Dating the book of Acts

The book of Acts covers a period of about thirty years, from Jesus’s ascension to Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome.[1] Over this 30-something year period, we get a good view of the “praxis” of the church. Many today seem to have forgotten what the church “looked like.” The book of Acts should remind us.

The period covered is approximately AD 30-32 to AD 62. Some historical dates associated with Acts are:

            1. The crucifixion:                                                      circa AD 32

2. Herod’s death:                                                        AD 44 (12:43)

3. Gallio as deputy of Achaia                                     AD 52-53 (18:12-17)

4. Festus’s appointment as Governor:                        AD 59 (24:27)

The time when Acts was written is between AD 62 and AD 66.[2] Luke wrote it after (i.e., later than) he wrote the Gospel. This is the “sequel.” The two treatises of Luke, taken together, make up about one-fourth of the New Testament. Luke is writing after Paul’s imprisonment in Rome and before his death. Luke was with Paul near the time of his death. Surely he would have mentioned it if it occurred before he wrote Acts.

Luke “sets his narrative in the framework of contemporary history; his pages are full of references to city magistrates, provincial governors, client kings, and the like, and these references time after time prove to be just right for the place and time in question.”[3] This is much to the chagrin of Bible deniers, but exactly what Bible believers expect.

Interesting note: though perhaps of no major significance, the period of time covered in the book of Acts and the length of ministry of the Apostle Paul are approximately the same, with the history of Acts beginning two or three years before Paul’s conversion and the history of Acts closing three or four years before Paul’s martyrdom.

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[1] Luke and Acts as a unit covers events from the announcement at Jerusalem of the birth of John the Baptist to the arrival of the apostle Paul in Rome – from the central city of God’s chosen people to the central city of the known world. 

[2] Darrell Bock says it can be “no earlier than AD 62” because of Paul’s imprisonment. Acts, p. 25. Significantly, Luke does not record the death of Paul (circa AD 64-66) or the destruction of Jerusalem (circa AD 70). The abrupt ending and date of the book are linked, indicating it was written shortly after the conclusion of the last events mentioned. See “The Acts of the Apostles,” George E. Ladd, in Wycliffe Commentary, p. 1123. 

[3] “The Book of Acts,” F. F. Bruce, New Bible Dictionary, p. 11.

When did the events of Galatians 2:1-14 occur?

In the past I have felt that events of Galatians 2 were contemporaneous with the events of Acts 15. In recent further study I have come to believe that in timing they better comport with Acts 11:29ff. Here are some brief comments on the subject.

The differences between what Luke writes in Acts 15 and what Paul writes in Galatians 1-2 are differences in fact, I have concluded, because the visit to Jerusalem mentioned in Galatians 2:1ff does not correspond to his visit to Jerusalem in Acts 15. 

Comparing and contrasting Acts 15 and Galatians 2

                        Acts 15                                                Galatians 2

Third visit (Acts 9:26; 11:30,12:25)   | No third visit mentioned

Problem, reason for going (15:2)        | Problem after arrival (2:3-5)

            Sent by church (15:2-3)                      | By revelation (2:2; cf. Acts 11:27-29)

            Public discussion (15:6ff)                   | Private meeting (2:2)

            Circumcision and salvation (15:1,5)   | Table fellowship (2:11-13)

            Focus on James’s resolution (15:19)  | James’s resolution unmentioned

            Paul a minor participant (15:12)         | Paul a primary participant (2:1-9)

 

By the time of Acts 15 in the historical record of the book of Acts, Paul has visited Jerusalem three times – the first visit is mentioned in Acts 9:26ff, the second is to bring famine relief from Antioch to Jerusalem and Judæa (Acts 11:27-30), and the third is for counsel with the Jerusalem Church on the matter of circumcision and the law of Moses (Acts 15).

“I went up again” in 2:1 seems to be a reference back to a prior visit to Jerusalem mentioned in Galatians 1:18.  Without a presupposition in favor of Acts 15, the comparison of 2:1 and 1:18 would normally and simply be taken as the next (therefore, second) visit Paul makes to Jerusalem. (That is, “I went up to Jerusalem” in Galatians 1:18 is the first visit, and “I went up again to Jerusalem” in Galatians 2:1 is the second visit.) The second visit of Paul to Jerusalem, according to the book of Acts, occurs at the time recorded in Acts 11:29-30, 12:25. The events of Galatians 2:11-21 strike an odd chord if they track with Acts 15 or follow after the conclusion of the consultation. The influence of the Judaizers in Galatians is much more understandable if occurring before the decision of the church in Acts 15 rather than after it (cf. Acts 16:4). In Galatians 2, Paul calls the opposers “false brethren.” In Acts 15, Luke calls the opposers “Pharisees which believed.” Also, Galatians 2:10 “remember the poor” is more consonant with the purpose of the Acts 11 visit than the Acts 15 visit. This further better explains why Paul does not refer the Galatians to the decision of the consultation in Jerusalem – it had not taken place at the time he was writing to the Galatians.

Thoughts?

Daylight Savings Time

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Daylight Saving debate: Winners — and losers — of ending biannual time changes

“Permanent daylight saving time has been most often supported by chambers of commerce and golf lobbyists, including business groups who want to maximize the hours per day that American consumers spend buying things.”

Florida pusher Marco Rubio claims that there is “strong science behind it that is now showing and making people aware of the harm that clock switching has.” What he does not tell us is that, yes, the science shows that the clock switching is bad. However, what science further shows is that year-round standard time -- not Daylight Savings Time -- is what best aligns with human circadian biology and the natural order of the sun, as well as providing health and safety benefits.

Time how swift

Hymns on the seasons: “Time how swift,” by John Newton, a hymn in 7s. meter with 8 lines.

1. While with ceaseless course the sun
Hasted through the former year,
Many souls their race have run,
Never more to meet us here;
Fixed in an eternal fate,
They have done with all below;
We a little longer wait,
But how little—none can know.

2. As the wingèd arrow flies
Speedily the mark to find;
As the lightning from the skies
Darts, and leaves no trace behind;
Swiftly thus our fleeting days
Bear us down life’s rapid stream;
Upwards, Lord, our spirits raise,
All below is but a dream.

Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us, henceforth, how to live
With eternity in view:
Bless Thy Word to young and old,
Fill us with a Savior’s love;
And when life’s short tale is told,
May we dwell with Thee above.

O timings of sadness and woe

Today I post my obligatory rant on the government imposed clock change, in the spirit of the Christmas holidays, with a hymn that may be sung to the English carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

God bless you meddling government,

From those whom you dismay:

The bumbling crime, you mess with time

To gain an hour a day,

To save us all from our own selves

As if from work we stray.

O timings of sadness and woe (sadness and woe),

O timings of sadness and woe!

Please consider “bless” in the first line within the same Southern tradition as we often say “bless your heart.”

Chronogenealogy in Genesis 5

My Biblical timeline from Creation to Christ is based on a literal reading of the chrono-genealogies of Genesis chapter 5 and chapter 11. Even others who also take an historical view of Genesis do not all agree on the completeness of the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11. Because some biblical genealogies are gapped or telescoped -- that is, skip some generations in the genealogy -- they posit that they are gaps in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and Genesis 11. One major difference is that the known gapped genealogies have other biblical testimony to corroborate that fact. Those who posit this for Genesis 5 and 11 do so without biblical evidence and usually for the reason of lengthening biblical history to correspond with the so-called long age of earth's existence according to evolutionary theory. In addition, it seems some people engage in speculation with little or no life or genealogical experience.

For example, John Millam writes, "At the time of David, there were three head temple musicians, one from each of the 3 divisions of the Levites.  There is Heman of the Kohathite division (verses 33-38), Asaph of the Gershonite division (verses 39-42), and Ethan of the Merarite division (verses 44-47).  In each case, the genealogies start with Levi, who was the father of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari and ancestor of these three men.  So, we have three genealogies side-by-side extending from Levi to the time of King David, yet the genealogies contain 21, 15, and 14 names respectively for exactly the same span of time.  This suggests that at least the latter two genealogies are highly telescoped." That someone would believe that various family generations correspond chronologically leaves me aghast. My father was almost the same age as my wife's maternal grandfather, and my maternal grandfather was old enough to have been a grandfather of my wife's grandfather. Three of my father's great-grandfathers were Civil War veterans. A pastor friend who was only a few years older than my father was the SON of a Confederate veteran. Genealogies just don't correspond the way Millam seems to think, and such gaps as he supposes are merely imaginary without any supporting evidence.

Many Bible students have tried to add thousands of years to the chrono-genealogy of Genesis chapter 5, hoping to increase the earth's age to something that satisfies some scientists and their sycophants. It doesn't work. Of all the explanations proffered for gaps in Genesis 5, none can offer any reasonable explanation of why the writer would even bother with a chronology here if he is merely relating genealogy. 

It is interesting that the narrative supplies extra information that ties certain sons directly to their fathers, without any gaps.

• Genesis 4:25-26 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
• Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
• Genesis 5:28-29 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
• Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Enoch is the 7th generation from Adam in Genesis 5)

This extra supplied information leaves only a couple of spots that gaps could even exist. Even if gaps are granted for the sake of argument, it becomes evident that those looking for more time do not solve their problem. The hope is to insert a new meaning in the text. That is, a certain patriarch begat a son that became the ancestor of the next person names. The writing itself limits the time, even if that hope is granted. If "Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch" becomes "Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat [a child who became the ancestor of] Enoch" -- there is still the small problem that he was 162 years old when this happened.

The best approach is to accept the text as written and let the scientific chips fall where they may.

Biblical timeline from Creation to Christ

The following is my approach to the biblical timeline of history and roughly estimating the age of the earth – adding and comparing the ages of the patriarchs, reigns of the kings and other dates mentioned in the Old Testament. There are some variations from my previous A Biblical timeline from creation.

TOWARD A BIBLICAL TIMELINE FROM CREATION
ASC = after sixth-day of creation
Event	Day/Year	Biblical Reference/s
Creation	Day 1	Genesis 1:1
Creation of Adam	Day 6	Genesis 1:26-31
Death of Adam	930 ASC	Genesis 5:5
Translation of Enoch	987 ASC	Genesis 5:23-24
Death of Seth	1042 ASC	Genesis 5:8
Birth of Noah	1056 ASC	Genesis 5:28-29
Death of Enos	1140 ASC	Genesis 5:11
Death of Cainan	1235 ASC	Genesis 5:14
Death of Mahalalel	1290 ASC	Genesis 5:17
Death of Jared	1422 ASC	Genesis 5:20
Birth of Shem	1558 ASC	Genesis 11:10
Death of Lamech	1651 ASC	Genesis 5:31
Death of Methuselah	1656 ASC	Genesis 5:27
Flood	1656 ASC	Genesis 7:11
Birth of Arphaxad	1658 ASC	Genesis 11:10
Tower of Babel	1757-1996	Gen 10:25; I Chron 1:19
Death of Peleg	1996 ASC	Genesis 11:18-19
Death of Nahor	1997 ASC	Genesis 11:24-25
Death of Noah	2006 ASC	Genesis 9:29
Birth of Abram	2008 ASC	Gen 11:32, 12:1-4; Acts 7:2-4
Death of Reu	2026 ASC	Genesis 11:20-21
Death of Serug	2049 ASC	Genesis 11:22-23
Death of Terah	2083 ASC	Genesis 11:32
Calling of Abram	2083 ASC	Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:4
Birth of Ishmael	2094 ASC	Genesis 16:16
Death of Arphaxad	2096 ASC	Genesis 11:12-13
Birth of Isaac	2108 ASC	Genesis 21:5
Death of Salah	2126 ASC	Genesis 11:14-15
Death of Sarah	2145 ASC	Genesis 23:1-2
Marriage of Isaac	2148 ASC	Genesis 25:20
Death of Shem	2158 ASC	Genesis 11:11
Death of Abraham	2183 ASC	Genesis 25:7
Death of Eber	2187 ASC	Genesis 11:16-17
Birth of Jacob & Esau	2168 ASC	Genesis 25:26
Marriage of Esau	2208 ASC	Genesis 26:24
Death of Ishmael	2231 ASC	Genesis 25:17
Marriage of Jacob	2252 ASC	Genesis 29:20-28
Birth of Reuben	2252 ASC	Genesis 29:32
Birth of Joseph	2259 ASC	Genesis 30:22-24
Jacob leaves Laban	2265 ASC	Genesis 31:41
Joseph sold to slavery	2276 ASC	Gen 37:2,28
Death of Isaac	2288 ASC	Genesis 35:28
Death of Jacob	2315 ASC	Genesis 47:9,28; 49:33
Death of Joseph	2369 ASC	Genesis 50:22,26
Birth of Moses	ca 2433	80 years before the Exodus
Moses flees Egypt	ca 2473	40 years before the Exodus
The Exodus from Egypt	2513 ASC	Gal 3:17; 430 from calling of Abram
The Wandering	2513-2553	40 years in the Wilderness
Death of Moses	2553 ASC	Deuteronomy 34:5-7
Entrance into Canaan	2553 ASC	Joshua 1:1-2
Time of the Judges	ca 450 yrs	Acts 13:20; circa 450 years
Saul made King	2949 ASC	I Samuel 10:20-24
David made King	2989 ASC	II Sam 2:4; 5:4; I Kings 2:11
Solomon made King	3029 ASC	I Kings 2:12
Temple began	3033 ASC	I Kings 6:1; 480 after the Exodus
Temple finished	3040 ASC	I Kings 6:37-38
End of Solomon's reign	3069 ASC	I Kings 11:42
Kingdom divided	3070 ASC	1st year of Rehoboam
Calling of Isaiah	3290 ASC	Last year of Uzziah
Captivity of Israel	3317 ASC	II Kings 18:10-12
Captivity of Judah	3449 ASC	II Kings 25:1-21 (70 years)
Decree of Cyrus	3519 ASC	2 Chron 36:21-23; Isaiah 45
Ezra 1-6	3519 ASC	Ezra 1:1-3
Haggai and Zechariah	3539 ASC	Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1
Esther	3575 ASC	Esther 1:1-3
Ezra 7-10	3601 ASC	Ezra 7:1
Nehemiah	3614 ASC	Nehemiah 1:1
Coming of Jesus	4002 ASC	Dan 9:24-27; 483 from Cyrus decree

I have based it on dating from biblical creation, rather than trying to correlate it to historical BCE dating. I hope the chart comes through with useful visibility (I’m just pasting it in from Excel).