what two events seem to provide a key to understanding the book of acts
Acts of the Apostles
Acts agrees with Paul 's letters on the major outline of Paul 's career : as Saul he is converted and becomes Paul the Christian missionary and apostle , establishing new churches in Asia Minor and the Aegean and struggling to free Gentile Christians from the Jewish Law . There are also agreements on many incidents , such as Paul 's escape from Damascus , where he is lowered down the walls in a basket . But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory : for example , according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus , but according to Luke it was , characteristically , the Jews ( 2 Corinthians 11 : 33 and Acts 9 : 24 ) . Many of the disagreements are not so immediately obvious : Acts speaks of `` Christians '' and `` disciples '' , but Paul never uses either term , and it is striking that Acts never brings Paul into conflict with the Jerusalem church and places Paul under the authority of the Jerusalem church and its leaders , especially James and Peter ( Acts 15 vs. Galatians 2 ) . Acts omits much from the letters , notably Paul 's problems with his congregations ( internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead ) , and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem ( Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that is accepted , a trip that has no mention in the letters ) . There are also major differences between Acts and Paul on Christology ( the understanding of Christ 's nature ) , eschatology ( understanding of the `` last things '' ) , and apostleship .
Acts agrees with Paul 's letters on the major outline of Paul 's career : as Saul he is converted and becomes Paul the Christian missionary and apostle , establishing new churches in Asia Minor and the Aegean and struggling to free Gentile Christians from the Jewish Law . There are also agreements on many incidents , such as Paul 's escape from Damascus , where he is lowered down the walls in a basket . But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory : for example , according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus , but according to Luke it was , characteristically , the Jews ( 2 Corinthians 11 : 33 and Acts 9 : 24 ) . Many of the disagreements are not so immediately obvious : Acts speaks of `` Christians '' and `` disciples '' , but Paul never uses either term , and it is striking that Acts never brings Paul into conflict with the Jerusalem church and places Paul under the authority of the Jerusalem church and its leaders , especially James and Peter ( Acts 15 vs. Galatians 2 ) . Acts omits much from the letters , notably Paul 's problems with his congregations ( internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead ) , and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem ( Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that is accepted , a trip that has no mention in the letters ) . There are also major differences between Acts and Paul on Christology ( the understanding of Christ 's nature ) , eschatology ( understanding of the `` last things '' ) , and apostleship .