Lecture 2: Early Christian Proclamation

Early Christian Proclamation ..............................................................

Lecture 2

We’re going to begin our series of lectures on the history of Christian

theology by looking at the earliest Christian documents, the earliest

theological writings of the Christian tradition, which are the familiar

documents of the New Testament.

T

he ¿ rst recorded Christian sermon is found in the second chapter of

the book of Acts, part of the New Testament. The setting is Jerusalem

on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which occurs 50 days after the

feast of Passover, when Jesus was cruci¿ ed. Jesus’s followers, who were all

Jews, gathered in Jerusalem. In fact, Jews from all over the world gather

for the feast. The Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of the prophets of Israel,

descends on Jesus’s followers. They speak in other tongues—a whole variety

of languages spoken by the people gathered in Jerusalem. A crowd comes

together and asks, “What does this mean?” The Apostle Peter answers by

giving the ¿ rst recorded Christian sermon.

The sermon is about who Jesus is and what he has done. It is Jesus who

has sent the Holy Spirit. He does so from his exalted position at the right

hand of God; he has come to this position by being raised from the dead and

ascending into heaven. He has received from the Father the promised Holy

Spirit, and now pours it out on his followers.

Focusing on what God has done, the sermon contains a brief narrative of

Jesus’s life. God appoints and approves Jesus by the miracles he does;

God hands him over to be cruci¿ ed according to his destined plan and

foreknowledge; God raises him from the dead.

The sermon ascribes to Jesus some characteristic titles from the scriptures of

Israel. He is Christ, which is to say the Messiah, the anointed Son of David,

King of the Jews. They call upon his name as Lord, which suggests that in

some way the name of the God of Israel (“the LORD”) has been bestowed

on him.