路加身位外邦人，切身的立埸，述說福音是給外邦人預備。

Acts marks the transition from the work of God provincially among the Jews to His establishment of the universal church. In a real sense the reader goes from Jerusalem to the uttermost part of the world in these 28 chapters.

INTRODUCTION Among the New Testament writings, Acts stands out as singular and unique. This claim is made on the basis of several considerations. For one, it is the only historical sequel to the four Gospels in the canonical writings. No other narrative in the New Testament continues the accounts given by the four evangelists. Furthermore, this book forms a background and setting for most of Paul’s writings. Bruce writes, “But it is Luke that we have to thank for the coherent record of Paul’s apostolic activity. Without [Acts], we should be incalculably poorer. Even with it, there is much in Paul’s letters that we have difficulty in understanding; how much more there would be if we had no Book of Acts” (F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of the Acts, p. 27). The Book of Acts gives today’s Christians basic information and insights into the early church. Luke portrays the tensions, persecutions, frustrations, theological problems, and hopes confronting the neophyte bride of Christ. How great would be the church’s lack without the material in Acts! In addition, Acts marks the transition from the work of God provincially among the Jews to His establishment of the universal church. In a real sense the reader goes from Jerusalem to the uttermost part of the world in these 28 chapters. Besides all these, Acts presents a stimulating challenge to every Christian today. The zeal, the faith, the joy, the commitment, and the obedience of those early saints is an example to all believers. It is crucial for followers of Jesus Christ to be as intimately acquainted with this book as possible. As Rackham affirms, “We can hardly overestimate the importance of the Acts of the Apostles” (Richard Belward Rackham, The Acts of the Apostles, p. xiii). Title of the Book The earliest extant evidence for the name “Acts” is found in an anti-Marcionite Prologue to the Gospel of Luke, a work dated between A.D. 150 and 180. How or why it received this title is open to speculation. It must be conceded that “Acts” is not an accurate title because the book by no means contains all the acts of all the apostles. Only Peter and Paul are emphasized. The great Apostle John is mentioned, but none of his words are recorded. The death of John’s brother James is given in one brief sentence (Acts 12:2). The work more accurately could be titled “Certain Acts of Certain Apostles.” However, the title “The Acts of the Apostles” is so well established it identifies this work of Luke very well. Miracles by Peter and Paul Peter Acts 3:1–11 Healed a man lame from birth 5:15–16 Peter’s shadow healed people 5:17 Success caused Jewish jealousy 8:9–24 Dealt with Simon, a sorcerer 9:33–34 Healed Aeneas, a paralytic 9:36–41 Raised Dorcas to Life Paul 14:8–18 Healed a man lame from birth 19:11–12 Handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul healed people 13:45 Success caused Jewish jealousy 13:6–11 Dealt with Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer 20:9–12 Raised Eutychus to life Purpose of Acts Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Luke certainly had a purpose in writing. What was he intending to accomplish? To put it another way, why did he select the materials he chose for the book? To this question there are two answers. On the one hand some say the primary purpose is a historical one; on the other hand some say the goal is apologetic, that is, it is a written defense. All acknowledge there are subsidiary ends, but the question revolves around its primary purpose. The view that the purpose of Acts is a Pauline apologetic is buttressed by the amazing set of parallels between Peter and Paul (see chart “Miracles by Peter and Paul”). Perhaps Luke intended in this way to defend Paul’s apostleship; Paul certainly did not rate behind Peter in power and authority. This may also account for the three accounts of Paul’s conversion (chaps. 9; 22; 26). But though there are striking parallels between Peter’s and Paul’s ministries, the vindication of Paul’s apostleship can hardly be the book’s primary purpose. There is just too much in the book that would be extraneous to this goal. How does the appointment of the Seven in Acts or the detailed description of the shipwreck in Acts 27 further that end? Most recognize that Acts shows the universality of Christianity. Is this its primary purpose? The gospel goes to Samaritans, the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius, Gentiles at Antioch, poor and wealthy, educated and uneducated, women and men, the high and Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 349–350). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Acts: Book of transition As we understand this progression of events, then we can see that the Book of Acts is a book of transition, and that the entire period from the death of Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in A.D. 70 is a transitional period. Positionally, the old order was done away at the death of Christ, as signified by the tearing of the veil of the temple (Matt. 27:51). Positionally, the new order began with the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell the body of believers as recorded in Acts 2. Positionally, the entire transition took place within the span of those few days. Experientially, however, the transition covered nearly four decades. The transition was extensive. Ethnically, there was a transition from dealing primarily with Jews to dealing with both Jew and Gentile without distinction. There was also a transition in the people with whom God was dealing, from Israel to the church. Likewise, there was a transition in the principle on which God was dealing with men, from Law to grace. There was a transition from the offer to Israel of an earthly Davidic kingdom to the offer to all men of salvation based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was a transition from the prospect of Messiah’s coming to the historical fact that the promised One had come. There was a transition from the promise that the Spirit would be given to the historical fact that the Spirit had come. Again, all these transitions were made positionally in the brief period of time from the death of Christ to the Day of Pentecost. Yet experientially these truths were understood and entered into only over a span of some four decades. The Book of Acts records the positional transition as well as the experiential transition in the development of the theocratic kingdom program. Pentecost, J. D. (1995). Thy Kingdom Come: Tracing God’s Kingdom Program and Covenant Promises throughout History (pp. 266–267). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

case study

生死自在--生命意義的探索與建構——「意義治療學」引介 （八） 2012/7/8 | 作者：慧開法師（佛光大學佛教學院院長、南華大學生死學系教授） | 點閱次數：832 | 環保列印 字級： 大字體 一般字體 小字體 意義治療學的第三個層次 意義治療學的第三個層次，即是上一層「態度價值」的具體挖深，也分為三個側面，即是：(1)受苦或苦難（suffering），(2)責疚（感）（guilt），(3)死亡或無常（death or transitoriness of life）。這三個側面構成我們生命存在之「極限境況」的主要內涵。 受苦或苦難是指人間世種種難於承受或捱忍的極端痛苦，包括身、心兩方面，例如：身體殘疾、絕症病苦、天災人禍、恩怨情仇、生離死別……等等。責疚（感）則是指，人生當中無法挽救的嚴重挫敗，或是由於生命存在本身的侷限性或無奈情境所導致的罪責或內疚感。傅朗克自己所舉的例子是，在集中營裡的猶太獄囚看到其他的難友一一死在瓦斯窯裡，而自己卻僥倖活著的那種內疚，雖然他自己並不需擔負任何道義責任，但是內心難免帶有一種責疚感，類似「我不殺伯仁，伯仁因我而死」的感覺。至於死亡或無常，更是世間一切存在事物，包括我們自身的存在在內，所避免不了之最恐怖的經驗事實與必然結局。 意義治療學的應用 那麼，我們要如何面對上述這三種生命中的「極限境況」呢？傅朗克倡導一種他自己所稱的「悲劇性的樂天觀 (a tragic optimism)」，也就是「積極面對人生悲劇」的樂天觀，用這樣的生命態度來發揮自我的生命潛能。當我們面對無可避免的苦難之時，將自我所承受的深刻苦難經驗，轉化為生命的體驗成就或任務完成。當我們面對他人的不幸遭遇時，藉助於責疚感的機會，轉變、提升自己，創造更有意義的人生。當我們面對生死無常的現象或事件時，反而有助於我們更深刻地體認到生命的有限性與無常，當作再生的契機，而抉擇有自我責任的行動。 苦難的意義 當我們遭遇到一種「既無可避免、又無法逃脫」的絕望情境時，或者當我們必須面對一個無法改變的命運時——比如說罹患了不治的絕症，或是去摯愛的親人…等等——我們就等於得到一個最後的機會，去實現人生最高的價值與最深的意義——亦即「苦難的意義」。在這個時候，最核心與切要的問題是：我們對苦難採取了什麼樣的態度？我們會用怎樣的態度來面對、承擔自己所遭受到的痛苦？ 老醫師的喪妻之痛 傅朗克舉了一個很有啟發性的例子，有一位年老的全科醫師去看傅朗克，由於他患了嚴重的憂鬱症 (depression)，兩年前他無比摯愛的妻子過世了，之後他就一直無法走出喪妻的悲痛。 一開始，傅朗克避免對他講任何道理，而是直接問他：「請問醫師，如果是您先離世，而尊夫人還繼續活著，那會是怎樣的情境呢？」醫師說：「喔！對她來說那是多可怕的事啊！她會遭受到多大的痛苦啊！」 於是傅朗克順著他的話回應：「您看，醫師，現在她已經免除了那樣的痛苦，這是因為您才使她免除的，而您必須付出代價，以繼續活下去及哀悼她，來償付您心愛的人免除痛苦的代價。」 老醫師一語未發而緊緊握住傅朗克的手，然後平靜地離開了診所。痛苦在發現其意義的時候，就不再成為痛苦了，例如具有意義的犧牲便是。 正規地說，其實這不算是一種治療。一者，老醫師的沮喪並非疾病，而是人之常情；二者，傅朗克不能改變他的命運，不能使他的妻子死而復生。但是就在那一刻，傅朗克成功地轉變了他面對自己不可改變之命運的態度；或者從那一刻開始，至少他能從他所承受的痛苦中看出意義。 （續待）

Happiness Psychology 快樂心理學: 人生意義治療法 (Logotherapy)

Happiness Psychology 快樂心理學: 人生意義治療法 (Logotherapy): 〝人會為意義而生，也肯為意義而死。〞                                        ---- Victor Frankl 心理學是個到目前為止才 100 多年歷史的新興學科，雖然時間不長但已蓬勃發展，各心理學領域自立派別，琳琅滿目，讓...