The Book of Acts: a Source of Information on Paul

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the book of Acts in the New Testament, which was written by Luke to record the spread of Christianity after Jesus' death. The writer points out that the second half of Acts, which focuses on the ministry of the Apostle Paul, contains far more information about Paul's life than his letters. The writer discusses the claim of some theologians that there are contradictions between the Paul of Acts and Paul the Epistle-writer, particularly as regards his adherence to Jewish laws, and shows that Acts, instead of contradicting the Epistles, is a work that provides an overview of the history of the early church. Further, it was written by Luke who had a close relationship with Paul and is therefore an important source of information about him.

Outline:
Introduction
The Principle Objectives of Acts and Paul's Epistles
Exploring 'Differences' Between Acts and the Epistles
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Although often recording historical facts and details, not all of the books found in the Bible were written as historical accounts, but as a demonstration of what God was doing at a particular time. As such, the Book of Acts, although recording various events which are known to be historically accurate, was primarily written to a particular audience, and, as such, is a selective history of the early Christian church. In fact, Luke's main concern is to present "God-fearers" as a means of constructing a bridge between Judaism and Christianity, rather than recording a chronological account of what took place."

Sample of Sources Used:

• F.F. Bruce, "Appendix. Note 12. The Council of Jerusalem," J.B. Watson, ed., The Church: A Symposium. London: Pickering & Inglis, Ltd., 1949. pp.219-220.
• Haenchen, Ernst. The Acts of the Apostles. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1971.
• Holding, J. P. (n.d.). Online article: "Paul: Acts vs. Epistles: A General Defense of the Pauline Acts." Retrieved 01/18/2009 from: < http://www.tektonics.org/ntdocdef/actspaul.html>
• Polhill, J. P. The Acts of the Apostles. Nashville: Broadman 1992.

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