609. Until the Book of Acts, the Bible primarily belonged to the Jewish people. Of the many radical elements of Jesus' message, one of the most radical was that He meant for it to apply to Gentiles (non-Jews) as well as Jews. When Jesus told His apostles to go to the ends of the world, He really meant it. This brisk narrative begins in Jerusalem and ends in Rome, symbolizing how Jesus took the faith of ancient Israel and opened it up to the world.
610. The list of disciples differ from one book to another. The Gospel of Matthew lists Simon, Andrew (Simon's brother), James and John (the sons of Zebedee), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. Luke refers to Simon as "the zealot" (a brand of political protestors) and mentions "Judas son of James" instead of Thaddaeus. Many of these men were pillars of the early church.
611. Peter, who was called Simon before Jesus renamed him, was the first leader of the early church. Peter had a long history with the Lord; he denied Christ three times before the cock crowed but went on in faith following Christ's death and resurrection to become exactly what his name meant-"the rock."
612. James and John, both sons of Zebedee, were brothers. They both were active in the early church. Both had been especially close to Jesus, being present at the transfiguration. It is strongly believed that John went on to write the Gospel of John.
613. Acts introduces the New Testament's second most influential figure (Jesus was the first!), an educated Jew and tentmaker named Saul. Born in what is now Turkey, Saul went to Jerusalem to learn from the esteemed rabbi Gamaliel, grandson of the legendary rabbi Hillel, the most prominent pharisaic rabbi of the first century. Given authority by the high priest to arrest followers of Christ in Damascus for blasphemy, Saul vigorously persecuted early Christians. His name was changed to Paul after he experienced a transforming vision and conversion.
614. Paul developed a strategy for his traveling ministry that he followed through all his journeys. He generally moved farther westward from Israel with each mission. When he entered a city for the first time, he would look for a synagogue or other place where he could find the Jews of the city. In the first century A.D., Jews were dispersed throughout the world. Hardly a city didn't have Jews who met together regularly. Sometimes synagogues were receptive to his message; at other times hearers were extremely hostile.
615. When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem for his "heretical" views, he demanded a trial in Rome before the emperor, his right as a Roman citizen-the equivalent of an American traveler demanding a hearing with the U.S. president.
