Study #21: The Golden Ratio design of Acts Chapter 2

Acts, Chapter 1.2: The Sanhedrin violently rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Apostles (3:1 - 42)

§Unique Introduction: God used a miracle to open a door for Peter and John to preach the Gospel to a large crowd of Jews (3:1 - 11)

¶Opposite A disabled man asked Peter and John for a gift as they were going into the Temple (3:1 - 5)

¶Opposite God healed the disabled man, providing an opportunity for Peter and John to preach the Gospel to the Jews in the area (3:6 - 11)

§Complement Body: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews vainly attempted to stop the preaching of the Gospel in Jerusalem (3:12 - 5:16)

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council of Jews commanded Peter and John not to speak anymore in the Name of Jesus (4:1 - 22)

¶Complement The Apostles prayed for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit to speak the Name of Jesus and do signs and wonders by his Name (4:23 - 31)

¶Unique The Holy Spirit slew Ananias and Sapphira at the word of Peter for attempting to corrupt the Assembly in Jerusalem (4:32 - 5:16)

§Complement Conclusion: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews arrested and beat the Apostles; and then released them (5:17 - 42)

¶Complement Peter rebuked the Sanhedrin Council for their attempts to stop the preaching of the Gospel of Christ (5:17 - 33)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council released the Apostles after beating them and commanding them not to speak in the Name of Jesus (5:34 - 42)

We begin our study of Acts Chapter 1.2 with an overview of the Golden Ratio design of the entire Chapter.

In the Introduction Section, we read of a disabled man laying at the entrance of the Temple, begging for gifts from the people entering the Temple. Peter and John healed the disabled man, so that he jumped up and began walking and leaping for joy.

This miracle set the stage for the rest of the Chapter, because it gave an opportunity for Peter and John to preach the Gospel to thousand of Jews, and this was followed by a confrontation with the Council of the Sanhedrin of the Jews; and we read about it in the Body Section.

Remember from previous studies that the Golden Ratio paragraph pattern for the Chapters in every Book in the Body Section goes like this:

Chapter 1.1: UCC-OO

Chapter 1.2: OO-CCU

Chapter 1.3: UCC-OO

Chapter 1.4: OO-CCU

Chapter 1.5: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.1: OO-CCU

Chapter 2.2: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.3: OO-CCU

Chapter 2.4: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.5: OO-CCU

This is Chapter 1.2, so the paragraph pattern is "OO-CCU" for the Body Section, which we will see is exactly the case.

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council of Jews commanded Peter and John not to speak anymore in the Name of Jesus (4:1 - 22)

¶Complement The Apostles prayed for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit (4:23 - 31)

¶Unique The Holy Spirit slew Ananias and Sapphira at the word of Peter for attempting to corrupt the Assembly (4:32 - 5:16)

You can clearly see that there is a "break" between the two "OO" paragraphs and the next "C" paragraph and going forward. This is the Golden Ratio design: there is always a break between the "OO" and the "CC" in every group of five text groups, whether it is a Volume, a Chapter, a paragraph or a subparagraph.

The paragraph marks on the left side with "O", "C", or "U", indicate the Golden Ratio design: two Opposite, two Complements, and one Unique.

As you can see from the alternating design next to each Chapter above, it is the reverse design from Chapter 1.1; and Chapter 1.3 will reverse the design again, and so on. This would be impossible, if the Bible was only written by men. The Golden Ratio design of the Bible is proof of its Divine Authorship and its Divine Authority.

The first and second paragraphs of the Body Section set the stage for the rest of the Chapter. In a sermon delivered near the Temple of Herod in Jerusalem, the Apostle Peter indicted the Jews for their wicked participation and agreement in the execution of their own Messiah, Jesus Christ.

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

But the main theme of the Chapter is found in the third and fourth paragraphs of the Body Section, in which the Jewish Council of Sanhedrin (the ruling authority of the Jews in Judea at that time) rejected the testimony of Peter and the other Apostles to the resurrection of Jesus Christ; and the Apostles subsequently sought the Lord in prayer for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit.

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council of Jews commanded Peter and John not to speak anymore in the Name of Jesus (4:1 - 22)

¶Complement The Apostles prayed for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit (4:23 - 31)

In the fifth paragraph of the Body Section, we read of the wicked attempt of Ananias and Sapphira, within the Assembly of believers in Jerusalem, to gain influence and prestige through a lie; and they paid for this sin with their lives, which was a powerful testimony among the Jews in Jerusalem that God was with the Christians.

¶Unique The Holy Spirit slew Ananias and Sapphira at the word of Peter for attempting to corrupt the Assembly in Jerusalem (4:32 - 5:16)

We read about this powerful testimony in Acts 5:12 - 16:

"And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders performed among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon"s porch. And of the rest no man dared join himself to them; but the people magnified them. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Also a multitude came out of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them who were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed every one."

Now in the Conclusion Section, we read about the reaction of the Council of the Sanhedrin to all of these miracles and healings that were done by the Apostles:

§Complement Conclusion: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews arrested and beat the Apostles; and then released them (5:17 - 42)

¶Complement Peter rebuked the Sanhedrin Council for their attempts to stop the preaching of the Gospel of Christ (5:17 - 33)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council released the Apostles after beating them and commanding them not to speak in the Name of Jesus (5:34 - 42)

First, Peter rebuked the Council for their vain attempt to stop them from preaching the Gospel by putting them in prison (from which God had released them by an angel); and God used this to convict their hearts of sin; but instead of repenting and getting right with God, the Council rebelled even more and took counsel to execute them.

But in the second paragraph, the Pharisee named Gamaliel persuaded them not to kill them; so they let the Apostles go, after they had beaten them, probably with whips.

But this did not dissuade the Apostles from preaching the Gospel; and they continued doing that more and more.

"And daily in the Temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42)

I invite you to look at Acts Chapter 2 on my website in the Kingdom Study Bible, so that you can see the Golden Ratio design for yourself. At the top of the page, you can find links to view other parts of the Kingdom Study Bible as well.

https://www.phibible.org/Bible_Pages/Volume4/Acts2Eng.html

What is the significance of the Golden Ratio design of the Bible?

The Golden Ratio design of the Bible is proof that God is the true Author of the Holy Scriptures, because the Apostles and Prophets who recorded the words in the Bible over a period of about 1,600 years were definitely not aware of the Golden Ratio design in their writings.

But since we can clearly see this design all through the Bible from Genesis to the Psalms (see the entire Golden Ratio design at https://www.phibible.org), and since this design would be clearly be impossible without Divine Inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21), therefore the Holy Bible must be from the one true God.

So, the Golden Ratio design of the Bible is visual proof that the Holy Bible (not including the Apochrypha or the pseudepigrapha) originated from God Almighty, and not from any imagination or device of man.

On the other hand, this also means that the other religious books in the world today are not of God, because they do not have the Golden Ratio design in any way, shape, or form: the Quran of Islam, the bhagavad gita of Hinduism, the "books" of Mormon, the writings of Ellen G. White (Seventh Day Adventists), and many others.

The Holy Bible proclaims Jesus Christ as the one true Way of Salvation, and the one true God; therefore, Jesus Christ is exactly what the Bible says that He is: crucified and risen Redeemer, Savior, King of kings, Lord of lords, and Messiah of the Jewish people (and many other Divine titles).

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" John 14:6.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

"Tell, and bring them near; moreover, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient times? Who has told it from that time? Have not I Jehovah? And there is no God other than me, a just God and a Savior; there is no God other than me. Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am the true God; and there is no other."; Isaiah 45:21-22

"And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This [Jesus] is the true God, and Eternal Life." 1 John 5:20-21

The Gospel is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. If you repent of your sins and believe on Jesus Christ, asking Him to come into your heart to save you, because He paid for all of your sins on the cross of Calvary, then you will be saved and go to Heaven when you die!

I urge you to trust in Jesus Christ right now! Here is a prayer that you can use to repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior right now, because you may not live to get saved tomorrow:

"Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned against YOU. I am no good, and you are righteous! I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, were buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day. I want you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart right now. Forgive me for all my sins, and save my soul. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!"

If you have turned from your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and only Savior from sin, please message me through Facebook and let me know that you have done that, so that I can pray for you and rejoice with you in what God has done in your life. Amen.