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?

Accepted Answer

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.

Accepted Answer

This is a widely accepted view among scholars, and is supported by evidence from the texts themselves (such as the use of the first person plural "we" in certain sections of Acts, indicating that the author was present for those events).

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

In Acts, Paul is portrayed as continuing to observe the Jewish Law and participating in Jewish religious customs such as visiting the temple, offering sacrifices, and keeping the Sabbath.

Question 4

3. Acts emphasizes the connection between Christianity and Judaism.

Accepted Answer

Acts describes the early Christian movement as emerging from Judaism and portrays the apostles as faithful Jews who continued to worship in the temple and observe Jewish customs while also proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

The speeches in the Acts of the Apostles were crafted by the author, traditionally believed to be Luke, to convey theological and moral teachings consistent with the early Christian community's beliefs and practices.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Acts of the Apostles concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial, but does not detail his martyrdom.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The speeches in Acts emphasize both the atonement through the death and resurrection of Jesus and the importance of repentance as a response to this message.

Question 8

1) To whom is the book of Acts attributed?&#10;A) Jesus&#10;B) Paul&#10;C) Luke&#10;D) Peter

Accepted Answer

The book of Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, a physician and companion of the apostle Paul.

Question 9

3) The book of Acts is probably best understood as a(n)&#10;A) Greco-Roman biography.&#10;B) Greco-Roman novel.&#10;C) ancient history.&#10;D) apocalypse.

Accepted Answer

The book of Acts is often considered a work of ancient history as it provides a detailed account of the early Christian church, including the actions of the apostles and the growth of the church in the first century. While it does include elements of biography and narrative, it is primarily focused on providing a historical record of the events and teachings of the early church. It is not considered a novel or an apocalypse, as it does not contain elements of fiction or prophecy about the end times.

Question 10

19) Luke-Acts does not emphasize the continuity between&#10;A) Jesus and Judaism.&#10;B) Judaism and Christianity.&#10;C) Jesus and the Church.&#10;D) Jesus and Moses.

Accepted Answer

Luke-Acts emphasizes the continuity between Jesus and Moses, as Luke highlights the similarities between the two figures and portrays Jesus as the fulfillment and continuation of Moses' mission. Luke also emphasizes how followers of Jesus continue the story of Moses, and how the teachings of Moses are fulfilled in Christ.

Deck 24: The Acts of the Apostles