Book Introduction

The book of Acts is the 2^nd book Luke wrote to Theophilus.  It probably wasn’t titled ‘Acts’ originally, and may have been called, “Luke to Theophilus: Book II.”  It most likely came to be known as Acts once it was recognized as part of the canon.  Early church figures, including Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius, and Origen, attested to this Greek title by the second century. The Greek word used for Acts is used to describe the achievements of great men.  The ‘of the apostles’ is added by many.  More appropriate might be ‘Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles’ as noted by MacArthur.

Luke begins to use first-person language at Acts 16:11 and then uses other “we” passages in the accounts. that reveal him as an eyewitness to many of the events of Acts.  The book was probably written right before Paul went to Rome about 60-62 _A.D.   This date would explain why Luke didn’t write about James’s death (62 _A.D.), the death of Nero (64 A.D.), or the fall of Jerusalem (70 _A.D.). 

Courson notes that Luke was a physician, as Colossians 4:14 indicates. Many Bible scholars note that wealthy men had physicians who were their slaves.  Luke may well have been a slave.  Some speculate that Theophilus was Luke’s owner who later freed him.