1. Persecution and Scattering Went about preach- ing word Witnesses in all Judea and Samaria Witnesses in all Judea and Samaria Effect - Expansion of the Church -> Antioch Particular Episodes of Geographical Expansion of the Church Through Preaching- Word Expansion Thru Proclamation of Philip -> Samaria (Caesarea) Expansion Thru Proclamation of Paul -> Damascus (Jerusalem) Expansion Thru Proclamation of Peter -> Caesarea (Jerusalem) 8:1 3 8:4 8:5 8:40 9:1 9:31 9:32 12:25 Samaritans Gentiles- Foreshadowed (9:15-16) Gentiles Herod: “The voice of a God, and not of man” (12:22) Simon Magus: “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power” (8:10) Note transitional character of this material Paul (9:1-30;11:19-30) ->Looks ahead (Chs.13-28) Peter (9:32-12:25) ->Looks back (Chs.2-7) Acts 8:1-12:25 Cause

2. Structural Relationships: 1 Causation Cause-Persecution and Scattering 2 Particularization 8:4 - General Statement -8:5-12:25 - Particulars - Went about preaching-WordSpecific episodes of preaching-word as means of conversion and geographical expansion of church 3 Recurrence of Contrast with Climax Opposition and barriers to proclamation of Gospel- which come to nothing  Failure: External-Persecution Internal-Evil-Simon Magus Misunderstanding Structural Relationships: 1 Causation Cause-Persecution and Scattering 2 Particularization 8:4 - General Statement -8:5-12:25 - Particulars - Went about preaching-WordSpecific episodes of preaching-word as means of conversion and geographical expansion of church 3 Recurrence of Contrast with Climax Opposition and barriers to proclamation of Gospel- which come to nothing  Failure: External-Persecution Internal-Evil-Simon Magus Misunderstanding Climax: Herod vs. Word- Power of Rome is utterly helpless (12:1-24) Climax: Herod vs. Word- Power of Rome is utterly helpless (12:1-24) Preaching of the Word, which issues in success and expansion Summary:8:4-8; 11:21; 12:24 Preaching of the Word, which issues in success and expansion Summary:8:4-8; 11:21; 12:24 4 Recurrence of conversion (8:5-11:18, passim) Effect-Preaching-Word and Expansion 8:4-12:25 Herod dies Word multiplies Peter Circumcision party 8:1-3 vs. (Note also instrumentation here- opposition [along with the Word] is the means of conversion and expansion of the gospel)

3. Acts 8-12 - How the Church Expands in the Areas Beyond Jerusalem Through Persecution (Judea and Samaria) “Those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (8:4)- 2 Main Concerns: 1. What God does in terms of expansion: Breaks down all barriers to missionary expansion Acts 8-12 - How the Church Expands in the Areas Beyond Jerusalem Through Persecution (Judea and Samaria) “Those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (8:4)- 2 Main Concerns: 1. What God does in terms of expansion: Breaks down all barriers to missionary expansion Religious/Racial Divisions- Samaritans (ch.8) Religious/Racial Divisions- Samaritans (ch.8) Persecution- Saul (ch.9) Racial/ Religious- Biases (ch. 10-11) Political Opposition- Herod/Rome (ch.12)

4. 2. What God does in terms of conversion - Samaritans esp. Simon Magus (ch.8) and also Ethiopian eunuch (ch.8) Paul Paradigm of Conversion Representative (Though not normative) example (ch.9) Paul Paradigm of Conversion Representative (Though not normative) example (ch.9) Cornelius and House- Peter and the church (chap 10-11) Note: Throughout emphasis upon notion that God is acting in unexpected, surprising, new ways- Sovereignty, freedom, and power of God & Christ. Radical newness of kingdom Note: Throughout emphasis upon notion that God is acting in unexpected, surprising, new ways- Sovereignty, freedom, and power of God & Christ. Radical newness of kingdom Analyze conversions here -> Theology of conversion