Reading Luke-Acts in Its Mediterranean Milieu (Supplements to Novum Testamentum)

268 Pages·2003·1.5 MB·English

by  Charles H. Talbert

READING LUKE-ACTS IN ITS MEDITERRANEAN MILIEU
SUPPLEMENTS TO
NOVUM TESTAMENTUM
EDITORIAL BOARD
C.K. BARRETT, Durham- P. BORGEN, Trondheim
J.K. ELLIOTT, Leeds- H.J. DEJONGE, Leiden
A.J. MALHERBE, NewHaven
M.J.J. MENKEN, Utrecht- J. SMITSIBINGA, Amsterdam
Executive Editors
M.M. MITCHELL, Chicago& D.P. MOESSNER, Dubuque
VOLUME CVII
READING LUKE-ACTS
IN ITS MEDITERRANEAN MILIEU
by
CHARLES H. TALBERT
BRILL
LEIDEN •BOSTON
2003
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Talbert, Charles H.
Reading Luke-Acts in the Mediterranean milieu / by Charles H. Talbert.
p. cm. -- (Supplements to Novum Testamentum, ISSN 0167-9732 ; v. 107)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 90-04-12964-2 (hb : alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Luke--Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Bible. N.T. Acts--Criticism,
interpretation, etc. I. Title. II. Series.
BS2589.T345 2003
226.4’06--dc21
2002033037
ISSN 0167-9732
ISBN 90 04 12964 2
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TABLEOF CONTENTS
Preface ................................................................ ix
Acknowledgements ................................................... xi
1.On ReadingLuke andActs...................................... 1
2.SuccessioninLuke-Acts andinthe LukanMilieu.............. 19
3.ReadingAune’sReadingofTalbert ............................. 57
4.PropheciesofFutureGreatness:TheContributionsof
Greco-RomanBiographiestoanUnderstandingof
Luke1:5–4:1.................................................... 65
5. Jesus’BirthinLukeandthe Natureof ReligiousLanguage.... 79
6.The Wayof theLukanJesus:DimensionsofLukan
Spirituality ..................................................... 91
7.MartyrdominLuke-Acts andtheLukanSocialEthic.......... 105
8.The PlaceoftheResurrectioninthe TheologyofLuke........ 121
9.ConversionintheActsof theApostles:AncientAuditors’
Perceptions..................................................... 135
10.Acts 20:7–12asEarlyChristianApologetic...................... 149
11.Once Again:The GentileMissioninLuke-Acts................ 161
12.The Theology ofSeaStormsinLuke-Acts...................... 175
13.WhatisMeantBy theHistoricityofActs? ...................... 197
Bibliography .......................................................... 219
IndexofModernAuthors............................................ 233
IndexofSubjects ..................................................... 237
IndexoAncientSources ............................................. 239
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PREFACE
The essays published herein reflect a selection of my work on Luke-
Acts done since the late 1970’s as I was gaining clarity about my
method: reading as a participant in the authorial audience. They orig-
inally appeared as scattered items, often in out of the way places like
Festschriften.Beingpulledtogetherbetweentwocoversallowsthemtobe
seenasacoherentreadingofthe Lukanwritings.
That these essays appear in print in this form is because of the ser-
vices of a number of people. This volume appears in the Novum Testa-
mentumSupplementSeriesduetoitsgraciousacceptancebytheeditors,
David Moessner and Margaret Mitchell. It appears at all because of
thepainstakingcopy-editingofmygraduateassistant,MichaelW.Mar-
tin, who has transformed a variety of editorial styles into one, follow-
ing The SBL Handbook of Style, edited by Patrick H. Alexander and oth-
ers (Peabody, Mass.: Henrickson Publishers, 1999). It is to that Hand-
book that the reader is referred for abbreviations used in this book.
This study was supported in part by funds from the Baylor University
ResearchCommitteethatunderwroteMr.Martin’sexpensesduringthe
summer 2002. The generous permission given by the original publish-
ers to use these essays in a new form is gratefully recognized in the
Acknowledgments. As always, any productive work on my part would
not havebeen possible without the stimulatingand supportive relation-
ship over the years with my wife, Dr. Betty W. Talbert. To these loved
onesandfriends Isay,thankyou.
CharlesH.Talbert