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HE C HURCH White (the spotless bride of Christ) Following the Story The period of The Church follows the continuing story of Scripture in the Acts of the Apostles. Additionally, some of St. Paul’s letters will be briefly discussed, particularly as they correspond to his missionary journeys as recorded in the book of Acts. I f the cross is the coronation of Jesus as the messianic king, and if Jesus’ resurrection marks the momentous beginnings of a new creation, then the story of Jesus’ kingship needs a kingdom, and the first day of the new creation can only mean more work lies ahead. Who becomes a king without intending to rule and build a kingdom? What does the first day of a new creation mean if not the tilling of creation’s garden so that it bears much fruit? This is precisely the story that the Acts of the Apostles intends to tell. Through his Church, Jesus extends his kingdom to the end of the earth, and all who are baptized into Christ are made new creations bearing the abundant fruit of life in the Holy Spirit. St. Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, sets out the three sections of this period when he recalls Jesus’ words to the apostles, “You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Act one of this period will focus on Jesus’ sending of his Spirit and the p 262 apostles’ witness to those in Jerusalem. Act two will see the scattering of the early Christians due to persecution with the result that the gospel reaches into Judea and Samaria. Finally, act three will highlight the Church’s mission to the Gentiles and the expansion of the gospel to the end of the earth. A CT 1: W ITNESSES IN J ERUSALEM The “Acts” of the Apostles In the same way that the title “gospel” evoked the biography of a king to its first- century readers, the title “Acts” in Acts of the Apostles likewise evoked a royal literary genre. The importance of “acts” (in Greek, praxis) goes back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who observed that history cannot teach us universals because what happens is by chance and accident. However, Aristotle noted that there is practical value to be gained from the study of history. By observing the virtuous deeds and actions ( praxis) of great men, one can learn the habits necessary for building up the polis (city-state). The most famous and important “Acts” in the first century were the “Acts ( praxis) of Caesar Augustus” recorded in A.D. 14. The deeds ( praxis) of Augustus were published not only to give him honor but to provide an example for imitation. In other words, the deeds of Augustus provided the example for how the city and kingdom of Rome was to be built up. By evoking this literary genre, Luke is saying that the deeds ( praxis) of the apostles illustrate the kind of virtuous life necessary for building a new civilization—and not just any civilization, but the Kingdom of God. Just as the deeds ( praxis) of Augustus established the great Roman Imperium, the deeds of the apostles build up the new universal Imperium, the Kingdom of God (or, as St. Augustine will later describe it, the “City of God”). Apostolic Office Luke begins Acts by reminding Theophilus that in his earlier book (i.e., the gospel of Luke), he related “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1; emphasis added). This short statement highlights Luke’s understanding that the p 263 story of Jesus in the gospels continues in the life of the Church. Indeed, a careful reading of Acts reveals that the stories of Peter and Paul contain many important parallels to the story of Jesus. In writing his two works, Luke communicated what he learned from Paul—namely, that the life of Jesus is embodied and continued in the Church, his Body. Jesus’ Life Mirrored in the Life of the Church The identification of the Church as the Body of Christ can be seen in a comparison of Jesus’ life, as recounted in Luke’s gospel, with the life of the Church, as recounted in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. Many key events in Jesus’ life are mirrored in the life of the Church, Christ’s Body. The following charts list some of the many examples: tải về 6.33 Mb. Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn:
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