The Acts of the Apostles and the National Restoration of Israel

This chapter is devoted to Luke’s treatment of Israel’s eschatological restoration in the book of Acts. Jerusalem retains its centrality in Acts as in Luke, signaling the ongoing importance of the city and its people. Far from giving up on the restoration of Israel, Luke continues to maintain hope for Israel’s salvation in Acts. This restoration is comprehensive, bringing together Israel in all of its tribal plenitude, namely, Jews but also Samaritans and other Israelites who were dispersed from their land. Israel’s restoration, furthermore, is intimately tied to the general resurrection, which are both anticipated in the messiah’s own resurrection. As the “first of the resurrection from among the dead” (Acts 26:23), Jesus’s resurrection affirms the hope that the dead will rise again and the nation of Israel will be renewed. The chapter deals as well with the controversial passages in Acts that allegedly blame the Jewish people for Jesus’s crucifixion. Finally, it examines the ending of Acts, arguing that the end of Acts is not the end of Israel’s story for Luke.