Why is Jesus greater than the Old Testament prophets?

December 4, 2024

Why is Jesus greater than the Old Testament prophets?

Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 18:18; Acts 3:17-26

Emma Dotter

Big Book Idea

God with us.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

The Call of Abram

1 Now the LORD said^{1

12:1
Or had said} to Abram, “Go from your country^{2

12:1
Or land} and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”^{3

12:3
Or by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves}

Footnotes

[1] 12:1 Or had said
[2] 12:1 Or land
[3] 12:3 Or by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves

Introduction to Genesis

Timeline

Author, Date, and Recipients

Traditionally, Moses is considered to have been the author of Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch (see Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:24; John 5:46). Of course, Moses lived much later than the events of Genesis. Presumably, stories were passed down about those earlier events, and Moses brought them all together.

The first audience would have been the Israelites Moses led through the wilderness. For readers today, Genesis is an essential introduction to the rest of the Bible. It is rightly called the book of beginnings.

Theme

The theme of Genesis is creation, sin, and re-creation. God made the world very good, but first cursed it and then destroyed it in the flood because of man’s disobedience. The new world after the flood was also spoiled by human sin (ch. 11). God chose Abraham for a special purpose. Through his family, all nations would be blessed (12:1–3). God’s purpose will eventually be fulfilled through Abraham’s descendants (ch. 49).

Key Themes

The Lord God commissions human beings to be his representatives on earth. They are to take care of the earth and govern the other creatures (1:1–2:25).
Instead of acting as God’s representatives on earth, the first man and woman—Adam and Eve—listen to the serpent and follow his advice. Their disobedience has devastating results for all mankind and for the entire created world (3:1–24; 6:5–6).
God graciously announces that Eve’s offspring will free humanity from the serpent’s control (3:15). Genesis then begins tracing the history of one family that will become the people of Israel. This family has a special relationship with God and will become a source of blessing to fallen humanity (12:1–3).
As a result of Adam’s disobedience, his unique relationship with the ground degenerates, resulting in hard work and later in flood and famine. But the special family descending from Adam also brings relief from the difficulties (3:17–19; 5:29; 50:19–21).
While Eve’s punishment centers on pain in bearing children (3:16), women play an essential role in continuing the unique family line. With God’s help, even barrenness is overcome (11:30; 21:1–7; 25:21; 38:1–30).
The corruption of human nature causes families to be torn apart (4:1–16; 13:5–8; 25:22–23; 27:41–45; 37:2–35). Although Genesis shows the reality of family conflicts, individual members of the chosen family can also help resolve those conflicts (13:8–11; 33:1–11; 45:1–28; 50:15–21).
The wicked are exiled from Eden and scattered throughout the earth (3:22–24; 4:12–16; 11:9), but God is kind to his chosen people and promises them a land of their own (12:1–2, 7; 15:7–21; 28:13–14; 50:24).
God is prepared to destroy almost the entire human race because of its corruption (6:7, 11–12; 18:17–33), but he still wants his world to be populated by righteous people (1:28; 9:1; 15:1–5; 35:11).

Outline

Primeval History (1:1–11:26)
1. God’s creation and ordering of heaven and earth (1:1–2:3)
2. Earth’s first people (2:4–4:26)
3. Adam’s descendants (5:1–6:8)
4. Noah’s descendants (6:9–9:29)
5. The descendants of Noah’s sons (10:1–11:9)
6. Shem’s descendants (11:10–26)
Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26)
1. Terah’s descendants (11:27–25:18)
2. Isaac’s descendants (25:19–37:1)
3. Jacob’s descendants (37:2–50:26)

The Near East at the Time of Genesis

c. 2000 B.C.

The book of Genesis describes events in the ancient Near East from the beginnings of civilization to the relocation of Jacob’s (Israel’s) family in Egypt. The stories of Genesis are set among some of the oldest nations in the world, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and Elam.

The Global Message of Genesis

The Beginning of the Redemptive Story

The book of Genesis begins the story of God’s relationship with mankind, tells the sad story of how that relationship went very wrong, and outlines God’s promised solution to that crisis—a solution that would reach its glorious conclusion in Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1 introduces the central person of the biblical story line: God is the Creator-Father-King. God created the human race in his own image, as his royal sons and daughters to establish his kingdom on earth (Gen. 1:26–28). As humanity multiplied upon the earth, they were to establish it as God’s kingdom, in which the will of God was done on earth as it was in heaven. The intended outcome was that the Creator-King would dwell among a flourishing human community in a kind of paradise-kingdom. Heaven and earth would intersect, and God would be all in all.

Despite the disastrous rebellion of the human race, this original intention for creation remains the goal of God’s cosmic restoration accomplished in Jesus Christ. The rest of redemptive history after the rebellion narrates and explains the unfolding of this cosmic restoration.

Mankind’s Rebellion

Genesis 3 recounts the crisis of redemptive history, consisting in mankind’s rebellion against God. Discontent with the role of ruling under God, Adam and Eve—enticed by Satan in the form of a serpent—grasp for equality with God. The outcome is disastrous. For their act of high treason, Adam and Eve are exiled from perfect fellowship with God in the garden of Eden and are barred from the tree of life. Sin and death enter the world. All of creation becomes enslaved to futility and corruption. Satan has successfully usurped mankind’s throne as ruler of the world (see Luke 4:5–6; John 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2).

God’s Judgment

Genesis 6 reports how mankind, created to fill the earth with the rule of God, fills it instead with violence (Gen. 6:11, 13). Originally created as “very good,” the earth now lies ruined because of sin (1:31; 6:12). God’s patience runs out and, in grief, he determines to destroy humanity together with the ruined earth (6:13). God reverses the creation process of Genesis 1 by opening creation’s floodgates above and below—to deluge the earth and return it to its pre-creation state of dark chaos (1:2).

All life is extinguished, with the exception of a single family. Because of Noah’s righteousness, God preserves him and his family and a remnant of the animal world in a large boat. Then, the floods subside and Noah disembarks into a washed and clean new world. This is a new beginning. Although Noah subsequently fails, as Adam did before him, the redemptive pattern is set. God intends to fulfill his original creation intentions through a humanity led by a righteous head. Unlike Adam and Noah, however, the ultimate Adam, Jesus Christ, does in fact deliver a remnant by his righteousness, so that he and they together might rule over a holy, restored world (see Rom. 5:12–21, 8:18–30; 1 Cor. 15:20–28, 42–57).

The Promise

Genesis 12:1–3 is God’s answer to the problem of mankind’s rebellion narrated in the book’s first eleven chapters. God promises Abraham a land, countless descendants, and that all the families of the earth will be blessed in him. Through Abraham’s descendants—Israel, and ultimately Israel’s royal king, Jesus—the Creator-King will reclaim his world. Blessing and life will overcome and swallow up the curse of Genesis 3. God is determined, by his grace, to restore humanity and the entire cosmos to the paradise it was in Eden.

Universal Themes in Genesis

The image of God. Genesis teaches that everyone on earth is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26–27; 9:6). This means that we are created like God in certain ways—for example, in our ability to love, speak, create, and reason, as well as in our ability to form relationships with our fellow humans. The image of God is also seen in the way humans are to rule the earth, under God, who rules over all. Because every person is made in God’s image, every person is inherently valuable to God and is to be treated with dignity regardless of ethnicity, age, class status, or gender.

Sin and the problem of the human heart. Genesis shows clearly that the fallen human heart is filled with sin. The reason God determined to destroy mankind in the flood was that “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Despite experiencing God’s judgment in the flood, however, mankind fell again into sin (8:21). The flood, then, did not solve the problem of humanity’s sin and rebellion. Noah and his family passed the infection of sin on to their offspring and thus to all the nations of the earth. The world’s many expressions of rebellion against their Creator stem from the deeper, more fundamental problem of the fallen heart with its wayward desires. To fulfill his original intention for creation, God must find a way to forgive sin and to transform hard hearts with new desires. This divine mission would ultimately be fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Global Message of Genesis for Today

Marriage and sexuality. The original intention for marriage was, and still is, a permanent marriage relationship between a man and a woman, with the gift of sexuality being expressed within the freedom of this exclusive relationship. This divine ideal, set forth in Genesis 2:18–24, still stands, despite the sordid stories that Genesis records of how far short humans fall from God’s plan. We read of Lamech’s bigamy (4:19–24), Sodom’s homosexual brutality (19:1–29), Jacob’s polygamy (chs. 29–30), Shechem’s rape (34:2), Reuben’s incest (35:22; 49:4), Judah’s prostitution (38:15–18), and the adulterous desires of Potiphar’s wife (39:6–12). Jesus Christ reaffirmed the Genesis 2 ideal in his teaching, providing instruction concerning divorce in the process (Mark 10:2–12).

Ethnicity and genocide. The “table of nations” in Genesis 10 traces all of the ethnic groups and peoples of the world to their common ancestors preserved on the ark (Noah and his family). It tells of the original genealogy of the entire world. The narrator’s use of a genealogy to describe humanity’s diverse ethnic, linguistic, and geographical complexity reveals that the human race is one massive extended family. Therefore ethnic arrogance, tribal wars, racism, and the atrocity of genocide—the murder of one group by another because of ethnic difference—are incomprehensible evils, since every person is related as family to every other person upon the earth. Because of humanity’s evil heart, however, only in Christ can such ethnic strife and racial injustice find their ultimate solution.

Environment. God commissioned humanity to manage the world as his stewards and not as selfish tyrants. Humanity must represent God and his character and his will, because God ultimately rules over the created order. The Creator-King is wise, loving, holy, compassionate, good, and just, and we must reflect his character in our attitude to environmental issues. We may harness and use the resources of the earth, but must not waste, abuse, or exploit them. Creation exists for God’s glory, and its beautiful interlocking ecosystems must be protected to fulfill this purpose. Moreover, humanity is utterly dependent upon the earth and its resources for life. For all these reasons, the preservation and stewardship of creation should be an urgent and significant priority for twenty-first century global Christians.

Genesis Fact #1: In the Beginning

Fact: In the Beginning

In the Hebrew Bible, the title of Genesis is In the Beginning, the book’s first words. The English title is related to the Greek word genesis, which means “beginning.”

Deuteronomy Fact #22: Genesis through Deuteronomy

Fact: Genesis through Deuteronomy

Genesis through Deuteronomy are the foundation of the Bible. They introduce the key promises that show God’s purposes in history and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Mark Fact #12: The Sadducees

Fact: The Sadducees

The Sadducees were a small but powerful group of Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection (12:18). This may have been because of their emphasis on the Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy), which does not seem to explicitly mention the resurrection. But Jesus showed them that the idea of resurrection can, in fact, be found in the Pentateuch (Mark 12:26–27).

John Fact #1: All things were made through him

Fact: All things were made through him

All things were made through him. John begins his Gospel in the same way that Genesis begins: with creation (1:1–5; Gen. 1:1). He reveals that Jesus, God’s Son, existed eternally with God the Father, and the whole creation was made through him (Col. 1:15–16; compare 1 Cor. 8:6).

Exodus Fact #1: As numerous as the stars

Fact: As numerous as the stars

As numerous as the stars. As the book of Exodus begins, some 350 years have passed since the end of Genesis. The 70 Israelites who went to Egypt have grown into a great multitude. This fulfills God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants and to make them a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:5).

Psalms Fact #32: Wanting God’s blessing

Fact: Wanting God’s blessing

Wanting God’s blessing. Psalm 67 echoes the priestly blessing in Num. 6:24–26. Israel desires God’s blessing so that all nations may know of his saving power. God called Abram in order to bless him and his descendants and to make them a means of blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:2–3).

The Near East at the Time of Genesis

c. 2000 B.C.

The Garden of Eden

Genesis describes the location of Eden in relation to the convergence of four rivers. While two of the rivers are unknown (the Pishon and the Gihon), the nearly universal identification of the other two rivers as the Tigris and the Euphrates suggests a possible location for Eden at either their northern or southern extremes.

The Generations of Genesis

Primeval History (1:1–11:26)
Introduction	General heading	Specific heading	Section introduced
2:4	These are the generations of	the heavens and the earth	2:4–4:26
5:1	These are the generations of	Adam	5:1–6:8
6:9	These are the generations of	Noah	6:9–9:29
10:1	These are the generations of	the sons of Noah	10:1–11:9
11:10	These are the generations of	Shem	11:10–26
Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26)
11:27	These are the generations of	Terah	11:27–25:11
25:12	These are the generations of	Ishmael	25:12–18
25:19	These are the generations of	Isaac	25:19–35:29
36:1, 9	These are the generations of	Esau	36:1–37:1
37:2	These are the generations of	Jacob	37:2–50:26

Abraham

God called Abraham to leave his native country for a land that he would show him. When Abraham arrived in Canaan, God promised to give the land to him and his descendants, who would become the nation of Israel. The Lord promised that the whole world would be blessed through Abraham and his descendants. Abraham faced the ultimate test of faith when God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Because Abraham was willing to do so, God once again promised to bless him and to multiply his offspring. God spared Isaac from death by providing a substitute sacrifice, foreshadowing the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross. (Genesis 15:5–6)

Study Notes

Gen. 12:1 said. In Acts 7:2–3, Stephen says that God called Abram before he lived in Haran; the ESV footnote, “had said,” shows that the grammar allows for this interpretation.

Study Notes

Gen. 12:2 make your name great. This was the failed goal of the tower builders (11:4).

Study Notes

Gen. 12:1–3 Through Abram, all the families of the earth will be blessed. This marks an important turning point in Genesis, as it reverses the predominantly negative implications of chs. 3–11.

Gen. 12:3 Although Abram is called to be a blessing to others, much depends on how they will treat him. The text speaks of those who bless (plural) but of him who dishonors (singular), emphasizing that many more will be blessed than cursed. This promise that the nations will be blessed through Abraham is later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob (see 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). in you. This may simply indicate “by means of you,” but more likely this expression designates Abram as the covenantal representative for a people. To be “in” some person is to be a member of the group that person represents (see 2 Sam. 20:1).

Psalms Fact #32: Wanting God’s blessing

Fact: Wanting God’s blessing

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Introduction to Deuteronomy

Timeline

Theme

Deuteronomy, the final book in the Pentateuch, contains Moses’ last three sermons and two prophetic poems about Israel’s future. Reflecting on the nation’s past mistakes, Moses urges the people not to repeat those errors when they enter the Promised Land. Possessing Canaan will fulfill the promises made to the patriarchs, but if the people fall into idolatry or fail to keep the law, they will be exiled.

Purpose and Background

Deuteronomy is largely a sermon, or set of sermons, preached by Moses to all of Israel shortly before his death. It is a motivational sermon, urging Israel’s faithful obedience to the covenant laws given 40 years previously at Sinai (Exodus 19–40).

The sermon is especially important because of Israel’s earlier failure to conquer the land (see Deut. 1:19–46). Now that they are back at the eastern border of the Promised Land, Moses wants to ensure that the people will be obedient this time. The sermon encourages obedience by constantly reassuring them of God’s faithfulness and his power to keep his promises. God is still faithful, despite Israel’s persistent sin (e.g., 1:19–46; 9:1–29). He is merciful to his sinful people, for the sake of his promises to Abraham.

In Deuteronomy, Moses urges Israel to trust and obey, and to conquer the land. He highlights God’s uniqueness (e.g., ch. 4), his power over other nations and armies (e.g., 2:1–23), and his grace and faithfulness. He reminds the people that God promised the land, that God’s gift of the land is undeserved (9:4–6), and that the land is full of good things (e.g., 6:10–12).

Moses emphasizes the importance of God’s law, given at Sinai (e.g., see 5:1–3). The large central section of Deuteronomy (12:1–26:19) recites the law and urges Israel to keep it. The law is wide-ranging, incorporating all areas of life (economics, family and sexual relationships, religious observance, leadership, justice, guidance, food, property, and warfare). The details of the laws expand upon the great command of 6:5, that Israel is to love the Lord with all its heart, soul, and strength. Chapters 12–16 show what such total love of God will look like and provide examples of what the Ten Commandments (ch. 5) mean in practice.

Key Themes

God’s uniqueness (4:1–40).
Israel’s election (4:37–38; 7:6–8; 10:14–15; 14:2).
The land’s goodness (1:25; 6:10–11; 8:7–13; 11:8–15).
God’s faithful promise-keeping (1:8, 19–46; 7:1–26; 8:1–20; 9:1–10:11).
God’s power to defeat the enemies in the land (2:1–3:11; 4:1–40; 7:1–26).
Exhortations to Israel to love, serve, fear, and obey God (6:5; 10:12–13; 13:4).
Warnings against idolatry and instruction for proper worship of God (4:9–31; 5:6–10; 7:1–5; 8:19–20; 12:1–32; 13:1–18).
The impact of God’s laws (12:1–27:26).
Moses’ imminent death (1:37; 3:26; 4:21; 32:51; 34:1–12).

Outline

Prologue (1:1–5)
Moses’ First Speech: Historical Prologue (1:6–4:43)
Moses’ Second Speech: General Covenant Stipulations (4:44–11:32)
Moses’ Second Speech: Specific Covenant Stipulations (12:1–26:19)
Moses’ Third Speech: Blessings and Curses (27:1–28:68)
Moses’ Third Speech: Final Exhortation (29:1–30:20)
Succession of Leadership (31:1–34:12)

The Setting of Deuteronomy

c. 1406 B.C.

The book of Deuteronomy records Moses’ words to the Israelites as they waited on the plains of Moab to enter Canaan. Moses begins by reviewing the events of Israel’s journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab.

The Global Message of Deuteronomy

A New Generation and the Redemptive Story

The book of Deuteronomy takes place within the larger context of Numbers 22 to Joshua 2. The historical setting is that of Israel encamped on the plains of Moab, just outside of the Promised Land. For forty years, Israel wandered in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. During this time, the first generation perished except for Caleb, Joshua, and Moses. Deuteronomy is Moses’ final address to second-generation Israel. Its purpose is to challenge and exhort this generation to total devotion to the Lord within a renewed covenant relationship, promising blessings for loyalty and threatening curses for rebellion.

Devotion to the King of Israel

Most of Deuteronomy is comprised of three speeches of Moses, each of which expresses Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Deuteronomy is a covenant document, similar in many ways to the covenant agreements between kings and their subjects in the ancient Near Eastern world. Deuteronomy reveals that the Lord, Israel’s king, established a covenantal relationship with Israel.

This relationship was based on loyalty, similar to a marriage relationship; it was not an impersonal contract based on regulations, as in a formal business arrangement. Deuteronomy is fundamentally about relationship, not rules. At the heart of the covenantal relationship is the one true living God and his demand for absolute devotion from his people. Deuteronomy 6:4–5 summarizes the life of faithfulness that the Lord required of his people: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Such love for God is expressed through obedience to his commands. Faith always expresses itself in obedience (see John 14:15, 21; Gal. 5:6; James 2:14–26; 1 John 5:3). True faith in God is demonstrated by a life of faithfulness to God. Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ taught that Deuteronomy 6:4–5 was the heart of the covenant and its greatest obligation; love for God must result in love for one’s neighbor (Mark 12:28–31).

A Heart of Sin and the Coming Promise

Deuteronomy must be viewed within the larger framework of redemptive history. The golden calf rebellion narrated in the book of Exodus had already revealed that Israel was a part of the problem that she had been set apart to solve. Israel was “set on evil” as a stiff-necked people (Ex. 32:9–10, 22; 33:5; 34:9). Like all people everywhere, Israel had inherited from Adam an evil heart (see the “Global Message” essays on Genesis and Exodus). Deuteronomy develops this theme, describing Israel’s “stiff-necked” condition as uncircumcision of the heart (Deut. 9:6, 13–14; 10:16). Although Moses gives the people the choice of either covenant blessing or curse, he knows that they will deserve cursing rather than blessing, since their hearts are full of rebellion (31:21, 27; 32:5, 20). In the mysterious counsel of his sovereign will, the Lord had not yet given Israel a new heart (29:4).

Moses promises, however, that in their eventual exile the Lord himself will circumcise Israel’s heart, so that they can be loyal to God and thus inherit the blessings (Deut. 30:6). The covenant Lord will provide what he demands; he will perform the miraculous “heart surgery” required to recreate his people so that, released from the slavery to sin inherited from Adam, they might be completely devoted to their God. Enabled by sovereign grace, the people of God will inherit the covenantal blessings of the paradise-kingdom begun in Eden (28:1–14; 30:1–10). Centuries of sinful history (as recorded in Joshua through the books of Kings and Chronicles) will pass before Israel finds herself in exile under the threatened Mosaic covenant curses. And five more centuries will come and go before the promised circumcision of the heart finally arrives, in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:28–29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11). In his cross and resurrection, the Lord recreates a people who fulfill the law by the enabling power of the Spirit (Rom. 8:1–4).

Universal Themes in Deuteronomy

What God requires of everyone. While the cultures of the world are diverse, the essence of what God requires from his covenant people is the same for all people everywhere. God demands a life of total devotion. Deuteronomy regulated all of life for Israel, teaching them that everything must be subject to the Lord. All of life is worship to be offered to God.

The Mosaic covenant of Deuteronomy is not the church’s covenant; the church lives in relationship with God under the new covenant (Jer. 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; 2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:6–13). Nevertheless, both covenants govern every area of life; it is only the way in which loyalty to God is expressed that has changed. In every era of redemptive history, God calls people to yield all that they are to his goodness and lordship.

The letter and the spirit of the law. Deuteronomy’s commandments were not intended to be exhaustive, covering every possible circumstance. Instead, they established a standard by offering examples. They set out in broad outline what loyalty to the Lord should look like within the Mosaic covenant and offered guidelines that enabled judges and priests to render judgments upon matters not explicitly covered by the Mosaic law.

In a similar way, the New Testament does not attempt to cover every possible situation. With Spirit-led wisdom, believers around the world must discern the Lord’s will in difficult matters not specifically addressed in Scripture (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 5:10, 17; Col. 1:9–10). As we walk in love, we know we are doing that which pleases God and expresses the spirit of the law (Rom. 13:8–10).

The Global Message of Deuteronomy for Today

Physical health and material wealth? Deuteronomy teaches that the Lord blesses his people for faithfulness and curses them for rebellion. Some segments of the global church, however, have twisted this into a “prosperity” gospel which promises physical health and material wealth to believers in this life if they will only have enough faith. This teaching, however, fails to account for the clear instruction of the New Testament. It is true that God does ultimately bless the righteous and condemn the wicked, but the material expression of this spiritual reality awaits Christ’s final and triumphant return.

Suffering and trials. Prosperity teaching fails to grasp the “already–not yet” situation of the church. While the new age has dawned in Christ’s first coming, it will not be completed until his return. Therefore, while the blessings of the age to come have begun, they will not be poured out in fullness upon the church until Christ returns and completes the work of salvation. In fact, the New Testament teaches that the normal experience of the church in this present evil age will be suffering and trials, following the pattern of her crucified Lord (Matt. 10:25; 1 Pet. 2:21; 4:12–13). There will be no crown without a cross. The global church must come to terms with the truth that glory is promised but its visible manifestation is still to come (2 Cor. 4:17–18). The church is still “in the wilderness” and has not yet arrived at the ultimate Promised Land.

Deuteronomy Fact #22: Genesis through Deuteronomy

Fact: Genesis through Deuteronomy

Genesis through Deuteronomy are the foundation of the Bible. They introduce the key promises that show God’s purposes in history and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Mark Fact #12: The Sadducees

Fact: The Sadducees

Deuteronomy Fact #2: Was Deuteronomy a treaty?

Fact: Was Deuteronomy a treaty?

Was Deuteronomy a treaty? There are many similarities between the book of Deuteronomy and various ancient Near Eastern treaties that date from the time of Moses. When a nation made a treaty with a less powerful nation, the document began with the past relationship between the countries. Next, the treaty stated the laws that would govern the relationship from that point on. Finally, the treaty concluded with a list of blessings and punishments for obedience or disobedience.

Deuteronomy Fact #5: A book of sermons?

Fact: A book of sermons?

A book of sermons? Deuteronomy consists of at least three addresses or sermons from Moses to Israel. Moses encourages Israel to obey all the commandments of God.

Deuteronomy Fact #7: Jesus quoted from

Fact: Jesus quoted from

Jesus quoted from the book of Deuteronomy more than any other OT book. He quoted 8:3 when tempted by Satan (Matt. 4:4).

2 Chronicles Fact #19: The Book of the Law of the Lord

Fact: The Book of the Law of the Lord

The Book of the Law of the Lord. The high priest discovered this forgotten book while the temple was being repaired (34:14). After reading the Law, King Josiah called the nation to further measures of repentance and reform. The book may have included part or all of Deuteronomy.

Jeremiah Fact #11: The primary calling of the prophet

Fact: The primary calling of the prophet

The primary calling of the prophet was to serve as God’s spokesperson. There were many prophets, however, and they sometimes declared conflicting messages. The way to determine if a prophet was speaking God’s words was to see if the prophecy was actually fulfilled (see Deut. 18:18–22).

The Setting of Deuteronomy

c. 1406 B.C.

Ancient Treaty Structures and Deuteronomy

Ancient Treaty Structure	Deuteronomy
Preamble	1:1–5
Historical Prologue	1:6–4:49
General Stipulations	5:1–11:32
Specific Stipulations	12:1–26:19
Blessings and Curses	27:1–28:68
Document Clause	31:9–29
Witnesses	32:1–47

17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Introduction to Acts

Timeline

Author and Date

Acts is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Both were written by Luke, a physician who traveled with the apostle Paul. Acts ends with Paul under house arrest, awaiting trial before Caesar, c. A.D. 62. Many scholars assume Acts was written then because it does not record Paul’s defense, release, and further gospel preaching.

Theme

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to declare the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. In doing so they establish the church. The church is the fulfillment of God’s promises from the beginning of time.

Purpose

Luke’s purpose for writing his Gospel (see Luke 1:3–4) applies to Acts as well: to give an “orderly” account of the early church after Christ’s resurrection. Dedicating the two-volume work to Theophilus, Luke wanted him to have “certainty” about what he had been taught.

Key Themes

Acts tells of the witness of the early church to the truth of the gospel—a theme first introduced in 1:8:

The witness is worldwide—Judea, Samaria, the “end of the earth” (1:8).
The witness includes all kinds of people (chs. 2–5; 10:1–11:18; 14:8–18; 16:11–15, 25–34; 17:22–31).
God guides the church’s witness (4:5–22; 23:12–22; 24:1–23; 27:21–26).
Faithful witnesses must be prepared to suffer and even die because of their testimony to Christ (5:41–42; 7:54–60).
The Holy Spirit empowers the witness (1:8; 2:1–13; 8:17; 13:2–12; 19:6).
Effective witness demands unity in the church (2:42–47; 4:32–37; 5:12–14).
Jesus’ resurrection is a key part of the witness (1:22; 2:22–36; 17:30–31).
Acceptance of the message depends both on human response and on God’s sovereign will (2:47; 11:18; 13:48).
The witness to the gospel calls for a response (26:27–29). It requires repenting of one’s sins in the name of Christ. This brings forgiveness of sins (e.g., 2:38).
Witnesses must always maintain integrity before the world (18:12–15; 23:29; 25:18; 26:31–32).
Christian witnesses continue the ministry that Christ “began” (1:1).
Faithful witness can bring great results (4:4; 13:48–49; 17:4; 28:30–31).

Outline

Preparation for Witness (1:1–2:13)
The Witness in Jerusalem (2:14–5:42)
The Witness beyond Jerusalem (6:1–12:25)
The Witness in Cyprus and Southern Galatia (13:1–14:28)
The Jerusalem Council (15:1–35)
The Witness in Greece (15:36–18:22)
The Witness in Ephesus (18:23–21:16)
The Arrest in Jerusalem (21:17–23:35)
The Witness in Caesarea (24:1–26:32)
The Witness in Rome (27:1–28:31)

The Setting of Acts

c. A.D. 30–60

The book of Acts records the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, thus fulfilling the risen Christ’s words to his apostles in Acts 1:8.

The Global Message of Acts

Acts and Redemptive History

The book of Acts begins in Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews, but ends in Rome, the capital city of the Gentiles. It begins with the ministry of Peter, apostle to the Jews, but ends with the ministry of Paul, apostle to the Gentiles (see Gal. 2:7–8; 1 Tim. 2:7). The direction of Acts is one of ever-expanding global reach.

Acts 1:8 sums up the global significance of the book of Acts: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Reversing the Curse of Babel

In Genesis 11 the pride of mankind led to the building of the tower of Babel. But God brought low mankind’s arrogance. He scattered the human race throughout the earth and gave different languages to different people groups, preventing a second attempt at a unified monument to human pride like Babel.

In Acts 2, the curse of Babel is reversed. Instead of one language becoming many, many languages become one. As travelers from distant lands descend on Jerusalem at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit falls on the disciples and they speak in tongues, “and at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6). With the pouring out of the Spirit right after Christ’s ascension, God was beginning to undo the effects of sin. Indeed, Peter said that Pentecost was the beginning of the “last days” predicted by Joel (Acts 2:16–21). The gospel’s global reach is thus beautifully depicted in the events of Acts 2.

To the End of the Earth

The rest of Acts then describes the ongoing spread of the gospel outward from Jerusalem. This is in fulfillment of the ancient promises to Abraham (soon after Babel) that in him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3). The first seven chapters of Acts show the gospel spreading in Jerusalem. Chapters 8–9 describe its spread to the surrounding regions. Chapters 10–28 show the gospel going to the end of the earth, to Rome itself. In this way Acts 1:8 becomes an outline of the whole book of Acts.

Even the final verse of Acts records the unstoppable spread of the gospel: Paul was “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (28:31).

The end of the Bible completes the global explosion of the gospel that begins in Acts. In Revelation 5 John sees twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb and sing,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

    and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

    from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

    and they shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9–10; compare 7:9)

Universal Themes in Acts

The global reach of the gospel. In Acts God calls his people, led by the apostles, to be witnesses of Jesus “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In chapter 2, Luke makes a deliberate point of recording the various nations represented at Pentecost in Jerusalem—“Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Lybia belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians” (2:9–11). This is a remarkably comprehensive list of nations that covers virtually the entire Roman Empire and thus the whole known world of the time. Acts shows us God’s determination to bring his blessings to every corner of the cosmos.

The welcome of all kinds of people into the family of God. Not only does the gospel reach to all the corners of the earth in Acts, it also reaches to all kinds of people—an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–40), a Roman centurion (10:1–48), lame men (3:1–10; 14:8–10), a merchant woman (16:11–15), a Philippian jailer (16:25–34), members of the religious elite in Athens (17:34), and magicians and sorcerers (19:18–19). In his great grace, God welcomes all kinds of people into his family.

The sovereignty of God in all things. As much as any book in the Bible, Acts lifts up the sovereign rule of God over everything in both life and salvation. This sovereignty extends to every square inch of the globe and is a deep comfort for Christians everywhere. Acts shows us God’s sovereignty in appointing men and women to eternal life (Acts 2:39, 41, 47; 5:14; 11:24; 13:48), in granting faith and repentance (3:16; 5:31; 11:18; 15:8–9; 16:14; 18:27), and even in the cruel cross of Christ (2:23–24; 3:18; 4:27–28). All things, even acts of great evil, are ultimately governed by the wise hand of God, yet never in such a way that he himself could be accused of wrongdoing (see James 1:13–14, 17).

The Global Message of Acts for Today

Word and deed. Throughout Acts, ministry involves both word and deed, both speaking and doing, both preaching and serving. Miraculous acts of healing, for example, were “signs and wonders” that pointed to the life-changing power of the gospel. In Acts 14:3, we are told that Paul and Barnabas were “speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” Christians sometimes emphasize either word or deed to the neglect of the other. The New Testament teaches us to make God’s Word our first priority in ministry (1 Cor. 1:22–23), yet the gospel must be clothed in love and good deeds, lest we “unsay” with our actions what we say with our lips (1 John 3:18).

Christian generosity with one another. The church is called to be kind and generous to all those made in God’s image. Yet believers are to show special kindness to one another (Gal. 6:10). We see this beautifully in Acts, as believers share possessions in common with one another in a bold sacrifice of love (Acts 2:42–47; 4:32–37). As Christ poured his life out in self-giving compassion for us when we were in need, so we give of ourselves to others who are in need.

The power of the Holy Spirit. The worldwide mission of the church began only when the Holy Spirit came upon God’s people (Acts 1:8; compare Luke 24:49). In a day when the Spirit is often the most neglected person of the Trinity, especially in the Christian West, the global church must learn from Acts to treasure the Spirit and his presence and power. Acts declares to the church today that it is by the power of the Spirit that the gospel will go forth to the end of the earth. This is humbling to human pride, yet it is also our great hope. Evangelistic effectiveness does not depend ultimately on human cleverness and sophisticated strategies. Global fruitfulness comes as weak Christians depend on the Spirit and look to him for strength.

Luke Fact #1: Who wrote Luke?

Fact: Who wrote Luke?

Who wrote Luke? Luke wrote both this Gospel account and Acts. He probably traveled with Paul and participated in his ministry (see Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Luke was also a physician (Col. 4:14).

Acts Fact #1: Acts

Fact: Acts

Acts is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Its main purpose is to record a selective history of the early church after Christ’s resurrection and ascension. Both books are dedicated to a man named Theophilus (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1) and written by Luke.

Acts Fact #6: The speeches in Acts

Fact: The speeches in Acts

The speeches in Acts are an important part of Luke’s historical account. They make up nearly a third of the book. Ten of these are extended speeches: three by Peter, one by Stephen, and six by Paul.

Acts Fact #9: Ananias

Fact: Ananias

Ananias. There are three different men named Ananias in the book of Acts (see 5:1; 9:10; 24:1). The Ananias who was apparently the first believer to welcome Paul after his conversion is a positive example of obedience to the Lord (9:10–19).

Acts Fact #23: What is “the Way?”

Fact: What is “the Way?”

What is “the Way?” In Acts, “the Way” appears six times (9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). People who belonged to the Way were followers of Christ. It means the way of salvation (16:17) and/or the true way of life in relation to God (see 18:25–26).

Acts Fact #26: What happens next?

Fact: What happens next?

What happens next? Acts ends with Paul serving Christ from within a Roman prison. During this time, he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. According to the church historian Eusebius, Paul was released, then arrested a second time, and eventually martyred in Rome.

Acts Fact #3: Solomon’s portico

Fact: Solomon’s portico

Solomon’s portico was a covered walkway along the eastern wall of the temple area. It was about 300 yards (274 m) long and was lined with pillars 40 feet (12 m) high. It was apparently a popular meeting spot for the very first Christians in Jerusalem (3:11; 5:12).

The Setting of 1 Timothy

c. A.D. 62–64

Paul likely wrote 1 Timothy during a fourth missionary journey not recorded in the book of Acts. Writing from an unknown location, Paul wrote to Timothy at Ephesus to instruct him on how to lead the church there. Ephesus was a wealthy and highly influential port city in the Roman province of Asia, renowned for its temple of Artemis (Diana).

The Setting of 2 Timothy

c. A.D. 64–67

Paul probably wrote 2 Timothy during a second imprisonment in Rome following a fourth missionary journey that is not recorded in Acts. Expecting that death would come soon, Paul wrote this “farewell” letter to Timothy, who was at Ephesus, urging him to stand firm and asking him to come for one final visit.

The Setting of Titus

c. A.D. 62–64

Paul likely wrote Titus during a fourth missionary journey not recorded in the book of Acts. Writing from an unknown location, he instructed Titus in how to lead the churches on the island of Crete. The churches there had apparently been founded by Paul.

New Testament Timeline

The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.

5 B.C.*	Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
4 B.C.	Jesus’ family flees to Egypt to escape from Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13–18); Herod dies; Judas (of Sepphoris) and others rebel, requiring the Syrian Governor Varus to intervene throughout Palestine; Sepphoris, a city four miles from Nazareth, is destroyed by Roman soldiers; Judea, Samaria, and Idumea are given to Herod’s son, Archelaus; Galilee and Perea are given to his son Antipas; Jesus’ family, after returning from Egypt, resides in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23), a small village in southern Galilee.
A.D. 6	Archelaus is exiled for incompetence; Judea becomes a Roman province; Judas the Galilean (of Gamla) leads a revolt against the tax census; the governor of Syria, Quirinius (A.D. 6–7), appoints Annas high priest (6–15).
8*	Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41–50).
8*–28/30	Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt.
28–29*	John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River (John 1:19).
28–30*	Jesus begins his ministry in Judea, but soon focuses his efforts in Galilee. In Jerusalem, Pharisees (like Gamaliel) train disciples (like Paul) in their tradition. They send a delegation to Galilee, but the delegation rejects Jesus’ teaching. In Alexandria, Philo (20 B.C.–A.D. 50) attempts to unify Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture.
33 (or 30)	Jesus returns to Judea, is crucified, and resurrected. James the brother of Jesus becomes a believer after witnessing the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7; Acts 12:17). Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1). Jesus’ first followers receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and begin to proclaim the gospel (Acts 2).
33/34*	Paul witnesses the resurrected Lord on the way to Damascus and is commissioned as an apostle to the nations (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15–16).
34–37	Paul ministers in Damascus and Arabia (Acts 9:19–22; 26:20; Gal. 1:16–18).
36	Pilate loses his position for incompetence.
36/37*	Paul meets with Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18).
37–45	Paul ministers in Syria, Tarsus, and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21).
38*	Peter witnesses to Cornelius (Acts 10).
39	Antipas is exiled.
40–45*	James writes his letter to believers outside Palestine (see James 1:1).
41–44	Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, rules Palestine; he kills James the brother of John (Acts 12:2) and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:3).
42–44	Paul receives his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7).
44	Peter leaves Jerusalem; Agrippa is killed by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 12:23).
44–46	Theudas persuades many Jews to sell their possessions and follow him into the wilderness where he claimed he would miraculously divide the Jordan River; Roman procurator Fadus dispatches his cavalry and beheads the would-be messiah.
44–47*	Paul’s Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10).
46–47	Paul’s First Missionary Journey (with Barnabas) from Antioch to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13:4–14:26).
46–48	Roman procurator Tiberius Alexander crucifies two sons (Jacob and Simon) of Judas the Galilean.
48*	Paul writes Galatians, perhaps from Antioch (see Acts 14:26–28).
48–49*	Paul and Peter return to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, which, with the assistance of James, frees Gentile believers from the requirement of circumcision in opposition to Pharisaic believers (Acts 15:1–29); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30) but split over a dispute about John Mark (Acts 15:36–40).
48/49–51*	Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas) from Antioch to Syria, Cilicia, southern Galatia, Macedonia, notably Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea; and then on to Achaia, notably Athens and Corinth (Acts 15:36–18:22).
49	Claudius expels Jews from Rome because of conflicts about Jesus (Acts 18:2); Paul befriends two refugees, Priscilla and Aquila, in Corinth (Acts 18:2–3).
49–51*	Paul writes 1–2 Thessalonians from Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11; also compare Acts 18:5 with 1 Thess. 1:8).
51	Paul appears before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12–17).
50–54*	Peter comes to Rome.
52–57*	Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts 18:23–21:17).
52–55	Paul ministers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20).
53–55*	Mark writes his Gospel, containing Peter’s memories of Jesus; perhaps within a decade, Matthew publishes his Gospel, which relies on Mark and other sources. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Acts 19:10).

54	Claudius dies (edict exiling Jews repealed); Priscilla and Aquila return to Rome and host a church in their home (see Rom. 16:3–5).
54–68	Nero reigns.
55–56*	Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 3; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; 7:5; 8:1; 9:2, 4; see 1 Cor. 16:5).
57*	Paul winters in Corinth and writes Romans (Acts 20:3; see Rom. 16:1–2; also see Rom. 16:23 with 1 Cor. 1:14); travels to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1–16), visits with James the brother of Jesus (Acts 21:17–26), and is arrested (Acts 21:27–36; 22:22–29).
57–59	Paul is imprisoned and transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23–24, 33–34).
60	Paul begins voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–2); he is shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 27:39–28:10).
60–70*	Letter to the Hebrews is written.
62	James the brother of the Lord is executed by the Sadducean high priest Ananus.
62–63*	Peter writes his first letter (1 Peter) from Rome (1 Pet. 5:13).
62*	Paul arrives in Rome and remains under house arrest (Acts 28:16–31); he writes Ephesians (see verses for Colossians), Philippians (Phil. 1:7, 13, 17; 4:22), Colossians (Col. 4:3, 10, 18; see Acts 27:2 with Col. 4:10), Philemon (see Philem. 23 with Col. 1:7; Philem. 2 with Col. 4:17; Philem. 24 with Col. 4:10; also see Col. 4:9). Luke, Paul’s physician and companion (see Col. 4:14), writes Luke and Acts.
62–64	Paul is released, extends his mission (probably reaching Spain), writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia (see 1 Tim. 1:3) and Titus from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12); he is rearrested in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16–17).
63–64	Work on the temple complex is completed.
64 (July 19)	Fire in Rome; Nero blames and kills many Christians.
64–67*	Peter writes his second letter ( 2 Peter). Jude writes his letter. Paul writes 2 Timothy (see 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul and Peter are martyred in Rome.
66	First Jewish-Roman War begins with a riot between Greeks and Jews at Caesarea; Roman procurator Gesius Florus (A.D. 64–66) is murdered and a Roman garrison wiped out; Menahem, son or grandson of Judas the Galilean, murders the high priest Ananias and seizes control of the temple; Nero dispatches Vespasian with three legions.
67*	Romans destroy the Qumran community, who beforehand hid the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves; the church in Jerusalem flees to Pella (Matt. 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–22); John migrates to Ephesus with Mary, Jesus’ mother.
68	Nero commits suicide; year of the three emperors.
69	Rebellion quelled in Galilee and Samaria; Vespasian summoned back to Rome to become emperor.
70 (Aug. 30)	Titus, Vespasian’s son, after a five-month siege of Jerusalem, destroys the temple after desecrating it; the temple’s menorah, Torah, and veil are removed and later put on display in a victory parade in Rome; the influence of the Sadducees ends; the Pharisee Johanan ben Zakkai escapes and convinces the Romans to allow him and others to settle in Jamnia, where they found a school.
73 (May 2)*	Before Roman general Silva breaches the fortress atop Masada following a two-year siege, 936 Jewish rebels commit suicide.
75	Titus has an affair with the Jewish princess Berenice, sister of Agrippa II (Acts 25:13, 23), whom he later abandons because of the scandal.
77	Pliny the Elder writes Natural History.
77–78	Josephus publishes Jewish War in Rome.
79	Pompeii and Herculaneum are destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius; Pliny the Elder dies attempting to investigate.
81	The Arch of Titus, celebrating his destruction of the temple, is erected in Rome.
81–96	Domitian, Titus’s brother, persecutes Christians among the Roman nobility, including his own relatives Clemens and Domitilla.
85–95*	John writes his letters (1–3 John), probably in Ephesus.
89–95*	John writes his Gospel, probably in Ephesus.
93–94	Josephus publishes Jewish Antiquities in Rome.
94	Domitian exiles philosophers from Rome.
95*	Amidst persecution, Clement, a leader in the Roman church, writes his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) appealing for peace between the young men and elders.
95–96*	Exiled by Domitian to Patmos, John writes Revelation (Rev. 1:9).
96–98	Nerva, the first of five “good” emperors, ends official persecution.

* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or

Parallels in the Ministries of Jesus, Peter, and Paul in Luke–Acts

Luke shows Peter and Paul continuing the ministry of Jesus in the book of Acts. Representative examples are cited on the chart below.

Type of Ministry	Jesus	Peter	Paul
Preaching that the OT is fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah	Luke 4; 24	Acts 2; 3	Acts 13; 17
Casting out unclean spirits	Luke 4:31–37	Acts 5:16	Acts 16:16–18
Healing the lame	Luke 6:6–11	Acts 3:1–10	Acts 14:8–10
Raising the dead	Luke 7:11–17	Acts 9:36–43	Acts 20:7–12
Healing by a touch, a shadow, or cloths	Luke 8:42–48	Acts 5:15	Acts 19:11–12

God’s Sovereignty in Salvation as Seen in Acts

God ordained the cross	God calls, adds, and appoints many to eternal life	God gives faith and repentance; God cleanses and opens hearts
2:23 “Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” 3:18 “what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled” 4:27–28 “there were gathered together . . . Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand . . . had predestined to take place”	2:39 “the promise is to . . . everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself ” 2:41 “there were added that day about three thousand souls” 2:47 “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” 5:14 “believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” 11:24 “a great many people were added to the Lord” 13:48 “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed”	3:16 “the faith that is through Jesus” 5:31 “God exalted him . . . to give repentance to Israel” 11:18 “to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” 15:8–9 “God . . . having cleansed their hearts by faith” 16:14 “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” 18:27 “those who through grace had believed”

Major Sermons in Acts

Speaker	Text	Audience
Peter	2:14–36	Jews in Jerusalem
	3:11–26	Jews in Jerusalem
	10:34–43	Cornelius’s household
Stephen	7:1–53	Jews in Jerusalem
Paul	13:16–47	Jews in Pisidian Antioch
	17:22–31	Greeks in Athens
	20:18–35	Church elders in Ephesus
	22:1–21	Jews in Jerusalem
	24:10–21	Felix and his court
	26:1–29	Agrippa and his court

Luke

Luke was a doctor (Col. 4:14) and a faithful companion of Paul, accompanying him on several journeys. He was with Paul throughout his two-year imprisonments in both Caesarea and Rome. He is the author of the Gospel bearing his name and the book of Acts, where he records his travels with Paul. Little else is known about Luke. Most scholars believe that he was a Gentile. This is based in part on the fact that Paul does not include Luke among the “men of the circumcision” who were his fellow workers (Col. 4:10–11). How Luke came to know Christ is not revealed, though his thorough acquaintance with the OT suggests that he may have been a “God-fearer” like Cornelius before becoming a Christian. (Acts 21:1–8)

Study Notes

Acts 3:17 you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. They did not fully understand that Jesus was the Messiah and the true Son of God. But such ignorance does not release people from responsibility for their actions.

Study Notes

Acts 3:18 See notes on 2:23; 3:13–16; 3:17; 4:27.

Study Notes

Acts 3:20 People experience times of refreshing when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them. This “refreshing” comes also to the world in general through believers who are changed by the Spirit’s power. That he may send the Christ is a clear reference to the second coming of Christ (see v. 21).

Study Notes

Acts 3:21 the time for restoring all the things. Christ will return and his kingdom will be established on earth. The earth will be renewed beyond what it was before Adam and Eve’s fall (see note on Rom. 8:20–21).

Study Notes

Acts 3:22–23 Peter quoted Deut. 18:15 to establish that Jesus was the prophet like me that God had promised to send, and to point out the danger of rejecting Jesus.

Study Notes

Acts 3:24 Samuel was considered the next prophet after Moses. these days. The coming of Christ and the new covenant age that began at Pentecost.

Study Notes

Acts 3:11–26 Peter’s second sermon in the temple area was primarily a call for Jews to repent of their rejection of Jesus as Messiah.

Acts 3:25–26 all the families of the earth. The gospel’s worldwide mission was already present in Peter’s message. Later, however, he would more fully understand what that mission entailed (see 10:1–11:18).

Acts Fact #3: Solomon’s portico

Fact: Solomon’s portico

S3:239 Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 18:18; Acts 3:17-26

Listen Now

Every year, Apple releases a new version of the iPhone iOS software and updates it throughout the year. The goal is simple: with each update, the software should get better and better. And most of the time, because my phone always seems to be glitching, I look forward to the update and the features it will bring.

But unlike the multitude of updates and upgrades Apple has put out over the years, ever since the beginning of the biblical narrative God simply, lovingly, and perfectly had one metaphorical upgrade in mind—it's arrival is what we celebrate at Christmas! In Deuteronomy 18, God, through Moses, said a better prophet would come—The Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the Messiah (John 1:14).

1. One of Moses' contributions to God's people was his communication of the Law (you know, the whole stone tablets, Mount Sinai situation). The Law taught the Israelites how to regulate their lives in view of their identity as God's chosen people. It was also revelatory: God is Holy, and they weren't. Jesus is the better (or "upgraded") Moses, not because He came to abolish the Law, but because He perfectly fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17).

2. Back in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abraham—through your family, all the families of the earth will be blessed. But how was this possible? It's only possible for all the families of the earth to be blessed through Abraham's descendants if Jesus is one of them. And guess what? Jesus is a descendant of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).

3. Were we to conduct a quick study on the Book of Hebrews, we would find that Jesus isn't just better than Moses or Abraham, He's better than the angels, Aaron, and the Levites. The New Covenant He ushered in? Admittance into God's family through faith is better than the old way under the Law.

In 2025, the Join The Journey reading plan will take us through the whole Bible, cover to cover. As we study the Old Testament, we'll see, in much more detail, just how much better Jesus truly is. Would you consider reading along with me next year?

This month's memory verse

everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

– Isaiah 43:7

1. At Christmastime, many things compete for our attention (gifts, parties, tradition, etc.). How can you take practical steps to remind yourself that Jesus is better than all the holiday season has to offer?

2. Why do Christians believe the New Covenant is better than the Old? (If you're unfamiliar with the covenants, some quick research on GotQuestions.com will be helpful.)

3. When are you most tempted to forget that Jesus is better (than the Old Testament, sure, but also better than everything this world has to offer)? Explain.

4. How comfortable are you at articulating how Jesus fulfilled the Law? How comfortable are you communicating evidence that Jesus has been God's plan A for humanity from the creation of the world? If you're not as confident as you'd like to be, consider reading through the whole Bible with Join The Journey in 2025. If you're comfortable thoroughly explaining those topics, ask God to show you what newer believer(s) you could disciple or read with as the Year of The Word kickoff draws near.

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!