Marshall I H y D a Carson – Acts

For I. H. Marshall D. A. Carson

ZONDERVAN

Acts Copyright 2012 by Eckhard J. Schnabel

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Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Schnabel, Eckhard J. Acts / Eckhard J. Schnabel. p. cm (Zondervan exegetical commentary on the New Testament) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN: 978-0-310-24367-0 (hardcover) 1. Bible N.T. Acts Commentaries. I. Title. BS2625.53.S35 2012 226.6'07 dc23 2012002045

All Scripture quotations from books other than Acts (which is a translation by the author), unless other-wise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Contents

Series Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Authors Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Introduction to Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Luke and His Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Luke and His Historical Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28The Greek Text of Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41The Chronology of Early Chris tian History . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Structure and Literary Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Select Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Commentary on Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

The Theology of Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1081

Scripture Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1102

Other Ancient Literature Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1135

Subject Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1146

Author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1158

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1. This broad definition avoids the problem of defining missionary as Chris tians who are called to travel to people who live in different countries and cultures, which the Twelve

did not do while they were active in Jerusalem among the Jew-ish people.

Acts 1:1 14

Literary ContextThe introduction to the second volume of Lukes work on the life and ministry of

Jesus and of his early followers begins with a prologue (1:1 2) and continues with a succinct survey of material that Luke had included at the end of his gospel (Luke 24). This introduction to Acts focuses on the reality of Jesus resurrection and on the missionary commissioning of the apostles (1:3 14). The term missionary is un-derstood as describing the activity of mission (Latin missio, from the verb mittere, to send; Greek apostol, from the verb apostell, to send), defined as the activity of individuals who distinguish themselves from the society in which they live both in terms of religious convictions and social behavior; they are convinced of the truth of their belief and actively work to win other people for their convictions and for their way of life, sent by God and the risen Jesus Christ to proclaim the gospel.1

While 1:1 summarizes the content of Lukes gospel in terms of Jesus deeds and teaching, 1:2 indicates the end point of Jesus ministry (the ascension) and the be-ginning of the apostles ministry ( Jesus instructions). In 1:3a-c Luke briefly refers to Jesus suffering (cf. Luke 22 23) and resurrection (cf. 24:1 12) before summarizing the resurrection appearances (24:13 49), providing another account of Jesus ascen-sion (24:50 51), and describing the stay of the disciples in Jerusalem (24:52 53) in Acts 1:3d 14. As 1:1 14 links Lukes work on the ministry of the apostles with his early work on the ministry of Jesus, it is not surprising that besides this focus on Jesus ministry, suffering, resurrection, and ascension, we see a focus on the apostles as witnesses of the risen and exalted Lord Jesus.

Luke makes the following points about the apostles in 1:1 14.

1. The apostles have been chosen by Jesus (1:2). 2. They have received instructions from Jesus (1:2); as this statement is part of

the prologue of the book, Luke must refer to the missionary commission the

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2. Cf. Barrett, Acts, 63. Max M. B. Turner, Power from on High: The Spirit in Israels Restoration and Witness in Luke-Acts (JPTSup 9; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996), 294 95,

speaks of one of the most subtle and concentrated pieces of theological writing in Lukes whole enterprise.

disciples received from Jesus, whose execution is the theme of Lukes second volume; in 1:3 Luke links Jesus instructions with his message of the kingdom of God.

3. The apostles saw Jesus for forty days after he had risen from the dead (1:3). 4. The disciples, most of whom were Galileans, stayed in Jerusalem as directed

by Jesus (1:4, 12 14). 5. The apostles reception of the Holy Spirit, described in Acts 2, is linked with

Gods promises (1:4) in terms of its significance, with Jerusalem (1:4 5) in terms of location, and with Jesus promises (1:5) in terms of fulfillment.

6. The apostles were concerned about the restoration of the kingdom for Israel (1:6).

7. The apostles had no special insight into the timing of the events of the last days (1:7).

8. The power of the apostles (to carry out Jesus instructions) was a direct result of their reception of the Holy Spirit (1:8a-b).

9. The apostles were directed by Jesus to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (1:8c-f).

10. The apostles no longer saw Jesus when his appearances stopped forty days after his resurrection (1:9 10).

11. The apostles were waiting for the return of Jesus (1:11). 12. The group of the apostles consisted of Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip,

Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James (1:13).

13. Besides the apostles, those who witnessed Jesus ascension included several women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus brothers (1:14).

14. As the disciples waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit, they devoted them-selves to prayer (1:14).

The introduction, a carefully constructed text,2 has several functions.

1. It refers the readers to the first volume; this means, from a literary perspective, that the story of Acts cannot be separated from the ministry of Jesus.


Acts 1:1 14 65

2. It reminds the readers that Jesus suffering, resurrection, and ascension are of fundamental significance for the ministry of the apostles, for the life of the local church, and for the missionary expansion of the church.

3. It emphasizes the significance of the work of the Holy Spirit for the life and the ministry of the church.

4. It underlines the function of the apostles as witnesses, whose status is due to Jesus call, whose function is connected with Gods promises, and whose ef-fectiveness is prompted by the Holy Spirit.

5. It highlights the fact that the geographical scope of the ministry of the church is universal, extending as far as the ends of the earth.

6. It describes the temporal scope of the life and ministry of the church as ex-tending from Jesus resurrection and ascension until Jesus return.

7. It presents the fellowship of the followers of Jesus as consisting of the named eleven apostles (who will be completed to twelve disciples shortly) and others, including Jesus earthly family and also women.

I. Jesus Exaltations and the Commission of the Apostles (1:1 14) A. Introduction to the Second Volume of Lukes Work (1:1 2) B. The Missionary Commissioning of the Apostles (1:3 14) II. The Beginnings of the New People of God (1:15 8:3)

Main IdeaIn his introduction to the second volume of his work on the ministry of Jesus

and the apostles, Luke squarely places Jesus in the center; while the first volume described what Jesus began to do and to teach, the second volume describes what Jesus continues to do and to teach in and through the ministry of the apostles. The missionary work and the pastoral ministry of the apostles depends entirely on Jesus, the risen Lord, who sits at the right hand of the Father and who has granted to his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit.


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Translation

Acts 1:1 14 1a Real reader/Dedication In the first account, Theophilus, b Content I wrote about all the things that Jesus began to do and c to teach 2a Setting: temporal until the day when God took him up, b Setting: temporal after he had given instructions c Agency through the Holy Spirit to the apostles

d Description whom he had chosen. 3a Setting: temporal After he had suffered, b Action he presented himself alive to them c Means by many convincing proofs; d Action he appeared to them e Time for forty days and f Action spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.

4a Setting: temporal When he met with them, b Action he instructed them c Instruction (negative) not to leave Jerusalem, but d Instruction (positive) to wait for the promise of the Father e Assertion This, he said, is what you heard from me.

5a Contrast Because John immersed in water, b Promise but you will be washed with the Holy Spirit in a few days. 6a Setting: temporal As they came together, & spatial b Question they asked him, c Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel? 7a Response He said to them, b Assertion (negative) It is not for you to know the times or the seasons c Description which the Father has established through his own

authority. 8a Assertion (positive)/Promise But you will receive power b Time when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, c Result/Purpose and you will be my witnesses d Place in Jerusalem and e Place in all Judea and Samaria, f Place and even as far as the ends of the earth. 9a Setting: time When he had said this, b Setting: time while they were looking, c Event he was lifted up d Event and a cloud took him up from their sight. 10a Setting: circumstance While they were staring into heaven as he was going, b Action: character entrance two men suddenly stood beside them. Description dressed in white robes


Acts 1:1 14 67

3. Cf. Fitzmyer, Acts, 191 92; Jervell, Apostelgeschichte, 108 9.

Structure and Literary FormThere is no consensus where the prologue and/or the introduction end. If we

distinguish between introduction and prologue, the latter naturally comprises 1:1 2, the first sentence of the Greek text.3 The introduction ends at 1:14, since Lukes ac-count of the reconstitution of the Twelve in 1:15 26 provides material that has no parallels in Luke 24. The difficulty lies in the fact that the relative clause in Acts 1:2 does not describe the content of Lukes second volume but (like 1:3 14) recapitulates material from Luke 24; this means that there is no clear delineation between the prologue in 1:1 2 and the rest of the introduction in 1:3 14.

The prologue (1:1 2) begins with a conventional opening line in which Luke refers to his previous literary work about the life and ministry of Jesus, and in which he repeats the name of one of his main readers (or his patron), Theophilus. Like ancient authors who often used the opening lines of a preface to summarize their subject matter, Luke recapitulates the content of his previous work (1:1); however, he does not summarize the content of his second volume. The second part of the first

11a Action They said, b Address Men of Galilee, c Question why do you stand here looking into heaven? d Assertion/Promise This Jesus, will return in the manner in which you saw him go into heaven. e Description who has been taken up from you into heaven, 12a Action Then they returned to Jerusalem b Place from the hill known as Mount of Olives, c Description which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath days journey away. 13a Setting: place When they had entered the city, b Action they went to the upper room where they were staying, c List Peter and John and James and Andrew, d Philip and Thomas, e Bartholomew and Matthew, f James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. 14a Action They all devoted themselves b Manner with one mind c Action to prayer, d Association together with several women and e List Mary, the mother of Jesus, and f his brothers.


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sentence (1:2), a relative clause ( . . . ), indicates the temporal setting of the first volume: it ends with Jesus ascension into heaven.

The introduction (1:3 14) is made up four incidents: Jesus instruction to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Spirit (1:3 5), the missionary commis-sioning of the apostles (1:6 8), the ascension of Jesus (1:9 11), the return of the eleven disciples to Jerusalem (1:12 14). The introduction contains direct speech. In the first two incidents, Jesus speaks twice (1:4 5, 7 8), the disciples once (1:6). In the third incident, angels speak (1:11). The fourth incident contains no direct speech.

The first incident (1:3 5) is a combination of an epiphany, instructions, and a promise. After an introductory flashback (1:3) that relates Jesus repeated appear-ances after his resurrection to his followers during forty days, during which he ex-plained to them the coming and the reality of the kingdom of God, Luke relates another appearance of Jesus after his resurrection (1:4a), followed by Jesus instruc-tions to his followers to wait in Jerusalem for the arrival of the Spirit (1:4b-e), with the promise, given in direct discourse, that the disciples will soon be washed through the arrival of the Spirit of prophecy (1:5).

The second incident (1:6 8) is a combination of an epiphany and a commission scene. Luke relates another appearance of Jesus (1:6a), a question of the disciples con-cerning the time of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel (1:6b-c), and the answer of Jesus in direct discourse (1:7 8), which consists of two parts: refusal to engage in speculations about the precise details of the chronology of the last days (1:7), and the commissioning of the apostles to engage in missionary work as his witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (1:8).

The third incident (1:9 11) is a narrative that relates Jesus ascension into heaven as the apostles are watching, and the explanation of two angels who promise that Jesus will return. Luke emphasizes the visual perception of the disciples who see Jesus disappear, using five different expressions (, ; 1:9; , 1:10; , , 1:11).

The fourth incident (1:12 14) is a narrative that relates the apostles return from the Olive Grove to the city of Jerusalem; it includes a list (1:13c-f) of the eleven disci-ples; and it describes the communal life of the earliest followers of Jesus in Jerusalem in terms of prayer () and unanimity (). Both are characteristics of the early Chris tians in Jerusalem, which Luke will repeatedly highlight in his sub-sequent account.


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Exegetical Outline I. The Missionary Commission of the Apostles (1:1 14)

A. Introduction to the Second Volume of Lukes Work (1:1 2) 1. The content of Lukes first volume (1:1 2) a. The content of Lukes first volume (1:1) b. The time frame of the first volume (1:2) B. Jesus Missionary Commissioning of the Apostles (1:3 14) 1. Jesus instructions to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Spirit (1:3 5) a. Jesus appearances during forty days (flashback) (1:3) b. Jesus instruction to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Spirit (1:4) c. Jesus promise of the coming of the Spirit of prophecy (1:5) 2. Jesus commissioning of the Twelve as his witnesses (1:6 8) a. The disciples question about the restoration of the kingdom for Israel (1:6) b. Jesus refuses to engage in speculations about the chronology of the last days (1:7) c. Jesus promises the coming of the empowering Spirit (1:8a-b) d. Jesus commissions the apostles to witness from Jerusalem to the end of the earth (1:8c-f) 3. Jesus ascension (1:9 11) a. The ascension of Jesus in front of the disciples (1:9) b. Appearance of two angels (1:10) c. Direct speech (angels): Announcement of Jesus return (1:11) 4. The return of the eleven disciples to Jerusalem (1:12 14) a. The apostles return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (1:12) b. The apostles sojourn in an upstairs room in the city (1:13a-b) c. List of the eleven disciples (1:13c-f) d. The apostles prayers (1:14a-c) e. The presence of women and of Jesus earthly brothers (1:14d-f).

Explanation of the Text1:1 In the first account, Theophilus, I wrote about all the things that Jesus began to do and to teach ( , , ). This introductory statement estab-lishes Acts as the sequel of Lukes gospel. Luke re-fers his readers to his account of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Whether he wrote Acts as a sep-arate work or whether Acts was written as the sec-ond volume of a unified composition, which seems

more likely, there is no doubt that he expected his readers to know the contents of the gospel and to read Acts in the light of the work and the teaching of Jesus. What began in Jerusalem with the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit and the proclamation of the apostles really began in Galilee, where Jesus began to preach the good news of the arrival of the kingdom of God and to help people in need.

As in other ancient sources, the word translated account () designates a literary production,


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4. Cf. Philo, Prob. 1.1; also Plato, Parm. 2.127D; Herodotus, Hist. 5.36. LSJ, s.v. V.3; BDAG, s.v. 1b. Eventually became more common as the designation of a literary work. As regards quotations from BDAG entries, note that ab-breviated words will be written out in full without marking the supplemented parts with brackets.

5. In Ant. 1.7 Josephus speaks of hesitation and delay in beginning the Antiquities after the publication of the J.W., and in Ag. Ap. 1 he refers to the Antiquities.

6. Marguerat, Actes, 1:37 n. 7. Cf. NRSV: In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven (1:1 2).

7. Note that in Luke 24:47 49, the risen Jesus instructs his disciples between his resurrection and his ascension to engage in missionary outreach to the Jews in Jerusalem and to all na-tions, as his witnesses and through the power of the promised Holy Spirit (repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be

preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised).

8. This symbolic reading is often traced to Origen.9. The optimates (lit., best), as described by Cicero and

Livy, are the members of the leadership class of the late Roman republic (cf. Cicero, Sest. 97); the term is also used for the rul-ing classes of foreign cities (Cicero, Flac. 54, 63). Cf. L. Bon-fante, BNP, 10:175 77.

10. Cf. Bovon, Luke, 1:8; Rainer Metzner, Die Promi-nenten im Neuen Testament: Ein prosopographischer Kommen-tar (NTOA 66; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008), 196 201, who suggests that Theophilus could have been a freedman who had become a member of the aristocratic eques-trian order (ibid., 197). There is no evidence for dedications to persons who did not exist; cf. Alexander, Preface to Lukes Gospel, 188.

in particular a separate book or treatise of a larger work.4 Recapitulations of the contents of earlier works have parallels, particularly in Josephus.5 As Lukes account of Jesus ministry contained both action () and teaching (), so does his account of the apostles ministry. Lukes two-volume work relates the basic events on which the Chris tian movement was founded, as well as the fundamental teachings of the Chris tian faith. If we link began () with until () in v.2, Luke refers to the beginning of Jesus ministry in Luke 4 until his ascension in Luke 24.6

However, since until does not refer to Jesus death or resurrection but to Jesus ascension and to the instructions of the risen Lord through the Holy Spirit (1:2) instructions explained in 1:8 in terms of the commissioning of the Twelve to missionary work7 the meaning of began is connected with Jesus the exalted Lord, who prom-ises the gift of the Holy Spirit (vv.4 5) and whose power will enable the apostles to be Jesus witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (v.8). This means that began should be given its full force: in his first volume, Luke de-scribed the beginning of Jesus work and teaching; in the second volume, he now describes the con-

tinuing work of Jesus through the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the Twelve and other believers such as Stephen, Philip, and Paul.

Theophilus (), the same person to whom Luke dedicated the first volume (Luke 1:3), is among Lukes intended readers. The fact that the name means dear to God or loved by God should not be taken to imply that Theophilus is a code word for Chris tian believers.8 The name Theophilus was common since the third century BC, used by Jews and Greeks, attested both in doc-umentary and literary sources. The adjective most excellent () in Luke 1:3 corresponds to contemporary appellations of real people. Thus, Lukes Theophilus should be regarded as a real person. Whether or not the Greek adjective cor-responds to Latin optimus, a honorific appellation for officials,9 it does imply that Theophilus was so-cially respected and probably wealthy, which may possibly suggest that he was Lukes patron (i.e., who supported, and perhaps financed, Lukes research and writing as well as the publication [or copying] of the two-volume work).10

Verse 1 is the only place where Luke directly addresses his readers. In contrast to other ancient texts, we have no further explicit authorial guide-


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11. Several translations add to heaven (GNB, NET, NRSV, NIV), which captures the meaning of the expression but is not in the text (cf. 1:11).

12. The term occurs six times in Lukes gospel (6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10; note that Matthew, Mark, and John use only once: Matt 20:2; Mark 6:30 [in 3:14 in vari-ant readings]; John 13:16), and 28 times in Acts.

13. Cf. K. H. Rengstorf, , TDNT, 1:407 20; J. A. Bhne, , EDNT, 1:142 46; Andrew C. Clark, The Role of the Apostles, in Witness to the Gospel: The Theol-ogy of Acts (ed. I. H. Marshall and D. Peterson; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998),167 90.

14. Cf. Luke 1:15, 35, 67; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 14, 18; 12:10.15. Turner, Power from on High, 336 37.

posts either in transitional passages or at the end of the volume. In the we passages Luke presents himself as an active participant in the missionary work of the church (cf. 16:10), but he does not proceed to explain the meaning of the events he records. This does not mean that Luke necessar-ily believed that what he writes is self-explanatory. Given the important role of teachers and of teach-ing in the church in Jerusalem (2:42; cf. 4:2; 5:21) and in other churches (18:11; 20:20; cf. 21:21, 28; 28:31), Luke probably assumed that as his two- volume work was read in the churches, there would be teachers capable of providing explanations.

1:2Until the day when God took him up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen ( ). Jesus earthly ministry ended on the day of his ascension. The passive voice of the verb (lit.) was taken up () implies that God caused Jesus to be taken up into heaven.11 The same verb was used for Elijahs as-cension (2 Kgs 2:11). For an explanation of the significance of Jesus ascension, see below on v.9.

Luke highlights here Jesus instructions to his disciples as his witnesses between his resurrection and his ascension. This identification of Lukes reference to Jesus instructions is based on (1) the reference to the Eleven as apostles, i.e., as people who are sent to others to communicate news and who are thus messengers and representatives; (2) the reference to the Holy Spirit, which anticipates the description of Gods Spirit as the power that enables the apostles to proclaim the good news in

Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth (v.8); (3) the reference to the Eleven as a group of people whom Jesus had chosen for the task of fishing for people (Luke 5:10; cf. 6:13; see in Mark 1:17 the reference to fish for people).

The term apostle () is used here for the first time in Acts.12 With the exception of 14:4, 14, where Paul and Barnabas are called apostles, Luke uses the term only for the Twelve as the group of disciples whom Jesus specifically called to follow him, to learn from him, and to carry on his ministry. While Jesus had many followers, he chose twelve as his apostles or messengers (Luke 6:13). Understood against the background of the Old Testament, in particular the call and sending of prophets, the term apostle is used in the New Testament to denote the sending of a person, or of persons, with a commission to convey news.13 The concept of the apostle corresponds, at least in a general manner, to the role and function of the envoy (lah ) in rabbinic tradition someone who represents the one who sent him and who acts in a manner that is authoritative; he is obligated to strict obedience to his commission, and he has to always act in the interest of the one who sent him.

Verse 2 is the first reference to the Holy Spirit in Acts. Seen in the context of Lukes earlier references to the Spirit of God in his gospel,14 he envisages here the disciples as having experienced the Holy Spirit as divine presence addressing them, as they had already come under the influence of the Spirit when they accepted Jesus as Gods emissary and his teaching as the expression of the presence of Gods Spirit on him.15


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16. Cf. Luke 22:15; 24:26, 46; Mark 8:31; Acts 3:18 other passages in which denotes Jesus passion as a whole, including his death; cf. Barrett, Acts, 69; Fitzmyer, Acts, 202. This is an example of synecdoche, defined as a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole, the cause the effect, or the effect the cause, David E. Aune, Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and Early Chris tian Literature and Rhetoric (Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox, 2003), 453.

17. From Luke 24:26 on, Jesus suffering is a key emphasis; cf. Luke 24:46 47; Acts 3:18; 17:3; 26:23.

18. The present tense of the participle underlines the continuous nature of Jesus repeated postresurrection appearances.

19. BDAG, s.v. ; cf. David L. Mealand, The

Phrase Many Proofs in Acts 1:3 and in Hellenistic Writers, ZNW80 (1989):134 35.

20. Cf. N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Chris tian Origins and the Question of God 3; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2003), 85 206.

21. Cf. Robert H. Gundry, The Essential Physicality of Jesus Resurrection according to the New Testament, in Jesus of Nazareth: Lord and Christ (FS I. H. Marshall; ed. J. B. Green and M. Turner; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994),204 19; Gary R. Habermas, The Resurrection Appearances of Jesus, in In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for Gods Action in History (ed. R. D. Geivett and G. R. Habermas; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997),262 75.

1:3 After he had suffered, he presented him-self alive to them by many convincing proofs; he appeared to them for forty days and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God ( , ). The subsequent reference to being alive indicates that Jesus suf-fering includes his death on the cross.16 Luke had devoted two long chapters to Jesus suffering and death (Luke 22 23).17 As Jesus continued to speak and instruct after his suffering and death, Luke re-minds his readers that Jesus role did not come to an end with his death on the cross; Jesus rose from the dead, and he continues to speak, teach, and instruct.

While it is true that Luke, in his account of the apostolic preaching, is surprisingly silent about the atoning significance of Jesus death on the cross, it is significant that the first sentence after the pro-logue refers the reader back to Lukes gospel and to Jesus assertion during his last meal with the Twelve before he was crucified that he was giving up his life for them ( , Luke 22:19), and that his violent death, in which he shed his blood for them, would establish the promised new cov-enant ( , 22:20).

Jesus repeated appearances to his disciples after

his death proved convincingly that he had be-come alive.18 The term translated as convincing proofs (), which occurs only here in the New Testament, denotes that which causes some-thing to be known in a convincing and decisive manner.19 Luke refers to necessary proofs that led the disciples to the conclusion that Jesus was alive after he had been crucified (Luke 23:26 43), after he had died (23:44 49), and after he was buried (23:50 56).

The disciples were not gullible simpletons who were willing to believe anything they wanted to be-lieve. After all, Jewish tradition was not populated by people who had returned from the grave. While Enoch, Elijah, and perhaps Moses (Gen 5:24; 2 Kgs 2:11; Deut 34) were exceptions to the rule that people die and enter afterlife, none of these is re-ported to have died and then to have risen from the grave to speak and eat with friends. Jews hon-ored their martyrs, but they were not said to have been raised from the dead. Jews expected a general resurrection of all the dead at the end of time, be-fore the day of judgment, not the resurrection of an individual before that day.20 The empty tomb and the disciples meetings with Jesus after his death, during which Jesus ate and drank with the disciples (Luke 24:30, 37 39, 41 43; Acts 1:4; 10:41), were proof that Jesus was bodily raised from the dead and was thus alive again.21


Marshall I H y D a Carson – Acts

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