A 3rd issue comes to light in Acts 2:1: ¹And in the day of the Pentecost being fulfilled, they were all with one accord at the same place, (Young’s Literal Translation).  Pelikan draws attention to the literal translation of Luke’s word, especially the word “fulfilled” or “fullness” which “is an attempt to convey an emphasis on the ‘fulness’ of the Holy Spirit…”  We find a similar use of language in two other places: 1) at the Passion (Lk. 9:51 – the days for his being lifted up had to be fulfilled…) and 2) the incarnation (Gal. 4:4 – when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his son).

The theme of Holy Spirit and fullness runs through the entire narrative of Acts.  Below is a very rough listing of this them (personal, not Pelikan)

Acts 2:2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:1-3 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter) Acts 16:34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.
Acts 16:33-35 (in Context) Acts 16 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:3-5 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
Acts 2:27-29 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 2:43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 2:42-44 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 3:10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Acts 3:9-11 (in Context) Acts 3 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
Acts 4:7-9 (in Context) Acts 4 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:30-32 (in Context) Acts 4 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 5:3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
Acts 5:2-4 (in Context) Acts 5 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 5:17 [ The Apostles Persecuted ] Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.
Acts 5:16-18 (in Context) Acts 5 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 5:20 ”Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
Acts 5:19-21 (in Context) Acts 5 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 5:22 When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,
Acts 5:21-23 (in Context) Acts 5 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 6:3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
Acts 6:2-4 (in Context) Acts 6 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
Acts 6:4-6 (in Context) Acts 6 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 6:8 [ Stephen Seized ] Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
Acts 6:7-9 (in Context) Acts 6 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 7:55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7:54-56 (in Context) Acts 7 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 8:23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Acts 8:22-24 (in Context) Acts 8 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 9:16-18 (in Context) Acts 9 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Acts 11:23-25 (in Context) Acts 11 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
Acts 13:8-10 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 13:10 ”You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?
Acts 13:9-11 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 13:45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
Acts 13:44-46 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:51-52 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 14:17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
Acts 14:16-18 (in Context) Acts 14 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 17:16 [ In Athens ] While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
Acts 17:15-17 (in Context) Acts 17 (Whole Chapter)  

The conclusion by some that the disciples filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost were actually filled with wine (Acts 2:15) calls to mind Paul’s contrast in Eph. 5:18-19 about being filled not with wine but with the Spirit. 

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?  What does it feel like, look like?

A 2nd issue is found in Acts 1:14: ¹⁴They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

The language “joined together” “serves to emphasize association rather than mere accompaniment, and therefore the solidarity of the disciples then, and of the church ever since, with Mary the mother ofJesus…”  Whereas Paul does not mention the virginal conception of Jesus and refers to Mary only indirectly (Gal. 4:4) and never by name, Luke mentions her name more often and gives more space to her story than any other evangelist–even more than John who was entrusted by Jesus to care for Mary (Jn. 19:26-27).  For that matter, Luke deals more with Mary than all other New Testament writers combined.

Pelikan argues that on the basis of the above, that “above all Mary, the mother of Jesus, may be regarded as the principal source, more or less indirect, for the account of the infancy of the Savior” in Luke 1-2.  Luke mentions that his account is drawn from those who were eyewitnesses (Lk. 1:2) and Mary would have been the ultimate eye witness.  “Specifically, she was the single eyewitness ‘from the [very] beginning’ and the preeminent human actor for his narratives of the annunciation, nativity, and infancy…”  It is little wonder that in early church history Mary was given the honorific title “theotokos”–Mother of God and was featured prominently in church writings and iconography.

It seems that Mary is either overemphasized in some Christian groups or underemphasized.  Why?  What’s your take on Mary?

The first theological issue Pelikan raises is introduced in Acts 1:2-3:  ²until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. ³After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (NIV)

We begin by considering “classical Christian doctrine”–interpretation handed down to us by early Church Fathers and others.  First, in pre-Modern times the church relied heavily upon such classical Christian doctrine to understand how to make sense of the “vast heterogeneity of the words, images, and stories of the Bible.”  Second, Modern study of the Bible argues that classical Christian doctrine is biased and distorts our understanding of Scripture.  It urges us to approach the text fresh and objectively.  Third, Postmodern students of Scripture now critique the Modern critics–there is no objective reading of Scripture.  They argue that all reading is subjective and biased.  Pelikan argues, however, that “dogma” or classical Christian doctrine still matters and is still provides “the propoer basis for the interpretation of the Bible.”  The Book of Acts provides us an opportunity to explore what early church leaders learned about doctrine and theology from Luke.

Acts itself is an almost unparalleled drama (Pelikan quoting Edgar Johnson Goodspeed): “Where, within eighty pages, will be found such a varied series of exciting events–trials, riots, persecutions, escapes, martyrdoms, voyages, shipwrecks, rescues–set in that amazing panorama of the ancient world–Jerusalem, Antioch, Philippi, Corinth, Athens, Ephesus, Rome?  And with such scenery and settings–temples, courts, prison, deserts, ships, barracks, theaters?  Has any opera such variety?”

Pelikan identifies 84 individual theological issues or locus communis throughout this opera of Acts.  We’ll explore many of these in these short posts.

When was the last time you read Acts?  What’s your impression?