14. Pictures in the Book of Acts
Pictures in the Book of Acts
Dr. Luke wrote two travel books. In his Gospel, he described our Lord’s journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51); and in the Book of Acts, he told how the Gospel traveled from Jerusalem to Rome. A reader completing the Gospel of John and turning immediately to the Epistle to the Romans would wonder what happened to Peter, who Paul was, and how the church got from Jerusalem to Rome. The Book of Acts answers those questions.
2:1—That the church was “born” on the Day of Pentecost suggests that we look at Leviticus 23:15-21 and see what this Jewish feast might teach us.[1] Pentecost was a harvest festival, and the Book of Acts records the progress of the spiritual harvest as believers shared the Gospel. On the Feast of Firstfruits, the priest waved sheaves; but on the Feast of Pentecost, he waved two loaves of bread. It was on Pentecost that the believers were united by the Spirit into one body, first the Jews and then the Gentiles (Acts 10) .[2] The presence of the forbidden leaven in the two loaves (Lev. 23:17; 2:11) suggests that sin is in the church even though the believers are accepted before God. Of course, the blood of the sacrifices offered that day would cover the sins of priest and people.
2:2-13—Three images stand out: the sound of wind, the tongues of fire, and wine, with its accompanying accusation of drunkenness. Each of these images is connected with the Holy Spirit. The words “wind” or “breath” are the same as “spirit” or “Spirit” in the Hebrew and Greek (ruah, pneuma), and passages like Ezekiel 37 and John 3:8 and 20:22 connect the Spirit with wind and breath. Fire is also a symbol of the Spirit as “a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire” (Isa. 4:4; the NIV margin note gives “Spirit”). The seven burning lamps before God’s throne are called “the seven spirits of God” (Rev. 4:5; the NIV margin note reads “the sevenfold Spirit”). The combination of a rushing wind and fire would certainly make for a mighty blaze![3]
The enthusiastic praises of the assembled believers gave the spectators the impression that Peter and his friends were drunk.[4] This reminds us of Paul’s admonition, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Paul wasn’t suggesting that when believers are filled with the Spirit they will act like drunks. For the most part, he is contrasting the two experiences. The drunkard is exuberant because alcohol is a sedative that robs him of the full control of his faculties. But “the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23), not loss of control. The Spirit-filled Christian’s expressions of praise and worship are voluntary and deliberate, motivated and energized by the Spirit of God. But like the drunk, the Spirit-filled believer is happy and not ashamed to show it.[5]
4:30—The familiar anthropomorphic description of God “stretching out His hand” is found again in 11:21 and 13:11. It is frequently found in Scripture to express the power of God working in and through His servants. See Ezra 7:6, 9, 14, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; and note the use of the phrase in Nehemiah and in the Book of Psalms.
6:15—We aren’t told specifically how Stephen’s face was like that of an angel, but we assume it means a supernatural radiance that all could see (Matt. 28:1-3; Dan. 10:6; Rev. 10:1). This radiance was the perfect preparation for Stephen’s opening statement, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham” (7:2). It was also a foretaste of the glory he would see and soon enter (7:55-56).
When you find an arresting image like this one, begin to search your Bible for other examples. Is it recorded anywhere else in Scripture that anyone had a shining face? Moses did (Ex. 34:29-35, and see 2 Cor. 3), and so did Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8). The word translated “transfigured” in Matthew 17:2 is used in Romans 12:2 (“transformed”) and 2 Corinthians 3:18 (“transformed”). Paul shares the amazing truth that all believers can have their own personal “transfiguration” and experience heaven’s glory shining through them, not just once but constantly.
8:4—We have already noted that “scattered” carried the image of the sowing of the seed (see 11:19). Satan’s scattering of the saints only resulted in a bigger harvest! God expects us to “bloom where we’re planted”! Ministry is like sowing (1 Cor. 9:11; 2 Cor. 9:10), and giving is like sowing (2 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:7-9). See also Proverbs 11:18 and 22:8.
9:1—The phrase “breathing out murderous threats” reminds us of a wild animal snorting and charging in anger, and the Lord’s words to Saul about “kicking against the goads” parallel this image (Acts 26:14). David’s enemies were “breathing out violence” (Ps. 27:12), and Isaiah said that “the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall” (Isa. 25:4). But the raging rabbi was led away as meek as a lamb, and the grace of God completely transformed him.
20:17-35—Paul’s farewell message to the Ephesian elders helps us better understand the work of the ministry. Verse 24 presents a number of images of ministry. Paul saw himself as an accountant (“I consider”) who evaluated his life and decided he would give all to Christ.[6] He saw himself as a runner (“finish the race”), a parallel to Philippians 3:12-14 and 2 Timothy 4:7. The same image is applied to John the Baptist in Acts 13:25, literally “as John completed his course.” God saw the ministry of Jeremiah as the running of a race (Jer. 12:5), and Hebrews 12:1-2 relates the image to Jesus. Paul was also a steward, seeking to be faithful in the ministry he received from the Lord; and he was a witness, called to testify on behalf of the Gospel of God’s grace.
Verse 25 presents Paul as a herald, for the word translated “preaching” (kerysso) means “to deliver a message as the herald of a king.” Heralds don’t invent their messages; they are called and commissioned to deliver the messages entrusted to them. Paul saw himself as a watchman (v. 26) who had been faithful to warn all of his listeners, and therefore he was free from their blood (Ezek. 3:17-21; 33:1-9). The image of the flock and the shepherd (20:28-31) reminds us of Matthew 7:15 and 10:16, Luke 10:3, John 10:12, and Ezekiel 34.
“God thinks metaphorically. The Bible is full striking metaphors, but we’ve become too familiar with them to realize how vivid they are.”
“The great instrument of moral good is the imagination.”
“The Christian church does not need more popular preaching, but more unpopular preaching.”