Saturday, July 31, 2010

Journey Through Acts with Acts 17!

Starting tomorrow (August 1st), we're going to be discussing one chapter of the Book of Acts per day here on Answering Muslims. I'll post a link to the chapter, along with some introductory thoughts. We invite everyone to join us, and to share insights, interesting commentaries, etc., in the comments section. If you have a good commentary you haven't read, now would be the time to take it off the shelf, since you have the opportunity to share valuable information with many brothers and sisters. By the end of August, we'll have our very own Acts Commentary!

8 comments:

John Lollard said...

My favorite part of Acts is the part where Peter and Paul arrange a National Assembly for Tolerance and Hugs with the Jews and pagans and discuss openly the differences that have divided them while trying to highlight their similarities and coordinate peacekeeping efforts around the Hellenistic empire. I can't wait till we get to that section!

Glenn Hendrickson said...

sounds interesting! I'm looking forward to this series :)

Glenn Hendrickson
eyeonapologetics.com/blog

GreekAsianPanda said...

Sounds fun =) I'm going to read Acts 1 tonight.

Jabari said...

I can't wait till you guys get to Acts Chapter 17: The Chapter which your ministry is named after!!!!!

Fisher said...

Aww, but I'm already in the beginning of Acts chapter 10. Does this mean I have to start over from the beginning?

Nakdimon said...

oh David, excellent idea. I will be watching the commentaries.

shalom,
Nakdimon

hugh watt said...

1-
Dr Luke's 2nd writing in the N.T.
Firstly, in Luke 1 we read:

1"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,"

Here Luke sets forth the foundation of his gospel account. What many wrongly presume is this was the gospel according to Luke; as though he was the sole witness doing his own thing.

2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

This was no fable Luke was writing; what he said was widely known.

4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Acts 1

1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Referring then back to his gospel.

2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

We see Lukes confirmation of the resurrection in v2, and also God's
revelations come through the Holy Spirit, not as an act of man.

Luke 24:30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

hugh watt said...

2-2

Acts 1:3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

The road to Emmaus was an early encounter with the risen Lord, an experience that would be repeated over a 40 day period to numerous disciples. It's interesting how He revealed Himself only to His disciples. So, what was "His passion?" His crucifixion!
We read about more of these witnesses in 1 Cor.15 etc.

4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

There are those who conjecture Christ did not rise physically, but these Scriptures show otherwise. Later on we shall see what "the promise of the Father" refers to.