Chili

It started at chapter 1:26 when they chose Matthias to be number 12.

I never read Acts, as I was told to read it last and I quit before that. I find Matthias chosen over Justus telling us that Matthew was not so wrong but that only the prevailing witchery was wrong. It always was and still is today, or rather again today after the Reformation shut the Inquisitor down.

To me it seems that the time was right to create heaven on earth and that must have a location someplace and is where Rome was chosen by Judaism itself, and hence Christendom is the final destiny for Jews. Needless to say is that this caused a riot among Jews and hence the many self made Christian sects that followed, each with a piece of the truth poping away -- and still here today we find an attempt to bring Marcion back.

The fact however is that Christ as their messiah moved to Rome and took Mary along and so I would go as far as saying that the New Jerusalem is located in Rome and that is designated by chosing Matthias as 12th apostle so that Justice can be. So you can see Christendom as the heaven for Jews (sic) and that cannot be Judaism itself as a means to the end but must be based on Judaism, ever so true, which so here now becomes the grafted branch with Paul leading the way.

The idea they had of a Universal Messiah is true, but only in a personal way wherein each sinner finds the end of his own word that he may enter upon his own heaven on earth and that is where Acts must show us how that is done.

Chili

Does that not validate a living faith with Christ in motion among us? There is no history in the bible and every saint is a new God among us that brings about cultural high-points in history that is always crashed by reform movements in history with new popes popping up in all directions each with a dumb-struck staff dispersing the flock.

Duvduv

Chili, WHAT does this have to do with the question of whether the author of chapters 20-26 was someone other than the author of chapters 1-19?

Chili

I do not think it was a different author but shows the validation of faith first, for which Matthias was chosen to say that faith is required to reach destiny. Then the rising action puts faith to the test that leads to the crisis moment in the later chapters to validate its purpose where it so confirms that in 'this age' Jesus came again to lead the way.

I think the problem people may have is that they are waiting for Christ to come again instead of Jesus, and he just comes and goes as the only thing he does.

Duvduv

Can you separate religious rhetoric from ordinary analysis of texts?