1st Missionary Trip - Lorin

most likely implies that he walked to the raised platform in the center of the room called in Greek the βῆμα, in
Hebrew המיב, from where he spoke to the group. Here Paul stood up to speak, while Jesus at Nazareth sat down
to speak. Most likely this represented a difference in custom between Diaspora Judaism and Palestinian Judaism.
124 Further, Paul’s opening words, ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν, You Israelites, and others who
fear God, clearly indicate that non-Jews were present in the audience. The phrase οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν had
a technical designation of Gentiles who were sympathetic to Judaism but had not made the full commitment to
become a proselyte Jew through conversion to the Jewish religion.
What is important also to remember is the general similarity of Paul’s first recorded sermon in a Diaspora
Jewish synagogue to Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost at Jerusalem in Acts 2:1-42, sermon vv. 14-36. Additionally,
it has some affinities with Stephen’s defense speech in Acts 7:1-53. Both Paul’s and Peter’s speeches
are called ‘missionary speeches’ in that they were delivered to an audience with the intent of converting that
audience to Christ, while Stephen’s speech was given to defend his Christian activities before the judicial council
of the Jews. This difference in objective for each speech helps account for many of the differences in approach
that surface in a comparison of the speeches.
The sermon divides itself into three natural sections: 125 vv. 16b-25, salvation history;
vv. 26-37, contemporary Israel; vv. 38-41, concluding exhortation to the audience.
The successive narrowing of scope creates something of a bulls eye target strategy.
In the first section Paul reviews Israelite history with a basically positive thrust, over
against Stephen’s similar review with a more negative thrust (Acts 7:2-47). Paul jumps
from David to Jesus (vv. 22-25) with the affirmation of the superiority of Jesus by John
the Baptist. In the second section of vv. 26-37, Paul focuses on contemporary Judaism
emphasizing the crucifixion of Jesus in Jerusalem by the residents and leaders in
Jerusalem (vv. 26-29). In vv. 30-37, the resurrection of Jesus is emphasized against the
backdrop of David’s words in the Psalms. The third section of vv. 38-41 is an appeal to
his audience in Antioch to not make the mistake of rejecting Jesus like those in Jerusalem did, since He is the
exclusive way to forgiveness of sins before God. The theme of justification by faith as the key to divine forgiveness
of sins is unique to Acts but is prominent in Paul’s writings, especially in Col. 1:4 and Eph. 1:7 which link jus-
124 “The standing posture seems to have been the normal one for synagogue preachers in the dispersion. Jesus, on the other hand,
stood up to read the lesson but sat down to expound it. This may reflect a difference in practice between Palestinian synagogues and
those of the dispersion; it has also been suggested that a word of exhortation was delivered by a standing preacher, whereas one sat to
expound the scriptures.
Page 221
44 ” [F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids,
MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988), 253.]
125 “In some respects Paul’s address is reminiscent of Peter’s speech in Jerusalem on the first Christian Pentecost (2:14–36) and of
that of Stephen (7:1–53), but it has its own distinctive elements. It is another missionary, kerygmatic sermon addressed this time to
diaspora Jews and Gentile sympathizers. The structure of the speech is indicated by the threefold use of andres Israēlitai or andres adelphoi,
the form of address used in vv 16, 26, 38; hence the three parts: (1) 16b–25; (2) 26–37; (3) 38–41. The structure is so understood by
Schneider, Apg., 2.130; de-Silva, “Paul’s Sermon,” 34–35; Pesch, Apg., 2.30–31; Polhill, Acts, 300; Roloff, Apg., 202–3. For a four-part
division (16b–25, 26–31, 32–37, 38–41), see Weiser, Apg., 322–23. As Barrett (Acts, 623) notes, it makes little difference if the second
part is divided in two or not.
The first part of the discourse (13:16b–25) is a recital of salvation history. It differs from the recital in Stephen’s speech (7:2–47) in
being positive in its exposé, and not negative as a buildup for an indictment. It makes no mention of the patriarchs and Moses, and Paul
emphasizes God’s guidance, which leads from the election of Israel to Jesus, “the continuity between Israel and the church” (Conzelmann,
Acts, 103). God has provided for Israel even before he raised up “judges” (charismatic leaders) and “kings” for it. Such divine
providence was exercised on behalf of Israel of old.
The second part (13:26–37) is a proclamation made to contemporary Israel: To us, “children of the family of Abraham” (v 26), the
message of this salvation has been sent, “God raised him [Jesus] from the dead” (v 30). The kerygma itself is found in vv 26–31, and
an argument from Scripture supports it in vv 32–37. The Lucan themes of Jewish ignorance and Christian testimony appear again (in
vv 27, 30–31).
The third part (13:38–41) is the concluding exhortation: Through Christ come forgiveness of sins and justification, a message not to
be spurned. This is the climax of Paul’s address to the people in the synagogue. It is the only time in Acts, when Paul’s teaching about
justification by faith is mentioned, the topic that is prominent in his letters to the Galatians and Romans. One should note how Luke has
recast the Pauline teaching in vv 38–39. The prime effect of the Christ-event in Pauline theology, justification by faith, is adjusted as
an explanation of forgiveness of sins. The latter is a prominent Lucan way of expressing an effect of the Christ-event, which, however,
is absent in Paul’s uncontested letters. It is found in the Deutero-Pauline Col 1:14 and Eph 1:7. Such a treatment of this Pauline topic
introduces part of the problem of the Paulinism of Acts; see Introduction §§171–77. The entire episode thus presents Pauline testimony
in a certain parallelism with that of Peter, both in the speech and in the miracles.
[Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (New Haven; London:
Yale University Press, 2008), 507-08.]