1. The Testament of the risen Christ: "to all the nations, all people, all cultures, to the ends of the earth" (Lk 24:47, Acts 1:8).

Shortly before his ascension, the risen Christ left us his last Will and Testament:

At the end of the Luke’s gospel, Jesus also leaves us a Testament to preach "to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem (Lk 24:47). The promise of the Holy Spirit is given for mission and that mission has its starting point in Jerusalem; its arrival point is to all the nations, to the ends of the earth. The term "nations" (ta ethne) also includes all cultures and peoples. This Testament will also be the programme of the entire book of The Acts of the Apostles: it is the dynamics of the Holy Spirit that breaks down cultural and geographical barriers.

Jesus’ Testament will not be fulfilled without considerable difficulties. First of all, it will confront the Davidic messianism that is implied in the question: "Lord, has the time come for you establish the Kingdom of Israel?". The Kingdom of Israel is the Davidic Kingdom whose reestablishment would signify the restoration of the Jewish monarchy and a confrontation with the Romans. Jesus never identified the Kingdom of God with this Davidic Kingdom. The disciples pose a similar question to the pilgrim on the road to Emmaus: "Our own hope had been that he would b †††?fe the one to set Israel free" (Lk 24:21). The Holy Spirit begins in this way to break down the Davidic nationalism and Jewish ethnocentricity present among his own disciples, in order to be able to reach out to all nations and cultures.

Luke states in his Pentecost narrative that: "… there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven". Then he enumerates these nations, peoples and cultures: to the east: Parthians, Medes and Elamites; to the center, Judea; to the north: Cappadocia, Pontus, Phrygia and Pamphylia; to the south, Egypt. Then three other regions are also enumerated (these are distinguished by use of the article.); to the east Mesopotamia; to the north, Asia and south of Libya. Then come the Roman foreigners (the peoples inhabiting the Roman "oikoumene". These foreigners are separated into four different groups: the Jews, the proselytes (circumcised gentiles), the Cretans (the sea peoples) and the Arabs (possibly Nabatean Arabs who lived between the Red Sea and the Euphrates River. They had considerable power under Arethas IV between 9 B.C. and 40 A.D.).

The Apostles are Galileans who speak Aramaic. The marvel of Pentecost is that all the peoples and cultures that were present there are able to hear the Apostles in their own language. This fact is confirmed three times, verses 6, 8 and 11 (in Acts there are two different accounts; the more basic one: 2:1-4 and 2:12-15, where the Apostles speak in other tongues; and another more elaborate account 2:5-11, where the apostles speak Aramaic and everyone hears them speak in their own language). The miracle of Pentecost (in the second account) is not the gift of tongues but the fact that all peoples hear the Apostles in their own language and culture.

3. Peter’s speech in Pentecost: "You have made known ways of lif †††?fe to me Acts 2:28 (2:14-36).

Here we wish to highlight only the two long quotes from the Hebrew Bible; Luke uses them to attempt to interpret the act of Pentecost.

First: Joel 3:1-5 (Acts 2:17-21). It is a radically inclusive text: The Spirit of God will be poured out upon all flesh, sons and daughters, young and old, servants and maidservants, heaven and earth and, above all, upon those who call upon the name of the Lord.

Second: Psalm 16:8-11 (Acts 2:25-28). The psalmist reminds us of a vision of God going before us and at our right hand so that we do not stumble; God is the joy of our heart and the hope of our life, we are certain that God will not abandon us to the world of death. Finally, the verse that is the motto of our Sixth Assembly:

In the Lucan work (Gospel and Acts), two paradigmatic images emerge: the "way" and the "table".

Jesus sets out on the way from Galilee to Jerusalem and his disciples will pave the way from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. In Acts, the Jesus’ movement itself is called "the way". Paul persecutes in Damascus "some of the followers of that way, men and women alike" (9:2). Apollos "had been instructed in the way of the Lord". Aquila and Priscilla "explained the way more accurately to them" (18:25, 26). Some unbelieving Jews "talked despisingly of the way before the people" (19:9). Then "not a small riot was produced in Ephesus because of the way" (19:23). Paul says: "I persecuted the way unto death" (22:4) and "according to the way, they called a sect, I worship God" (24:14). "Felix was well-informed as to the way"(24:22).

For Luke, Christianity was simply a Way, and Christians, the followers the Way. It is a Way that goes from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth; a Way that goes from death to life.

Peter ends his discourse proclaiming the universality of the Spirit:

"for you and your children" (referring to the Jews)

"for all those who are distant" (the Gentiles) and

"for those who call upon the Lord our God" (the universal call) (Acts 2:38-39).

Luke gives us a wonderful global vision of the communities in Jerusalem: all followed the Teachings of the Apostles (didache), the fellowship (Koinonia: a single spirit, all things in common, there were no poor among them), in the breaking of the bread (the Eucharist) and they performed wonders and signs (martyria). We have these in the summaries: 2:42-5:42, expanded in 2:44-47/4, 32-35/5, 12-16.

The Apostles give courageous testimony of the resurrection before the religious and political authorities of Jerusalem "We cannot keep ourselves from speaking of what we have seen and heard" (4:20). The space for the Christian community is the Temple and the house: "they went to the temple everyday… and they broke bread at the homes". These previous points correspond to the first part of the Testament left to them by Jesus: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem" (1:8). The problem is that the second part has not yet begun: "You will be my witnesses in the region of Judea, Samaria and even unto the ends of the earth". Moreover, Gamaliel’s intervention before the Sanhedrin brought about a certain agreement to leave the Twelve Apostles alone (5:34-39). For this reason this section ends by saying that the apostles "did not cease to teach and announce the Good News of Christ each day at the temple and at the homes" (5:42). Others will be the ones to carry the Gospel outside of Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

This part begins with a conflict, a dispute that is settled in the assembly of the disciples in Jerusalem (6:1-7), and also ends with a conflict, which is likewise resolved in the assembly of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (15:1-35). In both conflicts plurality and the mission of the Jesus movement is what is at stake.

There are three moments in this section:

First, the foundation of the Church of Antioch (chapters 6-12).

Second, the mission of the Church of Antioch to the Gentiles (chapters 13-14).

Third, the Council of Jerusalem: the legitimization of the Church of Antioch (15:1-35)

Two Judeo-Christian groups appear in the Christian community of Jerusalem: The "Hebrews" of Aramaic tongue and culture, and the Hellenists of Greek tongue and culture. The most important thing that separates them is their theological difference: the Christian Hebrews loyally follow the Law and the Temple, while the Hellenists are critical of this tradition (this is deduced from the whole context, especially from Stephen’s speech).

One day a problem arises in the daily distribution of goods: the Hellenists complain about the fact that their widows are being neglected. The cry of the widows makes evident this issue of discrimination against the Hellenist group. The Twelve then summon the Assembly and say: "It does not seem right that we give up the Word of God by serving the distribution at the tables: everyone agreed and then went on to elect seven men full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom for the distribution at the tables, so that the Twelve might devote themselves to the ‘distribution’ of the Word". The Twelve here represent †††?f the Judeo-Christian Hebrews, and the Seven, the Hellenistic Judeo-Christians.

The distribution at the tables, which was really service to the poor, led the seven Hellenists to a greater witness role among the people: "Stephen filled with grace and power began to work miracles and great signs among the people". We can read the acts of Steven (6:8 — 8:2) where we are told about the day of his death when a bitter persecution started against the Church in Jerusalem and everyone except the Apostles fled to the country districts of Judea and Samaria.

Luke allows us to understand that the Twelve and the Hebrew group are not persecuted and continue on in Jerusalem. The group dispersed were the Hellenists who are now responding to the second part of the Testament of Jesus, to go beyond Jerusalem "to the country districts of Judea and Samaria"(8:1).

In 8:4-40, we have the acts of Philip (the second of the Hellenists) who preaches to the Samaritans and then to an Ethiopian eunuch. In 11:19-30, we have the acts of other anonymous Hellenists, also a part of the Dispersion. Some of them went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well" (11:20). Barnabas and Paul, from Jerusalem and Tarsus respectively, come to confirm the work of the Church of Antioch "where they were first called Christians". The Church of Antioch was so solid a foundation that, in solidarity, they could even send resources to alleviate the suffering of the church of Jerusalem during their time of hunger.

In these acts of the Hellenists (6:1-8:30) that follows upon the Acts of the Apostles in Jerusalem (2:42-5:42) show a growing pluralism in the Jesus’ Movement. There are now two completely legitimate groups of Christia †††?fns: the Hebrews and the Hellenists. Christian communities among the Samaritans and Gentiles also come into being and perhaps even one in Ethiopia, founded by the Ethiopian eunuch. The Jesus Movement now has two centres: Jerusalem where the majority are Christian Jews with a Hebrew tongue, culture and theology, and Antioch whose greatest number are Christian gentiles, with a Hellenistic language, culture and theology. This pluralism has allowed Jesus’ testament to become a reality: setting out from Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, in order to reach out to all nations, people and cultures.

In the middle of the acts of the Hellenists, Luke introduces the acts of Peter for the purpose of legitimizing and reinforcing the movement of the Spirit discovered in the mission to the Gentiles already begun by the Hellenists. The novelty now is that not only does the Spirit convert Cornelius, but also Peter and the Church of Jerusalem. Cornelius is a Roman centurion who lives in Caesarea and is a commander in the Roman occupation forces in Palestine. He and his family were "God-fearing"; that is, gentiles who seek God according to the Jewish tradition. Throughout the narrative of the acts of Peter, the main character is the Holy Spirit who acts simultaneously in both Peter and Cornelius. Peter appears on the scene as a faithful Jew and observer of the Law: "he does not eat anything profane or unclean" (10:14). The first thing he says upon entering Cornelius’ house is that, as a Jew he "is forbidden to mix with people of another race and to visit them" (10:28). The Judeo-Christian Church of Jerusalem, which shares that same mentality, will reproach Peter: "So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them, have you?" (11:3). The Holy Spirit, besides acting in Cornelius, must have acted almost violently †††?f with Peter and the Church of Jerusalem, bringing about the conversion of Cornelius, Peter and the church of Jerusalem. The conclusion that they all reach is wonderful: "God" they said, "can evidently grant the pagans the repentance that leads to life" (11:18).

Luke here develops a missionary model that will be valid for all time: first, the Holy Spirit not only acts in the missionaries and the Church, but also in the peoples that seek God even before they are preached to; and second, the conversion of other peoples also demands the conversion of the Church.

The Church of Jerusalem (chapters 1 to 5) was led by TWELVE Apostles; SEVEN men filled with the Holy Spirit and Wisdom propelled forward the Hellenistic movement (chapters 6-12). Next the church of Antioch is presided over by FIVE prophets and teachers (13:1). Luke begins by delineating both the diversity and the cultural, ethnic and social pluralism of these five: Barnabas, a Jewish Levite from Cyprus who lives in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37); Symeon called Niger, an Aramaic name with a Latin surname, identifying him as ethnically Black. Lucius, (a Latin name), from Cirenaica in the north of Africa. Manaen, a Hebrew name written in Greek, was raised as an infant with the Tetrarch Herod; and Saul, a Pharisee from the Diaspora and a persecutor of the Church, who later becomes a disciple.

We have here the first mission of the church of Antioch (to call this Paul’s first missionary journey is really inaccurate). It is the mission to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. The mission is inspired by the Holy Spirit who says: "‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called †††?f them’…. So these two, sent out on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia…" (13:2-4).

The climax of the mission is Antioch of Pisidia. Here Luke introduces a missiological paradigm: the mission begins in the synagogue with the Jews and the "God-fearers" (those Gentiles who sympathize with the Jewish religion). The mission enjoys an initial success: "The next Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God", but this success prompts the jealousy of the Jewish leaders who contradict Paul with blasphemies. Then Paul makes a solemn decision:

"We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it … we must turn to the pagans (ta ethne). For this is what the Lord commanded us to do: I have made you a light for the nations so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth".

This is motive for joy among the pagans; they glorify the Word of God which now spreads throughout the region. The Jews then ally themselves with the powerful of the city to expel the missionaries. In short, the paradigm is: first, to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. This paradigm will repeat itself in Corinth (18:5-7) and Ephesus (19:8-9). The same scheme is also found in Luke 4:16-30, the scene of Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth: at first it goes well for him, but afterwards they try to kill him when he announces the universal character of his message. At the conclusion of Acts this paradigm will be radically questioned and another substituted in its place.

The missionaries finally return to the Church of Antioch from where they set out and tell the community "how God had opened the door of faith to the pagans (to non-Jewish peoples and cultures: all included under the Greek term ta ethne)", (14:26-28).

Some brothers from Judea come to Anti †††?foch and make this demand upon the Gentiles in the Christian community: "Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses, you cannot be saved". The same was happening in Jerusalem, where some Pharisees who had embraced the faith held: "that the pagans should be circumcised and instructed to abide by the Law of Moses". Accession to this demand would mean the religious, cultural and social integration of the Gentiles into the Jewish world. It would be the end of diversity and plurality already won through a missionary practice inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Apostles and the elders of Jerusalem call an assembly to deal with this conflict.

Two positions develop in this assembly, Peter’s and that of James and the elders. They are two positions based on different theological visions, though at the end they fundamentally come to an agreement. Gentile Christians should not be forced to be circumcised.

Peter’s speech (15:7-12) is based upon his experience of the Spirit in Cornelius’ conversion. He draws two conclusions from this experience. First, that God communicated this Spirit to the Gentiles in the same way as he did to the Apostles. Second, even more radically, we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as the Gentiles. In other words, the salvation of the Jews serves as a model for the salvation of the Gentiles: by grace and not by fulfillment of the Law.

James’s speech is very different (15:13-21). He concedes not to bother the Gentiles about circumcision but decides that in general the Christian Gentiles should observe four laws when living in Jewish territory. James sees Jesus’ Church as universally Judeo-Christian. Christian Gentiles live within its confines and therefore must respect the laws of community life of the Judeo-Christians. James still has an ethno-centric view of the Church.

The assembly’s final agreement in not demanding the circumcision of the Christian Gentiles leg †††?fitimized the existence of a Gentile Church with its non-Jewish culture and its theological vision. On the other hand, the Judeo-Christian Church of Jerusalem kept its identity, even with its ethnic-centred vision of the Church and the world.

Paul (according to Luke), at the conclusion of the Jerusalem Council, still does not have a mission to the Gentiles in mind, but rather a journey to consolidate the Churches that were already founded in southern Galatia. That is why it is not surprising that Paul circumcises Timothy and takes upon himself the task of spreading the ethnocentric decisions made by the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem: The Holy Spirit struggles with Paul (almost in a physical way) to prevent him from going to the regions of Asia and Bithynia, but rather, to go to Troas after the vision of a Macedonian begging him to come to his land. Paul thus feels obliged by the Spirit to go to Philippi, Thessalonica and Beroea, and then on to Athens, Corinth and Ephesus. Paul’s initially ethnically centred attitude causes a break-up with Mark and Barnabas, who go directly to the Gentiles.

In the province of Macedonia, Paul first seeks out the Jews but has little success with them. His greatest success is with the "God-fearing Gentiles". They attended the synagogue, especially in the Diaspora, to listen to the word of God. That is where Paul finds them and brings about many conversions. In Thessalonica, it is explicitly stated that "a few Jews were convert †††?fed and a great many Greeks who adored God"(17:4). Among these "God-worshipping" Greeks, Luke highlights the strong presence of socially prominent women (Lydia in 16:4 and some others in 17:4 and 12). Paul also, while in prison, experiences the conversion of a Roman jailer and his whole family during the wonderful night of his liberation (16:25-34).

In Macedonia, Paul was circulating in a fundamentally Jewish environment. In Athens, he is definitely in a Gentile city, the centre of the dominant Greek culture and philosophy; the city of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle; the city that imposed the Attic dialect, the basis of the Hellenist language called common or "koine" Greek. "Paul was innerly indignant at the sight of the city filled with idols". Paul held daily discussions in the public square, especially with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Finally, Paul is taken to the Areopagus, the southern hill where the supreme council of the city is gathered, to make a speech. This speech is a paradigm adopted from the first missionaries’ preaching to the Greek world. Luke might be the author of this speech, but he gleans the words from all the experiences of Paul and the first missionaries.

Paul’s point of departure (17:22b-23) is the Athenian respect for divinity. This is demonstrated by the inscription on their altar: "Dedicated to the unknown god". Paul announces to the Athenians who the God is that they unknowingly worship.

This is followed by another narration (17:24-29). Even if Paul should be relying upon his knowledge of the Bible, he does not quote it in any way. The only explicit quote he uses is one by the Greek philosophers who said: "we are all his children". Paul takes as his starting point concepts and ideas found in Greek philosophy. In verses 24-25, Paul resorts to their ideas about the Creator God to show the senselessnes †††?fs of idolatry. Then in verses 26-29 he reminds them about the creation of humanity, in order to inhabit the earth and seek God, to see if, through our groping, we manage to find him, for in him we live, we move and exist.

After this presentation in which Paul readily avails himself of known Greek thought, he goes on to his argumentation (17:30-31). Paul directly confronts Greek thought with the Gospel. He announces conversion, justice and resurrection. The Gospel demands conversion to put an end to ignorance (moral, not intellectual ignorance) and to judge the world according to the justice brought about by a man (he does not mention Jesus), who is risen from the dead. The resurrection is the guarantee that judgment will be just.

Paul is rejected but does not totally fail, for a small Christian community is born in Athens among Dionysius, Damaris and some others (17:32-34).

Paul, as is his custom, begins his mission in Corinth in the synagogue. It is only when Paul is rejected by the Jews that he tells them: "From now on I can go to the pagans with a clear conscience…" (18:6). The same scheme is repeated in Antioch in Pisidia (13:46). Paul sees God’s will in preaching the word of God first to the Jews; they are the priority. That is why he feels guilty about addressing the Gentiles. The rejection by the Jews now allows Paul to discover Jesus’ will to go the Gentiles. For over a year and a half he will teach the Gentiles the word of God in the house of a man named Titus Justus, one "who adored God" (18:5-8). Paul is so reluctant about this mission to the Gentiles that Jesus himself will appear to him in a vision to say to him: "Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced; I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city th †††?fat no one will even attempt to hurt you" (18:9-10).

In Ephesus, a similar scheme emerges. Paul begins in the synagogue. After three months of teaching there, he is rejected, he breaks off from them and forms a separate group with his disciples, and daily he would speak with them in the school of Tirana. This lasted for two years. These were the developments that allowed all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, to hear the word of God.

What was new in Ephesus and Corinth is not so much the rejection by the Jews, but Paul’s option to devote himself not only to the "God-fearing" Greeks, but to the Greeks in general. This, by the way happened in two large and important cities, utterly Greek in their culture and religion and over a long period of time (a year and a half in Corinth and two years in Ephesus).

Luke sums up Paul’s total mission result, from the Jerusalem Council up to now, with these words: "In this impressive way the word of the Lord spread more and more widely and successfully"(19:20). This same expression is found in 6:7 and 12:24.

It is very difficult to understand Acts 19:21-22, if not complemented by Romans 15:17-33. Paul’s Letter makes the geographical horizon clear: Paul wants to go from Jerusalem to Rome and then on to Spain from Rome. For the mentality of that time, Spain was, in its western position, regarded as the ends of the earth. Beyond that, there was the great sea and the abyss. Luke sees Paul’s journey to Rome (Acts 19:21) as his starting point for the journey to Spain. With this journey Paul would be fulfilling Jesus’ testament of being "witnesses unto the ends of the earth"(1:8).

In Troas, on the first day of the week, Paul spends all night preaching to the community and celebrates Eucharist with them. It is a farewell celebration (20:7-12). In Miletus, Paul makes a farewell speech to the elders of the Church of Ephesus. This is Paul’s authentic spiritual last will and testament (20:17-38).

Paul’s missionary group arrives at Jerusalem and gathers at James’ home, joined by the brothers and sisters of the Jerusalem Church. There is deep misunderstanding among them. Let us look at this directly in the words of the speakers:

Paul: "he gave a detailed account of all that God had done among the pagans through his ministry" (21:19).

James and the elders of Jerusalem: "But you see, brother," they said, "how thousands of Jews have now become believers, all of them staunch upholders of the Law, and they have heard that you instruct all Jews living among the pagans to break away from Moses, authorizing them not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices" (21:21).

What the Church of Jerusalem is saying is really untrue, but, to avoid breaking the unity of the Church, Paul submits to James’ view; in spite of it all, he is arrested and will have to undergo a long trial and passion in Jerusalem, Caesarea and Rome. Paul defends himself in this trial with three apologetic speeches (again, it is uncertain whether Paul is defending himself or is it Luke defending Paul).

The first defense is made before the Jewish nation, 22:1-21;

The second defense is before Felix, the Roman Governor in Cesarea, 24:10-21;

The third is made before King Agrippa in Caesarea (26:1-23).

In 25:8, we find a summary of this defense: "I have committed no offense whatsoever against e †††?fither Jewish law or the temple or Caesar". Since the Jews want to kill him, Paul appeals to Caesar and is sent to Rome. The journey to Rome is one of a martyr for Jesus (27-28:16).

The first part tells us of Paul’s arrival at Rome (28:16-22), of his house imprisonment and of his meeting with prominent Jews. Paul recounts his whole trial to them. But the leading Jews are rather uninterested in this matter and prefer to listen directly to what Paul has to say.

In the second part (28:23-28) we have Paul’s break with Jewish ethnocentricity and his definite conversion to the Holy Spirit. This is the climactic point of the entire acts of Paul (chapters 15-28).

Let us look at this text, point by point:

1) A great number of leading Jews enter the house where Paul is staying.

2) Paul makes a thorough, from early morning until evening, and emotional proclamation of the Kingdom of God, based on the law and the prophets, giving witness and trying to persuade them with regard to Jesus.

3) Some believe but others remain incredulous.

4) They disagree among themselves and leave Paul’s house.

5) As they leave, Paul makes this one statement:

Paul has finally come to understand that the Holy Spirit is right. Isaiah’s text (Is 6:9-10) allows him to realize that the Holy Spirit was right the whole time. This text is used in the same sense throughout the whole of apostolic tradition: in Mark (4:12), Matthew (13:13-15), Luke (8:10) and John (12:39-40). Paul says that the Holy Spirit spoke to "your" ancestors, not "our" ancestors, thus demonstrating the clear break with the Jewish community.

A similar situation can be seen in Antioch, Pisidia (13:44-49), in Corinth (18:5-7) and in Ephesus (19:8-9). Paul was still hoping to see in these cities a massive and significant conversion of Jews as the initial stage of the mission to the pagans (Gentiles). His pastoral priority was: first the Jews, then the Gentiles. When the Jews rejected him, he then went to the Gentiles, but kept on working for the conversion of the Jewish nation as a nation. He comes to question and replace his former scheme; Paul becomes aware of the fact that the conversion of the Jewish nation as a nation will not become a reality at that moment. Salvation now is not for them, but for the Gentiles. Paul, therefore, can devote himself entirely and with good conscience to the mission to the Gentiles. That is what the Holy Spirit willed from the very beginning, but Paul resisted, reluctant to accept it. Now he finally realizes that the Holy Spirit is right and he bases this fact on the Isaiah text. The Jews are not necessarily a permanently excluded priority for the spreading of the Gospel; it is a temporary pastoral exclusion, so that the Church might be able to break away from Jewish ethnocentricity and open up to the Gentiles, nations, cultures and religions, to the ends of the earth. This does not mean that indivi †††?fdual Jews may not come to believe in the Gospel.

In the last part (28:30-31), we have the conclusion to the whole Book of Acts:

"Courage (parrhesía)" was necessary to be able to withstand the external persecutions and harassments of the Roman and Jewish authorities. "Without hindrance from anyone" refers internally to the missionaries whose mistaken theologies and choices were impeding the missionary action of the Holy Spirit. Courageous and unhindered by any obstacles, Jesus’ Testament could now ultimately be fulfilled (1:8). That is why Luke closes his book on the Acts of the Apostles at this point. Luke does not tell us whether Paul was freed or sentenced because this book is not a biography of the missionaries, but rather, a biography of the word of God. The Acts of the Apostles has clearly shown to us the same way.

Ref.: Sixth Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. Lebanon, 6 September 2002. Text from the Author, available also in Bulletin DEI VERBUM 62/63, October 2002.