Reader's Diary #1063- The New King James Version Bible: Acts of the Apostles

Axe of the Apostles

I remember thinking, after reading the Pentateuch of the Old Testament, "what's left?" It seemed that all the stories that I'd remembered from my childhood— the ark, the Garden of Eden, the parting of the Red Sea— were already done in the first five books of the Bible and there were 34 more books to go. But while I did encounter a few completely unfamiliar books, it seemed there were still a few "greatest hits" left— Jonah and the whale, Daniel in the lion's den, etc.

Reading the New Testament, I was similarly thinking the same thing after reading the four books of gospels at the beginning. Jesus' birth, death, resurrection? All in the first four books. (Actually, all in the first book, but repeated in the next three as well.) What's left?

Turns out, still a few classic stories. In Acts of the Apostles, for instance, I was taken back to my high school religion classes, learning about the conversion of Saul into Slash, er, I mean, Paul. I enjoyed this tale then as I did now, with its message of righteous guitar solos and redemption.

Acts is basically the Traveling Christian Road Show, with Peter, Paul and other apostles bringing the story of Jesus, and their interpretation of his teachings, to Mediterranean Europe. Along the way they are forced to defend their beliefs, sometimes as a matter of life and death. Like when I went to France and insisted on getting a large coffee-to-go when everyone insisted that I sit and relax with an espresso.