LENTEN READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

DAY 24

Reading: Acts 23:1-28:31

This morning we finish Acts. The book ends with Paul still waiting to appear before Caesar. This suggests that Paul was still alive at the time Luke completed the book. Had it been written after Paul's death Luke would no doubt have continued the account and included the story of his death. Paul probably died in the city of Rome sometime during 68 AD, one among many Christians martyred by Nero following the great fires that ravaged the city that year. Nero publicly accused Christians of starting the fire even though most historians believe Nero himself ordered them set.

The dating of the book of Acts becomes especially important when we remember that Luke wrote Acts as the sequel to his gospel. If Paul was still alive when he wrote Acts, that would mean that the book was written before 68AD and that the Gospel of Luke was written even earlier than that.

Since Luke based much of his gospel on the Gospel of Mark we would necessarily date the writing Mark much earlier, possibly as early as the mid 40's.

Jesus was crucified sometime around 30AD. If Mark was written in the 40's then that means only 15 years passed between the death and resurrection of Jesus and the first written account of the same and only 20-25 years between his death and resurrection and the completion of Luke and Matthew.

Why is any of this important?

Historians place very high value on historical documents that can be dated to within the living memory of those who were present for the events recorded because they are “falsifiable.” In other words if Mark was not an accurate account of events those who lived through the events themselves would have been able to bear witness that the Gospel was false. If that had happened it is unlikely that it would have survived to be copied and preserved beyond the first generation of its publication.

The fact that the book of Acts ends without an account of Paul's death adds a great deal of historical credibility to the gospel accounts. As Christians we believe that the bible is absolutely true and infallible, but non-Christians mostly do not share this belief. For that reason it is good to have evidence at hand that verifies the accuracy of the biblical accounts. Such evidence often proves very powerful when sharing our faith with those who have a somewhat skeptical frame of mind.

As I said, as believers we approach the bible trusting that the God who spoke the universe into existence is able to ensure the absolute truth of his Word.

In this morning's readings the Lord shows us that living for Christ is costly. It cost Paul his freedom and ultimately his life.

But notice that, throughout his arrest, trial, and journey to Rome , the Lord gave Paul clear assurances of his presence and that everything that had happened and that would happen was according to his purpose and design.

In fact the entire book of Acts stands as a testimony to God's providence. God causes all things, all circumstances, to work together to fulfill his purposes.

I wonder whether Paul was always confident of this fact?

I know I am not. I often get so bound up in what is happening now, the daily losses and gains, that I lose sight of the fact that God has a plan; that he has a purpose for me.

But he does, whether I remember it or not. He superintended the writing of his word, he makes a path for me to follow, he has marked the days and works of his church. What confidence we have in God who can, and does, work in the world and in our lives.

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