The Mystery of Acts: Unraveling Its Story

192 Pages·2008·3.65 MB·English

by  Richard I. Pervo

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of
TheM ysteryA cts
UnraveliIntgSs t ory
RichardI . Pervo
POLEBRIPDRGEES S
SanRtoas Caa,l ifornia
Copyright R©i c2h0Ia0P.r8e d r bvyo
Alrli grhetsse rPvreidni.tnt eh dUe n itSetdao tfAe mse riNcopa a.or ft
thbioso k muasyeo drrb eep rodiuancn meyad n nwehra tswoietvheoru t
writptemerins seixocne ptthc eai osnefb riqeufo taetimobnosd iine d
critairctiacalln redes v iFeowirsno .fr mataidodnrP eoslse bPrriedsgse,
P.0 .B ox7 268, RSosaaCn,at olari nf9i5a4 07.
Covaenri dn tedreisoibrgyR n ob aiRreaem
LibraorfyC ongreCsast aloging-in-PuDbaltiac ation
PervRoi,c hIa.r d
Them ystoefAr cyt :s unirnaigvts estl o/r Ryi chIaP.re dr vo.
p. em.
Inlcudbeisib olgraprheeifrceanlc es.
ISB9N7 815--981051-2(-a4lp ka.p er)
1.B ibNl.Te.A. c ts-i-cCirisinmtt,e rpreettcIa.T.t i itolne,.
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2008040707
Contents
........................... v.i.i. .
InrtoducIinrntogd uct.i o.n . . . . .1 . . . . . . . . . . . .
ChapteTrw o
EnigomfaA sc t.s . . . . . . . .1 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ChapteTrh ree
HowL ukMee tC ertCahianl lenges
WhaHte S aid anHd eLW ehftUa nts ai..d . . . . . . . 39
ChapteFro ur
HowA ctTsel lIstS st oIr y
CharacRtepeertist,i Poanrsa,l l.e l.s . . . .5 5. . . . . . . .
ChapteFri ve
HowA ctTsel lIsstS toIrIy
CyclSetse,r eoStcyepneMedis m,e s.i. s . . 7.5 . . . . . .
Chapter Six
Symbol.i. s m. . . . . . . . .9 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ChapteSre ven
SomHei osrtiPcraolb lienAmc stI s
A RevitehwTe e oxft. . . . . . . 1.15 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter Eight
SomHei stoPrriocbalilenA m cstI sI
ChronoalnodCg hya racterization 141
ChapteNri ne
Conclu. s..i o.n . . . .. .. .. ..1 5..1 .. .. .. .. .. .
Appendix
TheS ourocfAe cst asn Idt s Liter..a r.y1 57. G enre
Glossa.r. y . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. ... 1..7. 3 .. .. . . . .
Bibliaopgrhy. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. 1 .79. .. .. . . . .

Prefaec
Int hpea st detcwaotd heeshr aebs e eng raer aetv iovfia nlt eirne st
thhei stoJreisAculasml.o aslttlh iakstn owanb otuhtfia gtu croem es
formt exptrso dubcyeh dif sol lwoerwsh,o sien terweesrmteos r e
relitghiaohnui ss toTrhiebc oaoolkfA. c tasn idt cso mpanGioosnp el
accortdoLi unkgae r ree sponfsorti hbgele en eurnadle rstoafn ding
howt hCeh riscthiuaroncr hi giannasdtp erdeI aitde s.m inntelloyg i­
caflor t howsheow isthoe xamtihnseeo urocfe osir nmfataiboonu t
the Joefhs iusstt oolr oyoa kl son-oiitfn iltyi-atalhtf eor ceasn d
movemetnhtagsta vbei rttoth h ossoeu rAc geoso.dd e aolft hose
dataarf eou ndo,ra rsea itodb ef oundi,n btohoeok fA ctAss f.ra
asi ksn owLnu,k wea tsh fei rasutt hwohroa ttemtpots ehdot wh e
bridbgeet wJeeesnou fNs a zaraenttdhh c eo mmuyn/iiettsh daetv el­
opeadw orrledl itgihoaantp petaoJl ess auss fioutnsd eHro.w he
achitehvgieosdai lts h per imaryo fs utlbhtijiltebseco to k.
A rejeicdteefaord tiat lAecs,tw itThea sr,p lyaeudp oann e ar­
liperra cotfi cues" iwnigt htoeuattr oss "i gtnoar le adtehratsth e
booiknq uestwioounlm da kaed ifficsuulbtj aecccte stsoti hbel e
"genperuiabcllT. h"eg oailse minntelwyo ryt,ah nIdb elitehvaet
someex pses rhtouvlidei wat s a no bliga"Wtiitohnto.eu athr asad"
patronizing trhitanhtgge ,e niepmrupabllnly eiiecntd gobs e s poon­
fde,t hsatu bjects" druemqbduioinwrgnei " tf h eayrt eoc ommand
inteTrheesirtse.d ifaef renacftee,r allt,h lebu ecetixwdpe leinc ation
ofc ompliicsastauenedods v ersimplforit fihcseaa tkoiefio nn stant
inteliltIiyh g.ai vbleio lntgh outghhatot n esi gonfm astoevreyar
partiscuubljiaetsrch tce a patcoei txyp liaitin pn l aliann guAangye .
vii
Vlll Prfeace
fialeusIrh aveex hibiintth erides g amradyt heorrebefe a tbturtiteod
insfuifcmiaesntte ry.
Speacliiusttisjl agirozane n tde chntiecrwamhlse cno mmunicating
with aonnoetT hheirisn.s o l ess otrrcuhei do-fag nrfdooo wtebrasl l
fnast hainit os f n uclpehayrs iacnitdsh teso loJgairaginossun .s a e ful
typoefs horthIatinm sdu .ce ha stiose ar"y e cecslioloor"g byl"i tz"
thaint t ois sp eraekp eaotfe dtclhoyen sitoifntor,um tn,a tuarned,
doctrianneda booftu htCe h urocrth o s tattheat thl eni ebckaers
charsgterda fiorg httqh uea rteTrecbhanciklc.aa nlg udaogees crop
upi nt hbioso bku,at d efiniatcicoonm peaanciuhena sfmi ltiearrm
oni tfisr astp pea.rM aonrceeosvienrnc,oe et v eryonwei tfurhle ald s
concreanttainocdna reafutlt enfrtoimbo eng intnoei nndagg, l ossary
ofn ametse,r amnsdd a tieassp penIdteedam.ps p eairnti hngegl os­
saarryme a rkweidta hna steer.ig*s.kMa,,r coifoS ni nope.
Instoefaa bdu ndfaoonttn ottheiss, boomka nrpyele farecnecse s
withpianr ent.Ah letsheotsuhgiihsss t iysltiacwaklrwldaty,h heo pe is
thaiwtti blel m"oursefre ire n"dI latyl .mseoa tnhsa t smcahnoyl ars
don orte cediivreae ncidtm medciraetfdeori t th eiidre Tahsel. ti ss
"For FRueratdhienargs "s ocwiiattehea dcc hh apsteeetrko c om­
pensianpt aerf ortt hliasoc fka cknloewdgemAelwnlh to. warnidt e,
reaadb,o ut aLnuAdkc et s thoda evwaeli tthhp eo tenctoinafuls ion
causbeyd tuhsoeef " Lukfeor" tihmep liedo fba outtahhn oadrs
thnea moef tfihresb to oTkh.es oluhteiroienst o u se either "the
GospoefLl u koer"" thGeo sp,e"wli tahnu ppcearsG e where there
migbheta mbiigtuy.
Fewd iscihpalvibene eemsno roep etno t hceh arogfte e ach­
intgh esiurb j"ewcitt htoeuattr hsa"hn a bse eCnh ristthieaoynl, o g
throiutgmsho sntu merroeupsr teasteitnvhecesl ,eo rfgl yo ccaolm ­
muniie.tAs lthoculgehir ngt yhm ea insttrreaoadnmihs ta ivhea tdo
confrcornittp ircoablla enmhdsa vbee eenx potsoce rdi tmiectahlo ds
int hceo urosfte h epirreo sfsieodnuacla atlitloo nfo,we of them
shatrhei s liena rtnthieenaigcra h nipdnr ge acThhienriger.a saornes
pastortahlre,e sbiuusplta t t eirsnmSa.il nmcaen cyh urmcehm bers
haveen counctreirteidc ali net dhuicnaktiinogno artl h rsoeutgthi ngs
thmee ditah,pi ast ernhaablsei csomim nes idBiootbuhes l.i aenvde rs
non-ibeevhlearvases m ucrhi gtholt e awrhnai tgs o ionngi nb iballi c
studaiste hsed yoi nm edniecT.ih is ibasoi omkae tdt heTmh.e rein
liaenso tsheenros fe ptrheep ospihtria"oswneiat tleh a. r"s
"ThAec tosft hAep olsetsa,si" te nitsi itaslc erdu,cb ioaoilknt h e
NewT estameMnatnc.ya enn jiotyb, u itbt r iswtiltpehrs o bsl­em
inclutdhpiern ogb olfei tmps o rtorfta hiJete wipseho pTlheib.so ok
attemrputtsshs ltleoye xpotsheo dsifecfi ultbioetbshe, c atuhseey
Praecfe
IX
arees setnot iuaanlnd erstoafCn hdrinigso triiaganin ndbs e cause
truaep precoifAa ctitrosen q uainur nedse rstoafn ddiiitifnscfg u lties,
inclutdhdieinfi fgc ultthiiaettass u thhoatrdo m anaIgsfeo .m oeft he
expltainooanrds e finsietieoamtn rsi tfoloe condetshcheeo npdei ng,
itsh tahtdi esfi wciiltlo vberec boym ert ehfuest oap lu pluln cFhoers .
thiyretayr s Abcetetsnh cehh aifseoc fuo sfm yr eseaanrwdcr hi ting
int hNee wT etsamefinetla dn,id h ta bse etnh roAucgthts h amty
othaecra deimnitce reemsetrsg edd eavnedl opiesmd y.f aovrIitt e
boookf Cthher isBtiibaIlln eo ;vi et .s oImmfea yw ondheorwt his
lovcea bne e xprebsysa epdp arsemnatslhyAi cntigsn tpoi ecIe s,
shourledpy tl haalta ugfholtleortw esa arnstd,h at ctahne nrboee
Easwtietrh GoouotFd r iyd.a
Albli blqiucoatla tniooton tsh erawtibtsureti eadrf eor m the
NewR esveiSdat ndaVredr s(iNoSRnV )©,1 98b9yt hDei viosfi on
ChrisEtdiuacna otfi otnh e National Council of Churches of Christ
int hUe. AS.I. nt hecsiet aIth iaovnfeorst, h sea koefc layr,fol iltowed
"lectionarbyys upprpalcytiinncgae m"pfe rorspo rpoenro Tuhness.e
substiatruietni i toanlTsih cuss., ionf"s Htese aaitdodt hemt,h"e
citawtiirloelna " dPe tsearti odt hdei sc"iR pelqeusi.remoefsn ptasc e
prevent ocfmi otsatt ipoatnso ws haigrceehesf r enicsmea d.eI deal
readweirdlsolw etlol kaeB eipbt lohe a nsdot, h tahte y emxaaym ine
somoeft herseeefr ences.
Thanakrdseu teo T omH alalna, d mireadbiltaeon trd,o t hset fa f
of PolePbrreisdsg.e
RichIaP.re dr vo
StP.a uMli,n noetsa
Apr2i0l08

ChapteOrn e
A FewB asics
Introducing Introduction
Somyee aargsow ,h islaem pltihwneag r oefasu sebdo oekm porium,
Ig lanacte rdae cepnatp erobfaJ cokhS nt einbTheecG kr'aspo efs
WrathT.h iesd itieovni,d ednitrleytc otweadyr odu nrge adienrcsl,u d­
ed iannt rodeuxcptiloanti hnbeia ncrgko gunTdh.e rreea hlalbdye en
a" GreDate presisnti ho1en93 "0 se,x acerbbyta ht"eeD dsu tBo wl"
thacta usmeadnf yma iliteoas b andaonnc esfratmrasan lmd o ve west
tos eetkh eliirv eliThhoepo edrsc.en ievetedods upptlhyii nsof mra­
tiowna sab iotf sah ocIkno.fmr intgh peu bloiftc h eex istoefn ce
"thdee preswsaisfoo,rn m"ae mboefrt hgee nerwahtoisopena rents'
livheasbd e esnh apaendsd c arbryte hda t earnan,o ulnitckhiean tg
thseu hna adr iyseesnt eCrodnatye.m ppoerrasraoynn ds works may
bes aitdo" neneodi ntrodubcutttih opena ,s"s oafg et ime quickly
canctehlacstl i amI.f a pprecoifa tiSohna kefsoupre-ahruen'dsr ed­
year-old plsaoymske n orwelqeuodifgr eets sho ecc iiarlc umstances
undwehri chhew rotoer-e fxamptlheaw,to menr'oslw eesrt ea ken
byb oycsr,e aatc ienrgt aamiuns emwehnetbn o ypsl,a ywionmge n,
dresasseb do ys-hmouwc mho ries t haktn owleldigkete olb ye
imporftora nwto rkasr feti htvaietm f eousrh undryeedaor lsd ?
Yetl anguor-msiogmhet sruiggmgooerrs tti so-vhearsnt t ahkee
onclei vdeilsyc iopf"l BiibnleIi ncrtaold uc"tiAs o mna.nwyh oh ave
soughhte lstpto u dleenatrsn casne etkeisantrgio fyuit,sno et eirne st
thset andjaorudr naqluiesstitci onWsh,a WtWh,he onW,,h erHeo,w ,
anWdh yi,as b oausfrt u itafusal na ttetmopp rto motthmeei nuaest
ana ttrafcortimv eco ofn tempsoorcadiraaynl c iTnhger. e asfoorn s
this dienic nltieanrreete so nto u moeurtso e xplhoerreae n,id mt u st
I