Luke makes it clear that the Christian movement began in Jerusalem among the Jewish followers of Jesus. After a period of amazing growth among Jews, the Christian message came to Gentiles. Peter baptized the first Gentile convert, Cornelius, but it was through the efforts of Paul that large numbers of Gentiles were brought into the movement. Luke also is aware that there were some problems with the incorporation of Gentiles into the Christian movement. As Luke describes the missionary activity of Paul, he stresses Paul s habit of going first to Jewish synagogues to present the Christian message.
Estimates differ regarding the essential historical reliability of Acts.
Most scholars agree, however, that, whatever the source materials available to the author, the narrative has been shaped in a deliberate manner to express the author s own particular concerns and purposes. As a source for the career of Paul, it is generally recognized that Acts must be subordinated to the statements in Paul s own Letters. Bibliography Haenchen, Ernst. Acts and the History of Earliest Christianity. Luke and the People of God.