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Acts by
Summary: "In his own inimitable way, Carl Holladay combines accuracy of description in summoning events and personages and cultural-classical texts critical to Luke's telling, while at the same time extracting with magnetic-like force their importance in the much larger theological-missional intent of Luke's interactive narrative arc. As a highly skilled historian, Holladay enables the lasting significance of Luke's kerygmatic message to present itself from within the historical-literary-cultural contexts that he highlights so well." David P. Moessner - Book Jacket.
Acts by
Summary: Includes three easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story. LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story. EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting. LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students.
Acts by
Summary: In this new commentary for the Belief series, award-winning author and theologian Willie James Jennings explores the relevance of the book of Acts for the struggles of today. While some see Acts as the story of the founding of the Christian church, Jennings argues that it is so much more, depicting revolution--life in the disrupting presence of the Spirit of God. According to Jennings, Acts is like Genesis, revealing a God who is moving over the land, "putting into place a holy repetition that speaks of the willingness of God to invade our every day and our every moment." He reminds us that Acts took place in a time of Empire, when the people were caught between diaspora Israel and the Empire of Rome. The spirit of God intervened, offering new life to both. Jennings shows that Acts teaches how people of faith can yield to the Spirit to overcome the divisions of our present world. -- Provided by publisher.
Acts by
Summary: In this Reformation Commentary on Scripture, we watch as the diverse streams of the Protestant movement converge on the book of Acts. As we return with the Reformers to this vision of Spirit-filled community, we are given a lesson in the nature of biblical reform from those who bore it out for the first time. Authors Esther Chung-Kim and Todd R. Hains present a portrait of the Reformers' views on the contemporary church's faithfulness to its God-given identity and calling. The Reformers approached the narrative account of the early church in the book of Acts from diverse viewpoints. Commentators like John Calvin and the Swiss Reformed Heinrich Bullinger elaborated on the theological implications of the text with a great deal of historical detail. Others like reform-minded Catholic Johann Eck evoked episodes in Acts in response to pressing concerns of the day. Sermons upheld notable characters in Acts such as Peter, Stephen, Paul, Lydia and Apollos as examples of robust faith and of life in Christian community. Anabaptists in their apologetic works focused heavily on the necessity of believer's baptism. The commentators' interactions range from irate disagreement to irenic concord, but all exhort their readers not to dissolve "the holy knot" of the plain history of Christ's works and their lasting fruits. For them, Acts is certainly history, but it cannot be mere history. --From publisher's description.
Acts by
Summary: "The book of Acts is theological history, showing how Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection informed the life, teaching, and ministry of the early church. God's power is displayed through the Spirit in the outward spread and influence of the gospel. We see how God's Old Testament promises are fulfilled in the church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. It is an open-ended story, so its history and theology are needed for the life and mission of the church today." -- !c From publisher's description.
Acts by
Brimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It’s like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You’ll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You’ll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God’s kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you’ll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible’s relevance for your life. Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don’t offer.
Acts - An Exegetical Commentary by
Summary: "Highly respected New Testament scholar Craig Keener is known for his meticulous and comprehensive research. This commentary on Acts, his magnum opus, may be the largest and most thoroughly documented Acts commentary available. Useful not only for the study of Acts but also early Christianity, this work sets Acts in its first-century context. In this volume, the first of four, Keener introduces the book of Acts, particularly historical questions related to it, and provides detailed exegesis of its opening chapters. He utilizes an unparalleled range of ancient sources and offers a wealth of fresh insights. This magisterial commentary will be a valuable resource for New Testament professors and students, pastors, Acts scholars, and libraries"--Publisher description.
Acts of the Apostles by
The India Commentary on the New Testament (ICNT) series aims to give a well-informed exposition of the meaning of the text and relevant reflections in everyday language from a contemporary Indian context. The intended audience is the theological seminary or bible college, both students and faculty. The commentaries are also ideal for pastors and lay people with an interest in theology or responsibilities for preaching in the local congregation. The commentaries are culturally rooted, and the various applications relating to culture, society, and religious life will help those involved in cross-cultural evangelism and mission work. There is no direct equivalent to the ICNT, and hence this is the first Indian commentary serving India, the entire subcontinent--India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka--and the world. The ICNT is an affordable evangelical commentary series written by respected academics in everyday language, providing a well-informed meaning of the New Testament and practical reflections for modern India.
Insights on Acts by
Insights on Acts explores the expansion of the early church throughout the Roman world in the continuing 15-volume Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series. This never-before-released volume draws on Gold Medallion Award–winner Chuck Swindoll’s 50 years of experience with studying and preaching God’s Word. His deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries. Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before each section. This series is a must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.
Acts from Scratch by
Building on the foundation of the popular volumes The Bible from Scratch: The Old Testament for Beginners and The New Testament for Beginners, Donald Griggs and Paul Walaskay offer a new study on the book of Acts. In seven chapters, Griggs and Walaskay tell the story of this popular New Testament book, with its stories of the works of Jesus' disciples after his death, resurrection, and ascension. A leader's guide and participant section are included, making this volume an excellent resource for group or individual study.
Acts in Its Ancient Literary Context by
Here, gathered for the first time, is a collection of Loveday Alexander's critically acclaimed essays on the Acts of the Apostles. In this collection of essays, Alexander addresses the central question 'What kind of book is Acts?' She approaches the text of Acts with a finely-tuned sense of the complexities of the conventional codes that governed reading and writing in the classical world, and argues that the differences between New Testament texts and contemporary writings in the Graeco-Roman world can be as revealing as the similarities. The collection begins with Alexander's classic analysis of the literary codes governing the preface to Luke's two-volume work, in which she challenges the dominant consensus that the language and structure of the preface evoke the generic conventions of Greek historiography. That insight opens up the possibility of reading Acts alongside other ancient literary genres: the lives of the Greek philosophers, the Greek novels of Chariton and Xenophon of Ephesus, Roman itineraries, Greek and Jewish apologetic, and Latin epic. The process, like the narrative of Acts itself, becomes a rich and evocative voyage of exploration, shedding light both on the varied social worlds of the author and his first readers, and on the complex communication problems underlying the creation of early Christian discourse. This is volume 289 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement series and is also part of the Early Christianity in Context series.
The Book of Acts As Church History / Apostelgeschichte Als Kirchengeschichte by
The remarkably complex textual traditions of the Acts of the Apostles reflect the theological developments and socio-cultural framework of early Christianity. The present volume contains studies of textual witnesses, textual traditions and translations of the Acts. They do not only focus on the traditions which occur in the manuscripts, or on the theological tendencies of the major ancient versions and their reception in the Early Church, but also consider the relevance of mostly neglected witnesses such as amuletts and tablets, and the relationship between the ancient translators and Jewish exegetical traditions.
The Fifth Gospel by
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth...'These words of Jesus, recorded in the'fifth gospel'- the book of Acts - empower both the witnesses of old and 21st-century disciples alike to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Genre of Acts and Collected Biography by
"It is widely accepted by New Testament scholars that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles probably originated as two parts of one work by a single author. In spite of this, the books have been assigned to very different genres: Luke is traditionally viewed as a biography of Jesus, and Acts as a history of the early church. Comparing in detail the structure and content of Acts with the formal features of history, novel, epic and biography, Sean Adams challenges this division. Applying both ancient and modern genre theory, he argues that the best genre parallel for the Acts of the Apostles is in fact collected biography. Offering a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of genre theory, along with an insightful argument regarding the composition and purpose of Acts, this book will be of interest to those studying the New Testament, Acts, genre theory and ancient literature"-- Provided by publisher.
Reading Luke-Acts in Its Mediterranean Milieu by
This book begins by offering a reading of the theological views of Luke-Acts in terms of Peter J. Rabinowitz's authorial audience and closes with reflections on how one might assess the historical value of Acts.
World Upside Down by
This book engages constructively the cultural power of the theological vision of the Acts of the Apostles. According to Acts, the apocalypse of God in Jesus of Nazareth entails the formation of a new culture. On the one hand, this new culture is constituted in such a way as necessarily to disrupt basic patterns of pagan existence—to the extent that one can speak of the potential for cultural dissolution; on the other, the Christians resolutely reject accusations of governmental overthrow and sedition. How the Christians embody the possibility of cultural disintegration and claim legal innocence before the Roman authorities are two aspects of one complex dialectic that informs Luke's total project: to narrate the inextricable interconnection between God's revelation and a total pattern of life. The dialectic in Luke's writing exhibits the theological effort to redescribe cultural dismantling as the light and forgiveness of God: the deconstructive move of the apocalypse to the Gentiles has its reconstructive counterpart in the creation of a people who receive light in darkness, forgiveness of sins, and guidance in the way of peace. The theological vision of Acts confronts its modern interpreters with a number of pressing questions about claims to universal truth about God and the politics such claims produce. The book thus concludes with an extended reflection on the intersection between Acts' vision and current ways of thinking about religious truth, tolerance, and politics.
Acts of the Apostles by
The book of Acts is a remarkable fusion of the historical and theological, and its account of the early church has fascinated theologians and biblical scholars for centuries. Just who was the author of this work? And what kind of book did he write? How do we classify its genre? The Acts of the Apostles provides an advanced introduction to the study of Acts, covering important questions about authorship, genre, history and theology. Osvaldo Padilla explores fresh avenues of understanding by examining the text in light of the most recent research on the book of Acts itself, philosophical hermeneutics, genre theory and historiography. In addition, Padilla opens a conversation between the text of Acts and postliberal theology, seeking a fully-orbed engagement with Acts that is equally attuned to questions of interpretation, history and theology.
The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus by
Summary: Alan Thompson's aim is to offer a biblical-theological framework for interpreting the book of Acts, so that Luke's major themes may be identified and related to the book as a whole. He especially highlights Acts as an account of the 'continuing story' of God's saving purposes: Luke intends his work to read in the light of Old Testament promises and the continuing reign of Christ in the inaugurated kingdom of God.
Handbook on Acts and Paul's Letters by
Summary: Leading biblical scholar Thomas Schreiner provides an easy-to-navigate resource for studying and understanding the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Letters. This accessibly written volume summarizes the content of each major section of the biblical text to help readers quickly grasp the sense of particular passages.
Interpreting the Gospels and Acts by
Summary: In this volume of the Handbooks for New Testament Exegesis series, David Turner provides a comprehensive guide for interpreting and conveying the Gospels and the book of Acts. Key background information such as literary genres, historical setting, and theological themes lay the groundwork for properly reading these five books. This is followed by practical guidance on textual issues and original-language exegesis of passages from the Gospels and Acts. Interpreting the Gospels and Acts is an essential resource for anyone teaching and preaching these foundational books.
Jesus in the Gospels and Acts by
Summary: Presents an overview of the first-century world of Jesus, the historical Jesus, and canonical as well as other early Christian gospels to gain insight into Jesus' impact on religion, history, and culture. The book also explores issues of authorship, historicity, culture, and theology in the New Testament, specifically the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, as well as the extracanonical gospels.-- From publisher's description.
New Wine by
"A work on the birthing and youthful church from an elder exegete and seminary professor has been needed for some time and now is fulfilled. J. Dwight Pentecost pours out his many years of in depth study on the book of Acts in this new study. New Wine emphasizes the study of Acts as a transitional narrative. The Kingdom has been inaugurated and the church has been birthed" -- Publisher description.
Reading Acts by
The book of Acts tells the story of what happened after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The book is filled with adventure and entertainment as Acts narrates God's activity among his people and the world. In this book I explore one way of reading Acts that attends closely to the plotline of the book and seek to invite readers into the story that Acts tells. Along the way, I examine some of the most important themes of Acts, including divine activity, the extension of the gospel to surprising people in surprising ways, conflict and congruence between the gospel and the broader world, and the ongoing importance of Israel as God's people. While there are many excellent reasons to read Acts, I reflect too upon the theological and ethical vision of Acts for those who read this book as Christian Scripture. ""Joshua Jipp crafts a careful, readable, and engaging introduction into the many complexities readers face in the Book of Acts. Attuned to exegesis and theology alike, this book is a reliable and ideal entry point for students encountering Acts and its significance today."" --Eric Barreto, Princeton Theological Seminary ""It is difficult to fit this helpful volume into one particular genre: it is at once an introduction to Lukan studies through a close interaction with the narrative of Acts . . . and a bold call to provide a proper response to this part of the Christian Scripture that challenges the social, political, and ecclesiological identities of individual believers within their own communities. Beginning students will benefit from Joshua Jipp's wise and reliable guidance in navigating through Acts, while advanced readers will appreciate the power of his careful yet creative reading of Acts."" --David W. Pao, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School ""We need more books like this one! From the first page to the last, Joshua Jipp demonstrates his profound regard for the Acts of the Apostles, as well as his intimacy with its narrative progression and theology. The result is a wonderful entryway into the study of Acts that takes seriously its importance to the church and its mission."" --Joel B. Green, Fuller Theological Seminary ""Professor Jipp's uncanny ability to distill a comprehensive, in-depth knowledge of New Testament and early Christian texts, within their Greco-Roman setting, into an interpretation of Luke's second volume means nothing but eye-opening, mind-illuminating 'a-ha' moments in reading Acts through the brilliance of this new light . . . As an introduction for non-biblical specialists, this 'opening of the Scriptures' of Acts is without equal."" --David P. Moessner, Texas Christian University Joshua Jipp is Associate Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Saved by Faith and Hospitality (2017), Christ is King: Paul's Royal Ideology (2015), and Divine Visitations and Hospitality to Strangers in Luke-Acts (2013).
Reading Acts Today by
Reading Acts Today provides a 'state of the art' view of study of Acts from a variety of perspectives and approaches. It is a fresh and stimulating collection of scholarly essays at the cutting edge of the discipline. The contributions come at Acts from many different angles including historical, theological, socio-economic, literary, narrative, and exegetical approaches. This enables a thorough examination of the way that other ancient writings illuminate Acts and locates the book in its ancient context. The wide range of contributors features some of the most influential names in modern New Testament studies, providing a remarkable assessment of current scholarship on the book of Acts . These include James D.G. Dunn, I. Howard Marshal, and Richard Burridge. It was formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement , a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches.
A Theology of Luke and Acts by
Summary: Examines Lukan themes, language, and the books' context within the Bible. --from publisher description.
Body and Character in Luke and Acts by
Early Christianity developed in a world where moral significance was often judged based upon physical appearance alone. Exploring the manifestations of this ancient "science" of physiognomy, Parsons rightly shows how Greco-Roman society, and by consequence the author of Luke and Acts, was steeped in this tradition. Luke, however, employs these principles in his writings in order to subvert the paradigm. Using as examples the bent woman (Luke 13), Zacchaeus (Luke 18), the lame man (Acts 3-4), and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), Parsons shows that the Christian community—both early and present-day—is established only in the image of Jesus Christ.
Septuagintal Midrash in the Speeches of Acts by 
Divine Visitations and Hospitality to Strangers in Luke-Acts by
In Divine Visitations and Hospitality to Strangers in Luke-Acts, Joshua W. Jipp offers an interpretation of the Malta Episode in Acts 28:1-10, an interpretation that highlights the practice of hospitality to strangers within Luke-Acts and the broader ancient Mediterranean world.
The Exorcism Stories in Luke-Acts by
This 2004 book in English integrates detailed literary criticism of the exorcism stories in Luke-Acts with wide-ranging comparative study of ancient sources on demonology, spirit affliction and exorcistic healing. Methods from systemic functional linguistics and critical theory are explained and then applied to each story. Careful focus is placed on each narrative's linguistic functions and also on relevant aspects of its literary co-text and the wider context of culture. Implications of the analysis for the new perspective on Luke-Acts, especially the implied author's relationship with Judaism, are explored in relation to the Lukan stories' original context of reception. Largely neglected interfaces between Luke's narrative representation of exorcism and emerging academic discourse about religious experience, shamanism, health care in antiquity, ritual performance and ancient Jewish systems of impurity are probed in ways that shed fresh light on this supremely alien part of the Lukan writings.
The Literary Construction of the Other in the Acts of the Apostles by
Mitzi Smith engages the reader in explaining how, as in the real world, the characterization of the Others is used negatively in the biblical texts. Smith shows how the concept of difference is constructed in order to distinguish ourselves from proximateothers: indeed, the other who is most similar to us is most threatening and most problematic. The process of Othering, or Otherness, is a synthetic and political social construct that allows us to create and maintain boundaries between 'them' and 'us'. Thus, this work demonstrates how proximate characters are constructed as the Other in the Acts of the Apostles. Charismatics, Jews, and women are proximate others who are constructed as the external and internal Others.
Luke - Acts by
This book demonstrates that Luke-Acts provides its audience with a basic foundation for all of the various dimensions of Christian worship. With the arrival of Jesus, and especially his being raised from the dead by God, the preeminent locations, leadership, and times for worship move beyond the Jerusalem temple, Jewish synagogues, Sabbath, and the Jewish feasts of Passover and Pentecost to worship in and by the Christian community. As Son of God and Lord, Jesus becomes an object of true worship along with God the Father. Jesus serves as a subject for laudatory worship. Jesus teaches about prayer, engages in it, and serves as an object for supplicatory worship. Jesus not only took part in the ritual worship of being baptized by John, but as the risen and exalted Lord baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of baptism. In addition, the many meal scenes throughout Luke-Acts provide numerous insights foundational for proper celebrations of the Eucharist.
Lydia as a Rhetorical Construct in Acts by
A new sociorhetorical study of Acts In Lydia as a Rhetorical Construct in Acts, Gruca-Macaulay explores the sociorhetorical function of the story of Lydia, a named Lydian woman ancient interpreters would have associated with cultural stereotypes of Lydians. As a rhetorical figure, Lydia both influenced and was influenced by the ideology of the surrounding text in Acts 16, as well as the approach Luke–Acts as a whole takes to people who are somehow like Lydia. Features: Displays the rhetorical-cultural portrayal of women in Luke-Acts from the perspective of a first-century Mediterranean audience as compared with the history of scholarship, specifically through a sociorhetorical interpretation of the role of Lydia in Acts Investigates the rhetorical function of Mediterranean social-cultural topoi in qualitative argumentation, with a focus on Greco-Roman physiognomy generally, and Lydian ethnography especially Introduces the rhetorical use of conceptual blending, particularly its application for gaining insight into the function of military discourse in developing the rhetorical force of the Lydia episode in Acts
Scriptural Interpretation and Community Self-Definition in Luke-Acts and the Writings of Justin Martyr by
Although scholars often assume that Luke and Justin similarly claim the sacred texts of Jews for the non-Jewish church, this book offers a fresh analysis that uncovers significant differences between their respective depictions of the relationship between Christ-believers and the Jewish scriptures.
Sight and Blindness in Luke-Acts by
Reading Luke-Acts through the lens of Greco-Roman physiognomics, this is a study of the use of physical descriptions in characterization in the biblical texts. Specifically, this work studies blindness as characterization and, ultimately, as an interpretive guide to Luke-Acts.
The Speeches of Outsiders in Acts by
How does Luke's portrait of the outsider help in exploring the theology and historiography of Acts? Previous studies of the author and his work have concentrated on the speeches given by insiders - members of the early Christian church - but until now the speeches of the outsiders have been marginalised by scholars in the field. Osvaldo Padilla takes an intriguing approach by concentrating on the direct speech of such figures, arguing that the portrayal of outsiders to a religious movement should not be neglected when considering the author's viewpoint. By exploring the place of outsiders in Old Testament and Second Temple literature, then offering comparisons with the depictions found in Acts, Padilla provides an insightful take on the subject that will prove invaluable to scholars and students of biblical and early Christian studies.
Characters and Characterization in Luke-Acts by
"Like all skilful authors, the composer of the biblical books of Luke and Acts understood that a good story requires more than a gripping plot - a persuasive narrative also needs well-portrayed, plot-enhancing characters. This book brings together a set of new essays examining characters and characterization in those books from a variety of methodological perspectives. The essays illustrate how narratological, sociolinguistic, reader-response, feminist, redaction, reception historical, and comparative literature approaches can be fruitfully applied to the question of Luke's techniques of characterization. Theoretical and methodological discussions are complemented with case studies of specific Lukan characters. Together, the essays reflect the understanding that while many of the literary techniques involved in characterization attest a certain universality, each writer also brings his or her own unique perspective and talent to the portrayal and use of characters, with the result that analysis of a writer's characters and style of characterization can enhance appreciation of that writer's work." -- Provided by publisher.
Conversion in Luke-Acts by
Repentance and conversion are key topics in New Testament interpretation and in Christian life. However, the study of conversion in early Christianity has been plagued by psychological assumptions alien to the world of the New Testament. Leading New Testament scholar Joel Green believes that careful attention to the narrative of Luke-Acts calls for significant rethinking about the nature of Christian conversion. Drawing on the cognitive sciences and examining key evidence in Luke-Acts, this book emphasizes the embodied nature of human life as it explores the life transformation signaled by the message of conversion, offering a new reading of a key aspect of New Testament theology.
Issues in Luke-Acts by
This volume provides an introduction and engagement with the major critical issues in the study of Luke-Acts. As the study of Acts has become, once again, one of the major areas of focus within New Testament scholarship, this collection of essays presents an orientation to the major issues of Luke-Acts study, while providing fresh scholarship by senior scholars. This holistic overture addresses fundamental questions such as authorship, dating, textual concerns, sources, speeches and literary form(s). Furthermore, theological topics, such as Christology, ecclesiology, pneumatology and missiology, as well as the portrayal of Paul, and the role of the Old Testament will be discussed. Finally, the reception history of Acts and its influence on the development of the early catholic church will be considered. While this volume is primarily oriented towards students within seminary and post-grad programs to be used as an introductory text to either Luke or Acts, it also seeks to provide an opportunity for established scholars to expand upon previous scholarship and make a novel contribution to the various topics.
The Kingdom According to Luke and Acts by
This substantial, reliable introduction examines the character and purpose of Luke and Acts and provides a thorough yet economical treatment of Luke's social, historical, and literary context. Karl Allen Kuhn presents Luke's narrative as a "kingdom story" that both announces the arrival of God's reign in Jesus and describes the ministry of the early church, revealing the character of the kingdom as dramatically at odds with the kingdom of Rome. Kuhn explores the background, literary features, plotting, and themes of Luke and Acts but also offers significant, fresh insights into the persuasive force of Luke's impressively crafted and rhetorically charged narrative.
Luke - Acts by
This book demonstrates that Luke-Acts provides its audience with a basic foundation for all of the various dimensions of Christian worship. With the arrival of Jesus, and especially his being raised from the dead by God, the preeminent locations, leade
Luke-Acts and Empire by
In recent years, scholars have explored anew the interface between the early Christian movements and the Roman Empire. Once thought to be quietistic, the early Christian movements turn out to have been critical of the Empire and significantly counterimperial. This collection of essays in honor of Robert Brawley turns the spotlight on Luke-Acts. The soundings taken here disclose deeper anti-imperial rhetoric than previously thought. In brazen and subtle ways, Luke-Acts displays an alternative realm of peace and justice inaugurated by Jesus under the God of Israel. The essays in this volume will lead you to hear Luke-Acts in fresh ways.
Lydia As a Rhetorical Construct in Acts by
In Lydia as a Rhetorical Construct in Acts, Gruca-Macaulay explores the sociorhetorical function of the story of Lydia, a named Lydian woman ancient interpreters would have associated with cultural stereotypes of Lydians. As a rhetorical figure, Lydia both influenced and was influenced by the ideology of the surrounding text in Acts 16, as well as the approach Luke-Acts as a whole takes to people who are somehow like Lydia.
Prayer and Vindication in Luke-Acts by
This is a comprehensive study of the literary function of prayer in Luke-Acts, employing narrative critical methodology and focusing on the theme's relation to Luke's historiographical aims Holmas asserts that the distribution of strategically-placed prayer notices and prayers throughout Luke-Acts serves a twofold purpose. First, it is integral to Luke's project of authenticating the Jesus-movement as accredited by Israel's God. Holmas shows that Luke presents a consistent pattern of divine affirmation and redemptionm attending the tenacious prayers of the faithful ones throughout every major phase of his narrative - in turn demonstrating continuity with the pious Israel of the past. Secondly, most importantly the 'ultimate' purpose of Luke's emphasis on prayer is didactical. In Luke's gospel Jesus summons his disciples (and implicitly his readers) to confident and persistent prayer before the Eschaton, assuring them of God's readiness to answer their entreaties. Luke's historical account as a whole provides narrative reinforcement of this affirmation. Just as God has been consistent in responding to the diligent prayers of his faithful ones in recent history, satisfying and fulfilling Israel's hopes for redemption in the Jesus movement, he will assuredly secure ultimate vindication at the end of time for those who persist in prayer. It was formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement, a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS.
Reading Acts in the Discourses of Masculinity and Politics by
This book looks at the Acts of the Apostles through two lenses that highlight the two topics of masculinity and politics. Acts is rich in relevant material, whether this be in the range of such characters as the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius, Peter and Paul, or in situations such as Timothy's circumcision and Paul's encounters with Roman rulers in different cities. Engaging Acts from these two distinct but related perspectives illuminates features of this book which are otherwise easily missed. These approaches provide fresh angles to see how men, masculinity, and imperial loyalty were understood, experienced, and constructed in the ancient world and in earliest Christianity. The essays present a range of topics: some engage with Acts as a whole as in Steve Walton's chapter on the way Luke-Acts perceives the Roman Empire, while others focus on particular sections, passages, and even certain figures, such as in an Christopher Stroup's analysis of the circumcision of Timothy. Together, the essays provide a tightly woven and deeply textured analysis of Acts. The dialogue form of essay and response will encourage readers to develop their own critiques of the points raised in the collection as a whole.
Representations of the Afterlife in Luke-Acts by
Questions regarding the afterlife are many, and the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts pay a great deal of attention to them: why does Luke speak about several different forms of the afterlife? Why is resurrection described as a person's transformation into an angelic being? How many abodes are appointed for the righteous and the wicked after death? Alexey Somov addresses these queries in relation to the apparent confusion and variety found in the text, and in respect of the interrelatedness of these issues, and their connection with other eschatological issues in Luke-Acts, and in relation to the wider cultural context of the Mediterranean world to which Luke belonged. Every culture expresses its beliefs by means of special metaphors that allow it to comprehend supernatural realities in terms of everyday experience. Belief in the afterlife was part of this metaphorical system which Luke shared with the ancient eastern Mediterranean culture. Somov takes his analysis one step further by applying Cognitive Metaphor Theory to selected metaphorical aspects of the afterlife. While the inconsistencies and incoherence of the combined metaphors may seem jarring to a contemporary Western reader, Somov's reading enables a recognition of the specific religious metaphors used, which for Luke would have been current and widely accepted.
