Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles


Basic Info


In the Acts of the Apostles, the sequel to the Gospel of Luke, we learn of events in and around the Apostles from the time of Jesus’ death and Resurrection into the 50s. A few of the stories from Acts make regular appearances in the art tradition. The most common ones are the Conversion of Saul / Paul, the stoning of Saint Stephen, the deaths of Peter and Paul, and the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Occasionally, one will see an artwork depicting Peter or Paul in prison or the Council of Jerusalem.


Jerusalem was the center of life for the Apostolic Church for the first few decades after Jesus’ Ascension and the community there grew and became more structured. The general setup was that members contributed what they had to the community as a whole. One couple, Ananias and Sapphira, sold their property but separately lied to Peter that they were contributing the whole amount to the community. They each dropped dead upon being caught in the lie. While Saint Stephen was on trial for saying things about Moses and God that the authorities thought to be untrue, he had a vision of God the Father and God the Son. A short time after the trial, he was stoned to death. One of the people instigating the stoning was Saul of Tarsus (later Saint Paul). Saul / Paul had been big among the persecutors of the Christians but he converted. Over the course of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles, some disputes arose as to the requirements for being Christian, so a council was held in Jerusalem to sort out some of the differences. Saint Peter eventually moved to Rome where he was imprisoned and later put to death by being crucified upside down. Saint Paul also eventually moved to Rome where he was imprisoned and later put to death by being beheaded.


The focus of the Acts of the Apostles is that Jesus’ work of teaching, preaching, healing, caring for the poor, and witnessing to God’s goodness continued, through the work of the Apostles, after Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Conversion of Saul / Paul is described in its own section, but the work of the other Apostles is described here.


Historical Notes


Portraits of Peter and Paul were common in Rome in early Christianity.


What to Look For


  • The physical appearance and situation of the Apostle(s)
  • The relationship between the Apostle(s) and government or religious authorities
  • The relationship between the Apostle(s) and other Christians who might be depicted
  • The authority depicted in the Apostle(s)
  • The action(s) the Apostle(s) is / are performing
  • The expressions / gestures of the Apostle(s) in the face of being put to death


Questions to Focus a General Interpretation


How does the action depicted in the artwork mimic or otherwise point to the teachings or life of Jesus? 


Questions to Guide a Personal Interpretation


The way it is more or less meant to work in Christianity is that the Apostles imitated Jesus, and the rest of us imitate the Apostles. Does the artwork contain anything in particular that is drawing you to imitation?

What about the artwork attracts you? What repels you? What might that say about where you are in your life right now?


Questions to Suggest a Historical Interpretation


What might have been going on in the artist’s time and place that would have made this story from the Acts of the Apostles especially relevant (persecutions, martyrdoms, rich people withholding their money, etc.)?


Related Subtopics can be explored more deeply at these links:



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