter asks her about the land that they sold. She drops dead next when Peter confronts her over her sin. Everyone is amazed. This story finds parallels in Leviticus in that the presence of God is dangerous. Rules were made to protect everyone from God's presence. They repented so they could be filled with His presence. We are the Temple now and defiling our Temple is a desecration of the Spirit who is to dwell with us and in us. In Leviticus, you'll find that OT priests who defiled the Temple dropped dead as well and this we find similar to Acts here. The Holy Fire of God can purify or destroy us.
5:12-16
The Apostles at Solomon's Porch keep evangelizing and healing people and delivering them from demons. There are a lot of people in public view. There are so many in fact that some are just trying to be healed by Peter passing them by, touching his clothes, and even his shadow touching them. They actually do get healed. God can even use a shadow to heal people.
5:17-39
The High Priest and the Sadducees get pissed and throw the apostles in Temple prison again. However, at night, an angel of the Lord opens the doors and tells them to go to stand in the Temple and preach more. The High Priest and Sadducees are angry because they keep losing power and money. The Apostles go early in the morning. Now the whole council of rabbis are coming together and are preparing to put the apostles on trial.
The full Sanhedrin doesn't know yet the Apostles left the prison. They send for them to be brought in and find out they're out. The Sanhedrin try to judge the Apostles but fail. The Apostles have the power. The High Priest, chief priest, and temple police captain are all dumbfounded and embarrassed. They bring the apostles to the councils. The guards arrest them quietly and the apostles don't resist the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin obviously fear the apostles.
They get angry at them for preaching Jerusalem with this new doctrine that Jesus is the Messiah. They think the Apostles intend to call them out for the death and murder of an innocent man. They reject Jesus as the Messiah. The Apostles however stay strong and say they will obey God, not you. "You crucified the Messiah"...
The Council becomes furious and plots to murder the apostles. Gamaliel then, a teacher of the Torah, stands up and brings up false messiahs who came before like Theudas and Judas of Galilee. Josephus confirms this happened. He, Gamaliel, says to leave the apostles because if they are false, God will deal with them but if Jesus is really the Messiah, they cannot win. Gamaliel taught St. Paul of Tarsus and tradition says that St. Stephen (Acts 7) was also taught by him.
Later on in history, when the Pharisees Reform after 70 AD, they will make it a doctrine and deny that God has a body. 2nd Temple Jews and Christians like St. Justin the Martyr will still be arguing over this that God does have a body, as this doctrine and theology did not fully cement for Reform Judaism until later on (around St. John Chrysostom's time period in the 4th CE).
5:40-42
They agree and beat the apostles but let them leave. The Christians continue to preach.
[Chapter 6]
6:1-7
Their numbers continue to grow and there is a complaint that happens between the Hebrews and Hellenists because some widows get neglected in the daily distribution. They have grown and as a community grows, they begin experiencing growing pains and need to make more people be ordained in order to help the Church be healthy. The Hebrew and Hellenist Jews are different-language-speaking Jews in context here.
The Apostles therefore ordain St. Stephen, Phillip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas - a proselyte from Antioch. These are the Disciples of the Apostles but Christ's disciples ultimately.
"word of God" here is preaching; not the Bible; not the OT entirely either in context.
Just as Moses added elders, the Apostles added deacons (7).
7=complete, also 7 planets (known planets). The 7 Planets represented whole, complete order. These 7 were part of the 70 and stable and knew Jesus too.
Nicolas is a Greek who joined Judaism and is now a Christian. I note him because Nicolas according to tradition unfortunately becomes a heretic and Revelation mentions him as the father of the Nicolatians.
Some of the Temple Priests it is mentioned have become Christians now as well. This means some of the Sadducees have become Christians.
6:8-15
This will piss off the Sanhedrin a LOT. St. Stephen begins evangelizing and some former Roman slaves arise and begin a dispute with him. They are freedmen who have their own synagogue community. They were unable to win against St. Stephen since the Spirit of God was with him when he spoke. They can't win so they lie and try to accuse him of blasphemies against God and Moses and try to use the council and bear up false witnesses against him. They did this to Jesus and now do this to His disciples and followers.
St. Stephen was taught by Gamaliel and in his upcoming sermon where he defends himself before the council, proves he had rabbinical training.
6:14 is a reference to Matthew 24 - the destruction and judgment on Jerusalem. They killed the Messiah and need to repent or the blessings will go to others.
If the Temple is destroyed, sacrifices (which Christians no longer do) aren't necessary, and so Judaism must change its customs and change course. The proof that you won't be able to do the old way will be the destruction. St Stephen appears to look like an angel to them - he is in perfect peace.
[Chapter 7]
7:1-53
St. Stephen gives his defense before the Sanhedrin and the High Priest who asks for a defense. Stephen respects the office with "Brethren and fathers".
He begins with Genesis and Abraham leaving Ur for a new people to come from him. God appeared to Abraham. When his father died, God moved Abraham here into Israel/Jerusalem. The promise is for the land and Abraham didn't get the land. It didn't happen until the Exodus. Even before this, God said he would give it to him and his descendants but he didn't even have Isaac or Jacob yet to pass it off to. God kept His promise. He always fulfills them in His own way. The descendants were fulfilled through Jacob. Stephen brings up Joseph who was sold into slavery to Egypt. St. Stephen knows the OT well obviously. He is also doing this through the Spirit and the Sanhedrin.
The time of promise comes with Egypt through the Exodus and Moses. God uses the evil of Pharoah to lead Moses by God to Exodus. You get so much detail of God's plan from St. Stephen here.
The man Moses they rejected was made the ruler and judge and deliverer of his people. Moses prophesied of a Greater Moses. The angel of the Lord speaks to Moses on Mt. Sinai and Moses talks to someone who is God. This Angel figure must be God's Speaker.
In Judges, the Angel of the Lord says he is leaving Israel because they reject Him. They make false gods like Molech and Remphan (fallen angels) and so God gives them over to worship "the hosts of heavens" (fallen angels) - refer to Deut 32 - Divine Council Theology.
-Deuteronomy 32 - God let demons rule them who rejected Him. They are disinherited. This is the spiritual side of Judges where Israel is ruled over by demons/judgment until they repent.
St. Stephen references Judges, Amos 5, and Isaiah 66.
They make a Temple and make a point that God cannot be contained like they tried to do with the Tower of Babel - a ziggurat.
God gives instructions for the Tabernacle, not the Temple itself.
Solomon's Temple looks like a Phoenician temple/pagan structure but God allows it. God was never limited to the Temple. He left the Temple in Ezekiel but still followed and watched over His people.
Stephen says they have control over the Temple and People but you killed the Prophets and the Messiah Jesus and you also you follow the Torah but don't follow it. He calls them out. They are uncircumcised in heart and in spirit so God is about to disinherit them if they don't repent.
7:54-60
St. Stephen pisses them off. He is full of the Holy Spirit and sees God's Glory and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. St. Stephen is fixing to be with Jesus. Jesus standing up for Stephen is a show of respect and an embrace for Stephen.
The Jews get even angrier and then begin dragging him out to stone Stephen. The witnesses lay their clothes down and lay them down by a young Saul (St. Paul) and then stone Stephen. Saul knew Stephen and Gamaliel. He is not on Stephen's side here. Stephen asks Christ to receive his spirit and asks forgiveness. Then he "fell asleep" (dies). Traditionally, St. Nicodemus and Gamaliel were the ones who buried St. Stephen.
St. Stephen goes to be with Christ awaiting the 2nd Coming and the Resurrection of the Dead. He takes part now in the 1st Resurrection (Revelation 20).
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