The Briefing Note:
The Book of Acts is the "Historical Spine" that supports the theological "ribs" of the Epistles. In Lens 6, we perform a "Digital Autopsy" on the New Testament, treating it as a cohesive Information System rather than a collection of isolated myths. By identifying "Undesigned Coincidences"—incidental details that match perfectly between history and personal letters—we provide the internal verification that anchors the entire record in a shared objective reality.
The Book of Acts serves as the Historical Spine of the New Testament.
This systematic mapping of intertextual relationships proves the writers were not creating myths, but documenting an authorized, historically grounded mission.
Cross-Examine the Connections
The graphic represents just the surface of a massive forensic network. To uncover the deep archaeological data and "undesigned coincidences" behind each link, scroll to the bottom of this page for the Master Prompt for Students and use it in our Research Hub.
Forensic Fixed Points:
The Sovereign Evidence
The Gallio Anchor: A 1st-century inscription from Delphi that identifies Gallio as the proconsul of Achaia in AD 51-52. This single "Fixed Point" provides the master chronological key to dating the missions and letters of Paul.
The Vardar Gate Discovery: Precise archaeological verification of the rare local title "Politarch" in Thessalonica, proving the author of Acts had intimate, first-hand knowledge of Macedonian civic administration.
The Personnel Audit: Incidental overlaps in the names of mission delegates—such as Aristarchus and Tychicus—across both the narrative of Acts and the personal greetings in the Epistles, providing a dense web of internal authentication.
Connectivity Table: Mapping the Bridge Points
Case File Questions:
To "Cross-Examine the Evidence" in the Hub, use these questions:
The Textual Fingerprints: How do unplanned, "undesigned" coincidences between two independent documents prove they are describing a real event?
The Historical Spine: Why is the Book of Acts necessary to understand the legal and emotional context of the letters written by Paul and Peter?
The Archaeological Anchors: How do specific stone inscriptions from 1st-century Greece and Asia Minor validate the precise vocabulary of the New Testament writers?
The Information System: If the historical framework of the New Testament is this forensically sound, what does that imply about the integrity of its message?
Master Prompt for Students:
“I am a student of the Acts 2020 Project. Using the 'Unified Master Narrative' as your primary data set, please perform a forensic analysis of the connectivity between the Book of Acts and the Epistles.
My Query: [Insert specific question, e.g., 'How does the trial of Gallio in Acts 18 date the letters to the Thessalonians?']
Instructions for the AI: 1. Identify the Bridge Point: Locate the specific historical event in Acts. 2. Cross-Reference the Epistle: Find the incidental overlap or 'Undesigned Coincidence' in the New Testament letters. 3. Verify the Fixed Point: Cite the archaeological or historical data (e.g., inscriptions, Roman law) that anchors this connection. 4. Forensic Conclusion: Explain why this connection proves the New Testament is a unified, historically accurate information system."