And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.  And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.  (13) Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.  (14) And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, (15) so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.  (16) Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Acts of the Apostles has been traditionally believed to have been written by Luke;  a Gentile, a companion of the Apostle Paul and the writer of one of the Gospels.  This book of the New Testament chronicles the early days of the Church and deals mostly with the “acts” of Peter and Paul and their ministerial work.  Luke wrote as an historian and states that the purpose of Acts was to proclaim the truth of the gospel that was being preached “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”  Luke shows how the message of salvation in Jesus was taught by the ancient church – he also gives us dates, historical context, detailed description of events all with regard to the spread of the Word of salvation in Christ Jesus.

The early church began in Jerusalem and spread to the centers of the known world, even to the capital city of Rome under the direction of the Holy Spirit – a message of a process of salvation that finally freed itself from the legalism and lifestyle of the Jewish people.  Acts was meant also to show that Christianity was the culmination and fulfillment of Israel’s hope.  The date of this book almost certainly precedes the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.  It ends with the Apostle Paul enduring his first imprisonment in Rome in 64 A.D.

There was an explosion of spiritual energy at Pentecost and the apostles were on fire with the Word they had been instructed to preach to all nations.  The Jewish high priests and Sadducees were clearly disturbed about an upset to the status quo – there was much popular support of the proclamation that Israel disowned and killed Jesus who was the Messiah and whom God raised from the dead.  The miracles the apostles worked proved their divine mission – not just a few works but many and diverse works.  These wonders were the sign of divine presence and power and these works were not done in secret but in full presence of the people who would witness and verify them.

That the apostles (all Jewish men)  met in Solomon’s Porch indicates they met in the temple in an open place – another sign of god’s work that the high priests let this public worship continue despite their hatred and envy and condemnation of Christianity.  It is also stated that the apostles were of one accord – unanimous in doctrine, worship and discipline.  The wonders and signs gained the apostles great respect – a recognition of the truth of what was being taught.

The early Church grew by great numbers.  The fact that Luke mentions the multitudes grew both of men and women gives us an insight that the apostles were inclusive as they had been taught by Jesus.  The apostles were presented with many afflicted and their reputation and the acceptance by the faithful of the gospel was enhanced by the cures of those people.   I want to add here that the apostles were not magnifying themselves but the works they performed were done to transmit the glory of Christ.  As it was not likely that the Jewish leaders would let these afflicted be brought to the temple and Solomon’s Porch in their jealousy and rage, Luke tells us that the sick were brought into the streets hoping even that the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on them telling us that people of that ancient world believed that Peter possessed magical powers.