The Expansion of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome

Why this matters

Acts doesn’t just report that the church “grew”; it shows how the gospel moved—socially, geographically, ethnically, and politically—from a prayer meeting in Jerusalem to public proclamation “boldly and unhindered” in Rome (Acts 28:31). Learning the mechanisms of that expansion (Spirit, Scripture, synagogues, households, roads/ships, leadership, suffering, legal hearings) helps you read any pericope in Acts with the right expectations and equips you to trace how Luke’s history underwrites the apostolic letters (Bruce, 1990; Keener, 2012; Witherington, 1998; Schnabel, 2012; Johnson, 1992).

Learning outcomes

By the end, you will be able to:

1. Explain how Acts 1:8 functions as both program and plot, structuring the movement Jerusalem → Judea/Samaria → the nations → Rome (Bruce, 1990; Schnabel, 2012).

2. Describe the agents and avenues of expansion: the Holy Spirit, Scripture-shaped preaching, synagogue networks, households/patrons, urban hubs, roads/sea lanes, suffering, and legal protections (Keener, 2012; Hemer, 1989; Witherington, 1998).

3. Trace key hinge episodes that opened new frontiers (Pentecost; Stephen and dispersion; Philip/Samaria/Ethiopian; Peter/Cornelius; Antioch; the Jerusalem Council; Paul’s missions; the trials and voyage to Rome) and explain their theological significance.

4. Articulate why Rome is an appropriate narrative climax—symbolically the world’s center—and why Luke ends with an open door rather than martyrdom (Bruce, 1990).

5. Avoid common misreadings (treating Acts as a strict blueprint; downplaying women, Gentiles, or suffering; flattening speeches into verbatim transcripts) by using a historically informed reading toolkit (Loveday Alexander, 1993; Witherington, 1998).

1) The program and the plot: Acts 1:8 as a map

Jesus’s promise/charge—“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”—reads like a table of contents. Luke then narrates exactly that progression:

• Jerusalem (Acts 1–7): birth, teaching, signs, opposition, administrative innovation, and the first martyr.

• Judea and Samaria (Acts 8–12): boundary crossing, Spirit-led inclusion, a Gentile Pentecost, and Antioch as a new base.

• To the nations (Acts 13–28): three mission circuits, the Jerusalem Council, trials, and a storm-tossed journey that lands the gospel in Rome.

Luke punctuates this arc with progress reports—“the word of God grew/multiplied” (6:7; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; cf. 28:31)—to teach you what to notice: opposition does not arrest growth (Keener, 2012; Schnabel, 2012).

Reading tip: When you open any passage in Acts, ask: Where am I on the 1:8 map? Which boundary is being crossed here (geographic, ethnic, social, legal)?

2) Jerusalem (Acts 1–7): Birth, boldness, and the first tremors

2.1 Pentecost: a multilingual launch

At Pentecost, Spirit-filled witnesses speak in the languages of the diaspora, signaling that mission will move outward from day one. Peter’s sermon anchors the new movement in Scripture (Joel 2; Ps 16; 110), proclaims Jesus crucified and raised, and offers forgiveness and Spirit to repentant hearers (Acts 2:14–41). Three thousand are baptized; Luke then sketches a teaching–fellowship–table–prayer–generosity community (2:42–47) (Bruce, 1990; Johnson, 1992).

2.2 Signs and backlash

A healed lame man (Acts 3) draws a crowd; Peter again preaches Scripture-fulfilled resurrection. Opposition escalates (4–5), but so does boldness—“we cannot but speak”—and growth. The Ananias/Sapphira episode clarifies that holiness matters in a growing movement; the apostles’ beatings become occasions for joy and renewed witness (Witherington, 1998).

2.3 Administrative innovation for equitable care

As numbers increase, a complaint from Hellenist believers leads to the appointment of seven Greek-named servants to ensure fair distribution (6:1–7). This is not a detour; it is mission-preserving administration. The result: “the word of God kept on flourishing” (6:7) (Keener, 2012).

2.4 Stephen: martyrdom as mission engine

Stephen’s Scripture-saturated speech re-reads Israel’s story around Jesus and a mobile presence of God not confined to temple geography (7:2–53). His death unleashes a scattering that spreads the word beyond Jerusalem (8:1–4). In Luke’s logic, persecution becomes propulsion (Schnabel, 2012).

3) Judea and Samaria (Acts 8–12): Boundaries fall, a new hub rises

3.1 Samaria and the Ethiopian (Acts 8)

Philip proclaims Christ in Samaria; signs accompany; apostles verify inclusion via prayer and Spirit. Then the Spirit repositions Philip to the Gaza road, where a royal Ethiopian eunuch—a God-fearing Scripture reader—hears Isaiah 53 preached as gospel, believes, and is baptized (8:26–39). Ethnic, geographic, and purity boundaries yield to the Spirit’s redirection (Keener, 2012; Schnabel, 2012).

3.2 Saul’s turn (Acts 9)

The chief persecutor meets the risen Jesus on the way to Damascus. Temporarily blinded, Saul is healed and baptized through the ministry of Ananias; he begins proclaiming the Son of God. This conversion/call creates the chief agent of the Gentile mission (9:1–31) (Witherington, 1998).

3.3 Peter’s coastal circuit and a rooftop vision (Acts 9:32–10:48)

Peter heals Aeneas (Lydda) and raises Tabitha/Dorcas (Joppa), acts that prepare for a bigger boundary crossing: a rooftop vision that reclassifies clean/unclean and a Spirit-arranged meeting with Cornelius, a Roman centurion. As Peter preaches, the Spirit falls on Gentiles before circumcision; Peter orders baptism, then defends the event in Jerusalem—“Who was I to hinder God?” (Acts 10–11) (Keener, 2012).

Theological payoff: Inclusion rests not on ethnic markers but on God’s impartial gift of the Spirit. This episode becomes evidence at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) (Bock, 2007).

3.4 Antioch: a new mission center (Acts 11:19–30; 13:1–3)

Scattered believers preach to Greeks at Antioch; a multiethnic, Spirit-filled church emerges, first called “Christians.” Barnabas retrieves Saul to teach; prophets foretell famine; the church sends relief to Judea—solidarity across ethnicity. Later, during worship and fasting, the Spirit says, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul…”; the church sends them (13:1–3). Antioch becomes a hub for intentional sending, not just accidental scattering (Schnabel, 2012; Witherington, 1998).

3.5 Herodian pressure and divine deliverance (Acts 12)

Herod Agrippa I executes James, imprisons Peter, and persecutes the church; God delivers Peter, and Herod dies. Luke repeats the refrain: “the word of God continued to grow and multiply” (12:24). Political turbulence cannot block expansion (Bruce, 1990).

4) To the nations (Acts 13–28): Circuits, councils, cities, and courts

4.1 Mission 1 (Acts 13–14): Cyprus and South Galatia

Sent by the Spirit and Antioch, Barnabas and Saul preach first in synagogues (a strategic bridge to God-fearers who know Scripture), then to Gentiles when many Jews reject the message. Key moments:

• Cyprus: confrontation with Elymas and conversion of Sergius Paulus, a Roman proconsul—elite uptake, strategic legitimacy.

• Pisidian Antioch: programmatic synagogue sermon—promise → Jesus → resurrection → forgiveness → warning (13:16–41).

• Lystra/Derbe: contextual preaching to pagans about the Creator who gives rain and crops; healing a lame man; persecution and return to strengthen disciples and appoint elders in every church (14:21–23).

Pattern learned: synagogue-first; Scripture proclamation; mixed response; turn to Gentiles; plant churches with local elders; revisit to strengthen (Schnabel, 2012; Witherington, 1998).

4.2 Jerusalem Council (Acts 15): Unity without uniformity

The question: Must Gentiles be circumcised and keep Torah to belong? The church listens to experience (Cornelius), recognizes the Spirit’s impartial gift, and reads Scripture (Amos 9:11–12) to discern God’s will. The decision: no to circumcision for Gentile inclusion; yes to a few table-fellowship provisions so Jews and Gentiles can eat together. The result is one multiethnic family on gospel terms (Bock, 2007; Keener, 2012).

4.3 Mission 2 (Acts 15:36–18:22): Europe opens—Macedonia and Achaia

After parting with Barnabas, Paul and Silas (with Timothy, later Luke—note the “we” from 16:10) revisit churches and move west after a vision calls them to Macedonia.

• Philippi: conversion of Lydia (a merchant—patronage and household), liberation of a slave girl (spiritual/economic clash), conversion of a Roman jailer (household baptism). A cross-class church is born (16:11–40).

• Thessalonica/Berea: opposition in one city, noble examiners of Scripture in another.

• Athens: contextual Areopagus address—creation to judgment, resurrection as God’s assurance; mixed response (17).

• Corinth: tentmaking and team-ministry with Aquila and Priscilla; synagogue conflict; the Gallio ruling effectively provides a legal umbrella for the movement as a lawful expression within Judaism (18:12–17) (Witherington, 1998; Keener, 2012).

4.4 Mission 3 (Acts 18:23–21:26): Ephesus and the Asian network

Paul spends two+ years in Ephesus, teaching publicly and house to house, so that “all Asia heard the word” (19:10, 20). Features:

• Spirit-empowered teaching and unusual miracles; exorcisms expose spiritual counterfeits; magical papyri burned—economy and allegiance shift (19:11–20).

• Riot led by Artemis-guild interests shows that gospel growth disrupts idolatrous industries without coercion (19:23–41).

• Team development (e.g., Apollos, Timothy, Tychicus); elders in Ephesus receive a tearful charge to shepherd the flock (20:17–38).

• Ongoing collection for the Jerusalem poor embodies unity across ethnic lines (cf. Acts 24:17) (Schnabel, 2012; Witherington, 1998).

4.5 Arrests, defenses, and the voyage (Acts 21–28): To Caesar you shall go

Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem leads to a chain of defenses before the Sanhedrin, Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, where he consistently testifies to the resurrection. He appeals to Caesar, invoking Roman citizenship (22:25–29; 25:11). The voyage (27) reads like a mariner’s log (Hemer, 1989): realistic seamanship, a storm, shipwreck, Malta, and safe arrival at Rome. There, Paul proclaims the kingdom “with all boldness and without hindrance.” Luke ends not with death but with an open door, signaling that the story continues (28:30–31) (Bruce, 1990; Keener, 2012).

5) How expansion actually worked: agents, avenues, and patterns

5.1 The Spirit as director and power

From Pentecost to Antioch’s sending to travel redirection (16:6–10) to Cornelius, the Spirit is mission control—empowering speech, authenticating inclusion, guiding routes, and creating unity in discernment (Acts 15:28). Mission is responsive before it is strategic (Keener, 2012; Bock, 2007).

5.2 Scripture as interpretive frame and persuasive ground

Speeches to Jews and God-fearers argue from Scripture that the Messiah had to suffer and rise, while speeches to pagans begin from creation and conscience (Acts 14; 17). The church also uses Scripture to discern policy (Amos 9 in Acts 15). Expansion is text-shaped (Witherington, 1998; Schnabel, 2012).

5.3 Synagogue networks as bridges to the nations

Paul’s synagogue-first practice wasn’t mere habit; synagogues were diaspora hubs linking Scripture-literate Jews and God-fearers (Gentiles sympathetic to Israel’s God). Many early Gentile believers come from this liminal group (e.g., Sergius Paulus, Lydia likely a God-fearer). When conflict rose, mission pivoted to broader Gentile publics (Schnabel, 2012).

5.4 Households and patrons as social engines

Conversions cascade through households: Cornelius, Lydia, the jailer. Hosts become hubs (e.g., Priscilla and Aquila host/work/teach in Corinth, Ephesus, Rome). This pattern explains rapid diffusion without mass temples—a network of homes and workshops (Witherington, 1998; Keener, 2012).

5.5 Women as patrons, prophets, teachers

Luke highlights Lydia (patronage), Priscilla (teaching Apollos), Tabitha/Dorcas (diaconal leadership), and Philip’s daughters (prophets). The movement’s cross-gender participation widens social reach and credibility (Johnson, 1992; Witherington, 1998).

5.6 Roads and ships: infrastructure of empire, vehicle of mission

Rome’s roads, coastal sea lanes, and postal/commerce networks enable serial urban planting (Pisidian Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica). Acts 27’s nautical detail and accurate toponyms argue for first-century verisimilitude (Hemer, 1989).

5.7 Suffering as catalyst and credential

Beatings, imprisonments, and trials repeatedly advance the word (4–5; 8:1–4; 16; 21–28). Suffering also authenticates witnesses and reconfigures honor around the cross (5:41). Luke’s refrain—“the word grew”—often follows conflict (Keener, 2012; Bruce, 1990).

5.8 Legal status and public posture

Roman officials often exonerate Christians (Gallio; tribunes; Agrippa’s “this man could have been set free”). Paul lawfully appeals to Caesar. Luke thus normalizes a public, peaceable Christian presence and explains how the gospel could spread inside empire (Witherington, 1998; Keener, 2012).

6) Why Rome? The narrative and theological climax

Rome symbolizes the oikoumenē—the inhabited world. By ending with unhindered proclamation in the capital (28:31), Luke signals at least three things:

1. Mission accomplished (so far): The 1:8 trajectory has reached the empire’s heart.

2. Gospel’s legality: The movement is not a political sedition; courts repeatedly find no crime, offering a legal canopy for continued mission (18:12–17; 23–26).

3. Open-ended invitation: Luke stops short of martyrdom to invite readers to carry on the story—Acts 29 in every locale (Bruce, 1990; Witherington, 1998).

7) Hinge episodes as case studies

7.1 Cornelius (Acts 10–11): Spirit before circumcision

• What changes: Gentiles receive the Spirit “just as we did.”

• Why it matters: The basis of belonging is God’s gift, not Torah boundary markers; table fellowship becomes possible (Bock, 2007; Keener, 2012).

• How it spreads: Peter reports, Jerusalem recognizes; this precedent guides Acts 15.

7.2 Jerusalem Council (Acts 15): Unity for mission

• What changes: No circumcision for Gentiles; a short letter preserves table fellowship and mission unity.

• Why it matters: Prevents a two-church outcome (Jewish vs. Gentile) and avoids making Gentile converts into proselytes (Bock, 2007).

7.3 Ephesus (Acts 19–20): Regional diffusion

• What changes: From one city hub, “all Asia heard the word.”

• Why it matters: Demonstrates regional training and team ministry (Tyrannus hall; elders), and how the gospel reorders economies without political revolt (Witherington, 1998; Schnabel, 2012).

7.4 Trials and voyage (Acts 22–28): Witness in court and storm

• What changes: The gospel gains audience with rulers; Paul models public apologetics; the voyage shows God’s providence and pastoral leadership in crisis; Rome hears the word (Hemer, 1989; Keener, 2012).

8) Patterns you can apply in exegesis and ministry

1. Contextual rhetoric, common core. Whether Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 2), Paul in Pisidian Antioch (13), Lystra (14), Athens (17), or before Agrippa (26), the kerygma stays: God’s promises → Jesus’s life/death/resurrection → eyewitness testimony → call to respond. But the entry point shifts (Scripture for Jews; creation/conscience for pagans) (Witherington, 1998; Schnabel, 2012).

2. Church planting with follow-up. Paul doesn’t drop tracts and sail away; he forms elders, revisits, writes letters, and sends co-workers. Expansion is durable because it builds local leadership (Acts 14:23; 20:17–38).

3. Economics and allegiance. Expansion collides with profit (Acts 16, 19). Luke shows the gospel reweaving economic life (generosity, integrity; abandoning exploitative trades) without coercion (Keener, 2012).

4. Diversity by design. Antioch’s varied leadership (prophets/teachers from multiple regions) mirrors the multiethnic outcome Luke narrates—this isn’t a side effect; it is programmatic (Acts 13:1–3; 11:20–26).

5. Prayer and fasting precede initiative. Antioch’s sending, elder appointment, and major decisions are prayer-soaked (13:2–3; 14:23; 15:6–29). Expansion emerges from discernment, not merely ambition (Bock, 2007).

9) Common pitfalls (and better paths)

• Pitfall: Treat Acts as a rigid, one-size blueprint.
  Better: Read Acts as normative theology in narrative—principles (Spirit dependence, bold proclamation, shared leadership, generosity, unity-in-diversity) instantiated in contexts (Loveday Alexander, 1993; Witherington, 1998).

• Pitfall: Downplay women or reduce them to anecdotes.
  Better: Recognize women as patrons, prophets, and teachers who expand the movement’s social reach (Johnson, 1992).

• Pitfall: Assume growth is smooth.
  Better: Expect conflict (internal—Acts 6; external—Acts 4–5, 16, 19) and see how it catalyzes expansion (Keener, 2012).

• Pitfall: Read speeches as stenographic transcripts.
  Better: Read them as ancient historiographic compositions faithful to substance and tailored to audience (Loveday Alexander, 1993).

• Pitfall: Oppose Luke’s Paul to the Paul of the letters.
  Better: Let genre explain differences; use Acts to locate letters historically and letters to nuance Acts’ narrative (Witherington, 1998; Keener, 2012).

10) Practice exercises (interpretive competence)

1. Trace a boundary crossing. Choose Acts 8 (Samaria/Ethiopian) or Acts 10–11 (Cornelius). In ~400 words, identify (a) the boundary crossed, (b) the agent(s) God uses, (c) the Scripture/Spirit interplay, and (d) the downstream impact on policy or mission. Cite at least two sources (Keener, 2012; Bock, 2007).

2. Map a mission circuit. Chart Paul’s second journey (Acts 16–18). For each city (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth), list (a) entry point (synagogue/marketplace), (b) response, (c) opposition, (d) church result, and (e) any legal precedent. ~500 words with 1–2 citations (Schnabel, 2012; Witherington, 1998).

3. Analyze a progress report. Pick one (6:7; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31) and explain in ~300 words how Luke uses it to interpret the prior episodes (e.g., conflict → growth). Support with one commentary (Bruce, 1990; Keener, 2012).

4. Why Rome? In ~350 words, argue why Luke ends in Rome rather than with Paul’s death. Address symbolism, legality, and open-ended mission. Use Bruce (1990) and Witherington (1998).

11) Review questions (exam prep)

1. In 800–1,000 words, narrate the expansion Jerusalem → Rome, highlighting five hinge events and explaining their theological function (e.g., Pentecost, Stephen, Cornelius, Council, Ephesus, Gallio ruling, voyage).

2. Compare Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13) and Areopagus (Acts 17) sermons. How do they contextualize the same gospel for different audiences?

3. Explain the Jerusalem Council decision. How did it safeguard unity and mission? Include the roles of experience, Spirit, and Scripture.

4. Discuss households, patronage, and work (e.g., Lydia; Priscilla/Aquila; tentmaking) as engines of mission.

5. Evaluate how suffering and legal rulings advance the gospel in Acts. Use three episodes.

12) Key terms (brief definitions)

• Diaspora synagogues: Jewish communal hubs across the empire; first-contact points where Scripture and God-fearers provide bridges to Gentiles (Schnabel, 2012).

• God-fearers: Gentiles attracted to Israel’s God and ethics who often form the first wave of Gentile believers (Keener, 2012).

• Household (oikos): Extended family/work unit; a primary vector for rapid diffusion (Witherington, 1998).

• Progress report: Lukan formula summarizing growth and interpreting conflict as catalyst, not hindrance (Acts 6:7; 12:24; etc.) (Bruce, 1990).

• Appeal to Caesar: Legal right of Roman citizens to imperial adjudication; in Acts it becomes a vehicle to Rome (Keener, 2012; Witherington, 1998).

References (APA)

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. (1990). The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek text with introduction and commentary (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Hemer, C. J. (1989). The Book of Acts in the setting of Hellenistic history. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

Johnson, L. T. (1992). The Acts of the Apostles (Sacra Pagina 5). Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Keener, C. S. (2012–2015). Acts: An exegetical commentary (Vols. 1–4). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Loveday Alexander, L. C. A. (1993). The preface to Luke’s Gospel: Literary convention and social context in Luke 1.1–4 and Acts 1.1–2. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Schnabel, E. J. (2012). Acts (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Witherington, B., III. (1998). The Acts of the Apostles: A socio-rhetorical commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Closing encouragement

Keep Acts 1:8 on your desk and watch how each paragraph pushes that promise forward. Expansion in Acts isn’t magic; it’s the Spirit empowering Scripture-soaked witnesses who work through synagogues, households, roads, and courts, who suffer without quitting, and who discern together for the sake of unity in mission. That is how the word ran from a single upper room in Jerusalem to an open house in Rome—and how it keeps running still.