Podcast: Interpreting the Acts of the Apostles

In Acts 28:7-31 Paul arrives in Rome preaching the kingdom of God. We have been told Paul must stand before Caesar and the gospel must reach the remotest parts of the earth. How does the ending of Acts provide resolution to Luke’s narrative while leaving these crucial events unresolved?

In Acts 27:1-28:6 God’s sovereignty over the events of Paul’s life reaches a climax as God leads him into a violent storm and brings him safely through, destined to preach the gospel in Rome.

In Acts 25:1-26:32 Paul stands before King Agrippa. Once again he is made the focus of judgment. But Paul does not offer up his own behavior for evaluation or defense. Paul offers to the gathered dignitaries for their consideration his message to the world, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 23:12-24:27 Paul’s gospel is on trial being judged according to its attitude to law and morality with a contrast between Paul’s own behavior and the behavior of his opponents.

In Acts 21:17-23:11 Paul’s gospel is on trial being judged according to its respect for conscience in relation to the non-essentials of ritual practice and the essentials of faith in Jesus and the resurrection.

In Acts 20:1-21:16, Luke ends the first movement of Part VI with a three-part defense of Paul’s gospel ministry: a miracle of resurrection, a speech to partners in the gospel, and prophecies identifying Paul’s coming trials as part of God’s sovereign plan.

In Acts 19:21-41, Luke begins Part VI the final major section of the letter in which he provides a defense of the gospel by defending the gospel’s messenger Paul. Each of the five movements in this part contains a danger avoided, beginning here with a riot.

In Acts 19:1-20, Luke completes Acts Part V with a focus on how the Kingdom of God, being established in Ephesus, clashed with the spiritual forces of darkness in that city.

In Acts 18:1-28, Luke continues to define and defend the gospel as Paul’s preaching encounters Gentile culture with an emphasis in Corinth on the particularly new covenant expression of the local community of God’s people.

In Acts 17:1-34, Luke uses the gospel’s encounter with Gentile philosophy, politics and religion to highlight the Christian beliefs that God is the one true creator God and Jesus Christ is Lord and judge of all peoples.

In Acts 16:6-40, Luke begins Part V of Acts with a problem in Philippi that provides insight into the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of a believer contrasted to the pagan experience of spiritism.

In Acts 15:22-16:5, the apostles and elders in Jerusalem send a letter to Gentile believers urging obedience to certain commands. Why? This is a 2nd question of covenant issue.

In Acts 15:1-21, the missionary expansion of the gospel among Gentiles forces the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem to address the theology of Gentile inclusion beginning with the first question of covenant.

In Acts 14:1-28, we consider seven strategic actions that help us understand the missionary ministry of Paul.

In Acts 13:13-52, we consider in this unique example of Paul preaching in a synagogue the proclamation of promise fulfilled in Jesus and the response of both Jews and Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch.