Reflections on The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption

Dennis Johnson in his book The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption offers many helpful insights to how to interpret the book of Acts. It is also an excellent example of "theological interpretation" of Scripture.

Below are a few highlights.

Preface
Johnson uses the metaphor of a bridge to describe how Acts functions. (1) He argues that Acts builds bridges between "God's word of promise" in the OT and his "word of fulfillment" in the NT. (2) It is a bridge between "Jews and Gentiles in God's saving plan." (3) It is bridge between "the apostolic events narrated by Luke and our own day."

Chapter 1 - Listening to Luke
This is one of the most helpful chapters in the entire book. There are two crucial questions that Johnson says need to be asked when reading Acts: (1) What is "God's verdict" on the various events recorded in Acts; (2) "What does God intend us to learn here and now from what happened there and then? Two extreme answers to the second question are (1) that everything from there and then is for here and now; or (2) that nothing then and there applies here and now.

To avoid either of these extreme answers, Johnson gives five principles for interpreting Acts:
1. Read Acts in light of Luke's purpose.
"Here God's Spirit unveils the identity of the church between Jesus' two comings , the divine power at work in the church, the results of that divine powerful Presence, and the environment in which we are to pursue our mission . . . ."

2. Read Acts in the light of the New Testament Epistles. The epistles, Johnson argues, help us to understand what in Acts is unique to Acts and what is normative for the church today.

3. Read Acts in the light of the Old Testament. Luke makes extensive use of the OT not only in direct quotations but also through the development of themes.

4. Read Acts in the light of Luke's first volume. "Parallels between Luke's gospel and Acts abound."

5. Read Acts in the light of it structure. Johnson understands Acts to be structured around four features:
a. Acts 1:8 and 9:15
b. Summary statements
c. Repeated accounts
d. The prominence of preaching

The first chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

There are more reflections/summaries to come, but this alone should whet your appetite for this gem that Johnson has produced.