Acts Verse by Verse (Osborne New Testament Commentaries)
Acts Verse by Verse
The events in the book of Acts changed our world forever.
Following his account of Jesus’ life and ministry in his Gospel, Luke recounts the formation of the early church in Acts. And while the apostles appear to be at the center of this narrative, all of their work is done through the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. In every chapter in Acts, we see Spirit-empowered apostles sharing the gospel reality of the risen Christ to the ends of the earth.
In Acts Verse by Verse, Grant Osborne guides readers through these crucial events in history. He shows us that by sending his Holy Spirit, the risen and exalted Lord was acting through the apostles—and through us today—to transform human history. Osborne skillfully explains the significance of these events and shows us how we can draw inspiration from them today.
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries
Lexham Press is proud to announce a New Testament commentary series from respected biblical scholar Grant R. Osborne. His seminal work, The Hermeneutical Spiral, has become a standard for biblical interpretation, and as a culmination of his life’s ministry, he's bringing his academic acumen to an accessible, application-focused commentary.
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries interpret Scripture verse by verse, bridging the gap between scholarship and the Church. This set of commentaries is for people seeking a straightforward explanation of the text in its context, avoiding either oversimplification or technical complexity. Osborne brings out the riches of the New Testament, making each book accessible for pastors and all who consider themselves students of Scripture.
Learn more about the other titles in this series.
Praise for the Osborne New Testament Commentaries
With this new series, readers will have before them what we—his students—experienced in all of Professor Osborne's classes: patient regard for every word in the text, exegetical finesse, a preference for an eclectic resolution to the options facing the interpreter, a sensitivity to theological questions, and most of all a reverence for God's word.
—Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Professor in New Testament, Northern Seminary
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries draw from the deep well of a lifetime of serious study and teaching. They present significant interpretive insights in a highly accessible, spiritually nurturing format. This is a tremendous resource that will serve a new generation of Bible readers well for years to come. Highly recommended!
—Andreas J. Kӧstenberger, Founder of Biblical Foundations™, senior research professor of New Testament & biblical theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Top Highlights
“The two main schools of thought in the first century are named here. The ‘Epicureans’ (followers of Epicurus, 341–270 bc) were the agnostics of their day, believing that the gods had nothing to do with human affairs and just found happiness by themselves. So pleasure or happiness is the highest good and means remaining free of excess living and of fear, avoiding tension and pain. The Stoics (followers of Zeno, 340–265 bc) were materialists and pantheists who believed the world consisted of material objects infused by divinity that held everything together. The rational side of humankind is the highest faculty and virtue is the highest good. To achieve that people must live in harmony with nature and make good, rational choices.” (Page 316)
“Athens was for five hundred years considered the intellectual center of the Greek world, and virtually every great philosopher either was born there or migrated there. It was a city of only thirty thousand inhabitants, but it may have had two to three times that many statues and idols in it. Paul had grown up in another major city, Tarsus, but never imagined a town with that many idols and temples. So Paul is greatly ‘distressed,’ even annoyed.” (Pages 315–316)
“There is an important lesson in this for today. An inordinate interest in the end-time events has often eroded the present mission of the church for us as well. Many preachers have given themselves entirely over to ‘prophecy preaching’ and signs that this age is to end soon. Many are like the disciples here, too focused on eschatology and ignoring the current mission to the world that God wants to have first place in our lives. The doctrine of the second coming is important, but it is not meant to consume our interests. We are to remain focused on our present walk with the Lord and the mission to the lost he has entrusted to us.” (Pages 25–26)
Contents
- Introduction to Acts
- Preliminary Events to the Mission
- Pentecost and the Coming of the Spirit
- Opening Events in the New Messianic Community
- Persecution and Power
- Community Life of Jewish Christianity
- Persecution: The Second Stage
- Final Stages of the Palestinian Church
- Stephen’s Defense Speech and Aftermath
- Samaria and the Ethiopian Eunuch
- Saul’s Conversion and Peter’s Mission
- Cornelius: The Gospel Goes to the Gentiles
- The Gentile Mission: Cornelius and Antioch
- Persecution under Herod
- Paul’s Mission in Cyprus and Galatia
- Paul’s Mission in Galatia Continues
- The Jerusalem Council
- Mission in Macedonia and Achaia, Part 1
- Mission in Macedonia and Achaia, Part 2
- Mission in Corinth and Aftermath
- Mission in Ephesus
- Paul’s Return to Jerusalem, Part 1
- Paul’s Return to Jerusalem, Part 2
- Paul’s Defense at the Temple
- Paul’s Imprisonment in Jerusalem
- Trial before Governor Felix
- Trial before Festus and Agrippa
- Paul Makes His Defense
- The Sea Journey to Rome
- Paul Reaches Rome
Product Details
- Title: Acts Verse by Verse
- Author: Grant R. Osborne
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2019
- Page Count: 576
- Format: Logos Digital, Paperback
- Trim Size: 5.5x8.5
- ISBN: 9781683592747
About Grant R. Osborne
Grant R. Osborne (1942–2018) was professor emeritus of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of numerous books, including The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, and commentaries on Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Romans (IVP New Testament Commentary), Matthew (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), and John, James, 1-2 Peter, and Jude (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary). He has also taught at Winnipeg Theological Seminary and the University of Aberdeen, and has pastored churches in Ohio and Illinois.
