Book Review: The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts
Like most people, my email gets filled up quickly with advertisements and junk mail. But now and then, some group I’ve signed up to receive emails from pays off. Some time back, an email came in with an excerpt from a new book titled The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts. I’m hoping to start a teaching series on Acts soon, so the fact that it was a book on Acts caught my attention. And the excerpt was fascinating. The marketing plan worked, for I bought the book. And I’m glad I did. Here’s a simple review of the book in case you’re interested!
Overview
The book begins with an introduction that serves as an overview of Acts. One of the things I like about this book is how Schreiner makes it clear there is not “one” theme by which we can define Acts. It’s not just about the apostles, the church, the Holy Spirit, evangelism, Jesus, or any other singular item. Many commentaries or books on Acts focus on one aspect—and it’s likely an important aspect in Acts, but Schreiner instead looks at several related themes. He chooses seven primary themes. These themes make up the seven main chapters of the book, which are:
- God the Father Orchestrates
- Christ Lives and Rules
- The Spirit Empowers
- The Word Multiplies
- Salvation Spreads to All Flesh
- The Church is Established
- Witness to the Ends of the Earth
Chapters 1-3
As the chapter titles (and the book title) indicate, the first three chapters focus on the work of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. I thought these chapters (especially the first two) were fantastically written and helpful.
Schreiner helps bring out themes throughout the entire text of Acts, where we can see each person of the Godhead working. I appreciate books like this that help bring out the big picture. Reading through a book like Acts, it’s easy to get caught in the details and miss recurring themes. In my opinion, one of the shining aspects of this book is how Schreiner highlights and summarizes these various themes. Charts and diagrams throughout the book prove to be useful visual tools in this regard. I will note that the chapter on the Spirit was probably my least favorite in the book. I felt there was more in this chapter I disagreed with and wasn’t convinced by. That said, this chapter did contain some valuable points.
Chapters 4-5
The final four chapters move to other key themes in Acts. I found chapter four on the Word to be particularly enlightening and helpful. To see just how prevalent the concept of the Word is in Acts is impressive and a reminder of how vital the Word is to the church today.
Chapter five (Salvation Spreads to All Flesh) contains some fascinating points. Like most, I’ve usually considered Acts 1:8 as the outline of movement in Acts: “…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Schreiner does too, but he points out the broadening circle we find in Acts as more and more “types” of people are brought into God’s family. He provides the list as (1) Jerusalemites, (2) Judeans, (3) Hellenists, (4) Samaritans, (5) God-Fearers, (6) Pagans, and (7) Barbarians. His arguments concerning this progression are enlightening.
Schreiner demonstrates that Acts indeed shows salvation is for all people. This chapter has an intriguing section on the final chapters of Acts which detail Paul’s voyage to Rome, including landing on the island of Malta. I’ll admit, these chapters have always seemed to be a bit strange to me, but Schreiner’s ideas about the significance of these chapters were an enjoyable read.
Chapters 6-7
Chapter six shows the importance of the church in Acts, and thus the importance of the church for all times. One thing that stood out to me in this chapter was a novel way of outlining Acts. Schreiner provides the following outline:
- Restoring Israel (Ch. 1-7)
- Assembling Outcasts (Ch. 8-12)
- Gentiles Welcomed (Ch. 13-28)
This chapter also highlights how the church breaks down cultural barriers and can create a family out of those who, typically, are at complete odds with one another. It did in the first century (Jew and Gentile) and still does today.
Chapter seven focuses on the theme of “witnessing” in Acts. This isn’t the emotional form we might think of when we hear the term “witnessing” in a religious context. This chapter provides an excellent argument, explanation, and summary of how Acts sticks with what Jesus promises in Acts 1:8 “…you will be my witnesses….” Schreiner demonstrates throughout the book, especially in this chapter, how the Old Testament, especially the prophecy of Isaiah, looks forward to what is accomplished in the book of Acts.
Final Chapter
Instead of an eighth chapter, Schreiner has a “conclusion” chapter that focuses on a final theme of Acts—persecution and hardship. He shows the constant challenges that are recorded but also showcases the unyielding advancement and success of God’s plan and people. One of my favorite parts of this section was how Schreiner highlights the final verses of Acts and that the work begun in Acts continues today. I thought one of Schreiner’s concluding remarks summed things up nicely:
The book of Acts shows that we live “between the times,” and our job here on earth is to tell forth the triune God who has revealed himself in the face of Jesus Christ. As the angels instructed the disciples in Acts, stop looking into heaven. We have work to do on earth.
Conclusion
I believe Schreiner’s work is an excellent resource on the book of Acts. I would consider it an accessible read that most would enjoy and follow easily. As with any book, it has its strengths and weaknesses, but overall I would certainly recommend it as a book worth the money and the time for anyone interested in a good overview of Acts.
Book Information
Author: Patrick Schreiner
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 9781433574115
Originally Published: 2022
Book review written by: Nate Bibens | natebibens@gmail.com