2005 Bible Reading

I admire the courage and commitment you have made in joining the 2005 Travel Through OT-NT Bible Reading Scheme. I have suggested that you simply read through the book to get a sense of the flow of history, without being too concerned about individual words and phrases. This kind of reading will form the backbone for your lifetime Bible Studies.

To do however little I could to help you, I shall outline in a single page, things you may pay attention to in reading. This page is not a commentary, nor an outline. It is something to bear in mind in this kind of reading. I have deliberately left out all Biblical verse references so you could read through without interruption. These materials I learnt from two books by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth; How To Read The Bible Book By Book). You could consult these books if you are interested.

Acts

The Book of Acts was meant to be the Part II of the Gospel of Luke. In his own words, Luke begins Acts with, “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.” Reading Acts as the continued records of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit and through the work of His Church are appropriate. There are several summarizing points throughout that map the progression of the Word. Look out for expressions like these: “So the word of God spread” and “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

The spread of the Word is recorded in a geographical framework: from Jerusalem in Chapter 1 to Paul in Rome in Chapter 28. And the mention of Rome hints at the power center of the Roman Empire. Geography is also a way of speaking about sovereignty. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God ultimately invades the Kingdom of the Romans.

The spread is also recorded in an ethnic framework: from Jews to mixed Jews (Samaritans) and to Gentiles. There is an additional twist in the portrayal of God’s people. In Acts, and increasingly so as the Book develops, Jews, the self-proclaimed people of God, take on the role of the enemies of the Gospel. Christians, beginning with Christian Jews and increasingly including Gentiles, are portrayed as the new and true “people of God.” It should also be noted that even when Jews were persecuting Christians, Paul is recorded even in the final words of Acts 28, as repeatedly reaching out to Jews in every place he went. This picture reinforces the image of a people hardened towards the Gospel, something Paul’s letter of Romans will address.

The spread of the Gospel is recorded also with an aura of invincibility. The Gospel conquers all oppositions. It is destined for victory. Many statements like this one from the mouth of Peter can be found spoken by all sorts of characters: “who was I to think that I could oppose God?” The last words in Chapter 28 state clearly that Paul could preach the Gospel without hindrance.

Reading the Book of Acts is also like reading a record of the Spirit of Jesus as it has been said of Him by John in the Gospel of Luke: “I baptize you withwater. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke confirms this has taken place in the history of Jesus’ people: “ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” Throughout the book, critical changes of direction are the direct results of the Holy Spirit.

Acts is unique in its record of many speeches made by different people. Often these speeches give the essence of the Gospel and represent the way the disciple “witnessed” to Christ.