Applying Acts

[Adapted from a paper I wrote]

Although it is true that Luke intends Acts to be a source of instruction for local Church life, whole Church traditions have been built upon suspect applications from Luke’s account.

The following are three principles I have identified when considering whether a practice in Acts is normative:

1. Consider whether a direct application flows from understanding the passage in the context of Luke’s main purposes.

2. Consider whether this practice is an isolated event or a reoccurring practice.

3. Consider whether this practice is meant to be a principle rather than a blueprint.

Let’s take one common interpretation and consider whether it violates these principles.

As can be seen through reading the book through, Luke is primarily interested in chronicling the development of the early Christian movement. We see the Church move in its geography from Jerusalem to Rome. We see the Church move ethnically from Jewish to Gentile. And we see the Church move in its leadership from a small, centralized leadership to the establishment of local bodies with local leaders.

Before applying any part of the Book of Acts, we must consider how the event fits in with these primary interests. For example, some have used the conflict regarding food distribution in Acts 6 as a model for how Church government should be organized. The Apostles declare that they should devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. They then assign the responsibility of food distribution to Hellenistic Jewish widows to seven other men.

Some apply this passage by dividing Church responsibilities in a similar way. Specifically, this passage is traditionally believed to be the foundation of the deaconate. An example of this is in Calvin’s commentary on Acts, where he comments on this passage, “Luke declareth here upon what occasion, and to what end, and also with what rite, deacons were first made”. Elders in the Church are to handle the spiritual leadership of the Church, while deacons handle the more practical aspects of Church ministry. However, this event in Acts 6 has more significance as we consider its context in the narrative with regards to the movement in leadership and ethnicity. The Church here seeks to solve problems of ethnicity, namely this dispute between Hebraic and Hellenistic Jews. Also, the Church here expands its leadership beyond the twelve Apostles to seven more men filled with the Spirit.

A fact that underscores this view is that the following chapters show some of the seven, specifically Stephen and Philip, doing evangelistic preaching activity. In fact, the chapters seem to be focused on the activity of these two members of the seven rather than the twelve Apostles. The point is that leadership of the Church is expanding as the Church itself is expanding geographically, not that a template of Church polity is being presented.

Once this story is understood in the context of Luke’s main purposes, the Church can apply it more carefully. Christians across the Theological spectrum must be careful to treat the Word of God with care and not give too much authority to their doctrinal traditions.