Introduction
The book of Acts of the Apostles takes an important place among the Christian texts. The Acts of the Apostles refers to the fifth book of the New Testament. Most of the scholars and theologists consider that the Apostle Luke was the author of the book.
Survey of the Acts
The Followers of Christ
The Acts of the Apostles narrate about the life of the apostles and the miracles which they accomplished.
Acts 1:7 and 1:8 give the words of Jesus Christ which he said to his disciples.
“He said to them, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth” (Coogan 1922).
The Miracles of the Apostles
The miracles which the apostles accomplished made people come to believe in Jesus Christ. Most of the periscopes in the Acts of the Apostles describe their miracles and teachings. For example, in Act 28:30, we get to know about the apostolic activity of Paul. “Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him, preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance” (Coogan 1971).
Major Themes
The book of the Acts of the Apostles provides a background to the Epistles of Paul. In the book, the coherent description of the apostolic activity of Paul is presented. That is why we can say that the apostolic activity of Paul is one of the major themes of the book.
Besides, the book describes the apostolic activity of Peter. In Acts 2:38 Peter said, “Repent and be baptized…in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Coogan 1925).
It is argued that the main purpose of the Acts of the Apostles was the demonstration of the universal character of the Christian church. The description of the Jerusalem Council is the crucial element of the book content in this respect.
Among the other major themes of the book, the following ones should be mentioned: the formation of the Christian church, the dissemination of Christianity among pagans, and the message of the Word of God to the rich and poor, educated and uneducated, men and women.
Literary Types
The Acts of the Apostles can be referred to as the genre of church literature. The book can also be described by the term hagiography which is the branch of the church literature narrating about the life of the apostles, saints, and martyrs. For example, we can see the hagiography features in Acts 8:14 and 8:15. “…they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit” (Coogan 1935).
The Acts were originally written in the Greek language. The language of the book can be characterized by the frequent usage of rhetorical elements including synonyms and litotes.
Conclusion
To sum up, all the above mentioned, it should be said The Acts of the Apostles is one of the most important Christian texts. The book narrates about the life of the disciples of Jesus Christ after his resurrection. Most of the book describes the acts of apostles, Peter, and Paul. They traveled in many countries teaching Christian dispensation. The genre of the book can be described as hagiography. Greek was the original language of the book. Modern scholars consider that the apostle Luke was the author of the Acts.
Works Cited
Coogan, Michael D. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Aporcypha, New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.