Many Christians know the Book of Acts, which describes the subsequent gospel events about the apostles. But the question arises, who wrote this book and is there any evidence of authorship? In this article, we will find out the answer to this question.
What is The Book of Acts About?
The Book of Acts, also known as the Acts of the Apostles, is an essential book in the New Testament of the Bible.
It documents the early history of the Church, from the ascension of Jesus Christ to the imprisonment of the apostle Paul in Rome. The book is widely regarded as a valuable historical source and is the second volume of the Gospel of Luke.
Luke is The Author of The Book
Traditionally, it’s believed that its author is the apostle Luke, the author of the third Gospel. The narrative line of the author isn’t interrupted, the Acts begin with a description of the Ascension, which ends the Gospel of Luke.
The unity of the composition is emphasized by the opening phrase of the Acts: “I wrote the first book to you, Theophilus…” The gospel of Luke is also addressed to this person.
It can show us that is that the Book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel. The style and literary features of the author also clearly indicate that the Acts were written by the author of the Gospel of Luke.
Based on these facts, the authorship of the Book of Acts has been always attributed to Luke, a companion of the apostle Paul.
This attribution dates back to the second century AD and is supported by internal evidence in the book itself. For example, the author of Acts often uses the first-person plural pronoun “we” in describing the travels of Paul. This suggests that the author was an eyewitness to some of the events he describes, and the fact that Luke was a companion of Paul supports the opinion that the Book was written exactly by Luke.
The authorship of the Apostle Luke is also confirmed by several historical materials. For example, Luke’s authorship was first mentioned in the Muratorian Canon.
There are also more sources that support the idea that Luke was the author of Acts. For example, the early Church Fathers, including Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian supported this idea. Origen also wrote about the authorship of Luke in his works.
Apart from this, the author of Acts is referred to as “Luke” in several early manuscripts of the book.
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Arguments Against Luke’s Authorship
However, there are some scholars who question the traditional attribution of the Book of Acts to Luke.
The Book is Written in Better Greek Than The Gospel of Luke
One argument against Luke’s authorship is the fact that the author of Acts wrote the Book in a better Greek language than in the Gospel of Luke.
This has led some to suggest that the author of Acts was a different person, possibly a companion of Paul who was more well-versed in Greek.
Some researchers have also questioned the authorship of Luke on the grounds that the Acts don’t bear a trace of the author’s acquaintance with Paul’s epistles (some of them, and perhaps all of them, were written before the Acts), which is strange for a constant companion of Paul.
However, we must remember that, first of all, the Holy Spirit could help the apostles, who endowed them with the gift of speaking in foreign languages, and with the course of their missionary path, this gift could increase. The author of Acts emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in the Early Church.
Also, the Book doesn’t have to contain all the details of the life of the apostles, such as acquaintances and so on.
Despite these arguments, the majority of scholars including the Church Fathers accept the traditional attribution of the Book of Acts to Luke.
The internal evidence of the book, including the use of the first-person plural pronoun and the author’s familiarity with medical terminology, suggest that the author was a companion of Paul who was also a physician.
Many Saints and historians also accepted Luke’s authorship of the book, so there is no compelling reason to reject their testimony based on minor details.
When Was The Book of Acts Written?
The traditional version relates the creation of Acts to the 60s of the first century. There are a few facts that support this opinion.
The creation of Acts in Rome in the early 60s of the first century was written by ancient writers, for example, Jerome. There is no mention in the Book of the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened in 70.
The theological terms of Acts are characteristic of the Early Church. For example, Christians are called “disciples”.
The Acts discusses the issue of mandatory observance of the Law of Moses, which were relevant specifically for the Church of the 50s and 60s.
The Acts emphasize the fair attitude of the Roman authorities towards Christians. After the brutal persecution of Christians during Nero’s rule, Christian literature described pagan Rome in a much worse way.
Another version relates the Acts to 70-85 years. The fact is that usually the Gospels of Luke are attributed to the late 60s or 70s, and since the Acts were created later, the time of their writing is attributed to the 70s.
Final Thoughts
It can be concluded that the Book of Acts was written by Luke, since this is evidenced by a large number of sources, including the Church Fathers.
The majority of scholars today accept Luke’s authorship, including the teaching of the Orthodox Church. The book is an important historical source that provides valuable insights into the early history of the Christian church.
Although the authorship of the Book of Acts is a subject of much debate and speculation, there is no serious evidence that would point to the authorship of another person and at the same time a huge amount of evidence confirms that exactly Luke wrote the Book of Acts.
Also, based on much evidence and details of the book, it can be determined that the years of writing the book are attributed to 60-70 years.
Charalampos
Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.
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