Slides: Acts 13-15
Slide 1
Acts 13:17-19, 450 years, if one adds up all the numbers without allowing for overlapping
13:27-29. Fulfilling Scriptures in condemning him: esp, Is 53; cf. also psalms of righteous sufferers (Ps. 22, 69)
13:33
- Ps 2:7
- DSS applied to Messianic enthronement
- David’s eternal dynasty
13:34
- Isa 55:3: Israel’s future hope bound up with promise to David
- Isa 55:4 (not quoted): hope for Gentiles
Slide
2
13: 35-37
- gezerah shevah: “holy” in Is 55:3 leads to Ps 16:10
- Ps 16 guarantees that object of David’s promise would never rot (cf 2:25- 28)
13:41
Hab 1:5:
- Impending judgment under Chaldeans (1:6)
- Only righteous remnant to endure by faith (2:4)
- Here principle applied to the judgment of the end
Slide
3
13: 42-43
- Many Gentiles attended synagogues with great interest (even as late as 4th cent.)
13:44
- When famous speakers (e.g., Dio Chrysostom) would come to town, much of town would go to hear him
- Word spread quickly about new speaker at the synagogue
- Paul billed as a rhetorician or philosopher
13:47
Is 49:6:
- Servant = Israel in 49:3-4
- In 49: 5-7 = one who fully carries out Servant’s mission and suffers for Israel (as in 52:13 – 53:12)
Slide
4
13:48-49
- Jews predestined for salvation by virtue of descent from Abraham
- Here many Gentiles ordained to life!
- Already implied in Is 49:6
13: 50
- Many prominent women interested in Judaism
- Local aristocracies:
- - most of political power
- from them came decurions for local councils
- their opposition could drive someone out of town
- their authority was purely local
- escape range of their jurisdiction
Slide
5
13:51-52
Iconium:
- 85 mi (135km) E on same Via Sebaste
- Terrain rugged- could only take Via Sebaste
4 days’ walk
Shaking off dust
- Jews returning to holy land
- (cf. Lk 10:10-12)
Slide
6
Iconium (14:1-4)
Phrygian dialect, but also Greek (2nd language)
Used interpreters when needed (cf. 14:11, 14)
Worshiped esp. emperor, Phrygian mother- goddess
Later a major center of Christianity in Asia Minor
Slide
7
14:5
city magistrates could do whatever necessary to quell disturbances
meant banning them, not killing them
couldn’t stone them; mob action
Slide
8
“Cities of Lycaonia” (14:6-7)
- Iconium culturally in Phrygia
- Ancient writers sometimes included in Lycaonia
- Lycaonia contained Lystra and Derbe
Fleeing: discretion is the better part of valor (life above honor)
- Cf. Matt 10:23: “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next one.”
Slide
9
14:8
Lystra
- Roman colony for half a century
- Emphasized local culture and Romanness alongside Pisidian Antioch, vs. Greek cities of region
Open Preaching
- Elite philosophers served wealthy patrons or lectured in halls
Others preached in markets
- Dio Chrysostom criticized philosophers who reserved lectures for classroom
Paul’s letters: he shared some of this type of philosophical ideal (1 Cor. 4:11-13)
Controversy stirred by opponents maybe added attention
Slide
10
14:9-11
Local Phrygian legend: Zeus and Hermes to Baucis and Philemon
Rest of Phrygia destroyed in a flood
Lycaonians not about to make the same mistake
Miracle workers sometimes understood as gods
Slide
11
14:12-13
Hermes:
- Messenger of Olympians
- Speaking for more dignified Zeus
- (in other stories Zeus less dignified: out chasing women or boys)
Hermes and Zeus: worshiped together in Phrygian region
Sacrificial animals often decorated with garlands before being offered
Slide
12
14:14
Lystra’s citizens spoke Latin
But market town for whole region- local language
Understood Greek but spoke with one another in local language
Slide
13
14:15-16
Paul rejects worship
- cf. Acts 3:12
- Acts 28:6
- Contrast Agrippa 1 in Acts 12:22-23
Biblical, but in terms Anatolian farmers could understand (God who rules nature)
Jewish apologists used philosopher’s teachings on supreme god, which Jews felt contradicted pagan worship of idols
Jews: God had lower moral standard for Gentiles, but idolatry not permitted
Slide
14
Phrygia (14:17)
Fertile
Worshipped esp. mother-goddess providing fertility
Stoic philosophers: nature itself testified to character of supreme god
Slide
15
14:19
- mobs often changed quickly
- denying gods considered impious, hence would appear as magicians
Jews from Antioch:
- Nearly 100 miles (160 km) away
But Lystra and Antioch “sister cities”
Stoning:
- Most common form of urban mob violence
- Stones, tiles, and cobbles readily available in ancient streets
- Suitable for blasphemy
- Irony: Paul preaching monotheism
Slide
16
Derbe (14:20)
- 60 miles (95 km) SE, maybe unpaved road
- 3 day’s journey
- Greek language and perhaps culture but became Greek “city” only afterward
- Getting far away!
14:22
- Period of intense suffering before Kingdom
Slide
17
Elders (14:23)
Elders governed and judged in towns and villages
In synagogues, generally filled a religious office
Several per synagogue (acting as councils rather than as individuals)
Title generally called for respect
Greek E. accorded much influence to Gerousia, clubs made up of “elders”
Slide
18
14:24-25
Attalia:; Pamphylia’s main port on mouth of the Catarractes
14:26-28
Diaspora Jews promoted Judaism, welcomed converts
But not concerted “missions”
Synagogue communities kept in contact through travelers who reported news
Slide
19
The Controversy (15:1-6)
Slide
20
Views (15:1)
Most: righteous Gentiles saved (Noahide laws)
Others: had to convert to Judaism
None accepted them as part of Israel
Slide
21
Apostles and Elders (15:2)
- Churches, like synagogues, ruled by local elders
- Apostles had more translocal role; Jerusalem church had elders
- Synagogues respected messengers from Temple authorities in homeland
- Judean believers in Jesus held special status (15:1)
15:3-4
- Many strict Pharisees: signs insufficient vs. traditional interpretations (15:5)
- But Chr’s respected miracles
Slide
22
Pharisees’ complaint (15:5)
Conservative nationalism since Agrippa 1
Among Pharisees:
- Hillelites more generous toward Gentiles
- But stricter Shammaites dominant
Pharisees
- Respected for piety, Torah knowledge
- Prob. high status in the Jerusalem Church
Slide
23
15:6-11: Peter’s Response
15: 6-7
models for conflict resolution
other Jewish groups also had “general” session (Qumran: priests, elders and people)
apostles did not rule without the elders
both engaged in vigorous debate, like Jewish teachers in their schools
sought to achieve consensus (v.22)
Slide
24
James’ Response (15:12-21)
15:13-16
“A people for his name”: in OT, normally = Israel
James applies to Gentile Christians
Based on Amos, whom he cites in v. 17
“Tabernacle of David” (Amos 9:11) prob. = “house of David,” fallen into disrepair
rebuilding = raising up a Messiah after Davidic line’s rule cut off (mess. also in DDS)
15: 17-18
Amos 9:12 says, “remnant of Edom”
By slightly changing the spelling: “remnant of Adam” of “humanity”
Slide
25
15:20
representative of Noahide laws (idolatry, immorality, blood in meat)
Lenient Jewish position: any righteous Gentiles have share in world to come
- Here about table fellowship, not about membership in God’s people (vs. Paul’s views)
- Even stricter Pharisees had to get along with the majority of more lenient people
- Thus teachers didn’t try to invalidate majority views
Slide
26
The Jerusalem Church’s Decree
(15:22-35)
15:22
- In later rabbinic academies, the majority view prevailed
- Here a partial compromise (in favor of Antioch) commanded consensus
15:23
- Content of letter
- Ethnic Gentiles called “brethren”
- Greetings: standard
- Circular letter, to be copied and circulated by its messengers to these different regions
- Common to cite the contents of letters
- Would be widely known
15:28
- “It seemed good” = “be it resolved” (in Greek decrees, often after votes in citizen assemblies