When reading the book of Acts, it is important to keep two criteria in mind. First, Acts is primarily a history book. It is not a book of theology. It is a chronological history of the first years of the church. Second, Acts is about the people of God going through a complete upheaval in their practice and understanding of following God. The apostles and the new believers are a people of God in transition.
Think about it. Today, we have such a clear understanding of the sharp break between the old covenant and the new covenant, having the entire New Testament to inform us. Jesus’ death and resurrection is understood to be the place where life went from the old covenant to the new. But for the earliest disciples, things were changing radically and rapidly in their spiritual experience.
These believers in Jesus were going through a transition …
- From Law to grace
- From a sacrificial system to complete forgiveness in Jesus
- From children of Israel to children of God (Gentiles included!)
- From priests to apostles and elders
- From temple service to a community of faith
- From Sabbath observance to Sabbath rest
- From collection of the tithe to giving freely
- From God in the Holy of Holies to God in us
- From sin and sin management to Jesus and His finished work
- From Law to freedom
And I am sure there are more.
So keep all of these transitions in mind when you are confused by converted Pharisees insisting on following the Law. Or extraordinary miracles involving handkerchiefs and shadows. Or folks struck dead. Or new believers receiving the Holy Spirit at a separate time. Or the great debate in Acts chapter 15. Or Paul, the champion of our freedom, taking part in a Jewish purification ceremony. Give these leaders grace as they not only go through these transitions for themselves but also for the church they lead. The book of Acts is a record of the church “figuring it out.” And because of the transitional nature of this book, we should not build too much of a strident theology upon it.
But there is one consistent and unchanging theme in the book of Acts. In sermon after sermon from Peter in chapter 2 to Paul in chapter 26 and every sermon in between, the message is incredibly the same. Jesus arrived from the seed of David. The Jews/Romans put Jesus to death. God raised Jesus from the dead. We proclaim forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus for those who believe. The Holy Spirit, Christ in us, has been given to us. And great multitudes believed.