Through Many Tribulations: The Theology of Persecution in Luke-Acts

379 Pages·19.696 MB·English

by  Scott Cunningham

l i b r a r y o f n e w t e s t a m e n t s t u d i e s
‘Through MANy
TribuLATioNS’
The Theology of Persecution in Luke-Acts

Scott cunningham
JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
SUPPLEMENT SERIES
142
Executive Editor
Stanley E. Porter
Editorial Board
David Catchpole, R. Alan Culpepper, Margaret Davies, James D.G. Dunn,
Craig A. Evans, Stephen Fowl, Robert Fowler, Robert Jewett,
Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, Robert W. Wall
Sheffield Academic Press

9
Through Many Tribulations
The Theology of Persecution in Luke-Acts
Scott Cunningham
Journal for the Study of the New Testament
Supplement Series 142
Copyright © 1997 Sheffield Academic Press
Published by
Sheffield Academic Press Ltd
Mansion House
19 Kingfield Road
Sheffield SI 19AS
England
Typeset by Sheffield Academic Press
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
EISBN 9781850756613
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments 7
Abbreviations 9
Introduction 13
Chapter 1
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE LUKAN PERSECUTION
THEME 23
Chapter 2
THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION IN THE GOSPEL
OF LUKE 42
Chapter 3
THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION IN THE ACTS OF
THE APOSTLES 186
Chapter 4
THEOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PERSECUTION
THEME IN LUKE-ACTS 295
Chapter 5
THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION AND THE PURPOSE
OF LUKE-ACTS 328
CONCLUSION 337
Bibliography 343
Index of References 355
Index of Authors 374

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The present work is substantially the result of my doctoral studies under
the New Testament faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary completed
in 1993. Any proficiency I have gained in New Testament studies has
been largely due to their contribution. Dr H. Hoehner has been of great
encouragement and I thank him for the very personal interest that he has
taken in my efforts. Dr D.L. Bock, having introduced me to the richness
of Luke-Acts, graciously accepted to be my advisor for this project
and has accomplished that responsibility with his usual diligence and
expertise. He has contributed much more to my understanding of
Luke-Acts than the few references I have made to his published work
would indicate. Few doctoral students have had such personal attention
from their mentors and fellowship in ministry with them as have I.
Thanks must go to my colleagues at ECWA Theological Seminary,
Igbaja (Nigeria) and particularly to my first principal there, Dr N.
Olutimayin, who initially suggested that I pursue further studies.
Along that journey I have become indebted to many others for their
encouragement and aid. Above all, my best friend and dear wife,
Beth, has been an incredibly understanding partner. She has wonder-
fully adjusted to meet my inability at times to meet the needs of our
family due to the pressures of research and writing, and lovingly
sacrificed some of her own desires. I have relied upon her wisdom to
maintain my balance in the priorities of life. Our children bless her
and I will praise her. My thanks also go to our mission, SIM
International, which granted one year of study leave, allowing me to
complete my residential work and examinations. Throughout my
studies our family has benefitted from the faithful support of many
partners in ministry, and each of them deserves more than this collec-
tive thanks. In particular I must mention the elders and other believers
of Community Bible Chapel (Richardson, Texas) for their generous
and loving support in so many ways. Through their prayers I have
enjoyed 'the help that comes from God'.
8 Through Many Tribulations'
My thanks also go to Dr S.E. Porter, Executive Editor of the JSNT
Supplement Series, and the staff of Sheffield Academic Press for their
advice and assistance in readying this manuscript for publication. In
the process of revising and updating, I have briefly interacted with a
number of recent articles and monographs having immediate rele-
vance to the subject. However, I did not attempt to reference newly
published commentaries on Luke-Acts, such as those by D.L. Bock
and J. Nolland (second and third volumes) or C.K. Barrett's first
volume on Acts, as rewarding as that might have been.
My interest in the topic of persecution was initially stimulated by
the current situation in Nigeria, my adopted home for more than 15
years. As in many parts of the world, Christians here have been the
frequent object of persecution, and thousands have given their lives
during this decade. My hope is that this work will contribute to a bib-
lical understanding of persecution that will provide the basis for a
truly Christian response. It is with my prayers that I dedicate this
work to my persecuted Christian brothers and sisters of Africa.
ABBREVIATIONS
AB Anchor Bible
ACNT Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament
AJBS African Journal of Biblical Studies
AnBib Analecta Biblica
AUSTR American University Studies: Series 7: Theology and Religion
BAGD W. Bauer, W.F. Arndt, F.W. Gingrich and F.W. Danker, A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (2nd edn, 1979)
BB Bible Bhashyam
BBB Bonner biblische Beitrage
BDF F. Blass, A. Debrunner and R.W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of
the New Testament (1961)
BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium
BFCT Beitrage zur Forderung christlicher Theologie
Bib Biblica
BibTh Bibliotheque Theologique
BR Biblical Research
B TB Biblical Theology Bulletin
BWANT Beitrage zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
BZNW Beiheft zur ZNW
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
EKKNT Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
ESEC Emory Studies in Early Christianity
ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses
EuH Europaische Hochschulschriften
ExpTim Expository Times
FFNT Foundations and Facets: New Testament
FM Faith and Mission
FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen
Testaments
GBSNTS Guides to Biblical Scholarship: New Testament Series
GNS Good News Studies
Herm Hermeneia—A Critical and Historical Commentary on the
Bible
HSLib Herald Scriptural Library
HTKNT Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament