Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

As most of you know, I’m deep into my complete rewrite, revision, and expansion of my book The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, which I hope to release over the next few years.

(If you’re are new to my work and you weren’t aware of this, DO NOT buy the old version. It’s flawed and grossly incomplete. Wait until the new version releases.)

As I write the new revision, which currently is triple the size of the old version, I’m aiming at making it the most complete treatment of what happened between Pentecost and Patmos in the first century, blending together the story of Acts with all the epistles.

I’m currently up to the 329^th draft with over 1,900 footnotes, utilizing the best resources by scholars and historians to support my findings (both classics from the past and the most current works).

Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Darrell L. Bock is one such resource.

Recently, I caught up with Darrell to discuss his book.

Enjoy!

How long did it take you to the write the book from the very beginning to the time you turned the manuscript into the publisher?

This was about a four year effort after having worked through Acts several times.

In Acts 1:6, what does it mean to “restore the kingdom to Israel?” Isn’t the kingdom for everyone and did Israel ever have God’s kingdom to begin with?

The Hebrew Scripture is full of promises to ethnic Israel that Jesus affirmed here. He simply said the time is in the father’s discretion. The kingdom is for everyone, but that includes hope for Israel. Paul also affirms this in Romans 11.

In Acts 6:15, the Sanhedrin beheld Stephen’s face as “the face of an angel.” What does that mean and how would they know what an angel’s face looked like?

This probably represents a striking brightness as angels are described as bright.  The angels at the tomb are said to be in bright white.

Is it true that most evangelical scholars believe that Galatians was Paul’s first surviving letter?

Yes. There is still a sorting out in relationship to issues of the Law that looks to be early.

What would you speculate the population of Berea to be? Educated guess?

We really do not know. Estimates are in the tens of thousands (as high as 60,000 when the town flourished).

Name two of the best books (titles and authors) in your view that make the best case that the book of Acts is historically reliable?

Colin Hemer and Conrad Gempf, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History. There is a series of books edited by Bruce Winter and Andrew Clarke that are quite good. The Book of Acts in Its First Century Setting.

What else would you like readers to know about your book?

I simply pray people will find it useful.

The following is from the publisher.

Following his authoritative two-volume commentary on Luke in the acclaimed BECNT series, Darrell Bock now provides a substantive yet highly accessible commentary on Acts in this latest addition to the series. With extensive research and thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, Bock leads readers through all aspects of the book of Acts—sociological, historical, and theological—to help them better understand and explain this key New Testament book.

As with all BECNT volumes, Acts features the author’s detailed interaction with the Greek text. This commentary admirably achieves the dual aims of the series—academic sophistication with pastoral sensitivity and accessibility—making it a useful tool for students, professors, and pastors. The user-friendly design includes shaded-text chapter introductions summarizing the key themes of each thought unit.

Darrell L. Bock (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of many books, including the two-volume commentary on Luke in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series, Jesus according to Scripture, and Studying the Historical Jesus.

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