. . . Luke provides a series of parallels between Peter and Paul. They
were both filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 4:8 and 13:9). They were both miraculously
freed from prison (see Acts 12:6-11 and 16:25-34). They both preach their first
sermons to “the men of Israel” (see Acts 22:22-36 and 13:26-41). They both
quote Psalm 16 in relation to Jesus’s resurrection—God will not let his “Holy
One see corruption” (see Acts 2:15-28 and 13:35). They both heal paralytics,
and work other miracles, including raising the dead. Peter rebuked Simon for
offering him money so as to obtain the power of the Holy Spirit (see Acts
8:14-24), and Paul did the same in Cyprus to Elymus the magician (see Acts
14:3-12). Lastly, both refused to be worshiped as if they were divine (Acts
10:25-26 and 14:11-15). By demonstrating that Peter and Paul share equally in
the power of the Holy Spirit, these parallels authenticate Paul’s apostolic
ministry as equal to that of Peter’s. (Thomas G. Weinandy, Jesus Being
Jesus: Theological Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles, 2 vols. [Washington,
D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2025], 1:5-6)
Parallels
between the Apostles and Jesus:
The portrayal of
the apostles in Acts is very similar to the portrait of Jesus in Luke's
Gospel. Just like Jesus, the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit,
they quote from the scriptures in their preaching, they teach and heal, they
perform miracles and exorcisms, they gain followers but also stir up opponents,
they are persecuted and some of them are arrested, but they forgive their
opponents and remain faithful to God even if they are killed:
|
The Apostles in Acts |
Jesus in Luke's Gospel |
|
The Holy Spirit descends on the apostles at
Pentecost, as they are praying (2:1-4) |
The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus at his baptism,
as he is praying (3:21-22) |
|
Peter preaches, quoting from the prophet Joel
(2:16-36; quoting Joel 2:28-32) |
Jesus preaches, after reading from the prophet
Isaiah (4:14-30; quoting Isa 61:1-2) |
|
The apostles call people to join them (2:37-41,
47b) |
Jesus calls his first followers (5:1-11, 27-32) |
|
Peter and John heal a lame beggar (3:1-10) |
Jesus heals a lame man (5:17-26) and a blind beggar
(18:35-43) |
|
The high priest arrests several apostles and
questions them before the council (4:1-22) |
Jesus is arrested and interrogated by the council
(22:47-71) |
|
The narrator summarizes the "signs and
wonders" of the apostles, |
The narrator summarizes the miraculous activity of
Jesus, |
|
The sick are healed through Peter's shadow (5:15)
and Paul's handkerchiefs (19:11-12) |
A woman is healed when she touches the fringes of
Jesus' clothing (8:43-48) |
|
The Jewish leaders want to kill the apostles,
because of their teachings (5:17-42) |
Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus, partly due to
his teachings (19:45-48) |
|
As he is being stoned to death, Stephen hands his
spirit over to the Lord Jesus |
As he is dying on the cross, Jesus forgives his
executioners |
|
Peter raises the widow Tabitha (a.k.a. Dorcas) from
the dead at Joppa (9:36-42) |
Jesus raises a widow's son from the dead at Nain
(7:11-17) |
|
The apostles encounter a pious Roman centurion
(10:1-48) |
Jesus heals the slave of a faithful Roman centurion
(7:1-10) |
|
The apostles undertake missionary journeys to
Gentiles (13:1--19:20) |
Jesus undertakes missionary journey to Gentiles
(10:1-12) |
|
Paul feels compelled by the Spirit to go to
Jerusalem, |
Jesus is determined to go to Jerusalem, |
|
Paul is welcomed in Jerusalem by the believers, and
soon goes to the temple (21:17-26) |
Jesus is welcomed in Jerusalem by large crowds, and
soon goes to the temple (19:28-48) |
|
Paul is seized by a Jewish mob that wants him
killed, |
Jesus is arrested by a Jewish mob, |
|
Paul is slapped on orders of the high priest (23:2) |
Jesus is slapped by the high priest's attendants
(22:63-64) |
|
Paul argues against the Sadducees, who do not
believe in the resurrection (23:6-9) |
Jesus is questioned by some Sadducees, who deny the
concept of resurrection (20:29-38) |
|
Paul is declared innocent three times (23:9, 29;
26:31) |
Jesus is declared innocent three times (23:4,
14-15, 22) |
|
Paul takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and eats
(27:35; cf. 20:7-11) |
Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives
it to his disciples to eat (22:19; cf. 24:30) |
|
Paul is regarded favorably by a Roman centurion
(27:43) |
Jesus is declared innocent by a Roman centurion
(23:47) |
|
The reactions to Paul's preaching are a fulfillment
of the scriptures (28:23-28) |
The life and death of Jesus are a fulfillment of
the scriptures (24:44-47) |
Source: Felix
Just, “The
Acts of the Apostles”