The Meaning of the Term "Apostolos"

The second part of the New Testament consists of holy books that usually are united, at least in their liturgical usage, under the general term "Apostolos" ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] Russian or [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] in Greek). The word "Apostolos" means "messenger." This name was given to the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, sent by Him to preach the Gospel to all mankind. Just as the word "Gospels" now indicates the written word (originally the oral preaching) concerning the life and teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, the word "Apostolos" refers to the extant writings of Christ's apostles, including their deeds, lives, and teachings. This division of the New Testament into two parts — the Gospel and the Apostolos — is of ancient provenance. We find this division and the name "Apostolos" in the writings of St Irenaeus of Lyons, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian.

The Content of the Apostolos

Even though in the first centuries of Christianity many books appeared bearing the title Acts, Epistles, and Revelation, the only authentic and canonically recognized books are the following (twenty-three in number):

1. The Acts of the Apostles

2. St Paul's Epistle to the Romans

3. St Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians

4. St Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians

5. St Paul's Epistle to the Galatians

6. St Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians

7. St Paul's Epistle to the Philippians

8. St Paul's Epistle to the Colossians

9. St Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians

10. St Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians

11. St Paul's First Epistle to Timothy

12. St Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy

13. St Paul's Epistle to Titus

14. St Paul's Epistle to Philemon

15. St Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews

16. The General Epistle of the Holy Apostle James

17. The First General Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter

18. The Second General Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter

19. The First General Epistle of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian

20. The Second General Epistle of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian

21. The Third General Epistle of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian

22. The General Epistle of the Holy Apostle Jude

23. The Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) of St John the Theologian

In this collection of writings, Acts is a book of historical record, the Epistles of St Paul and the General Epistles are instructional in nature, and the Revelation of St John is a book of prophecy.

In his Thirty-Ninth Festal Epistle, St Athanasius of Alexandria also mentions that "there are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness." Among such books, he mentions the Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) and The Shepherd of Hermas. Aside from those books, St Athanasius mentions the so-called apocryphal (i.e., hidden, secret) books that are "invention(s) of heretics," who attribute them to the apostles, "so that, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple." Following patristic witness, the Church rejects the pseudo-epigraphical (fabricated) and apocryphal (hidden, esoteric) books that claim apostolic origin but do not reflect the authentic apostolic doctrine. The faithful are discouraged from reading those books, as their reading can bring spiritual harm.

Overview of the Acts of the Apostles

The Writer of the Book and the Reason for its Composition

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles, as is evident from its first few words, is a direct continuation of the Gospels. The author sets himself a goal to describe the events that occurred immediately following the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to give a summary of the establishment of Christ's Church on earth by the labors of the holy apostles, especially the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. St John Chrysostom, in his first homily on Acts, describes in detail the great significance of this book for Christianity, as it confirms the truth of the Gospel with factual information from the lives of the apostles.

"This book," he says, "is mostly filled with proofs of the resurrection. ... This is the content and most important purpose of this book." This is also why the faithful prepare themselves for the great feast of Pascha by reading the complete Book of Acts in church on the evening before the Paschal service. For the same reason, the Acts are read aloud at the daily liturgy during the entire period of the Pentecostarion.

The Book of Acts, according to its own writer (see Acts 1:1–2), is his second book written for a certain Theophilus. Thus, it is evident that the Book of Acts was written as a continuation of the third Gospel, and its author is obviously none other than the author of the third Gospel, the Apostle and evangelist Luke, who was himself a fellow laborer and fellow traveler of St Paul. The authorship of St Luke is attested as early as the second half of the second century in the Letter of the Churches of Vienne and Lyons to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia by St Irenaeus of Lyons, by Clement of Alexandria, and by Tertullian as well as in the ancient Muratorian Canon, in the writings of Origen, in the Peshitta, in the ancient Syriac translation of the Bible, and in the work of many other later Christian writers. Hints to the existence of this book, as well as direct quotations, are found in even earlier writings, such as those by St Ignatius of Antioch, St Polycarp of Smyrna, and St Justin Martyr.

We also have internal evidence for St Luke's authorship. The writer is often a direct participant in the events (even using the first person plural, instead of the third person), being a fellow traveler and fellow laborer of St Paul (see 16:10–17, 20:5–15, 21:1–17, 27:1–28). This also is why the writer speaks mostly (and in the second half, exclusively) about the apostolic work of St Paul. Even the tone of the narrative and the style of the book remind the reader of the Gospel according to St Luke.

The Time and Place of the Composition of the Book of Acts

The last events of Acts indicate that the Apostle Paul lived in Rome for two years, constantly preaching the Gospel (28:30–31). Nothing is written of his martyrdom at the hands of Emperor Nero on June 29, A.D. 67. Tradition tells us that the Apostle Paul, having been vindicated at his trial before Caesar — the trial occurred after his two-year imprisonment in Rome — returned to Jerusalem and went on a fourth missionary journey. From this, we can conclude that the Book of Acts was written by St Luke in A.D. 63 or 64 in Rome. In the Epistles to the Colossians (4:14) and Philemon (v. 24), Paul mentions that St...