Acts and Pastoral Epistles: Timothy, Titus and Philemon (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Acts and Pastoral Epistles: Timothy, Titus and Philemon

The First Book of the Extended Historical Treatise, of which our so-called Acts of the Apostles is the Second, is the Book that has come down to us under the name of The Gospel according to Luke. This is assured by the unbroken testimony of antiquity, which ascribes both Books to the same author. It is evidenced further, however, by most convincing internal proofs. Both Books are addressed to the same patron, a Gentile Christian of high rank named Theophilus. In the Preface attached to the Gospel much more is promised than that Book supplies, while what is lacking is actually given in Acts. The Gospel closes abruptly, apparently pointing forward to something yet to come; Acts so opens as to supply precisely what was thus left untold, and fully accounts for the manner in which the Gospel closed. Acts explicitly puts itself forward in its Preface as the Second Book of a treatise, to the First Book of which is ascribed the compass and contents of the Gospel of Luke. The two Books are bound together by such kinship, not only in language, style, and historical method, but also in tone, point of view, and underlying purpose, as to suggest not merely that they are the products of a single pen, but also that they are parts of one whole. It is difficult to refuse to recognise in these two Books, in short, consecutive portions of a large historical work, written throughout with a single aim and on a carefully adjusted plan, and intended to make a definite impression as a whole.

Place of Acts in the Treatise. It is more difficult to deterthe Apostles 5. Introduction.

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