The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles

When thinking of the New Testament and all the writing contained therein, we might venture to guess that it is St. Paul’s writings that occupy the most real estate. While Paul did write most of the books in the New Testament, the majority of the New Testament, by volume, is written by St. Luke in his Gospel of Jesus and Acts of the Apostles.

Not only are these two works both attributed to Luke, but they both are also clearly united in theme and purpose, and in fact share an audience. Having the same author, the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles have a definite unity to them and are clearly written by the same author (Luke) to the same recipient (Theophilus) for the sake of providing an accurate, historical account of Jesus and his followers.

Lucan Parallels

It is also clear that these two books by St. Luke mirror each other in several ways, often with striking parallels. Some parallels are more general than others, some, however, are explicit connections and signs of continuity.

The Gospel ends with a short account of Jesus promising the coming of the Holy Spirit after his ascension. The Acts of the Apostles begins with this promise retold followed by its actual fulfillment on Pentecost.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the stories of Peter, Stephen, and Paul are all told in ways that clearly mirror the stories of Christ. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead in ways that recall Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead – both send everyone out from the room, and both say, “Arise” to the young girls – affecting their resurrection.

The martyrdom of Stephen has many parallels with the death of Jesus. Both are brought before the Sanhedrin; Jesus had spoken against the Temple as being a “den of thieves” and Stephen spoke of the Temple in words that evoke idolatry by saying it was “made with human hands.” When Stephen was stoned to death he looked to the heavens and saw Jesus seated at the right hand of God and prayed the same prayer as Jesus over his killers: “Forgive them.”

Paul is also shown to be like Jesus as the final chapters of Acts tell of Paul being brought before the High Priest, the governor Felix, and King Agrippa, much like Jesus was brought before the High Priest, the governor Pilate, and King Herod. In an even more striking similarity, Paul is slapped by the High Priest just as Jesus was slapped in the house of the High Priest.

The Work of Christ

While it might seem like these parallels are at best rhetorical flourish and at worst mere coincidence, St. Luke makes clear there is a deeper meaning to these parallels. There is a reason why the acts of Peter, Stephen, and Paul mirror the acts of Jesus by necessity.

These and many more parallels are given their meaning in the prologue of the Acts of the Apostles. Luke writes, “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1, emphasis added). In the Gospel, Luke tells of what Jesus began to do and teach, in the Acts, Luke tells of what Jesus will continue to do and teach through his followers.

The important thing to notice is that the work of Christ did not end with his Ascension into heaven, in fact, he has even more work to do, and this work will be accomplished through his followers by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus tells his apostles to remain in the city and wait for the Spirit, it is after the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost that the followers of Jesus are able to continue both the works and the teachings of Jesus.

Not only does Jesus continue to work through his followers, but he also continues to teach through them. In the Gospel, Jesus said to his Apostles, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me. And he who rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Lk 10:16). This is seen in the Acts where the Apostles teach and heal in the name of Jesus and those who accept them are accepting Christ and those who reject them are rejecting Christ.

Nowhere is this intimate connection between Christ and his followers seen so clearly as in the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus. Saul, who was persecuting Christians and who stood there approving the stoning of Stephen was on his way to Damascus to continue his zealous persecution of the Christian community when something happened that would change his life and the trajectory of the world.

On the way he was knocked to the ground at the sight of a blinding light and the voice of Jesus who cried out to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul responded by asking who was speaking to him. Jesus answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Herein lies the great mystery of the mystical body of Christ that Paul would go on to write about.

As he was persecuting Christians (the Church), Paul was actually persecuting Jesus. There is a truly mystical connection between Jesus and his Church, such that Paul would go on to write of it as being one Body, with Christ being the head.

The followers of Jesus continue the Lord’s work and teaching because they are intimately united to him. Not only are they enabled by the Spirit, but it is still the same Christ working through his mystical body on earth by way of his followers. Those who hear the Church hear Jesus, and those who persecute the Church, persecute the Lord.

The Map of Evangelization

In the prologue of Acts, Jesus gives his apostles (and the book of Acts) a roadmap of sorts regarding their work of evangelization as they continue the mission of Christ. He says they will preach beginning in Jerusalem and then move into Judea and Samaria and finally unto to the ends of the earth.

The Acts of the Apostles follows this map with the apostles beginning their work of evangelization in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Then, because of Stephen’s martyrdom, the followers of Jesus are pushed out and continue their evangelization efforts in the surrounding areas of Judea and Samaria.

The universal movement of their preaching begins especially after Paul’s conversion as he begins his missionary work. The Gospel spreads even further as St. Paul travels throughout Asia Minor at Lystra and Derbe, Cyprus, and Malta. Finally, Paul is brought to Rome at the end of the Acts of the Apostles, showing that the Gospel has really begun to travel to the ends of the earth.

What began in a simple manger in a cave at Bethlehem has found its way to the center of the Roman Empire, from whence it shall spread to the ends of the earth like wildfire.

For Christians today, the intimate connection with Christ and the task of evangelization continues as it did in the time of the Apostles. As St. Luke explained, the Lord continues his work and teaching through his followers, and this includes his followers this very day. Likewise, even if all lands have been visited by missionaries, there are still countless hearts in need of evangelization.

The Lord wishes to continue his work of salvation through his Church and through his disciples. It is our great privilege and responsibility to continue the work of the Lord so that all who encounter us encounter Him.