Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens

Wesley Institute

An additional reading (outside of commentaries)

James D.G. Dunn, Beginning from Jerusalem (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans: 2009), 133-
56.

Let’s start with a question:

Acts 1

The programmatic significance of the opening chapter.

 looking forward to what is to come (1:6-8)

 looking back to what has already happened (1:1-2)

Opening Prologue (1:1-5)

 resumptive –

o “all that Jesus began [erxato] to do and teach” (v.2)

An early stop for application:

1. Jesus and the Spirit

Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens
Wesley Institute

The necessity of the Spirit for mission.

The fulfilment of John the Baptist’s promise (verse 5) cf. Luke 3:16

John the Baptist/Jesus Contrast in Luke 3:15-17; 5:33-39; 7:18-34; 16:16. In Acts see
11:16; 13:23-25; 18:24-19:7.

The difference between OT and NT experience of the Spirit

Cf. Numbers 11:29:

29
But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's
people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"

Jewish hope for the Spirit as part of end-time salvation: Joel 2:28-32; Ezekiel 36:26-
27. Spirit as the evidence the messianic age had dawned.

Acts 1:6-11 – The program announced

What is the gift of the Holy Spirit about?

Why the disciples question in verse 6 ("Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom
to Israel?"?
Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens
Wesley Institute

The hope of Israel’s restoration - see Amos 9:11-12

The Eschatological Nature of Resurrection and the Spirit.

Reorienting Israel to be a servant community (Acts 1:7-8)

The OT basis – see Gen 12:1-3; Isa 49:6

For Luke, a Spirit-Filled church is a missionary church.

THE ASCENSION (VV.9-11)

Looking up or Looking Out….

What is the ascension? (cf. Eph 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22) - OT antecedents = triumph
over enemy powers (Psalm 68:18; 2:4; Gen 11:5)

The ascension will remain important within Acts – see Acts 2:33-35; 3:21 (must
remain in heaven); 5:31

The transference of responsibility for the mission of God.

Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens
Wesley Institute

The Spirit and Christian experience – assuring us of our future and propelling us
towards the lost.

Acts 1:12-26

The community at prayer

o homothumadon - “with one mind”, and is repeated again in a positive

sense in 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 8:6; 15:25; cf. also the only other book it is
used in in the NT, when Paul speaks in Romans 15:6 of glorifying God
literally, “with one mind and one mouth”.

What needs to be addressed?

The symbolism of the Twelve goes back to Jesus. A reconstituted Israel under a new
leadership – see Luke 22:28-30.

“They could not be Messiah’s witnesses unless they represented in their number the
ideal of a reunited and renewed people of God, Israel in its fullness…” (Peterson,
Acts, p.126).

Matthias and his absence from the rest of the story.

Continuity between OT and NT in understanding the purpose of God.

Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens
Wesley Institute

As well:

 Judas wasn’t a mistake

 qualifications for being a part of the Twelve (1:21-22)

 importance of the resurrection

THE CHOOSING OF MATTHIAS

Prayer for the Lord to indicate who he has already chosen:

OT examples of lots being used in sacrificial ritual (Lev 16:8; Neh 10:34); the
allocation of tribal land (Josh 18:6; 19:51); in determining judgement of sin (1 Sam
14:41-42); So Proverbs 16:33 says - The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision
is from the LORD

Is this recommended for decision making?

 The lack of repetition

 The literary location in relation to a key biblical-theological event

Is Matthias a mistake?
Handout 3 – The Rise of Early Christianity Mark Stephens
Wesley Institute

What do we learn about the history of the early church from

this incident?

Luke is resolutely Jerusalem focussed:

 His resurrection appearances in his Gospels only take place in Jerusalem,

unlike Matthew 28:16-20.
 His account of the early church only deals with the primitive Jerusalem church
 For him, Jerusalem is central to the beginning of Christianity. It must start
from here, at the dead heart of Israel with a legitimate witness to Jerusalem –
and from there it can progress legitimately outwards.

But the Jesus-movement had been very strong in Galilee (note the reference in Acts
1:11 as the disciples are addressed – “Men of Galilee”. Cf. Mark 14:70; Matt 26:73).

But presumably there were disciples in Galilee who hadn’t moved down! (three years
of ministry achieves something). This is alluded to in Acts 9:31.

 Luke tells us nothing.

Early leadership is made up of both Jesus’ disciples, and it is clear that Peter leads the
prayer meeting, and for the initial portions of Acts, Peter is the leader of the
community. Included in the group are some members of Jesus’ family (including
Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers). This implies a turnaround in their
attitudes (see John 7:5; Mark 3:21, 31-35), presupposing a post-resurrection encounter
(1 Cor 15:7).

The numbers Luke gives, of a small community of approximately 120 people, gives
an indication of the enormity of the task in front of them, and reinforces the necessity
of Spirit-empowerment.