 |  |
CHRONOLOGY
ACTS
EPISTLES
87
OF
AND
(8) The epistle is probably the earliest book in the New Testament.
Having established the position of the epistle to the Galatians, we can now set out the chronology of the Acts and
the place of the epistles, with some measure of assurance that, while every detail cannot be proved, and a margin of
one or two years must be permitted, yet for all practical purposes, the following calendar can be accepted with every
confidence. The external history recorded in the Acts, keeps pace with the internal revelation of doctrinal and
dispensational truth recorded in the epistles, and this relationship we now indicate by pointing out a few of the
verbal links that associate an epistle with its place in the Acts. We take as our basis of comparison Paul's own
summary given in Acts 20:18-21.
The relation of the epistle with the Acts
ACTS. `After what manner I have been with you' (Acts 20:18).
EPISTLE. `Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake' (1 Thess. 1:5).
ACTS.
`Serving the Lord' (Acts 20:19).
With the exception of the statement of our Lord Himself, `Ye cannot serve God and Mammon' douleuo is
used exclusively by the apostle for service unto the Lord. There are six occurrences in his epistles which,
together with Acts 20:19, make seven in all.
EPISTLE. `Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord' (Rom. 12:11 and see also Rom. 14:18; 16:18; Eph. 6:7; Col. 3:24 and
1 Thess. 1:9).
ACTS. `Serving the Lord with all humility of mind' (Acts 20:19).
EPISTLE. `In lowliness of mind let each esteem other' (Phil. 2:3).
Paul is responsible for six out of the total seven occurrences of tapeinophrosune, `humility of mind'.
ACTS. `With many tears, and temptations' (Acts 20:19).
EPISTLE. `My temptation which was in my flesh' (Gal. 4:14).
ACTS. `How I kept back nothing that was profitable' (Acts 20:20).
EPISTLE. `But if any man draw back' (Heb. 10:38).
ACTS. `How I kept back nothing that was profitable' (Acts 20:20).
EPISTLE. `All things are not expedient' (1 Cor. 6:12).
There are sixteen occurrences of sumphero `expedient' or `profitable' in the New Testament: eight occur
in the Gospels and Acts 19:19, and the other eight exclusively in Paul's epistles.
ACTS. `The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city' (Acts 20:23).
EPISTLE. `The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit' (Rom. 8:16).
ACTS. `That I might finish my course' (Acts 20:24).
EPISTLE. `I have finished my course' (2 Tim. 4:7).
These are the only occurrences of dromos `course' except that in Acts 13:25, where, again, Paul is
speaking. The use of the verb teleioo, `to perfect', in the sense of finishing a race, is characteristic of the
apostle's language, especially in Philippians 3 and the epistle to the Hebrews.
ACTS. `Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you (tithemi) overseers' (Acts 20:28).
EPISTLE. `Whereunto I am appointed (tithemi) a preacher' (2 Tim. 1:11).
ACTS. `Not sparing the flock' (Acts 20:29).
EPISTLE. `If God spared not the natural branches' (Rom. 11:21).
There are seven occurrences of pheidomai, `to spare' in Paul's epistles. Elsewhere it is found only in
Acts 20:29 or 2 Pet. 2:4,5.
ACTS. `Therefore watch, and remember' (Acts 20:31).
EPISTLE. `For ye remember, brethren, our labour' (1 Thess. 2.9).
Mnemoneuo. - This is a word very characteristic of the apostle Paul. He uses it again in Acts 20:35,
seven times in the Church epistles and three times in Hebrews.