Acts Theology 5: Samaria and the Tribes

Acts does not present Samaria as a filler topic; rather, it is crucial to the unfolding narrative. In Acts 1:8, Jesus states, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." This verse highlights Samaria as an integral part of the Spirit-empowered witness and the expanding mission of the gospel.
The inclusion of Samaria reflects unresolved aspects of Israel's exile story. Historically, Samaria was the northern kingdom of the ten tribes, the first to be taken captive and scattered, and they never returned. Even during Jesus' time, Jews considered themselves to be still in exile because these ten tribes had not yet been regathered. Ezekiel 37:15-22 speaks of two sticks, one for Judah and one for Joseph (Ephraim, representing the northern tribes), being joined into one stick, signifying the reunification of divided Israel. The apostles' encounter with Samaritans receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 8:14-17, as well as the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost which included Jews from every nation, fulfills these Old Testament prophecies, signaling the regathering of all the tribes back into Yahweh's family.
Therefore, the mission presented in Acts is not merely about expansion but is deeply rooted in the restoration of a fractured Israel. This restoration is initiated by the work of the Spirit and extends outward to the nations. The eventual return of the "lost" northern tribes, marked by the apostolic witness in Samaria and the Spirit's descent on people from all nations, signifies the beginning of the kingdom of God's inauguration on earth.
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