Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts

Front Cover
I. Howard Marshall, David Peterson
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998 - Religion - 610 pages

A distinguished group of scholars here provides a comprehensive survey of the theology of the early church as it is presented by the author of Acts. These twenty-five essays, designed to show the current state of scholarship in ways accessible to students of the New Testament, discuss the main themes in the theology of Acts: God's plan of salvation, the call of God and the spreading of the Word, the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the church, and more.

 

Selected pages

Contents

HOW DOES ONE WRITE ON THE THEOLOGY OF ACTS?
3
I Was Luke a theologian?
4
II What do we mean by the theology of the book of Acts?
5
III What can we learn from previous investigators?
8
IV What are we attempting in this book?
15
THE SALVATION OF GOD
17
THE PLAN OF GOD IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
19
I Introduction
20
I Introduction
276
II Context and meaning of Stephens speech
277
III Stephens speech as an historical review in the context of Jewish literature
281
IV Theological motifs and buildingblocks in Stephens speech
283
V Concerning the theological roots of Stephens speech
290
VI Conclusion
294
THE PREACHING AND DEFENCE OF PAUL
295
I Introduction
296

II The plan of God in Acts
23
III Conclusion
37
SCRIPTURE AND THE REALISATION OF GODS PROMISES
41
I Introduction
42
II Hermeneutical axioms
43
III Five scriptural themes in Acts
49
IV Conclusion
62
SALVATIONHISTORY AND ESCHATOLOGY
63
I Introduction
64
II Parousia hope
65
III Kingdom as present and future
68
IV Repetition and escalation in salvationhistory
70
V Jewish unbelief not the basis for Good News to Gentiles
76
SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH ACTS 1347 GOD AS SAVIOUR IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
83
I Introduction
84
II The message of this salvation
87
III God has brought a Saviour
95
IV What must I do to be saved?
101
V You and your entire household will be saved
105
THE DIVINE SAVIOUR
107
I Introduction
108
III A deity who reigns supreme
112
IV A deity who waits on tables
120
the christological pulse of Acts
122
THE NEED FOR SALVATION
125
I Introduction
126
II How and why people need to be saved
129
III Forgiveness of sin
132
IV Lukes generation and humanity in general
135
V Repentance
140
37
142
VII Conclusion
144
SALVATION AND HEALTH IN CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITY THE SOTERIOLOGY OF LUKEACTS IN ITS FIRST CENTURY SETTING
145
I Introduction
146
II Salvation in a GraecoRoman modespared healed blessed
147
III Helped cured delivered in LukeActs
150
IV The means of salvation in LukeActs
155
V The meaning and benefits of salvation in LukeActs
159
VI Conclusions and corollaries
163
THE CALL OF GOD
167
THE ROLE OF THE APOSTLES
169
I Introduction
170
III Peter as representative of the Twelve
172
IV The roles of the twelve apostles
173
V Paul and Barnabas as apostles
181
VI Peter and Paul parallels
185
VII Conclusion
190
MISSION AND WITNESS
191
I Introduction
192
III The witnesses and their witness
196
IV Mission witness and the reader of Acts
210
THE PROGRESS OF THE WORD
215
I Introduction
216
II Progress anticipated
217
III Progress confirmed
221
IV The author of progress
223
V Patterns of progress
225
VI Unending progress
229
VII Conclusion
233
OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN OF GOD AND PERSECUTION
235
I Introduction
236
III Christian opposition
239
IV How the persecuted fulfil the plan of God
245
V Conclusion
254
THE PREACHING OF PETER IN ACTS
257
I Introduction
258
III Peter as a preacher of repentance and salvation
262
The christology of the collective apostolic witness with some Petrine emphases
269
V Conclusion
273
THE SPEECH OF STEPHEN
275
II Mission speech to Jews
297
III Mission speeches to Gentiles
307
IV Defence Speeches
317
V Conclusion
324
THE RENEWING WORK OF GOD
325
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY AS THE POWER OF ISRAELS RESTORATION AND WITNESS
327
I Introduction
328
II The Spirit as the Spirit of Prophecy in Acts
333
III The gift of the Spirit and conversioninitiation
337
IV A Donum Superadditum or a soteriological necessity?
339
Lukes pneumatology and the theology of Acts
347
THE NEW PEOPLE OF GOD
349
I A revolutionary transformation
350
II Israels restoration begins
351
III The remnant of Israel
352
IV A Messianic people
353
V Leadership of the new people
354
VI God in their midst
355
VII Condemnation of Israels rulers
356
VIII A creed for the people of God
357
IX Assembling the outcasts
359
X Gentile breakthrough
360
XI Severance of church and synagogue
363
XII The culture of the new people of God
365
XIII An appeal to the Jews
366
XIV A partial hardening of Israel
370
XV The new people of God
371
THE WORSHIP OF THE NEW COMMUNITY
373
I Introduction
374
III The challenge to the Gentile world
382
IV Homage and service under the New Covenant
384
V The character and function of early Christian gatherings
389
VI Conclusion
394
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW OF MOSES
397
I Introduction
398
II Analysis
400
III Conclusion
415
MISSION PRACTICE AND THEOLOGY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ACTS 1820
417
I Introduction
418
II Formative events and patterns
419
Acts 181920
424
IV Conclusion
435
ISRAEL AND THE GENTILE MISSION IN ACTS AND PAUL A CANONICAL APPROACH
437
I Introduction
438
II Israel and the Gentile mission in Acts
441
III Israel and the Gentile mission in Romans 911
452
SOCIOLOGY AND THEOLOGY
459
I Prolegomena
460
two case studies
467
III A theological postscript
472
THE INFLUENCE OF JEWISH WORSHIP ON LUKES PRESENTATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH
473
I Introduction
474
II Jewish antecedents
475
III Apostles Christian benefactors and early gatherings
479
IV Conclusion
496
RECIPROCITY AND THE ETHIC OF ACTS
499
I Introduction
500
II Literary resonances and the narrative tension of Acts
504
III Friendship reciprocity and mealfellowship
512
CONCLUSION
519
LUKES THEOLOGICAL ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION AND INTENT
521
I Introduction
522
III Integrating the themes of Acts
523
IV Lukes intention
532
Bibliography
545
Index of Authors
577
Subject Index
585
Index of Biblical References
595
Copyright

Common terms and phrases

Antioch Apostelgeschichte apostles Areopagus argues audience Barnabas believers biblical Book of Acts chapter Christ Christian community christology circumcision citation context Conzelmann Corinth Cornelius death disciples divine early Christian early church emphasis Ephesus eschatological exalted faith forgiveness of sins fulfilment Gentile mission God's Gospel Greek healing Hellenistic Holy Spirit indicates interpretation Isaiah Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Jewish Christians Jews Jews and Gentiles Joel Judaism judgement literary Lord Lucan Lukan Luke Luke-Acts Luke's means Messiah ministry missionary Moses motif nations pagan parallels parousia Paul Paul's Pauline Pentecost persecution Peter pneumatology prayer preaching present proclaimed promise prophets Psalm question readers reference rejection repentance resurrection role Roman Rome salvation salvation-history Sanhedrin saved Saviour Scripture sense significance soteriology Spirit of prophecy Stephen Stephen's speech story suggests summary synagogue temple Testament theme theology theology of Acts witness word worship Yahweh

References to this book

About the author (1998)

I. Howard Marshall (1934-2015) was professor emeritus of New Testament exegesis and honorary research professor at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. His many books include New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel and Beyond the Bible: Moving from Scripture to Theology.

Bibliographic information

TitleWitness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts
Theology, Biblical Studies
EditorsI. Howard Marshall, David Peterson
PublisherWm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998
ISBN0802844359, 9780802844354
Length610 pages
Subjects ›  ›  › 

Religion / Biblical Criticism & Interpretation / New Testament
Religion / Biblical Studies / New Testament / General
Religion / Christian Theology / General
Religion / Theology
  
Export CitationBiBTeX EndNote RefMan