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Begin Typing VigilThis sequel to the third gospel is an account of some deeds of the holy Spirit (1:2,5,8) of Jesus Christ, performed through some of the apostles, notably Peter and Paul. The scope and aim of the book is the triumphant extension of the Christian faith from Jerusalem to Rome, through Judea and Samaria (1:8). The first part (1:1-6:6) describes the origin of the church at Jerusalem, the second (6:8-9:30) its diffusion throughout Palestine, including Samaria, the third (9:32-12:23) its expansion from Judea to Antioch, the fourth its spread throughout Asia Minor (12:25-16:4), the fifth its extension to Europe or Macedonia and Achaia (16:6-19:19), culminating in the arrival of Paul as the representative of the Gentile Christian gospel at Rome (= the uttermost parts of the earth, 1:8), Each section is summarised (6:7, 9:31, 16:5, 19:20, and 28:31) by a rubric of progress.
The increased prominence of the Spirit in the third gospel is evident in the δεύτερος λόγος, where the holy Spirit is treated as the inspiring force of the early church’s energies (compare especially characteristic passages like 2:4f, 5:9,32, 7:55, 8:15f,39, 10:44f, 11:12, 28, 13:2, 15:28, 16:6-7, 19:2f, 20:28, 21:11). This serves to explain how Luke could follow up a gospel, narrating the sayings and doings of Jesus, with an account of apostolic activity in the early church, whether the preface of Luke 1:1-4 is meant to cover the sequel or not. Neither Acts nor the third gospel, at any rate, was written for non-Christian readers (as, e.g., Overbeck, J. Weiss, Nestle, Zahn, and von Soden argue). Theophilus was some distinguished convert, perhaps a Roman official like Sergius Paulus, who needed fuller instruction in the historic basis of the faith. Behind him Luke probably saw many likeminded inquirers, and he wrote this δεύτερος λόγος in order to follow up the impression made by the πρῶτος λόγος. The geographical plan adopted in the latter (Galilee, Samaria, etc., Jerusalem) is retained in the former (Jerusalem, Samaria, etc., Rome); but more important is the conception that the work of the church is a continuation of Christ’s energy. The Lucan writings in this, as in several other respects, reflect the Christian consciousness of the Fourth gospel, in which the utterances and actions of the church are regarded as the direct outcome of the living Lord.
This timeline combines the three Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and the five Johnannine works.