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Luke 1:1-4 links with Acts 1:1, indicating that Acts is the second volume in a two volume work. Luke-Acts was written by the apostle Paul’s co-worker Luke. In the second half of this book, Luke quietly indicates his presence at the events described by using the pronoun “we.”

Although title we have is accurate, it would be more precise if it read “The Acts of the Apostles Peter and Paul.” It seems Luke wanted to illustrate how the most prominent apostle to the Jews (Peter) and the most prominent apostle to the Gentiles (Paul) were serving the same God. In other words, Luke wasn’t just reporting facts – he also wanted to use those facts to unite Jews and Gentiles in their faith in Jesus Christ.

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Acts 1

Act 1:1-11 – This passage summarizes what happened during the 40-day period between Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and His ascension into heaven.

Act 1:8 – cf. BSN notes on Luke 24:44-49.

Act 1:12-26 – This passage gives highlights of what happened during the 10-day period between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on believers in a dramatic way).

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Acts 2

It won’t be until Acts 10 that the apostles are directed to preach the message of Jesus Christ to Gentiles. Therefore, keep in mind that in this chapter and until Acts 10, think they have a Jewish message for Jews. God often has in mind more than we can conceive in the moment.

Act 2:1 – “Pentecost” was one of the feasts established for ancient Israel by Moses. (It’s called the “Feast of Weeks” in the NASB Old Testament.) It was one of the three annual feasts that required all Jewish males to come to Jerusalem to celebrate. The name “Pentecost” comes from “50th” – as in the 50th day after the first day of the Passover feast. This amounted to 7 weeks plus one day. Thus Jesus spent 40 days on earth after His resurrection and before His ascension. Then 10 more days elapsed (during which the apostles and others prayed in preparation and named a replacement for Judas, as described in Acts 1:12-26). God had obviously planned this feast insure there’d be a big crowd in Jerusalem for when the Holy Spirit came to empower the apostles to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. All these visitors would then be taking this message back to the far-flung locations from which they’d come to this feast.

Acts 2:17-21 – This passage is a direct quotation of Joel 2:28-32. See also accompanying BSN notes. Other related passages include Num 11:29 (accompanying BSN notes), and 1 Cor 14:31 (accompanying BSN notes).

Act 2:23 – By mentioning “predetermined plan” and “foreknowledge” Peter is making sure his audience understands that the crucifixion was not “Plan B.” It was God’s plan all along, and it was to set the stage for Jesus’ resurrection. See note on Act 4:28 about “predestination” below.

Act 2:36 – Underline this verse. It’s a mouthful. The resurrection of Jesus was a statement by God – a demonstration of the adage that “actions speak louder than words.” See Rom 1:4 where Paul calls the resurrection of Jesus a “declaration.”

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Acts 3

Act 3:6 – God only asks that we be generous with what we have. Peter was short on cash…but he had a miracle. The principle of 2 Cor 8:12 (in the context of 2 Cor 8:1-15) applies. God delights to give us an abundance, but He asks only that we be generous and not hoard.

Act 3:13 – God’s “servant” was another title of the Jewish Messiah. Through the prophets, especially Isaiah (e.g. Isaiah 42:1), God spoke of “My Servant” who would do great things for Him.

Act 3:18-26 – Peter hammers away with example after example that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus were fulfillment of Jewish Scripture.

Act 3:18 – Link what Peter is saying here with what Jesus said in Luke 24:25-27. The prophecies of Messiah spoke of His suffering and also His glory – but there was a sequence. The suffering would come first.

Acts 3:23 – See Spiritual Israel v Physical Israel.

Act 3:25 – Your family is a fulfillment of this promise.

Act 3:26 – Make sure your children understand the connection between behavior and blessing.

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Acts 4

Act 4:1-4 – As prophesied by Simeon a week after Jesus was born (Lk 2:34-35), centuries before by the prophet Micah (Mic 7:6), and confirmed by Jesus Himself (Lk 12:49-53), Jesus was polarizing people. Thousands of Jews were happily believing in the good news about Jesus being the Messiah while Israel’s ruling elite were angrily trying to censor all dissemination of that news. Then, as now, Jesus polarizes people. The only way such a good person, and such a good God, could polarize people is if human beings have free will to choose good or evil. Alas, not all people use their God-given freedom wisely. Even we ourselves do not always use it wisely. We must get better!

Act 4:11 – Peter is quoting Ps 118:22 to the crowd. They’ve heard it read in their synagogues along with all the rest of the Old Testament. Peter is telling them than Jesus being crucified and resurrected is the explanation of this mystery, the answer to this riddle, the fulfillment of this prophecy. (Mysteries and Revelations)

Act 4:12 – Peter is making the point that Jesus has the exclusive human franchise on God. This statement can be considered Peter’s paraphrase of Jesus saying, “No one comes to the Father but through Me” (Jn 14:6).

Act 4:25-27 – Peter is quoting Ps 2:1-2. He is, as he was in verse 11, telling his fellow Jews that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises about Messiah. Even Pontius Pilate (of the Gentiles) and King Herod (of the Jews) colluding to kill Jesus was a fulfillment of this prophecy because they had previously been enemies (Lk 23:12). See a fuller explanation of this point in the BSN notes on Luke 23:6-17.

Act 4:28 – Peter is making the same point here that he made in Act 2:23 (see note above) – that God was not caught off guard by the crucifixion of His Messiah. Some people have gone too far with this word “predestination” and become fatalistic about life, as if God decides everything that will happen before it happens. That’s unwarranted. God will achieve His purposes even through our evil, but He’s not at all going to cause us to do evil. He’d have no basis to criticize us for our sins if He was the one causing them!

Act 4:32-37 – Some people have used this passage to say God wants communism, but the Bible supports private property from Genesis through Revelation. What’s going on here is that believers in Jesus have come to see that Israel is doomed to destruction (just as it had been in the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah) because of its national rejection of the calls to repent from the John the Baptist and Jesus – killing both of them. Therefore, believing Jews are selling their property and preparing to move out of harm’s way.

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Acts 5

Act 5:1-11 – This unusual event must be viewed in its unique context – the initial proclamation of the gospel of Jesus in Israel. If God acted this way every time a couple of people virtue signaled, we’d all be dropping like flies.

Act 5:12-13 – Like the Gerasenes in Mark 5, the bystanders to God’s miracles were wanting to keep their distance from the miracle workers.

Act 5:14-16 – As Jesus had promised, His apostles were now doing the works He did… and even greater works (Jn 14:12), for we have no record in the Gospels of Jesus healing people with His shadow. But the apostles could have done nothing if Jesus weren’t empowering them from heaven.

Act 5:17 – Again, like the Gerasenes in Mark 5, and like the Pharisees on so many Sabbaths, the Sadducees have hearts so hard that they cannot be filled with happiness for all the good things that are happening to sick and afflicted people. Instead, their hearts only have room for jealousy. May our hearts be open to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) and closed off to the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21).

Act 5:20 – As for “this Life,” Jesus is “the life” (see THE LIFE for related scriptures).

Act 5:42 – Don’t you love that the apostles “kept right on” preaching and teaching! And notice the simplicity of their message: “Jesus is the Christ!” Since the kingdom has come, we can also now add “And the Christ is God!”

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Acts 6

Act 6:1-6 – Although the Roman Empire was politically dominant in the world in the 1st century, the culture was still largely Greek (“Hellenistic”). The distinction between “Hellenistic Jews” and “native Hebrews” is a distinction between those Jews who had integrated with that culture and those who segregated themselves from it. We likewise see in the 21st century sincere believers differing on choices about engaging with, or distancing ourselves, from the broader culture. Those differences can even exist between and husband and wife, and need to be managed even when they cannot be completely resolved. Thus we see the apostles solve the immediate problem without taking sides in the difference of opinion.

Act 6:1-3 – Note that the apostles wanted “seven” men chosen (verse 3) because the problem to be solved was a “daily” one (verse 1). Obviously, each man would be responsible for a specific day of the week.

Act 6:2-4 – This division of labor in the churches – speaking roles versus non-speaking roles – will show up over and over throughout the rest of the New Testament writings. It’s an “elders versus deacons” distinction. It’s not that one is more important than the other; it’s that they require a different focus of effort. The twelve would have to spend their time praying and preaching, while the seven would make sure everyone was fed physical food. God believes in a division of labor. We see this throughout both testaments (priests and Levites in the Old Testament, for example). We even see it in His design of the human body – the mouth is not for lifting things and the arms are not for talking.

Act 6:8-15 – The Lord grants that a waiter gets to walk in His footsteps – being unjustly accused and hauled before a kangaroo court.

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Acts 7

Act 7:2-50 – Stephen delivers a selective summary of the Old Testament – a highlight reel, if you will. (The best entry point to the Old Testament is the New Testament; get well-grounded in how the New Testament views the Old Testament and you’ll find out how to get the most value out of reading the Old Testament.) Stephen names individuals God used to advance His plans: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, and Solomon. Stephen emphasizes the roles of three of these men: Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Remember that Stephen was a table waiter on trial for his life, yet he seems far more interested in defending God’s reputation than his own. Stephen thus embodied John the Baptist’s attitude: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).

Act 7:51-53 – Stephen flips the script of his trial, accusing the Council who was judging him of opposing Jesus in the same way that Joseph and Moses had been opposed. All of a sudden, the judges are on trial and Stephen has rendered the verdict of “Guilty” on them. They don’t like that the tables have been turned on them. Not one little bit.

Act 7:51 and Act 7:55 – Contrast the effects on human beings of “resisting the Holy Spirit” (verse 51) and “being full of the Holy Spirit (verse 55). One has “the face of an angel” (Act 6:15) while the others were “gnashing their teeth” (Act 7:54). We can’t see the Holy Spirit, but we can see the effects He has on people.

Act 7:54-60 – Stephen’s trial becomes a reprise of Jesus’ trial: a righteous man is convicted not for doing something wrong, but for telling the truth. Jesus must have been so proud of Stephen. Maybe that’s why He was portrayed as standing at the right hand of God when He was normally portrayed as sitting in that place.

Act 7:57-58 – One difference between Jesus’ trial and Stephen’s is that the Council was much more cold-blooded and calculating with Jesus. They made sure to let the Romans do the dirty work. With Stephen, however, they let themselves get worked up into such a lather that they abandoned all caution in their compulsion to silence him forever. Only problem for them, though, was the problem Cain had: the dead man’s blood was crying out from the ground (Gen 4:10).

Act 7:58 – Who knows what was going through Saul’s mind that day? And who knows why the Lord allowed Stephen to die that day instead of another day? In any case, I have to believe Stephen’s trial and martyrdom rocked Saul’s worldview, even though it we won’t begin to see the full effects until Act 9. Note also that this verse says Paul was a young man; contrast this with Phile 1:9 where Paul describes himself as “aged.” This contrast tells us that the 14 letters of Paul that we have (Romans through Hebrews) were written over a relatively long period of time, since probably only a year or two elapsed between Stephen’s death and Saul’s (Paul’s) conversion.

Act 7:59-60 – As Jesus had said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” (Lk 23:46) so Stephen says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” As Jesus had said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing,” (Lk 23:34) so Stephen says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Like father, like son. A chip off the old block. No wonder Jesus was standing.

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Acts 8

Act 8:1-3 – Saul seems to have been emboldened by the stoning of Stephen rather than shaken by it. Yet his 180-degree turn in the next chapter suggests that the inner Saul must not have been as cocksure as the outer one.

Act 8:4-8 – As always, God uses human evil to advance His purposes. Philip – like Stephen – was one of the seven men designated to oversee meals for widows. Driven out of town by persecution, he preaches and performs miracles on the road – unfettered by the responsibilities of a waiter.

Act 8:9-13, 18-24 – Jesus chose Judas Iscariot knowing a betrayal was inevitable. The purpose of such a choice was so that believers would not be surprised when people like Simon the Magician joined their ranks. Jesus didn’t want us to be shocked at finding tares among the wheat as if something had gone wrong with His plan. It can be quite upsetting to a believer to find out that a fellow believer…isn’t.

Act 8:14-17 – These were such extraordinary times that men appointed to important but mundane serving roles – men like Stephen and Philip – were preaching the gospel and performing miracles just like the apostles. Yet God maintained a distinction between their roles and this is seen in how He bestowed His Spirit among the people. Apostles remained His chief spokesmen.

Act 8:26-39 – The modern conception in America is that we have to send missionaries to Africa because Africans haven’t yet heard the gospel, but this passage indicates that the gospel got to Africa long before it got to America. My point is that if a place on earth doesn’t have the gospel it might be because one generation didn’t teach it to the next rather than that they had never heard it in the first place; that certainly seems to be happening in America these days.

Act 8:32-33 – This is Isaiah 53:7-8 being quoted.

Act 8:34 – That a reader could be uncertain about whether Isaiah was speaking about himself or someone else is certainly understandable given that the Old Testament prophets were prophesying of Messiah out of their own experiences. They were foreshadowing Him. They were types of Him. They, like John the Baptist, were forerunners of Him.

Act 8:35 – It wasn’t a coincidence that this official was reading a passage that applied to Jesus. All the Old Testament prophets wrote of Him (Act 3:18, 24; Lk 24:25-27, 44-48; John 5:39).

Act 8:37 – The brackets mean that, because of the manuscript evidence, translators are less sure this sentence was actually in Luke’s original. This doesn’t mean that we ignore such verses; it just means that, like a weak spot in a floor, we don’t put our full weight on it. What’s shocking is not that the Bible has such bracketed parts, but rather that there are so few of them.

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Acts 9

Act 9:1-2 – Whoa! Saul was hauling in “both men and women” (italics added)…and “bound” at that! Zeal does that to a person. That is, zeal magnifies what we’re doing. If we’re prone to good, it magnifies our good; if we’re prone to evil, it magnifies our evil. Though Saul made a 180-degree turn regarding Jesus, zeal was a constant in his life. ***** See Num 25:7-13 and the accompanying BSN notes for a notable OT example of zeal: Phinehas.

Act 9:4 – Jesus loves us so much that if someone harms us, He takes it as if they’re harming Him personally. If Jesus is taking up for us when someone harms us, why should we take things personally? Remember Abel.

Act 9:5-6 – “Lord” was a term Jews would use to address angels as well as THE Lord. All Saul knew at the time was that he was being addressed by a voice from heaven. Had he known in that moment that it was THE Lord, there would have been no need for his question.

Act 9:13-14 – Ananias was understandably seeking confirmation that Saul of Tarsus was converted. This was hard for people to imagine!

Act 9:15-16 – Not only was Saul now a convert, he was going to do as much good as he had done harm. That’s what a consistent zeal will do for you. Let us serve the Lord with the same zeal we gave our lusts. See BSN note on Acts 9:1-2 above.

Act 9:20, 22 – Remember that because of 2 Sam 7 and Psalm 2, the Jews considered “the Son of God” and “the Christ” as synonymous terms. Therefore, these two verses show Paul making the exact same claim about Jesus. He was the Messiah.

Act 9:25 – I wonder if this means of escape was inspired at all by the memory of how Moses escaped death through a wicker basket (Ex 2:3).

Act 9:32 – Luke’s narrative now switches back to Peter. In the beginning of Acts, Luke focuses on Peter’s acts, in the end he focuses on Paul’s acts, and in the middle he switches back and forth between the two. Luke wants to achieve a balance between the most prominent apostle to the Jews (Peter) and the most prominent apostle to the Gentiles (Paul). Luke’s purpose is to promote harmony between Jews and Gentiles in the cause of Jesus – a theme we see in Paul’s letters and which, through their travels together, Luke no doubt took to heart.

Act 9:35 – In this context, to “turn” is synonymous with “repent.”

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Acts 10

Act 10:1-2 – Although Cornelius was obviously a special man, he wasn’t altogether unique. As can be seen in the four Gospels, a “God-fearing Gentile” is not a contradiction in terms. Such men and women could often be found on the perimeter of synagogue life, both in Israel and beyond.

Act 10:9-16 – Peter was used to Jesus speaking to him face to face as a fellow human being. Post-ascension, however, Jesus transitioned to speaking with Peter as God speaks – through visions and such.

Act 10:17-20 – Speaking of an “and such,” here is Jesus giving Peter a word by His Spirit which supplements the vision. Sometimes God communicates with us in iterations over time. We should be patient seers and listeners. Piece by piece, we can put together the fullness of His messages to us.

Act 10:25-26 – Peter appropriately discourages the man from worshiping him. Contrast this with Jesus who did not chastise people for worshiping Him.

Act 10:27-28 – Peter is on the right track here but later reverts to distancing himself socially from Gentiles – a retreat for which Paul publicly rebukes him in Gal 2:11-14. We, too, often start off well in following fresh direction from the Lord but then fall away over time. How thankful we should be for those who rebuke us and get us back on the right track. (“He who hates reproof is stupid” – Prov 12:1.)

Act 10:38 – By this time, God-fearing Gentiles like Cornelius were well aware of the Jesus story. It’s just that no one thought that it applied to Gentiles the way it applied to Jews. What everyone was about to find out was that the Jesus story meant that the long-standing wall between Jew and Gentile – at least as far as God was concerned – was demolished.

Act 10:40-41 – The “ate and drank with Him” was forensically significant since it confirmed the substantive nature of Jesus’ appearances – that the apostles had not been hallucinating or seeing apparitions. See Luke 24:41-43 and accompany BSN note for an example of this; see also John 21:12-14.

Act 10:45-47 – The key fact confirming that there was no longer any spiritual distinction between Jew and Gentile was the bestowing of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was only bestowed on the prophets – not rank-and-file Jews. This was one of the big surprises on the day of Pentecost in Act 2 – that everyone who believed was receiving the Holy Spirit, not just a subset. But there were only Jews involved that day of Pentecost, so even though Peter quoted the prophet Joel that very day saying, “I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind,” no one thought God was talking about Gentiles. Ussher pegs the Cornelius event about eight years after Act 2. With Cornelius and his household, people would understand that when God said “all mankind,” He actually meant “all mankind.” Why do we keep being surprised that God means what He says?

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Acts 11

Act 11:1 – In one sentence, Luke is proclaiming the new world order that was revealed in the previous chapter: “that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body” (Eph 3:6). This equalization of Jew and Gentile rocked the world of establishment Judaism and they’ve never gotten over it. The same thing is happening to establishment Christianity and it’s a struggle for them, too. God is not partial – everyone goes to heaven, but not everyone enjoys the same glory there.

Act 11:2-3 – See note above on Act 10:27-28 about Peter’s subsequent waffling on socializing with the Gentiles.

Act 11:4-18 – Luke painstakingly goes over the same events he reported in the previous chapter. When you rock someone’s world, be kind enough to be painstaking in your explanation of it. Luke probably learned this principle from observing Paul in their travels together (“…To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” – Phil 3:1).

Act 11:16 – Not everything Luke writes here is repetition from the previous chapter. In this verse, for example, is an interesting detail added – something else that was going on in Peter’s head during the process of preaching to Cornelius.

Act 11:17 – Oh, Pete, that’s beautiful! “…who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

Act 11:18 – Repentance is not a burden – it’s a gift!

Act 11:19-24 – You may recall from Act 4:36 that “Barnabas” was the nickname of a Levite from Cyprus named Joseph, and that the nickname, given him by the apostles, meant “son of encouragement” That would give Barnabas a connection with the men of Cyprus mentioned in verse 20 and the word “encourage” mentioned in verse 23. The faith of new believers is unlikely to survive without encouragement in the same way that an infant is unlikely to survive the elements without shelter and nurture.

Act 11:19 – From the evil of persecution, God brings forth the good of spreading the word. We should be like dandelions – spreading our seed whenever we’re kicked.

Act 11:20 – “Greeks” is often used in the New Testament as a synonym for “Gentiles.”

Act 11:26 – This is the first appearance of the word “Christian” in the New Testament. The only other times it is used are Act 26:28 and 1 Pet 4:15, though James seems to allude to it once (Jas 2:7). Sadly, 21st-century Christianity is associated more with Christians than it is with Christ. It’s also sad that the word “Christian” no longer seems as closely tied to the word “disciple” as it is here. The Christianity of the New Testament is the Christianity we need. ***** This verse is a fulfillment of Is 62:2, 12.

Act 11:27-30 – Amos 3:6-7 makes the point that God uses His prophets to inform God-fearing people of calamity to come that they might prepare for it and survive it, whereas hard-hearted people disregard true prophets and get overwhelmed by the calamity. This principle explains Noah’s ark, the first Passover in Egypt, what was happening in this passage, and many other events in the Bible. It even explains how those Jews who believed Jesus knew that they’d better not plan on Jerusalem remaining safe. Even when believers were slow to believe everything Jesus said about Jerusalem’s impending destruction, He used the evil of persecution to whisk them out of harm’s way before it finally came in 70 AD. ***** This passage may bear on “Paul’s Collection,” described at Paul. Similarly, Act 24:17 may apply as well.

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Acts 12

Act 12:2 – This James and this John are the sons of Zebedee – two of the original twelve apostles. These two, along with Peter, constituted a sort of “inner circle” much like King David had “three mighty men” among the many man who supported him (2 Sam 23 and 1 Chr 11).

Act 12:3 – Since Herod found approval by executing James, it made sense to him to go after the most well-known apostle.

Act 12:5 – Knowing what had happened to Stephen and what had now happened to James the son of Zebedee, the believers couldn’t stand the thought of losing Peter as well. Fervor comes naturally when we’re desperate.

Act 12:9 – Even when Peter thinks he’s only seeing a vision, he’s action-oriented. That man was a doer!

Act 12:12 – This is the Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark. His primary source material came from hearing Peter teach about his time with Jesus.

Act 12:13-15 – I know how Rhoda must have felt because, like her, I keep reporting that Jesus has come (Jesus Christ Has Already Come Again) and people keep telling me, “You are out of your mind!”

Act 12:16 – Why did they have such a hard time believing that Peter had gotten out of jail – had they not been praying for him? (verse 5)

Act 12:17 – This is a different James from the son of Zebedee who was killed by Herod at the beginning of this chapter (verse 2). This James is Jesus’ earthly brother – who had been skeptical of Jesus’ ministry, but had come to fully believe by the time of Jesus’ resurrection and by this time become leader of the Jerusalem church. From here on out, when Acts says “James,” it’s speaking of him. He also wrote the book of James, which comes between the New Testament books of Hebrews and 1 Peter.

Act 12:18-23 – This chapter started out with Herod flexing his muscles, but here the power of men is shown to be nothing when faced with the power of God. Among other things, God was vindicating his servant James the son of Zebedee. What an ignominious way for Herod to die. “But he who exalts himself shall be humbled.” (Mt 23:12 and elsewhere)

Acts 12:18 – This statement parallels what the Israelites said to Aaron about Moses in Ex 32:1, 23. All three verses remind me of the rhetorical question, “Whatever became of Jesus Christ?” Why don’t more people ask it?

Act 12:24 – This statement not only serves its context, it could also serve as a theme or even summation of the entire book of Acts. Given the persecution, including aggressive attempts to suppress and censor the word of the Lord, even the word “But” at the beginning seems appropriate. Note also that “the word of the Lord” is referring to Jesus. And it is referring both to the word about Him and the word He spoke while on earth…and still speaks from heaven. May the word of the Lord continue to grow and multiply in our day. We could sure use it.

Act 12:25 – This is the John Mark who was mentioned in verse 12 above (see note) and will be mentioned in the next chapter.

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Acts 13

Act 13:1 – Antioch was situated near the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea in northern Syria, about 500 miles north of Jerusalem. This scene is taking place in the mid-40’s AD, which was, of course, 10-15 years after the resurrection. (The book of Acts concludes around 60 AD, so we are roughly midway in the time period covered as we are almost halfway through the text.) This verse (Act 13:1) gives an indication of how far and wide the word of the Lord had already spread by 45 AD. Luke’s description of prophets and teachers working to spiritually equip believers in a city church was common for that time (Eph 4:11-12). Luke then describes how what is called “Paul’s 1st missionary journey” was launched, which would take the word of the Lord westward into Europe. The Holy Spirit was speaking on behalf of Jesus when He said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Jn 16:13), and those who heard that word acted on it. The book of Acts demonstrated how Jesus directed His disciples from heaven just as the four Gospels demonstrated how He directed them from earth. From this chapter to the end of Acts, Luke will be describing Paul’s three “missionary journeys” and his journey to Rome. For most of that time, Luke was a fellow traveler and eyewitness to what happened on those journeys.

Act 13:4 – Paul and Barnabas sail to the island of Cyprus – Barnabas’ home turf (Act 4:36).

Act 13:5 – This John is John Mark, mentioned in Mk 12:12, 25 (see notes above).

Act 13:9 – Since he was both a Jew (Act 21:39) and a Roman citizen (Act 22:28), he was probably known more as Saul in Jewish circles (including his family) and as Paul in Gentile circles (including his tent customers – Act 18:3). In the epistles, he consistently refers to himself as Paul, which makes sense given his focus on taking the gospel to the Gentiles.

Act 13:13 – No explanation is given for Mark’s departure, but it is labeled a desertion in Act 15:38. He would ultimately be forgiven for this failing and work with Peter (1 Pet 5:13) and write the Gospel of Mark from the things Peter taught. He was even reunited with Paul (see 2 Tim 4:11, which was written late in Paul’s life).

Act 13:14 – Even though Paul’s ministry was toward the Gentiles, his habit was to make the local synagogue his first stop when entering a city. This Antioch, different from the Antioch from which this 1st missionary journey started, was in the region of Pisidia, which was in central Turkey (but referred to as “Asia” in New Testament times).

Act 13:16-41 – Paul’s address to the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. Like Peter’s address in Act 2 and Stephen’s address in Act 7, it is worth a dedicated reading.

Act 13:42-52 – This reaction to Paul’s address to the synagogue was typical of what we see throughout the rest of the book of Acts: some believed, and some didn’t. Of those who believed, some were Jews and some were Gentiles. Because Gentiles typically outnumber Jews at least 20 to 1 in any locale other than Israel, the resulting congregation of believers was predominantly Gentile. This was how Christianity came to be viewed around the world as a Gentile religion even though is is actually a Jewish religion – Jesus and His apostles all being Jews.

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Acts 14

Act 14:1-2 – Per their custom, Paul and Barnabas initiate their outreach to the city of Iconium with an initial visit to its synagogue. Separately, note also how Luke is using “Greeks” and “Gentiles” interchangeably.

Act 14:3-4 – The consistent reaction to Jesus and all the apostles (as we see throughout the four Gospels and in Acts) is polarization. That is, the gospel is preached…and then listeners exercise their free wills. As the Jews were polarized, so also were the Gentiles.

Acts 14:3 – God Testifying ***** God Speaking with His Actions

Act 14:5-7 – Another consistent pattern is that when Jesus and His apostles get persecuted in one place, they just go somewhere else and preach. Thus persecution just leads to more evangelism; God turns the curse into a blessing.

Act 14:8-10 – Note the similarity between this act of healing by Paul and Barnabas with the act of healing Peter and John performed in Act 3:1-10. Luke does this sort of thing throughout Acts – that is, provide a balance of reports on the works of Peter and the works of Paul so that a balance between Jews and Gentiles is portrayed throughout the book. Jewish-Gentile relations constantly had to be managed during the apostolic age. It was the Jewish tendency to make Gentiles into Jews (which Jesus didn’t want), and it was the Gentile tendency to not give sufficient attention to their newfound faith’s Jewish roots (which Jesus didn’t want). Therefore, Luke, like his mentor Paul and the other apostles, were always looking for ways to foster unity among all those who believed in Jesus.

Act 14:11-13 – Weaker men that Barnabas and Paul might have given in to the temptation to accept some this adulation but there was nothing self-aggrandizing about the apostles. Jesus just didn’t pick those kinds of men (except for Judas Iscariot who was chosen specifically because he only looked like the rest and really was not like them at all.)

Act 14:14-18 – These Gentiles are not like those God-fearing Gentiles who regularly came to the synagogue to learn about the God of the Jews. They’re pagans; they know nothing at all of the Creator’s ways and cannot be brought up to speed in an instant. Yet everyone there was descended from Adam and Noah, so think about all the fathers that did not pass on to their sons the knowledge of God that Noah had. Indeed, there are many ancient accounts of a massive flood that vary in the details, testifying to the widespread knowledge of the flood in its immediate aftermath. But over the generations, less and less knowledge about God, righteousness, and sin was passed on. Of course, the Jews were helped by having written Scriptures, but that only began with Moses. As for us, if we have the Scriptures but don’t teach them to our children we are no better off than those who don’t have the Scriptures. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” (Mt 13:12). That is, each generation should be receiving an inheritance of the knowledge of God from their fathers and, adding to it what they themselves learn, then passing on the sum total to the next generation. Each generation should thus be increasing the knowledge of God that is in the earth until it covers the earth like the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14). Alas, it’s been much more the case in history, and is certainly true in our case, that each generation is decreasing in the knowledge of God. You and I cannot correct everything, but we can make sure we’ve taught the children in our own families all we know about God so that they can add to our foundation for the sake of their children.

Act 14:17 – In this verse, Paul says, “God did not leave Himself without witness,” referring to nature’s beneficial routines. We can add that once salvation had been achieved for humanity, God similarly did not leave Himself without witness in that He left us the New Testament – the historical record and explanation of how and why that salvation was achieved. The New Testament stands as a wall of truth that cannot be torn down; it can only be ignored, to the detriment of those ignoring it. Thus nature is always bearing witness to God as Creator, and the Bible – both testaments – is always bearing witness to God as Redeemer of His creation that had been spoiled by sin but redeemed by mercy.

Act 14:19-20 – Luke and the other New Testament writers just don’t embellish, do they?

Act 14:21-22 – The apostles didn’t preach and walk away. They returned to those who believed to make sure they were growing in their faith over time. They didn’t stay to watch the paint dry, but they did return to see if a new coat was needed.

Act 14:23 – The apostles also appointed the older of the congregation to care for the younger for the times the apostles themselves couldn’t be present. It’s a biblical principle that the older should serve the younger (Gen 25:23; Rom 9:12), but it’s also common sense. No family can run well if the older children are not enlisted by the parents to help the younger ones.

Act 14:26-28 – This is the Antioch from which Paul and Barnabas started. As far as the “1st missionary journey” (begun in Act 13:1), mission accomplished!

***

Acts 15

Act 15:1 – Sometimes when the Bible says so-and-so “came down,” it’s referring to a north-to-south kind of movement – such as “Abram went down to Egypt” from Canaan in Gen 12:10. Other times, such as this one in Acts, it means “coming down” from the hill country to the flatlands or a valley. This is Antioch, which is to the north of Judea and near the Mediterranean Sea, so it’s the latter kind of “coming down” that is meant. Since Jesus launched His movement from Jerusalem (Act 1:4-8), teachers coming from that location would be presumed to have some authority if for no other reason but seniority. And as for Antioch, it was a Gentile city with lots of Gentile believers, so they would naturally be intimidated by Jewish opinion given that they were all now practicing a religion of entirely Jewish origin.

Act 15:1 – Although Paul and Barnabas were respected Jews who did not want the Gentiles to have to adopt circumcision and other Jewish practices, they were going to need to get the matter settled in Jerusalem if the answer were to carry weight with believers everywhere. It was still only about 52 AD. By 70 AD, Jerusalem would be destroyed and the worldwide movement would no longer have anything like a headquarters.

Act 15:7 – It was very helpful for Peter to remind everyone that it was he – and not Paul – who was chosen by Jesus to be first to preach the good news to the Gentiles. This made it harder for Jewish believers to say that Gentile believers had a lesser status than Jewish believers. That is, the same person who was the first to proclaim the gospel to the Jews (Act 2) was the first to proclaim it to the Gentiles (Act 10). It wasn’t some johnny-come-lately apostle (Paul) going renegade.

Act 15:8-9 – Peter employs the same logic here that he did about ten years earlier when he was challenged by fellow Jews for preaching to Cornelius and his household i the first place (Act 11:15-18). That logic was that the bestowing of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles just as He had on the Jews was unquestionably God’s seal of approval. And no man had any right to challenge it.

Act 15:10-11 – Peter alluding to the Law of Moses as a heavy yoke brings to mind Jesus’ offer of a light yoke (Mt 11:28-30). Indeed, Jews count 613 commandments in the Law of Moses and Jesus boils them down to two (Mt 22:34-40). That is definitely going from a heavy yoke to a light one.

Act 15:13-21 – This James is the brother of Jesus who had become the de facto leader of the church in Jerusalem (Act 12:17) since Jesus had sent the apostles into all the world (Mt 28:18-20; Act 1:8). (James the son of Zebedee had been executed by Herod as Luke reported in Act 12:2.) The elders in Jerusalem, having heard everything that everyone had to say, James was stating the conclusion of the meeting.

Act 15:16-18 – James is quoting Amos 9:11-12, which he deems to be supporting the position that Peter and Paul have been defending – that, upon accepting Israel’s Messiah, the Gentiles get to keep on being Gentiles. They don’t have to become Jews (and do circumcision, celebrate Jewish feasts, etc).

Act 15:19-21 – Only limited requirements are placed on the Gentiles – acts associated with paganism, that would be particularly offensive to Jews, and that were unbecoming to anyone who claimed to be a disciple of Jesus.

Act 15:22-30 – James and Jerusalem elders wisely send a couple of their own to reinforce the report that Paul and Barnabas would be taking back to Antioch. They also wisely sent a written communication that documented everything decided so that there’d be no uncertainty in Antioch about what was decided in Jerusalem.

Act 15:30-35 – The meeting in Jerusalem had achieved its purpose, and peace came to the congregation in Antioch. Nevertheless, the Jewish-Gentile tension in the early church was a constant issue during New Testament times. We see this reflected in the epistles – especially Galatians and Romans.

Act 15:36-41 – This is the beginning of what’s called Paul’s 2nd missionary journey. The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas was unfortunate, but separation is the solution to strife (as it was when there was strife between Abram and Lot in Gen 13). ***** Ans for Mark, Barnabas was Mark’s cousin (Col 4:10), which might help explain why Barnabas was more willing to overlook the desertion than Paul was. In any case, Paul did ultimately reconcile with Mark (2 Tim 4:11). ***** As for Silas (also called Silvanus, in the same way Mike and Michael usually refer to the same person), he takes the place of Barnabas. Paul had previously traveled and ministered with Silas (Act 15:22, 27, 32) so they’d had experience with each other. Silas would later be acknowledged by Paul as a collaborator on a couple of Paul’s letters (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1). Like Mark (1 Pet 5:13), Silas also helped Peter (1 Pet 5:12).

***

Acts 16

Act 16:1-2 – This is the Timothy to whom Paul would later write the letters we call 1 and 2 Timothy.

Act 16:4 – Luke is, of course, here talking about the decisions recorded in Acts 15.

Act 16:6-10 – Sometimes God discourages us from doing one good deed because He wants us to do another.

Act 16:10 – This is the first of the “we” verses in Acts (i.e. where Luke indicates he was present). 

Act 16:11-12 – The ancient region of Macedonia occupied the area known as northern Greece today. Philippi is the city to whom Paul would later write his epistle to the Philippians.

Act 16:13 – Apparently, there was no synagogue in Philippi at that time. A place of prayer would be the next best place to start: “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16; 2:9, 10) was the way we see Jesus and His apostles preach.

Act 16:14-15 – Because Lydia was “a worshiper of God,” her heart was in the Lord’s hands and thus He could turn her heart toward Paul and the gospel he was preaching.

Act 16:16-18 – Not everyone who says the right words has the right spirit.

Act 16:19-21 – It’s surprising how often “Follow the money” leads you to the source of the problem. No wonder Paul wrote to Timothy that ” the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil” (1 Tim 6:10).

Act 16:22-26 – Which was odder: that Paul and Silas were singing hymns of praise to God in a situation like that or that an earthquake occurred with the effects that it had? And were those two events some crazy coincidence?

Act 16:27-28 – Yet another oddity: Paul and Silas stayed put even though their shackles have been broken.

Act 16:29-31 – What was true for a man in the 1st century is true for a man in the 21st century: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Act 16:32 – Men, when you read the Bible to your family, the word of the Lord will have its effect.

Act 16:35-40 – Unlike Jesus and the twelve, Paul was a Jew who was also a Roman citizen. This gave him rights of protection that the others didn’t have. Of course, these protections could not ultimately keep him from being executed by the government for preaching the gospel, but those protections meant he would die by beheading rather than by crucifixion. Romans didn’t want the cruelties of crucifixion to be inflicted on their own citizens – only on slaves, subjugated nations, and the worst of the worst criminals. ***** Once again, persecution may chase the apostles of Jesus Christ out of town, but they keep preaching wherever they go.

***

Acts 17

Act 17:1-3 – Paul and Silas are still in the region of Macedonia (modern-day northern Greece), where the Lord had sent them in the previous chapter. ***** Even though Paul was known as “apostle to the Gentiles,” he always began his work in a city with Jews (“where there was a synagogue”). As he himself wrote, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” – Rom 1:16; 2:9, 10. ***** Note that the evidence Paul was presenting to the Thessalonians did not consist of autopsy reports and affidavits, but rather the Scriptures – for that is where the theme of “the suffering and glories” of the Messiah were to be found (Lk 24:25-27; 1 Pet 1:10-12). ***** Keep in mind that “the Christ” always means “the Messiah” – the former expression being from the Greek language and the latter from Hebrew. Keep in mind also that in the Jewish mind of that age, the expression “the Son of God” was likewise synonymous. Thus the essential point of apostolic preaching was that Jesus of Nazareth, by virtue of His crucifixion and resurrection, was the special one (Messiah, Christ, Son of God) that Israel’s prophets had been prophesying for centuries.

Act 17:6 – “These men who have upset the world” in the NASB is rendered “These that have turned the world upside down” in the KJV. Both phrasings effectively convey the force that the gospel was exerting on culture.

Act 17:7 – This verse is a good reminder that the synonymous expressions “The Messiah,” “The Christ,” and “The Son of God,” all refer the promises of God to send a king. Remember that the Messiah, among other things, was to be a descendant of David who would inherit his kingship. Like Herod, almost every status quo authority is leery of any new authority.

Act 17:11 – Note that the tell-tale sign of being “more noble-minded” was searching the Scriptures daily instead of weekly (as they did it in Thessalonica per Act 17:1-3 above). See also Is 32:8. You qualify as noble-minded if you’re honestly and diligently seeking the Lord in the Scriptures every morning.

Act 17:14-15 – This marks Paul’s departure from Macedonia (northern Greece) and entry into Achaia (southern Greece). Paul often makes reference to these two regions in his letters.

Act 17:16-17 – The city of Athens was known as a center of Greek philosophy so it would be unsurprising if no synagogue was there.

Act 17:18 – To refer to Jesus and His resurrection as being a “strange deity” is very interesting. It highlights that there is no religion in the world that has a God like this One! Which is to say that no false god is like the true One.

Act 17:21 – The more things change, the more they stay the same: People want “the news.” (That’s Ecclesiastes we hear in the background reminding us that there’s nothing new under the sun.)

Act 17:32 – Even Thessalonica was better soil for the seed of the gospel than Athens. Heavy doses of formal education can make you stupid.

***

Acts 18

Act 18:1 – Like Athens, Corinth is situated in the region of Achaia (southern Greece). We don’t know if Paul ever visited Corinth prior to his experience on the road to Damascus, but this is his first visit as an ambassador of the Messiah. He ended up staying here a year and a half (Act 18:11), becoming very close to the Corinthians believers. Subsequently, he would write two letters to this congregation (1 and 2 Corinthians), recalling fondly his time with them.

Act 18:2-4 – Paul was making tents for a living during the week and preaching on Saturdays in the synagogue.

Act 18:5 – It’s likely that what allowed Paul to ceasing making tents and devote himself full-time to ministry (as Luke described the other apostles doing in Act 6 when they appointed the seven to oversee the feeding of widows) was Silas and Timothy bringing a financial gift to Paul from the Philippians. Paul would later commend the Philippians for doing this sort of thing (Phil 4:15).

Act 18:6-11 – For once, the persecution against Paul was not strong enough to drive him out of town. He was able to stay in Corinth 18 months and get the gospel planted deeply in the believers there. Some of the richest revelation we find in the New Testament can be found in the two letters he subsequently wrote these people. It was to them, for example, that Paul wrote, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love…” (1 Cor 13:1).

Act 18:12-17 – The broader Gentile populations – including rulers like Pontius Pilate – did not want to get involved in disputes between Jews. Generally speaking, they considered Christians to be a Jewish sect or denomination; therefore, Gentiles should not have to be troubled with Jewish affairs.

Act 18:18-21 – Paul leaves Corinth and spends a little time in Ephesus. We’ll see Paul keep his promise to return to the Ephesians in the next chapter of Acts.

Act 18:22 – Paul’s return to Antioch marks the end of his 2nd missionary journey.

Act 18:23 – This marks the beginning of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey. Rather than ending up back at Antioch again, this third journey will end in Jerusalem.

Act 18:26 – Just as Joseph wanted to send Mary away secretly when he thought she had failed the Lord (Mt 1:19), so Priscilla and Aquila wanted to correct Apollos discreetly so as not to embarrass him in front of the congregation.

Act 18:27 – In Achaia, Apollos will get to Corinth and teach the believers there. Paul refers back to this later in 1 Cor 3 when he says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.”

Act 18:28 – A theme we continue to see throughout the apostolic generation – which is to say throughout New Testament times – is that even in Gentile churches, it was believing Jews who were leading: Paul, Apollos, Priscilla, Aquila, and so on. Gentiles did not take over leadership of the churches until after the apostolic generation passed.

***

Acts 19

Act 19:1-7 – Things are playing out just as John the Baptist said they would in Mt 3:11. That is, John baptized with water but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (for those who came to Him, but the rest He would baptize with fire – which was a metaphor for judgment).

Act 19:8-9 – It appears that, once again, Paul is transitioning from weekly teaching to daily teaching, much as he did when moving from Thessalonica to Berea (Act 17:1-11), and again when he was in Corinth an apparently received a gift from Philippi (Act 18:1-5).

Act 19:10 – Having spent 18 months teaching in Corinth (a city in the region of Achaia), he now spends 24 in Ephesus (a city in Asia).

Act 19:11-12 – The power to heal carried to the sick in Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons here is reminiscent of the power to heal carried to the sick in Peter’s shadow (Act 5:14-16). This is yet another instance of Luke demonstrating throughout the book of Acts that God was doing the same things for the Gentiles that He had been doing first for the Jews (Gal 2:8; Col 3:11).

Act 19:13-17 – Truth is not only stranger than fiction, it’s funnier, too.

Act 19:18-20 – This is what repentance looks like.

Act 19:21 – Paul here declares that his 3rd missionary journey will conclude in Jerusalem, and from there he will go to Rome. This verse effectively outlines the remainder of the book of Acts. See Act 23:11 for the Lord’s view of this itinerary.

Act 19:22-27 – Up until this point in the New Testament, it has been the Jews – mainly the priests, scribes, and other religious professionals – whose livelihoods were threatened by Jesus and His message. Here, it is Gentiles – mainly makers of idols and other implements of idol worship – who are upset that their incomes are threatened.

Act 19:28-34 – Civic pride has now been aroused and the locals are all worked up to defend what they consider their municipal pride and joy.

Act 19:35-41 – The town clerk of Ephesus fills the same role Gamaliel filled in Jerusalem (Act 5:33-39) some 20 years before, calmly urging upset citizens to do nothing rash in the face of a perceived threat to their paychecks and civic pride. For as Jerusalem had the Jewish temple that drove the local economy, so also Ephesus had a Gentile temple that did the same. See note on Act 16:19-21 above.

***

Acts 20

Act 20:1 – Macedonia (northern Greece) is the region where Thessalonica (to whom 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written) and Philippi (to whom Philippians was written) were located.

Act 20:2 – “Greece” is an alternative name for Achaia, where Corinth is located (to whom 1 and 2 Corinthians were written).

Act 20:7-12 – It’s hard to know what’s more worthy of comment when considering passages like this – the amazing things taking place, or the matter-of-fact way they’re done by Paul and described by Luke.

Act 20:13-15 – Luke’s “travelogue” style lends even greater authenticity of his writing. No one could know all these details without actually traveling to all these places.

Act 20:16 – As seen in verse 6 (“the days of Unleavened Bread”) and this verse (“Pentecost”), Paul was keeping up with the Jewish feasts. He followed Jesus with all His heart, but that never required him to turn his back on his people (Rom 9:1-5). Both he and his Lord were Jews and never thought about renouncing that distinction.

Act 20:17-35 – Luke gives us many speeches like this, if I can call them that, in Acts. Such discourses are windows into the speakers’ hearts. Every one of them stirs ours hearts if we let them. I never tire of re-reading them – and this one is one of the best.

Act 20:24 – This is a particularly great line – though it obviously wasn’t just “a line” to the man who spoke it.

Act 20:26-27 – Indeed, Paul did not shrink from work or danger.

Act 20:29-30 – Oh, how it must have saddened Paul to acknowledge this. Had it not been for these sorts of leaders he’s mentioning, the Second Coming of Christ would have been acknowledged long ago.

Act 20:31 – If you start with the “three months” in Act 19:8, add the” two years” in Act 19:10, and round up (which was common by Jewish reckoning), you have the “three years” mentioned here.

Act 20:32 – This line is another “keeper.”

Act 20:35 – This statement by Jesus is not recorded anywhere else in the Bible, but the way Paul quotes it to these church leaders from Ephesus indicates that he expected them to be aware of it. This then just reminds us that the Gospels couldn’t have captured everything Jesus said and did…nor did they claim to or need to. What’s present in them – along with the rest of the Bible – is sufficient for our salvation from evil!

Act 20:36-38 – What a sight, what a moment this must have been!

***

Acts 21

Act 21:1-3 – Paul just left Ephesus and is on his way to Jerusalem, hoping to arrive in time for the feast of Pentecost (Act 20:16).

Act 21:4 – That Paul’s ministry would attract fierce opposition is something he knew from the beginning (Act 9:15-16). As he had dished it out (Act 8:1-3), so he was having to take it. Regarding this point, see also Act 21:10-14 below.

Act 21:5-6 – This poignant scene is similar to the one at the end of the previous chapter when Paul was parting from the Ephesian elders in Miletus (Act 20:16-18, 36-38).

Act 21:7 – Everywhere Paul went, he was either preaching Christ to those who didn’t know Him, or encouraging those who did know Him.

Act 21:8-9 – This is the Philip who was one of the original seven assigned to serve tables for widows in Jerusalem, and who, when a wave of persecution arose with the stoning of Stephen, escaped to Samaria where he preached the gospel. He continued preaching until he arrived at Caesarea, where he settled (Act 8:40). (See more on Caesarea at the BSN note below on Act 23:31-35 below.)

Act 21:10-14 – It appears the Lord was giving Paul escape ramps (including in Act 21:4 above) along the way but that he loved the Lord too much to take them.

Act 21:15-16 – The rest of the trip to Jerusalem from Caesarea would be by land.

Act 21:17 – Sure, Paul had enemies in Jerusalem, but he had friends there, too. When he submitted to Christ on the road to Damascus, his friends and enemies reversed roles. Likewise, when we submit to Christ, we lose all our enemies and inherit His.

Act 21:18-19 – This is James the brother Jesus (and author of the book of James). The scene is reminiscent of the one that took place in Act 15 about eight years earlier when Paul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch to Jerusalem to find out whether James and the elders wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses as Jews did.

Act 21:20-26 – The crisis in Act 15 was about whether the Gentiles should be subject to the Law of Moses. The crisis at this time is about whether the Jews should continue to do so. That is, “the circumcision question,” if we can call it that, was settled for the Gentiles but the can was kicked down the road for the Jews. Everything was going to hit a brick wall in about ten years from this time (which would be 70 AD when the temple would be destroyed and there’d be no way for any Jew to offer lawful animal sacrifice or even celebrate any of the Jewish feasts in Jerusalem), but, for now, Paul wanted to show that he still supported the Jewish people and their practices. The particular vow that in focus in this passage seems to be of the “Nazirite” kind, described by Moses in Numbers 6.

Act 21:27-36 – Since this was around the feast of Pentecost, the streets would have been full of both locals and visitors – much as it was when Jesus was crucified, for then it was the feast of Unleavened Bread. In other words, the situation was highly combustible.

Act 21:37-40 – Paul was undaunted and indefatigable! He had reason to be.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me. “
– Saul of Tarsus aka the apostle Paul

***

Acts 22

Act 22:1-21 – The first two-thirds of this chapter is Paul addressing the Jewish mob that was just trying to kill him but that has been momentarily subdued by Roman soldiers. It is another of those wonderful discourses from the apostles and other believers that Luke has compiled, ordered, and presented to us.

Act 22:1-3 – Every component of Paul’s opening remarks is intended to establish a connection with his audience: “Brethren and fathers,” “in the Hebrew dialect,” “I am a Jew,” “brought up in this city” (Jerusalem), “educated under Gamaliel” (the same respected Rabbi who tried to calm a mob that was upset with Peter and the other apostles in Act 5:33-42), “strictly according to the law of our fathers,” and “zealous for God just as you all are today.” Every one of these phrases identified someone or something important he had in common with this crowd that hated him. This reminds us of what the apostle John said about Jesus (“He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” – Jn 1:11). ***** For more on zeal, see BSN notes on Acts 9:1-2 and 9:15-16 above. 

Act 22:4-5 – Paul declares one final point of identification with this crowd – “I persecuted this Way to the death.” In doing so, he was setting up a pivot for his testimony about encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. As for “this Way,” see THE WAY.

Act 22:6-16 – Paul recounts his testimony of encountering the risen Christ. We read it in Act 9 and we’ll read it again in Act 26. (That is, Luke presents the account of Paul’s conversion three times in the book of Acts.)

Act 22:6 – Contrast “my way” in this verse with “this Way” in verse 4. And let us commit this thought to heart: “His way” is better than “my way” (Is 55:8-9). Paul learned that, and we can, too.

Act 22:17-21 – Notwithstanding all the points of connection Paul had made with the crowd in the first part of his talk, they lost their minds again at the mention of anything good about Gentiles. As the Lord had said through Moses, He was “making His people jealous with those who are not a people.” (Dt 32:21)

Act 22:22-30 – The last third of the chapter tells what happens after the mob erupted once again.

Act 22:22-24 – These Jews were acting wildly (verse 23), and the Romans could not figure out why (verse 24).

Act 22:25-27 – Roman citizenship carried a lot of weight. If Jesus had been a Roman citizen, He would have been beheaded (quick death) rather than crucified (protracted and excruciatingly painful death). 

Act 22:28 – Ironically, Paul enjoyed greater status as a Roman citizen than the Roman commander did.

Act 22:29-30 – Paul gets released from his chains and from the threat of scourging. However, the Roman commander is determined to find out what it is about Paul that has all his fellow Jews so worked up. 

Summary of the chapter: This chapter reflects the reality of apostolic times (which is to say New Testament times) – that most persecution of believers in Christ came from fellow Jews. Gentiles were perplexed why the Jews couldn’t just “get along.” As the Christian movement kept getting larger, the Roman Empire eventually became interested enough to instigate their own persecutions. And over the centuries as the church population came to dwarf the synagogue population, it was Christians who, in certain times and places, would persecute Jews.

***

Acts 23

Act 23:1-5 – This is the same Council in Jerusalem that condemned both Jesus and Stephen. That said, there’d surely been some turnover in membership across the almost two decades since those two executions. In any case, Paul knew he would not be addressing an audience any more friendly than the hostile crowd he’d escaped from in the previous chapter. Things get off to a bad start with the Paul demonstrating more respect for the Law of Moses than the high priest did. Paul is quoting Ex 22:28.

Act 23:6-10 – Given that Paul was facing a corrupt judge and that this group was already biased against him, he decided his best hope was a hung jury…so that’s what he went for…and achieved. He used his detailed knowledge of what separated Pharisees and Sadducees to turn them against each other.

Act 23:11 – The Lord Jesus is honoring Paul’s purpose to testify in both Jerusalem and Rome as Paul stated in Act 19:21. Jerusalem was the biggest and most important Jewish city; and Rome was the biggest and most important Gentile city.

Act 23:12-15 – The maniacal and murderous focus of these more than three dozen men is breathtaking. Yet before Paul’s conversion to Christ, he had been just like these men (as Luke reported in Act 8:1-3; 9:1-2).

Act 23:16-22 – God saves us in a variety of ways – from the miraculous to the mundane. He delivered Paul and Silas from jail with an earthquake, but here he is using Paul’s nephew to spill the beans and spoil the plot of over 40 fiends.

Act 23:23-24 – This situation would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous. That’s a lot of force to protect one prisoner, but it shows how much more weight it carried to be a Roman citizen than to merely be one of the peoples subjugated by Rome.

Act 23:25-30 – Contrast the rational thought of this Roman commander with the irrational emotion driving the men who put themselves under an oath to starve themselves to death if they didn’t kill Paul. Truly, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jas 1:20).

Act 23:31-35 – Caesarea was a port city on the Mediterranean Sea that the Romans had made the capital of Judea. It was named for Augustus Caesar (63 BC-14 AC). Therefore, while Jerusalem was the seat of government for Jews, Caesarea was the seat of Jewish government as far as the Roman Empire was concerned. This is why the Jews kept wanting to try Paul in Jerusalem while the Romans chose to do it in Caesarea. It’s the same Caesarea where Peter had preached to the centurion Cornelius and his household in Act 10 (the first official Gentile converts per Act 15:7). It is also the same Caesarea that Paul and Luke visited in Act 21 when they stayed with Philip and his four prophetess daughters. ***** This city of Caesarea is different from the region of “Caesarea Philippi” mentioned in the Gospels and situated in northernmost Israel where Peter received his revelation about Jesus’ identity as the Messiah.

***

Acts 24

Act 24:1 – Caesarea is about 75 miles NW of Jerusalem, on the Mediterranean coast. Therefore, when Luke says Ananias and Tertullus “came down,” he means from the hill country to the lowlands. Felix was the Roman governor of Judea at the time.

Act 24:2-9 – Tertullus says all the things you’d expect the high priest’s lawyer to say when making the case for the prosecution – although you might not have expected him to be this smarmy.

Act 24:5 – Note that what we call “Christianity” is here called “the sect of the Nazarenes” – Nazarenes being a reference to Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth in Galilee (the equivalent of Podunk USA).

Act 24:10-21 – Paul gives his defense.

Act 24:14 – Paul doesn’t like “sect of the Nazarenes” and instead uses a non-pejorative term: “The Way.” ***** When Paul says “everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets” it means “everything that is in the Old Testament.”

Act 24:15 – See note on Act 23:6-10 and BSN note on same above about how Pharisees and Sadducees disagreed vehemently about whether there would or wouldn’t be a resurrection. Either Ananias and the other Jews learned their lesson the last time or else they’re intimated by the fully Roman setting in which they’re now situated.

Act 24:16 – Ananias had Paul slapped in the mouth the last time he claimed to have a clear conscience – but that was a Jewish court and this is a Roman one. The high priest is not running the show and he can’t order that Paul be slapped.

Act 24:17 – This verse may bear on “Paul’s Collection” at Paul. Acts 11:27-30 may apply to it as well.

Act 24:18-19 – The Jews from Asia must have only had enough vacation time to attend the feast of Pentecost before having to get back. As for the more than forty guys who promised not to eat until they’d killed Paul – well, I guess they’re somewhere eating crow or eating something.

Act 24:22 – This Roman governor knows something about The Way! That doesn’t mean that he’s necessarily friendly to it – just that he knows something about it, which is more than most Roman rulers could say in those days.

Act 24:23 – We will see in the note to verse 26 below a possible reason for Felix to grant such privileges to Paul.

Act 24:24 – That Felix was married to a Jew probably explains why he had “a more exact knowledge about the Way.”

Act 24:25 – Yeah, Felix, you’re not the only one frightened; those issues – that is, “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” – scare a lot of people off from wanting to learn more about Jesus.

Act 24:26 – Felix could have had his hope set on the possibility of Paul bribing him, Paul’s friends being a source of cash (see note on verse 23 above) since the churches Paul served, especially in Macedonia and Achaia (northern and southern Greece), were known for collecting money and sending it to Paul either for his own needs (Phil 4:16-17), or, even more so, for the needs of the poor in Jerusalem (Rom 15:25-27) who were under increasing pressure from Jewish persecution and Roman oppression. Paul had made collections for the poor (1 Cor 16:1-4; Gal 2:7-10) a routine part of his ministry.

Act 24:27 – There’s nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9): “hurry up and wait” was a thing in ancient times, too.

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Acts 25

Act 25:1-5 – Paul, still wanting to go to Rome, has now been stuck in Caesarea for two years. It’s been that long since his inconsequential hearing with the Roman governor Felix. Just as the Roman governor Pontius Pilate had wanted to wash his hands of the intramural dispute between Jews about Jesus, so Felix wanted to avoid taking sides in the Jewish dispute about Paul. Felix succeeded where Pilate had failed; that is, Pilate was forced to act but Felix was not. Now the next Roman governor – Festus – is facing the same pressure to resolve a Jewish dispute about Christian matters. Like any godless ruler, Festus is not seeking justice for Paul – he’s seeking to succeed at his job so he can advance to a role of even greater power. He wants to know who the “influential” men are because they are the ones who can help him keep the population under control.

Act 25:6-12 – The “appeal to Caesar” was an option available to any Roman citizen. There was no upside to Paul going back to Jerusalem for a trial. Festus was new to the job and stood to gain more political support by siding with the Jews since Paul’s base of support was spread out across the Mediterranean Basin where his missionary journeys had taken him. Festus, like the other Roman governors of Judea, was paid to collect taxes and keep the peace in Judea; Paul’s scattered supporters could give neither him nor Festus any local political leverage. When Paul appealed to Caesar, he was playing the best card he had – the only card he had left.

Act 25:13-22 – Rome ruled its empire in varying ways depending on local circumstances, and this could make for complicated ruling structures. For example, Felix was the Roman governor ruling the Judean portion of Palestine, but Aggrippa was a local Jewish king ruling another part. (His full name was King Herod Agrippa II, and he was the last king of the Herodian dynasty.) Thus Festus and Agrippa are politically aligned, but Festus comes from the Roman side and Agrippa comes from the Jewish side. Therefore, Festus sees Agrippa as someone who has the inside knowledge about Jews to help him navigate these political waters. The die is cast and Paul is going to Rome; nothing is going to happen to change that because of the strength of this Roman custom. It seems though that Festus is just curious enough to want to understand the population he’s expected to rule, and that’s why he wants to hold this hearing and obtain what he considers the expert opinion of King Agrippa on the subject.

Act 25:18-19 – This sentence is so revealing. It shows how Gentiles who had no familiarity with the Jews or their Scriptures were completely baffled about all the fuss over Jesus. It was absolutely true that the dispute between Paul and his accusers boiled down to “points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive,” but Festus had no appreciation for what those points of disagreement were and how important and relevant they were to every human being. The most important point of disagreement was whether Paul’s assertion about Jesus being alive was true or false. EVERYTHING hung on that. It’s the same way today. That is, the broader culture can’t grasp why it’s so important to know whether or not Jesus is alive. They don’t think it makes that much difference, but it makes ALL the difference! So much so, that Paul says we believers are the most pathetic of men if Jesus isn’t actually alive (1 Cor 15:12-19). 

Act 25:23-27 – Festus makes clear that the purpose of this hearing is not to decide Paul’s fate. That fate is now in the hands of Caesar. What Festus wants is for Agrippa to hear enough of the dispute to give an informed, coherent third-party opinion so that Festus won’t look like an idiot in the eyes of his superiors when he fills out the paperwork that will send Paul on his way. The benefit to us is that we are getting to view the message of Jesus as it is perceived by a variety of observers…which helps us understand it better.

Act 25:27 – It is absurd! But people who oppose Jesus think absurdly. There is no rational opposition to Him. All unbelief is emotional, not logical, because it is rooted in human will – not reason. People don’t believe because they don’t want to believe, and they don’t want to believe because it would deprive them of the right to think and do whatever they want. See what Jesus said about this in Jn 3:19-21.

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Acts 26

This chapter largely consists of another speech by Paul. We are blessed that Luke recorded so many speeches in the book of Acts. Each is edifying in its own way, but there are benefits to them as groups, too. For example, we mainly have speeches from Peter in the first half of Acts, and from Paul in the second. Similarly, the speeches are generally to Jews in the first half (including the one Stephen gave), and to Gentiles in the second. Paul’s speeches to Gentiles are consistent in many ways but also vary from each other; both the consistency and the variation help us. Together, they show us the gospel for Gentiles from various angles. Lastly, Paul’s unwillingness to give up on the Jews even as he was obeying his call to preach to Gentiles helps us see that the gospel was, and always will be, for both Jews and Gentiles. No person or group is beyond His reach.

Act 26:1 – Although the Roman governor of Judea, Festus, is the host and ruling authority in this hearing, he has convened it for the purpose of letting Paul tell his story to the Jewish King Agrippa so that Agrippa may give Festus an informed opinion of the case. This is why Agrippa is the one who invites Paul to “make his defense.”

Act 26:5 – PHARISEES

Act 26:6-8 – The “hope” and “promise” Paul is talking about is that of the resurrection of the dead. The Gentiles think the idea is wacky, but the Jews and especially the Pharisee Jews, had long believed a resurrection of the dead was coming. It is this historical hope that Paul is pushing Agrippa to recognize and admit.

Act 26:9-11 – Paul freely admits that he once was as hostile to the idea of Jesus’ resurrection as his opponents at the hearing are.

Act 26:12-18 – Paul now tells Agrippa the story of how he saw the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Luke reported this in Act 9 and repeated it in Act 22 when Paul was defending himself in Jerusalem against a Jewish mob. This is the third and final time the account of Paul’s conversion appears in Acts.

Act 26:18 – This is one of the many magnificent statements in Acts…in the New Testament…in the Bible! I could study and ponder it – and act on it – forever.

***** Regarding “turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God” see related BSN note on Eph 4:8 and the one on Ps 68:18 which Eph 4:8 is quoting. Satan stole the world in the garden of Eden; Jesus became one of us so that He could be the leader of our jailbreak. It’s not a transition from autonomy to subordination, but rather a transition from subordination to an evil master to subordination to a good Master. Autonomy is not an option for a creature, as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein illustrates.

Act 26:19-23 – Paul is here, in effect, saying, “King Agrippa, the Lord told me to do something; was I supposed to ignore Him? And should the Jews be allowed to kill me over it?”

Act 26:20 – By the way, let us be sure to daily be “performing deeds appropriate to repentance.” It’s the right thing to do.

Act 26:22-23 – Another beautiful statement of the gospel! It stands even until today because we could use it ourselves, only substituting “the Old Testament” for “the Prophets and Moses” since it’s a more familiar term for modern ears.

Act 26:24-27 – Festus is reacting to Paul’s testimony like a typical Gentile (“to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness” – 1 Cor 1:23). That’s why Paul doesn’t react to Festus; he just keeps directing his remarks to Agrippa – to see if he can get his Jewish mind past “the stumbling block.”

Act 26:28-32 – Paul does seem to be getting some traction with Agrippa, but much like Felix in Act 24:24-25, Agrippa decides to abort the discussion diplomatically before it has a chance to lead to a conversion. Agrippa doesn’t want to believe, because he has a sense of what it would cost him. Agrippa and Festus agree that Paul has done nothing deserving of death or imprisonment, but it’s a moot point because Paul has already made his appeal to Caesar. Agrippa and Festus missed the opportunity to “become such as Paul was, but without his chains.” They missed it because, deep down, they wanted to miss it (Jn 3:19-21). I know because I’ve been in their shoes. Thank the Lord, I came to my senses.

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Acts 27

Act 27:1-6 – The trip to Rome goes blandly in the beginning. That will soon change…dramatically.

Act 27:1 – The last time Luke wrote “we” was in Act 21:18 when Paul arrived in Jerusalem for the last time. So this verse indicates that Luke is rejoining Paul for this trip to Rome. Paul had been stuck in Caesarean confinement for two years, so “we” couldn’t have been doing much of anything anyway. The last time the Romans had to transport Paul (from Jerusalem to Caesarea) they needed “two hundred soldiers…seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen” (Act 23:23) to be able to defend against Paul’s enemies. Only assigning one centurion for this trip to Rome is an indication that 1) they’re leaving the sphere of Israel, and 2) they believe Paul’s Jewish opponents would not want to be caught assailing someone on his way to keep an appointment with the Roman Emperor.

Act 27:7-13 – Presumably, Paul was speaking by the word of the Lord and, if so, this story begins with the tension of the word of the Lord (through Paul) versus the word of men (“the pilot,” “the captain of the ship,” “the majority”). As is the pattern, when the word of men takes precedence over the word of the Lord, trouble ensues.

Act 27:9 – An NASB footnote on this verse explains the reference to the danger and the fast in this way: “[The] Day of Atonement [was] in September or October, which was a dangerous time of year for navigation.” 

Act 27:14-44 – Shipwreck…and salvation. What a movie this would make! We have here not just a historical record of what happened; it functions also as a parable of creation and redemption. That is, God warns Adam and Eve not to disobey Him. They disobey anyway…but instead of letting they and their descendants suffer their deserved fate, God provides a way of escape so that, even though through difficulty, everyone’s life could be saved. Every. Single. One. ***** There are some great lines in this narrative. Here are some of them:

Act 27:20 – “…from then on, all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.”

Act 27:23-24 – “For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you’.”

Act 27:25 – “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”

Act 27:31 – “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”

Act 27:34 – “Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”

Act 27:35-36 – …he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food.

Act 27:44 – And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.

(Sorry if I was supposed to give a spoiler alert.)

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Acts 28

Act 28:1 – Malta is a tiny island smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, due south of both Rome and the large island of Sicily. That Paul and crew found this small piece of land in the middle of that storm seems miraculous in and of itself.

Act 28:2-6 – The Maltese underestimate Paul…and then overestimate him. Paul, by contrast, is steady Eddie. And, as usual, Luke reports everything matter-of-factly.

Act 28:7-10 – Malta benefits as much from the shipwreck as the passengers and crew benefited from Malta. To God be the glory! He put us here to be blessings to each other.

Act 28:11-15 – Syracuse is a port on the large island of Sicily, and Rhegium is a port in southern Italy. In Puteoli, Paul and group find that the gospel has gotten here before them. After spending a week with these brethren, Paul and group travel the last 150 miles to Rome on land.

Act 28:16 – Paul finally arrives in Rome. Before he went to Jerusalem and Rome, Paul had stated his desire to go both places in Act 19:21, and the Lord guaranteed it in Act 23:11. Through major storms – metaphorical as well as physical – he had finally made it. We don’t always know exactly how the Lord’s going to get us to our promised destinations – we just know that we will get there. (See you in heaven.)

Act 28:17-22 – As we’ve seen over and over, it was Paul’s custom upon entering a city for the first time as a preacher to look for a synagogue to visit. Since he’s now in confinement, he manages, after only three days, to get the synagogue leaders to come to him! They’ve received no warnings about him from the Jews in Jerusalem. This is not surprising; recall from the note on Act 27:9 above that Paul’s Roman guard chose the fastest possible route. Even with the storm they endured, they had probably arrived several months before any hostile letters or messengers from Judea would have.

Act 28:18 – Paul’s Roman guard could probably have backed him up on this point – especially after God used Paul to save his life on that voyage!

Act 28:19 – Paul is wanting to stay on good terms with his fellow Jews here in Rome. Therefore, he doesn’t get into the details about disputes that other Jews had with him.

Act 28:20 – Paul’s reference to “the hope of Israel” would arouse in his fellow Jews thoughts of resurrection, Messiah, the kingdom of God, and so on. Paul has now established a bond with these Roman Jews. As for Roman Jews, the Jewish-Roman relationship was always shaky. Recall from Act 18:2 when Luke introduced us to Aquila and Priscilla, that this Jewish couple was in Corinth because the Roman emperor “Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.” At this time, Nero is the emperor and the Jews have been allowed to return.  

Act 28:23-29 – Paul’s previous meeting with the Jewish leaders from Rome was merely a meet and greet. This meeting is when Paul gets to proclaim the gospel (good news) to them about Messiah and the kingdom of God. The results Paul gets from his teaching session is the same as we’ve seen him get throughout the book of Acts – mixed. Some believed, and others did not. The passage Paul is quoting is Is 6:9-10. It is one of few Old Testament passages that is quoted in all four Gospels and Acts. This passage was well known to Jews because it was Isaiah prophesying of the destruction of Jerusalem at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar which eventually happened in 586 BC. It was used by Jesus and His apostles to tell of Jerusalem’s coming destruction by the hand of the Romans. That would occur in 70 AD, but we’re still in the early 60’s AD here at the end of the Acts of the Apostles. Paul’s last word to his Jewish brethren was that the gospel would not die with Israel. And indeed it did not! What everyone kept calling a Jewish sect became an enduring way of life that has been found in every generation since.

Act 28:30-31 – The Energizer Bunny, beating the drum for Jesus, just keeps on going. Even in jail. Luke doesn’t get to tell us about Paul eventually being executed by the Romans later in the 60’s AD by beheading. Nor does Luke get to tell us what Paul did between now and then. Before he got to Rome, Paul had written a letter to the believers here and said he wanted to eventually go and preach in Spain (Rom 15:24, 28). Did he get there? Did he get anywhere? There are historical sources outside of the Bible that give us hints, but they are scattered and not always conclusive. The biblical account must end here.

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In this book, Luke has not attempted to tell us all the acts of all the apostles. He has not even attempted to tell us all the acts of Peter and Paul. But he has focused on those two men and selective acts of theirs, and thereby given us an idea of what all the apostles were doing throughout the world during these years. They were truly “men of whom the world was not worthy.” Theirs was surely “the greatest generation of all.” They brought eternal light to the world and paid with their blood to do so. Oh, how they loved us! And oh, how much Jesus loved us to send these men who deeply loved Him to their deaths for our sake! Lord Jesus, help us to be worthy of the inheritance they left for us…which tells us about the inheritance You left for all of us.

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