The reader's guide to the Encyclopaedia Britannica : A handbook containing…

Fordyce Salmon, professor of systematic theology, United Free Church College, Aberdeen, and the Rev. A. J. Grieve, professor of New Testament and church history, Yorkshire United Independent College, Bradford); the Judean scene as contrasted with the predominance of Galilee and Samaria in the other three (synoptic) gospels, and the prominence given to great abstract ideas and symbols—the Light of the World, the Living Bread, the Only-Begotten, the Re-Birth, Eternal Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Water and Wine, the Paraclete, and the refrain and variations on the theme of Love. Before studying the articles dealing with the book of ACTS, let the reader consult Dr. Garvie’s article MIRACLE, for a study of the supernatural and particularly for a development of the argument for miracles from “the congruity of the miracle with divine truth and grace”; the miracles of Jesus, and of the apostles, consist in “the relief of need, the removal of suffering, the recovery of health and strength.” [Sidenote: Acts] The article ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, by Dr. J. Vernon Bartlett, should be supplemented by referring again to the article LUKE, and the student should call to mind that the probable author was not a Jew, was a personal friend and traveling companion of both Paul and Peter, and was a physician, a trained scientific observer, as can be seen not only from his descriptions of disease, but from his accuracy in geographical, meteorological and other matters. The importance of the testimony of the physician to the miracles of the apostles is brought out (p. 164, top of column 2) in the article on the book. For the study of ACTS, besides the article on the book, read the following separate articles: LUKE, PETER, JOHN, JUDAS, ACELDAMA, MATTHIAS, PENTECOST, TONGUES, GIFT OF; ANANIAS, GAMALIEL, STEPHEN, SIMON MAGUS, PHILIP, PAUL, JOPPA, ANTIOCH, HEROD, BARNABAS, ICONIUM, LYCAONIA, MARK, TIMOTHY, SILAS, PHILIPPI, THESSALONICA, ATHENS, AREOPAGUS, CORINTH, AQUILA, APOLLOS, EPHESUS, FELIX, ANANIAS, AGRIPPA. [Sidenote: St. Paul] For a study of the book of Acts, which was probably written before any one of the Gospels, one will need constantly to refer in the Britannica to the article on PAUL, THE APOSTLE (Vol. 20, p. 938), by Dr. J. Vernon Bartlett. This article, equivalent to 55 pages in this Guide, is so important that it will be well to outline it here. After an