Slides: Authorship, Date and Genre

Slide 1

Lecture 1: Authorship, Date and Genre

The Book of Acts

Also known as Luke, Part II

Slide 2

Acts tells us the beginning of many of the churches.

Thus, it’s useful when considering background for Paul’s letters

e.g., Romans: to a mixed church once consisting only of Gentiles

Thessalonians: to a largely Gentile church persecuted for believing in “another King, Jesus”

 Athenians: oops, didn’t make it into the canon

Slide 3

Authorship: “we” narratives

Most: companion of Paul

Narratives far more detailed in “we”

-       More detail on weeks in Philippi than lengthy in Corinth, Ephesus

16:10- leaves off in Philippi

20:5- picks up in Philippi

 Fictitious?

-       Why introduce only here?

-       And at such obscure places?

-       A.D. Nock: at most one in non fictitious documents

 Travel journal?

-       Maybe- but whose? Author’s?

-       Why else leave sources (nowhere else)

Slide 4

In other ancient literature…..

 “We” normally means… “we”

Slide 5

Who was this companion?

Aristarchus went to Rome (Col 4:10; Phlm 24) – distinguished in Ac 27

Epaphras- but lack of interest in Lycus valley

Demas- but tradition says he didn’t persevere (2T 4)

Titus- strong candidate, but not in Rome with Paul

Leaves Luke

Slide 6

Tradition: Luke

Anti- Marcionite prologue: doctor from Antioch, stayed single, died in Boeotia at age 84

Better: Irenaeus; Clement Alex.; Origen; Tertullian

Also p75 (175-225CE): “Gospel of Luke”

Not prominent in trad., yet authorship trad unanimous

Who would invent a non apostle and noneyewitness of Jesus?

Slide 7

 Nothing against it

 Fits what little we know about Luke

Many terms frequently found in medical literature (Hobart)

But most of these terms are also found elsewhere, too (Harnack)

Slide 8

Authorship

 If by Luke

-Ancient physicians

·      Some superstition

·      But genuine empirical data also

·      Various schools; no MCATS or accrediting

Slide 9

 Same author as Luke’s gospel

Slide 10

 Style

-Educated (but not highly rhetorical)

- Improves Mark’s grammar

Slide 11

 PHYSICIANS

- Both men and women

- Often slaves

- Usually Greek

- Some education

- Some Jews opposed use of physicians, but urban Hellenized accepted

Slide 12

No professional historians

Physicians educated

 Paul sometimes sick

 Personal physicians usually among closest confidantes

Slide 13

Objections

Differences of detail from Paul’s letters

·      Allowed for historians

·      No more than for other historians vs. letters

·      Paul also has apologetic agendas

 Theological differences

·      Luke more generalizing, less particular; matter of genre

 Matter of emphasis

Slide 14

 Author’s background

 Geography

·      Knows Aegean region quite thoroughly

·      Knows coastal Palestine (fits traveling companion of Paul)

·      Weaker on interior of Palestine, Galilee

Slide 15

Author’s background

JEWISH OR GENTILE?

·      Not familiar with all Palestinian Jewish customs

-If Jewish, must be Diaspora Jew

·      But traveled to Jerusalem among rep’s of Gentile churches

·      Knows LXX backward and forward

-If Gentile, presumably God- fearer

-Much interest in God- fearers in Acts

Perhaps same for target audience

Slide 16

Target Audience:

Broader ancient audiences than redaction critics thought (Bauckham et al.)

Attacks on riches

 Educated, well-to-do:

-       Wide geographic knowledge assumed

-       Theophilus

Slide 17

Style

Varies between Greek literary prose stlye

And Greek heavily influenced by LXX

Slide 18

Focus:

-       Urban

-       Often conversion of elites

-       Greece, Macedonia, Hellenistic Asia, and heart of Empire

-       Most detailed in Philippi; probably Phil. congregation in mind

-       Jewish or Gentile?

·      Gentile Chr’s still viewed as converts to Judaism

·      Emphasis on conversion of Gentiles

·      Jerusalem church still viewed as authoritative

·      Knowledge of LXX

Slide 19

 Earlier date

-       Written by Paul’s companion

·      Paul had many junior companions

·      Paul martyred c. 64; if Luke outlived Paul only by a decade, mid 70’s of 1^st century

-       Does not close with Paul’s death

·      But focus is mission not biography

·      Positive legal precendent

-       Jewish influence with Romans- only before 70

-       No: in Asia Minor continued (Rev 2-3)

Slide 20

Later date (70-90)

Luke 21: after 70 CE

-       Adjusts language (as in Matt 24 with Mk 13)

-       Jerusalem’s destruction through template of Babylon

-       Presupposition of plot development: Jerusalem’s last chance in Ac 21

Traveling companion still fits

 Luke used Mark as a source; Mk prob. c. 64

Slide 21

Very late date

-       Dependence on Josephus?

·      Couldn’t both simply depend on earlier history?

-       Related to Marcion (2^nd century)? (Tyson)

Slide 22

Genre: History

All history with purpose

-       Entertainment + information

-       Must show rhetorical artistry

Slide 23

Accuracy

Slide 24

Other Proposals

Biography (Talbert)

-       Focus on major characters

·      Fits Gospel of Luke (G’s: Burridge)

·      Jesus – Peter – Paul

-       Biographic “succession narratives” (esp. in philosophic biography?)

Slide 25

But

Doesn’t end with Paul’s (or Peter’s) death

Biographic focus in much ancient history

·      Biographic approach to history

·      Multivolume histories sometimes included one or more volumes on a single character (e.g. Alexander)

Succession

·      Not just in biography

·      Philosophic lists of successors not as strong

Many helpful elements

-Biographic focus

- Parallel lives