使徒行傳緒論
各位弟兄姊妹平安，接下來兩個月，我們一同來深讀使徒行傳這一本書，這是一本極為珍貴且重要的記載，描述了在耶穌聖殿之後，教會和使徒如何將福音從原本在耶路撒冷的小群體傳播到整個羅馬帝國，甚至到了首都羅馬和更遙遠的地方，從而改變了整個人類歷史。使徒行傳是一本非常珍貴的寶藏，我們可以從中找到建立教會和培養健康興盛的教會的指南，其中蘊含著許多智慧。
首先，讓我們談談這本書的作者。我們所知道的，也是大多數人認可的，就是路加福音的作者─醫生路加。因為他的文筆與路加福音幾乎一模一樣，而且非常詳細。雖然他是外邦人，並非使徒，但他對福音書和使徒行傳的貢獻非常重要。
我們對路加的了解並不多。在新約中，只有三個地方提到他：哥羅西書的第四章，腓利門書的第24節和提摩太後書的第四章11節。我們能夠比較確定的是，首先，他是個醫生；第二，他是保羅一位重要的同工和朋友，甚至在保羅坐牢時，他也是一位陪伴者。我們推測他應該不是猶太人，而且從他一開始的寫作中提到的“提阿非羅大人，我已經作了前書”，我們可以將使徒行傳視為是路加福音的後續書。
聖經學者的研究顯示，我們常常看到路加的文筆非常優美，且極為完整，甚至使用了一些醫學術語，這表明作者可能具有醫療或豐富的文學背景。
路加所寫的對象是一位 “提阿非羅大人”。雖然我們很難確定提阿非羅的身份，但在路加書的第一章第三節中，他稱這個對象為大人，也就是閣下的稱呼，這個稱號意味著他可能是羅馬政府中的高級官員。對於這個提阿非羅，有幾種可能性存在。首先，提阿非羅這個名字可能是虛構的，因為在當時，成為基督徒是有風險的，作者可能不會直接點明真實的身份。提阿非羅這個名字的意思是「愛上帝的人」，由希臘單詞 "Theos"（上帝）和"Philein"（愛）組成。
另外一個可能性是提阿非羅是一個真實存在的人，他可能是政府的高官。路加寫這本書的目的可能是向這個人傳播福音，讓他了解基督徒是好人，基督教是一個良好的信仰。路加希望能說服這位官員，使他不再迫害基督徒，而是來接受福音的信息。
我們也會注意到，在使徒行傳中，路加常常指出羅馬官員對保羅十分禮遇。例如，在13章12節，有一個官員成為了基督徒，在18章11節，迦流在哥林多是相當公正的官員，而在16章5節，腓立比的官長發現了自己的錯誤並公開向保羅道歉，在19章31節，以弗所的官員保護了保羅，使他免受危害。因此，在路加所寫的這段時期，他對官員們的態度比較友善，並且認為羅馬政府在當時是公正和廉明的，有維護良好政府的形象。
在路加福音和使徒行傳中，有一個主題是持續出現的，那就是基督教是屬於全世界的，不僅僅是猶太人的，而是給所有國家和民族分享的福音。因此，路加不斷強調這一點，他所記錄的事件往往從一個外邦人的角度來說，並且強調基督教是全人類的宗教和信仰。一開始提到的命令就是要將見證廣傳自耶路撒冷、猶太全地、撒瑪利亞，直到地極。這表明基督教的使命是不斷擴展，從猶太人的地區一直延伸到非猶太人的地方，甚至到了地極，都要為耶穌作見證。在這些故事中，我們看到使徒在各地傳揚福音，並伴隨著許多神蹟和奇事，因此使徒行傳本質上也可以被稱為聖靈行傳，因為它展示了使徒和聖靈一同工作，將福音從耶路撒冷傳遍羅馬帝國的最遠處。
因此，我們可以看到，在使徒行傳的前十五章中，路加寫的是初代教會的故事，似乎不是他親身經歷的。那麼他是從哪裡得到這些資料呢？首先，可能是從使徒們或當時一些地方教會的基督徒口述而來。他將這些資料整理後，像他寫路加福音一樣，將它們整理成一本完整的記錄。路加是一個非常細心的人，他將這些資料整理出來，寫成了一本完整的前半段。從第十六章到第二十八章，路加開始描述自己的經歷，看起來像是他和保羅之間的共同旅程。他的紀錄從“他們”變成了“我們”，記錄了他和保羅一同旅行時見證的事情和所發生的一切。無論是地點，時間，當時的風土人情，事件的細節無不鉅細靡遺，可見他一路上用心紀錄，並且用心寫作。
路加不僅是一位醫生，還是一位優秀的歷史學家。在後來聖經學者研究中，人們發現路加的筆觸非常優雅和完整，他的資料整理得非常細緻而且有時間順序，顯示出他是一個出色的記錄者和歷史學家。他為我們保留了非常寶貴的紀錄，讓我們可以看到當時初代教會是如何在神蹟奇事中不斷發展壯大，並從中學習到一些在今天建立教會時也可以參考的智慧。
使徒行傳是一本非常精彩的歷史書和故事書，讓我們期待著一起深入閱讀使徒行傳。感謝大家的聆聽。
Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles
Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you. Over the next two months, we will delve into the book of Acts of the Apostles together. This is an exceedingly precious and important record, detailing how the church and the apostles spread the Gospel from the small community in Jerusalem after the time of Jesus' ministry, to the far reaches of the Roman Empire, even to its capital Rome and beyond, thereby altering the course of human history. The Acts of the Apostles is a highly valuable treasure trove from which we can find guidance on establishing and nurturing healthy and thriving churches, containing within it a wealth of wisdom.
First, let us talk about the author of this book. It is widely believed, and most scholars agree, that the author is Luke, the physician who also wrote the Gospel of Luke. The similarity in writing style between Acts and Luke's Gospel, as well as the detailed nature of the narrative, point to Luke's authorship. Though he was a Gentile and not one of the original apostles, his contribution to the Gospel accounts and the Acts of the Apostles is of immense significance.
Our knowledge of Luke is limited. In the New Testament, he is mentioned only three times: in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 1:24, and 2 Timothy 4:11. What we can ascertain about him is that he was a physician and a close associate and friend of Paul, even accompanying him during his imprisonment. It is inferred that he was likely not Jewish, and the mention of "Theophilus" at the beginning of his writings suggests that the Acts of the Apostles can be seen as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke.
Scholarly studies have shown that Luke's writing style is remarkably elegant and comprehensive, often incorporating medical terminology, indicating a background in medicine or a rich literary education.
The recipient of Luke's writing is referred to as "Theophilus." While it is difficult to ascertain the identity of Theophilus, the designation of "Theophilus" as "most excellent" in Luke 1:3 suggests that he may have been a high-ranking official in the Roman government. The name Theophilus means "lover of God" in Greek, which may either be a symbolic or an actual designation.
Another possibility is that Theophilus was a real person, possibly a high-ranking official in the government. Luke's purpose in writing this book may have been to propagate the Gospel to this individual, to show him that Christians are good people and that Christianity is a noble faith. Luke may have hoped to persuade this official to stop persecuting Christians and to accept the message of the Gospel.
We also observe in the Acts of the Apostles that Luke often highlights the favorable treatment that Roman officials extended to Paul. For example, in Acts 13:12, a Roman official becomes a Christian; in Acts 18:11, Gallio in Corinth is depicted as a just official; and in Acts 16:35, the magistrates in Philippi publicly apologize to Paul for their mistake. In Acts 19:31, officials in Ephesus protect Paul from harm. Therefore, during the period when Luke was writing, he held a relatively favorable view of these officials and believed that the Roman government at that time was just and fair, upholding an image of good governance.
A recurring theme in both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is the universal nature of Christianity, which is not exclusive to the Jews but is intended for all nations and peoples to share in the Gospel. Thus, Luke continuously emphasizes this point, recording events from the perspective of a Gentile and underscoring that Christianity is a religion and faith for all humanity. The initial directive to bear witness from Jerusalem to all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth underscores the mission of Christianity to expand continuously from Jewish territories to non-Jewish territories, even to the ends of the earth, to testify to Jesus. In these narratives, we witness the apostles spreading the Gospel far and wide, accompanied by numerous miracles and wonders. Therefore, the Acts of the Apostles can also be aptly termed as the Acts of the Holy Spirit, as it demonstrates the collaborative work of the apostles and the Holy Spirit in spreading the Gospel from Jerusalem throughout the far reaches of the Roman Empire.
As a result, we can see that in the first fifteen chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke records the stories of the early church, seemingly not from his firsthand experience. So where did he obtain this information? It likely came from the apostles or early Christian communities of that time, communicated orally. He compiled this information and, like he did with the Gospel of Luke, arranged it into a complete record. Luke was meticulous in his efforts, meticulously recording and organizing the details of events.
From Chapter 16 to Chapter 28, Luke begins to describe his own experiences, appearing to be his journey with Paul. His account transitions from "they" to "we," documenting what he witnessed and experienced alongside Paul during their travels. Whether it was the locations, the timing, the customs of the time, or the details of events, no stone is left unturned, demonstrating his diligent recording and writing.
Luke was not only a physician but also an outstanding historian. Subsequent studies by biblical scholars have revealed that Luke's writing style is highly elegant and comprehensive, his data meticulous and orderly, demonstrating his excellence as a chronicler and historian. He has preserved invaluable records for us, allowing us to see how the early church grew and thrived amidst miracles and wonders, from which we can learn wisdom applicable to building churches today.
The Acts of the Apostles is a captivating history book and storybook, and we look forward to delving deeper into it together. Thank you all for listening.
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