commonplaces

Wow. This is really interesting, and it's something I'd never noticed before. We know that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were both written by the same author, and they are often thought to be a composite work. Their listing in the canon doesn't lend immediate attention to this, separated as they are by the Gospel of John, but it's generally accepted. When you start to read these two books in reference to one another, you start to notice some themes develop, like this one.

Both books place great value on geographical references. The gospel begins with references to Rome, to its imperial government, and the book is framed by these references. But as the gospel progresses, it moves closer and closer to Jerusalem, with Jesus "setting his face" toward the city. He is crucified outside the walls and resurrects and the story ends in Jerusalem. Acts, on the other hand, begins in Jerusalem and progress outward until it ends with Paul in Rome, teaching and preaching. It's a chiasmus. Rome, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Rome. And at its center is the resurrection.