VI. Contents. — Commencing with a reference to an account given in a former work of the sayings and doings of Jesus Christ before his ascension, its author proceeds to acquaint us succinctly with the circum- stances attending that event, the conduct of the dis- ciples on their return from witnessing it, the outpour- ing on them of the Holy Spirit according to Christ's promise to them before his crucifixion, and the amaz- ing success which, as a consequence of this, attended the first announcement by them of the doctrine con- cerning Jesus as the promised Messiah and the Saviour of the world. After following the fates of the mother- church at Jerusalem up to the period when the violent persecution of its members by the rulers of the Jews had broken up their society and scattered them, with the exception of the apostles, throughout the whole of the surrounding region, and after introducing to the notice of the reader the case of a remarkable conver- sion of one of the most zealous persecutors of the Church, who afterward became one of its most devoted and successful advocates, the narrative takes a wider scope and opens to our view the gradual expansion of the Church by the free admission within its pale of persons directly converted from heathenism, and who had not passed through the preliminary stage of Juda- ism. The first step toward this more liberal and cos- mopolitan order of things having been effected by Peter, to whom the honor of laying the foundation of the Christian Church, both within and without the confines of Judaism, seems, in accordance with our Lord's declaration concerning him (Matt, xvi, 18), to have been reserved, Paul, the recent convert and the destined apostle of the Gentiles, is brought forward as the main actor on the scene. On his course of mis- sionary activity, his successes and his Sufferings, the chief interest of the narrative is thenceforward con- j centrated, until, having followed him to Home, whith- er he had been sent as a prisoner to abide his trial, on his own appeal, at the bar of the emperor himself, the book abruptly closes, leaving us to gather further in- formation concerning him and the fortunes of the Church from other sources. — Kitto, s. v. See Paul.
VII. History. — While, as Lardner and others have very satisfactorily shown (LarAner's Credibility, Works, i; Biscoe, On the Acts; Paley's flora Paulina: Ben- son's History of the First Planting of Christianity, ii, etc.), the credibility of the events recorded by Luke is Fully authenticated both by internal and external evi- dence, very great obscurity attaches to the chronology of these events (see Davidson's Intrad. to the N. T., ii, 112 sq. ; Alford's Greek Test., ii, Proleg. p. 23 sq. ; Meyer, Cnmmentar, 3d ed. pt. iii, s. fin.).
The following is probably the true order of events
in the Acts (sec Meth. Quar. Review, 185(1, p. 409 sq.). For further discussion, see Burton, Attempt to ascertain the Chronology of the Acts (Lond. 1830); Anger, Be temporum in Actis Apostolorum ratione (Lips. 1834); Greswell, Dissert, ii, 1, etc. ; Wordsworth, Greek Test. lit. 2 ; Wieseler, Chron. d. up. Zeit (Gott. 1848).
DATE. LEADING EVENTS. CHAPTER.
May, A.D. 29. Election of Matthias i, IB -26.
" 29. Descent of the Holy Spirit.. ii.1-41.
June, 29. Cure of the cripple, etc iii, iv.
July, 29. Judgment of Ananias and
Sapphira v.
Sept., 29. Appointment of Deacons. .. . vi.
Dec, 29. Martyrdom of Stephen vii.
April, GO. Conversion of the Eunuch., viii.
May, 30. Conversion of Paul ix, 1-21.
31. Prosperity of the < Ihurch ix, 31.
31. [Matthew's Gospel written in Hebrew.]
Summer," 32. Peter's preaching tour ix, 32— 13.
Sept., 32. Conversion of Cornelius x, xi, 1-1S.
Spring, 33. Paul's escape from Damascus
to Jerusalem ix, 22-20.
34. Founding of the Church at
Antioch xi, 19-2G.
Spring, 44. Martyrdom of James and im- prisonment of Peter xii.
" 44. Paul's eleemosynary visit to
Jerusalem xi, 27-30.
44,.45. Paul's first missionary tour . xiii, xiv. Spring, 47. Paul's "second" visit to Jeru- salem xv, 1-35.
47. [Matthew's Gospel published in Greek ] 47-61. Paul's second missionary tour xv, 30-xviii, 22.
49. [1st Epistle to the Thessaloni-
ans.]
50. [2d Epistle to the Thessaloni-
ans.] 51-55. Paul's third missionary tour, xviii, 23-xxi, 17.
51. [Epistle to the Galatians.] 54. [1st Epistle to the Corinthi- ans.]
54. [2d Epistle to the Corinthi-
ans.]
55. [Epistle to the Romans.] 55-5S. Paul's first visit and impris- onment at To-ie xxi,18-xxviii,31.
5G. [Luke's Gospel written] 07. [Epistle to the Ephesians.] 57. [Epistle to the Colossians.] 57. [Epistle, to Philemon]
57. [Epistle to the l'hilippians.] 5S. [Epistle to the Hebrews.]
58. [Acts of the Apostles written.] 62. [Epistle of James.]
[1st Epistle to Timothy.]
G3. [Epistle to Titus.]
G4. [Second imprisonment of Paul at Rome.]
64. [2d Epistle to Timothy.]
G4. [1st Epistle of Peter.]
C5. [id Epistle of Peter.]
05. [Mark's Gospel written.]
Gli. [Epistle of J tide.]
!0. [John's Gospel written.]
92. [1st Epistle of John.]
92. [2d Epistle of John]
92. [3d Epistle of John.]
! 6. [John's Revelation written.] VIII. Commentaries. — The following is a full list of separate exegetical and illustrative works on the en- tire Acts of the Apostles, the most important being in- dicated by an asterisk (*) prefixed : Origen, Cpera, iv, 457 sq. ; "Pampilus" (in Hippolyti Opera, ii, 205 sq. ; and in the Bib/. Pn/r. Call, iv, 3 sq.) ; Chrysostom, Opera, ix, 1 sq. (also in Engl. Homilies, Oxf. 1*51,2 vols. 8vo); Cassiodorus, Acta Ap. (in Complexiones"); Eutha- lius, Editio (in Bibl. Patr. Gall, x, 199); Arator, Car- menQn Bibl. Max. Patr. x, 125); Theophj'lact, Opera, iii, 1 sq.; GEcumenius, Enarratio (in Opera, i); Bede, Works, p. 184 sq. ; Fathers, in Cramer's Catena i< >xon. 1838, 8vo) ; Mene, Commeiitariits (Vitemb. 1524, 8vo); Bugenhagen, Commentarius (Vitemb. 1521, lfi'24, 8vo); Lambert, Comm ntarius (Arg. 1526 ; Francf. 1539, 4to) ; Card. Cajetan, Actus Apostolor. (Venice, 1530; Par. 1532, fol.j Par. 1540, 8vo); Gagnaeus, Scholia (Par. KiGO, 8vo); *Calvin, Commentaria, in bis Opera (Gen. 15G0, fol. ; tr. into Bug., Loud. 1585, 4to; Edinb. 1844, 2 vols. Svo); Bullinger, Commentaria (Tiguri, 1540, fob); Jonas, Adnotationes (Norib. 1524; Basil. 1525,