20.24 Thomas (the Twin). See 11.16; 14.5; 21.2.
20.25 Hands. See note on 20.20.
20.28 My God. See 1.1.
20.29 Have not seen and yet…believe. See also 17.20.
20.30–31 Probably the original conclusion of the book; see note on 21.1–25.
20.30 The reference to signs is sometimes thought to have come from one of John’s sources (see note on 2.11).
20.31 You, plural. Come to believe. The alternate reading continue to believe (see text note a) may better reflect the purpose of the Gospel According to John as it stands, to strengthen the faith of an existing Christian community.
John 21
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
1After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,a Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yardsb off.
9When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus and the Beloved Disciple
20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 23So the rumor spread in the communityc that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”d
24This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
* * *
a Gk Didymus
b Gk two hundred cubits
c Gk among the brothers
d Other ancient authorities lack what is that to you
21.1–25 Differences in the language and style of ch. 21 and the fact that 20.30–31 sounds like the end of a book lead most scholars to believe that this chapter is an appendix or epilogue added on to the Gospel, perhaps by another member of the same Christian community and based on existing traditions. In Jn 20, as in Lk 24, all the appearances of Jesus were near Jerusalem; here, as in Mt 28.16–20; Mk 16.7, an appearance occurs in Galilee.
21.1–14 Jesus appears to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee.
21.1 Sea of Tiberias. See 6.1.
21.2 Thomas…the Twin. See 11.16; 14.5; 20.24–29. Nathanael. See 1.45–51. The sons of Zebedee, i.e., James and John (cf. Mk 1.19–20; 3.17; 10.35–45), not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospel of John. John the son of Zebedee has traditionally been identified with the disciple whom Jesus loved (vv. 7, 20–24; see note on 13.23).
21.3–11 On the miraculous catch of fish, cf. Lk 5.1–11.
21.4 Did not know that it was Jesus. Cf. Lk 24.15–16.
21.7 That disciple whom Jesus loved. See note on 13.23. Put on some clothes, or perhaps “belted his outer garment.” Naked. Peter was perhaps wearing only a loincloth or a loose-fitting work smock and nothing else.
21.9 Fish, bread. Cf. 6.9.
21.11 A hundred fifty-three. Many suggestions have been made for a symbolic interpretation of this number, often centering on the fact that 153 is the sum of all numbers from 1 through 17. At any rate the large number may be meant to symbolize the expansion of the church.
21.13 See note on 6.11.
21.15–23 Jesus’ dialogue with Peter.
21.15–17 Peter’s threefold profession of his love parallels his threefold denial (18.15–18, 25–27). The first two times Jesus asks the question, the Greek verb for “love” is agapan, used, e.g., in 3.16; 13.34; 15.12. The third time, and in all of Peter’s replies, the Greek verb for “love” is philein, sometimes said to represent a lesser type of love. The two may, however, be interchangeable: cf. 11.5; 14.21; 15.9;21.7 (agapan) with 5.20; 11.3; 16.27; 20.2 (philein). Feed my lambs, and the variations on it, refer to Peter’s leadership in the early church.
21.15 Simon son of John. See 1.42.
21.18–19 On the prediction of Peter’s martyrdom, cf. 13.36–38.
21.18 Stretch out your hands, probably in death by crucifixion.
21.19 Indicate the kind of death. See 12.33; 18.32. Glorify God. See note on 12.23. Follow me. See also 12.25–26; Mk 1.17; Lk 5.11.
21.20 See 13.23–25.
21.23 According to legend, the apostle John (often identified with the disciple whom Jesus loved) lived to a great age.
21.24–25 The final verses address the writing of the Gospel.
21.24 See also 19.35. Has written, in Greek not necessarily “written with one’s own hand.” Thus the verse may mean only that the beloved disciple was responsible for the tradition on which this written Gospel is based (especially since v. 23 may imply that he was now dead).
21.25 Many other things that Jesus did. See also 20.30. On the books that would be written, cf. Eccl 12.12.
THE ACTS of the Apostles
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
THE OPENING WORDS of the Acts of the Apostles (“In the first book”) signal its uniqueness in the NT. Only here do we have a companion volume (to the Gospel of Luke), and only Acts contains stories about the early church. The traditional title inaccurately represents the content of Acts, since few of the apostles play prominent roles in the story; the most prominent figure is Paul, who is not an apostle by Luke’s
definition (see 1.21–22). Nevertheless, the title indicates the shift in content from Luke’s Gospel, which is about Jesus, to Acts, which concerns the life and work of the church as it is brought into being and sustained by God.
Genre
PRECISELY BECAUSE IT DOES CONTAIN STORIES about the church, Acts is often referred to as a book of history. That identification, however, overlooks the number of genres within Acts, such as biography, homily, letter, and apology. To think of Acts exclusively as history can also obscure the way in which the author’s theological convictions shape the story that unfolds. For these reasons, Acts is best regarded under the general category of theological narrative.
Authorship
EARLY CHURCH TRADITION ATTRIBUTES the writing of both the Third Gospel and Acts to Luke, a physician and associate of Paul (Col 4.14; 2 Tim 4.11; Philem 24). The dedications to Theophilus (Lk 1.3; Acts 1.1), a uniform literary style, and the shared perspectives of the two volumes make the common authorship of Luke and Acts certain. However, neither volume identifies an author, no physician or disciple named Luke appears in Acts, and such medical language as is employed reflects widespread convention rather than technical training. The author remains anonymous, although he will be referred to as “Luke” in deference to tradition. From indications within the two volumes, it appears that Luke may be a gentile Christian who has received a good education and has made careful study of Jewish scriptures.
Audience
LUKE ADDRESSES BOTH VOLUMES to Theophilus (in Greek, “Lover of God”), which has led readers to conclude that Acts is written for an individual, perhaps a recent convert asking for instruction or a Roman official whose tolerance the church seeks. Dedicating books was a common practice, however, even books intended for a wide audience, and Luke may well have offered the dedication in the hope that Theophilus would support the copying and distribution of the volumes.
Date and Location of Composition
LUKE PROBABLY WROTE BOTH VOLUMES between 80 and 90 CE, although no precision is possible on this question. Acts must have been written after the appointment of Festus as procurator, ca. 59 (Acts 24.27), and probably after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 (Lk 19.41–44; 21.20–24). Quotations from and allusions to Acts appear in Christian writings by the middle of the second century, which means it must have been completed before that time. Little in Acts helps to identify its place of composition, although various locations have been suggested, including Achaia, Macedonia, Antioch, Ephesus, Caesarea, and Rome.
Sources
IDENTIFYING THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF SOURCES Luke may have used in writing Acts is difficult. The existence of multiple Gospels enables readers to study their extensive similarities and draw tentative conclusions regarding their sources, but Acts stands without such parallels. Even the evidence that Luke possessed written sources for the composition of his Gospel does not require the assumption that he also had written sources for Acts. The sections of Acts written in the first-person plural (“we”) often prompt the suggestion that Luke had a journal (his own or that of another of Paul’s companions), but the use of the first-person plural may simply be a stylistic device. Stories about given locales, such as Antioch or Caesarea, have led to theories that Luke had access to written traditions of churches in those cities; the unity of theme and style throughout Acts makes identification of sources impossible, however. Whatever sources Luke used, written or oral, they lie beyond recovery.
Style and Language
GRIPPING INCIDENTS AND VIVID CHARACTERIZATIONS, including the dramatic punishment of Ananias and Sapphira (5.1–11), the speech of Paul before King Agrippa (26.2–23), and Paul’s later adventure on the high seas (27.1–44), make Acts inviting reading. Luke’s sophisticated use of the Greek language reflects the literary standards of his day. He also adjusts his style to make it suitable to particular contexts. In chs. 1–2, where he stresses the continuity of the church with Israel, he adopts a style imitative of the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the OT. When describing Paul’s speech before the sophisticated Athenians (17.16–31), Luke refers to the pertinent philosophical schools and depicts the citizens in ways his contemporaries would have recognized. He often employs irony, as in his contrast between Peter, locked in prison by King Herod and yet freed by an angel, and Herod, free and yet destroyed by his own false pride (12.1–25).
Continuity with Luke’s Gospel
BECAUSE THE GOSPELS WERE GROUPED together in the canon, Acts stands separate from Luke. Yet readers of Acts will be helped if they bear in mind its many connections with the Third Gospel. Among the most important Lukan themes is the fulfillment of God’s promises in the ministry of Jesus and the life of the church. From the annunciation to Mary (Lk 1.35) to the mission of the church (Acts 1.8) to Paul’s journey to Rome (Acts 27.24), Luke underscores the absolute reliability of God’s word. Another overriding theme is the work of the Holy Spirit, which plays a prominent role in Jesus’ ministry (Lk 4.1), in the empowering of the church (Acts 2.1–13), and in guiding the church’s witness (15.28; 16.6–7). A third connection between the two volumes is that important figures in Acts duplicate aspects of Jesus’ life, as when Peter raises the dead (Acts 9.36–43; cf. Lk 7.11–17) or when Paul’s final journey to Jerusalem and Rome echoes that of Jesus to Jerusalem (Acts 19.21; cf. Lk 9.51–52). [BEVERLY ROBERTS GAVENTA]
Acts 1
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4While stayinga with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized withb the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Ascension of Jesus
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son ofc James. 14All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
15In those days Peter stood up among the believersd (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, 16“Friends,e the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus—17for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong,f he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20“For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his homestead become de
solate,
and let there be no one to live in it’
and
‘Let another take his position of overseer.’ 21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” 23So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25to take the placeg in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
next chapter
* * *
a Or eating
b Or by
c Or the brother of
d Gk brothers
e Gk Men, brothers
f Or swelling up
g Other ancient authorities read the share
1.1–11 Acts opens with instruction of the apostles by the risen Jesus and three promises that precede his ascension: the gift of the Holy Spirit, the spread of their witness to the ends of the earth, and the eventual return of Jesus.
1.1 Following a literary custom of his day, Luke gives his work a formal dedication. Theophilus, lit. “lover of God” (see also Lk 1.3).
1.2–5 This scene repeats, but also conflicts with, the conclusion of Luke’s Gospel (Lk 24.44–53).
1.3 Only here does the NT refer to a period of forty days between the resurrection and the ascension. In the synoptic Gospels, Jesus preaches about the kingdom of God as God’s coming reign (see Lk 4.43; 9.27; 13.29); in Acts the phrase refers to the content of Christian preaching about Jesus (see, e.g., 8.12; 19.8; 28.23, 31).
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