 |  |
Apart from minor references to other servants, the Acts of the Apostles is the record of
the Acts of Peter and Paul, Peter's ministry commencing with Pentecost and ending with
his imprisonment (1: 15 - 12: 23); Paul's ministry commencing with the Spirit's call at
Antioch (Acts 13:) and ending with the imprisonment of Acts 28: The Acts of the
Apostles opens and closes on a similar note.
"Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (1: 6).
"For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain" (28: 20).
Whereas, however, in the former passage the Lord does not state explicitly that
Israel's restoration will be deferred, simply saying "It is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power" (1: 7), Paul is inspired to
declare in Acts 28:, that blindness has descended upon Israel, and that the salvation
of God is sent to the Gentiles (28: 28). Should the reader wish for a fuller exposition
of the question raised in the sixth verse of the first chapter, he is referred to the volume
"The Apostle of the Reconciliation" (pp. 33-48), where the subject is considered at some
length under the following subdivisions:
The Lord's own teaching concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
The Old Testament teaching concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
The meaning and dispensational place of Pentecost.
It will be patent to the intelligent reader that if the hope of Israel runs throughout the
activities covered by the Acts, it necessarily follows that the epistles of Paul, addressed to
the churches founded by the ministry recorded in the Acts, will find their hope vitally
associated with the current hope of Israel. The geographical movement of the Acts, the
people who are particularly addressed and the key words that indicate the dispensational
teaching of the period, move together, and are as follows:
GEOGRAPHICAL MOVEMENT.
PEOPLE ADDRESSED:
Jerusalem.
Antioch.
Rome.
"Children of the stock of Abraham,
"The Chief of the Jews . . .
"Israel" (1: 6).
and whosoever among you
they departed . . . Be it
feareth God, TO YOU is the
known therefore unto you,
"Jews only" (11: 19).
word of this salvation sent . . .
that the salvation of God is
the Gentiles besought that these
sent
UNTO
THE
"A man that is a Jew"
words might be preached unto
GENTILES, and that they
(10: 28).
them."
will hear it" (28: 28).
"Unto you first . . . God
"It was necessary that the Word of
sent" (3: 26).
God should first have been spoken
unto you . . . lo, we turn to the
Gentiles" (13: 26-46)
KEY WORDS.
Restoration.
Reconciliation.
Rejection.
Restore (1: 6)
The
ministry
of
Paul
Acts 28: 17-27.
Refreshing (3: 19).
(Rom. 11: 15; II Cor. 5: 17-21;
Restitution (3: 21).
Acts 13:-19:).
"This is that" (Joel).
"A light of the Gentiles"
"Go and tell this people"
(Isa. 49: 6).
(Isa. 6: 9, 10).