Jesus Christ in Acts
The resurrected Jesus Christ appears again in the Acts of the Apostles and here again it is in ways reminiscent of his ministry in Luke. Jesus eats with his disciples (Acts 1:4) and also prophetically sets forth the progression of the ministry of the Church. The geographical progression fascinatingly is roughly the opposite of Jesus the prophet whose long journey culminated in Jerusalem. The ministry of the Church by contrast will begin in Jerusalem, then move to Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth.
Very careful readers will also note a great number of literary similarities between events in Acts and events in Luke. Only Luke shows Jesus appearing before Herod (Luke 23:7-11) just as a different Herod persecutes and puts to death Jesus’ followers in Acts 12. Jesus must face the Sanhedrin in Luke 22:66-71 just as his Church must as well in Acts 4 and 23. The Church’s ministry is very similar to Jesus’ as well; the healing performed by Peter in Acts 3:1-8 is very similar to many done by Jesus both in terms of the outreach to the marginal and in terms of its effect on onlookers, especially the one in Luke 5:17-26. Peter’s preaching also underscores repentance (e.g. Acts 3:19) which was a major theme of Jesus’ own message. This is not surprising since Luke wants to show us that the word preached by the Church is connected to the life of Jesus. Luke frequently tells us that the word of the Church “grew” (Acts 2:41; 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7) but in language reminiscent of how the boy Jesus “grew” in Luke 2:40, 52. There is profound solidarity between the person of Jesus and the Church. When Jesus confronts Saul the Pharisee on the road to Damascus, his question is not “why do you persecute my followers,” but “why do you persecute me” (Acts 9:4). The personality of Jesus is at one with the Church who continues his mission. In technical theological language, we could say that Luke’s Christology in the gospel spills over into his ecclesiology (or doctrine of the Church) in Acts. To know Jesus is to know his Church and vice versa.
Very careful readers will also note a great number of literary similarities between events in Acts and events in Luke. Only Luke shows Jesus appearing before Herod (Luke 23:7-11) just as a different Herod persecutes and puts to death Jesus’ followers in Acts 12. Jesus must face the Sanhedrin in Luke 22:66-71 just as his Church must as well in Acts 4 and 23. The Church’s ministry is very similar to Jesus’ as well; the healing performed by Peter in Acts 3:1-8 is very similar to many done by Jesus both in terms of the outreach to the marginal and in terms of its effect on onlookers, especially the one in Luke 5:17-26. Peter’s preaching also underscores repentance (e.g. Acts 3:19) which was a major theme of Jesus’ own message. This is not surprising since Luke wants to show us that the word preached by the Church is connected to the life of Jesus. Luke frequently tells us that the word of the Church “grew” (Acts 2:41; 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7) but in language reminiscent of how the boy Jesus “grew” in Luke 2:40, 52. There is profound solidarity between the person of Jesus and the Church. When Jesus confronts Saul the Pharisee on the road to Damascus, his question is not “why do you persecute my followers,” but “why do you persecute me” (Acts 9:4). The personality of Jesus is at one with the Church who continues his mission. In technical theological language, we could say that Luke’s Christology in the gospel spills over into his ecclesiology (or doctrine of the Church) in Acts. To know Jesus is to know his Church and vice versa.
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