New Testament II: Early Church
Overview
[Begin Transcript] Hello. Have you ever wondered about the history in the Book of Acts? Can we consider the Book of Acts true history? Or to put it another way, to be provocative, slightly provocative, that is, did you know that there was a time that the Book of Acts was not considered a true historical document? Well, of course, today that argument has largely been set aside and most New Testament scholars would argue that Acts is historical. In this course, BIB204, The Early Church, we are going to look at the history of the Book of Acts by linking the prologues of Acts and Luke together. Oh, yes, that leads to another question. Did you know that Luke and Acts were basically a two-volume work and they weren’t written separately? They’re actually two volumes and the prologues can be connected. One flows into the other. So what we tend to do in this course, what we plan to do in the course, that is, is we’re going to look at the history of the Book of Acts and we are going to try to correlate the relevant New Testament documents within that history to sort of give a fuller picture, a fuller treatment of what is happening at the very earliest period of the church of Jesus Christ. [End Transcript]
Course Description: This course traces the development of the Church from its inception to the end of the 1st century AD. Particular attention is given to the growth and development of the early church as recorded in the Book of Acts, the exposition of the Book of Acts, and the historical contexts and themes of the New Testament writings.
Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of this course the student will:
- Discuss historical and cultural aspects of the Roman Empire and Palestine in the first century AD that affected the Apostolic Church.
- Identify major physical and political locations on maps, including seas, rivers, countries, provinces, cities, and towns that are mentioned in the Book of Acts.
- Evaluate the work of the Holy Spirit in Acts, and the nature and ministry of the Church in Acts.
- Recall chapter by chapter the major historical events found in the Book of Acts.
- Recall with approximate dates the major historical events in the Church from the close of the Book of Acts through AD 100.
- Discuss the historical and theological setting of each New Testament book as it relates to the Book of Acts or the history of the early church after the close of the Book of Acts.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: The Early Church: From Pentecost to Persecution
This unit will cover Acts 1 to Acts 8, starting with the beginning of the Church at Pentecost until the first instance of persecution.
| View: | Introduction/Course Overview |
| View: | The Beginnings of Messianic Judaism: Conflict with Tradition |
| View: | Early Divergence Between Christianity and Judaism |
| Read: | Blue Letter Bible, "Acts of the Apostles - Executable Outline" |
| Complete: | Exercises |
| Submit: | Quiz |
Unit 2: Saul's Conversion
This unit will cover Acts 9, Acts 22, and Acts 26, sketching a picture of Saul's conversion by drawing from all three contexts and their surrounding material.
| View: | Stephen's Martyrdom, and Paul's Persecution of the Church |
| View: | The Spread of the Gospel in Light of the Persecution |
| View: | Saul's Conversion, Part 1 |
| View: | Saul's Conversion, Part 2 |
| Read: | McGarvey, "Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles - Acts 9" |
| Complete: | Exercises |
| Submit: | Quiz |
Unit 3: The Aftermath of Saul's Conversion
This unit will cover Peter's evangelization of Cornelius and the beginning of the evangelization of Gentiles.
| View: | Peter and Cornelius |
| View: | Peter's Message |
| View: | Cornelius' Conversion and its Aftermath |
| View: | Evangelization of Gentiles |
| Read: | McGarvey, "Commentary on Acts of the Apostles - Acts 10" |
| Complete: | Exercises |
| Submit: | Quiz |
Unit 4: The Missionary Journeys Part 1
This unit will explore the First missionary journey undertaken by Saul and Barnabas from Syrian Antioch, followed by the Jerusalem Council.
| View: | The First Missionary Journey |
| View: | The Jerusalem Council, the Second Missionary Journey |
| View: | The Second Missionary Journey: Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens |
| View: | The Third Missionary Journey: Ephesus, Achaia, Journey to Jerusalem |
| Read: | McGarvey, "Commentary on Acts of the Apostles - Acts 13" |
| Complete: | Exercises |
| Submit: | Quiz |
Unit 5: The Missionary Journeys Part 2
This unit will explore the Second and Third missionary journeys undertaken by Paul and his associates.
| View: | Recap of the First Missionary Journey |
| View: | The Jerusalem Council, the Beginning of the Second Missionary Journey |
| View: | The Second and Third Missionary Journeys |
| Read: | McGarvey, "Commentary on Acts of the Apostles - Acts 17 |
| Complete: | Exercises |
| Submit: | Quiz |
Unit 6: From Jerusalem to Rome
This unit will explore Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome.
| View: | Paul's Arrival and Arrest in Jerusalem |
| View: | Paul's Jerusalem Trial and Transfer to Caesarea |
| View: | Paul's Appeal to Caesar and His Journey to Rome |
| Read: | McGarvey, "Commentary on Acts of the Apostles - Acts 20" |
| Complete: | Exercise |
| Submit: | Quiz |
| Submit: | Course Final Examination |
The courses available through the Blue Letter Bible Institute are taught from a range of evangelical traditions. Therefore every idea and principal conveyed in each course may not necessarily be held in total by the ministry of Blue Letter Bible or the Blue Letter Bible Institute. For more information please visit our site at www.BlueLetterBible.org.
Note: All Scripture references are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated.
Note: All Scripture references are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated.
