As a tenured instructor in the Book of Acts, I’m always surveying the field for something new. Donald Nash has produced a useable textbook suitable for the church or college classroom. It consists of a chapter on each of the 28 chapters of Acts plus nine special studies on key issues. There is also an appendix where 10 other matters are considered plus maps at the end.

This work of Nash is smaller than the exhaustive New Testament History: Acts by Gareth Reese. It has the limitation of being self-published on 8 x 11 paper using a typewriter typeface. There are some typos and formatting limitations, making reading a bit slower. On the other hand, the book has an excellent index and the top of each page has the scripture under discussion in the header.

The comments themselves are excellent. He handles such controversies as Matthias being one of the 12, the 12 only receiving the Baptism of the Spirit and the necessity of immersion with aplomb. Dr. Nash correctly observes in 4:23 that Peter and John returned to the company of the 12, not the 5,000 plus brethren that is frequently taught.

An added feature is the distinguishing between "church" and "community" on page 26. Popular usage undercuts the Biblical use of "church," replacing it with "community" and diluting the importance of the church among God’s people. We can thank Dr. Nash for his timely observations here.

In his appendix #4 on "Where are the Dead?", Nash sets forth the traditional Restoration view on the "Great Gulf Fixed" and updates it to the view that Christ has led captivity captive and the saints join the Lord at death since His resurrection. We think this is right, too.

We believe this volume deserves wider circulation than it is apt to get with the publishing limitations it has to live with. It has the "ring" of the old paths. Teachers may want to add it to their libraries while it can still be found.

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