Lecture 40. Introduction to Part IV of Acts

Transcription

1 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 1 of 10 Lecture 40. Introduction to Part IV of Acts Review: Fitzmyer s Outline, Compressed I. The Early Christian Community (1:1-26) II. The Mission of Testimony in Jerusalem (2:1-8:4) III. The Mission of Testimony in Judea and Samaria (8:5-40) IV. The Word is Carried Further: Testimony Even to Gentiles (9:1-14:28) V. The Jerusalem Decision about Gentile Christians (15:1-35) VI. Paul s Universal Mission and Testimony (15:36-22:21) VII. Paul Imprisoned for the Sake of Testimony to the Word (22:22-28:31) With this lecture we begin Section IV. Overview of Section IV IV. The Word is Carried Further: Testimony Even to Gentiles (9-14) A. The Persecutor Becomes a Christian Witness (9:1-31) B. Peter Initiates the Mission to Gentiles (9:32-11:18) C. Spread of the Word to Gentiles Elsewhere (11:19-26) D. Paul s First Missionary Journey to Gentiles in Asia Minor (13-14) A Closer Look at Chapters 9 & 10 A. The Persecutor Becomes a Christian Witness (9:1-31) 1. The Call of Saul (9:1-19a) a. Saul s Encounter with the Risen Lord (9:1-9) b. Ananias Encounter s Saul (9:10-19a) 2. Saul s Preaching and Problems in Damascus (9:19b-25) a. Saul Preaches at Damascus b. Saul Escapes from the Jews 3. Saul s First Visit to Jerusalem (9:26-31) B. Peter Initiates the Mission to Gentiles (9:32-11:18) 1. Peter s Miracles in Lydda and Joppa (9:32-43) a. The Healing of Aeneas (9:32-35) b. Dorcas Restored to Life (9:36-43) 2. Conversion of Cornelius and his Household in Caesarea (10:1-11:18) I hope to give 5 lectures on Chapter 9, after this introduction. A. The Persecutor Becomes a Christian Witness (9:1-31) 1. The Call of Saul (9:1-19a) a. Saul s Encounter with the Risen Lord (9:1-9) Lecture 41 b. Ananias Encounter s Saul (9:10-19a) Lecture Saul s Preaching and Problems in Damascus (9:19b-25) Lecture 43 a. Saul Preaches at Damascus (9:19b-22) b. Saul Escapes from the Jews (19:23-25) 3. Saul s First Visit to Jerusalem (9:26-31) Lecture 44 B. Peter Initiates the Mission to Gentiles (9:32-11:18) 1. Peter s Miracles in Lydda and Joppa (9:32-43) Lecture 45 a. The Healing of Aeneas (9:32-35) b. Dorcas Restored to Life (9:36-43) 2. Conversion of Cornelius and his Household in Caesarea (10:1-11:18) Saul s Encounter with the Risen Lord Three Times in Acts Told by Luke as Narrator (9:1-19) Paul s Discourse to the Jerusalem Crowd (22:1-21) Paul s Defense before Agrippa & Festus (26:1-23)

2 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 2 of 10 Three-fold repetition: Very Important! Consider some of the things Luke omits How Christianity first came to Antioch. How Christianity first came to Rome. In light of these omissions, it is significant that he allots so much ink to Paul s call! Inconsistencies There are some internal inconsistencies in Luke s three versions of the story We will note these as we proceed through Acts. There are also tensions with Pauls own accounts of his experience (Gal 1:11-24; 1 Cor 1:9; 15:8-10; Phil 3:6-8) Before proceeding to Luke s text, we will examine these. Paul s Own Language The main ideas parallel with Acts are in a bold font. (Possible) References to Pauls experience of the risen Lord are highlighted in yellow. 11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; 14 and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; 23 they only heard it said, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God because of me. (Gal 1:11-24, RSV) Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? ( 1 Cor 9:1, RSV) [Paul has recounted the appearances of Jesus to others] 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. (1 Cor 15:8-10, RSV) If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, 6 as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ... (Phil 3:4b-8, RSV) We are now ready to look at Luke s version of the story. Translation of the Greek Lecture 41. Saul s Encounter with the Risen Lord. Acts 9:1-9

3 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 3 of 10 Conversion? We have a Feast of the Conversion of Saul. However, Paul never refers to the event as a conversion. In Galatians he speaks of the God who called him. Paul saw this experience as a prophetic commissioning, like the call of Isaiah or Jeremiah. Our English word vocation comes from the Latin vocatio, call. Conversion Paul s Commissioning did require a complete change of outlook (metanoia) In that sense, it was a conversion. However, Paul himself never thought of this conversion as a change of religion. 2. Letters from the high priest? Did the high priest in fact have authority to extradite people? Many scholars deny this. There has been some push back by Dunn. Remarks from Dunn... Luke attributes the initiative to Saul himself: it was he who went to the high priest and asked for letters of commission (cf. 22.5). Moreover, the letters are said to be addressed to the synagogues (of Damascus). Now it is quite true that the high priest had no formal jurisdiction over synagogues, least of all in other countries.... In any case the high priest was not a person whose envoy could be lightly disregarded or dismissed with his mission unfulfilled. The other is that the Temple in Jerusalem held an amazing range of financial deposits for Jews at home and abroad; it was Judaism s central bank. It is quite conceivable, therefore, that any requests were back, explicitly or implicitly, with threat of financial sanctions. All this is speculative, of course, but the possibility does give more credibility to Luke s account than it usually receives. 1 Fitzmyer Considers such authority of the high priest uncertain. Then he adds: In any case, his comment indicates that leaders of synagogues in the diaspora were thought to have authority even over Christian Jews, who perhaps still frequented those synagogues. 2 The Way An exclusively Lucan term. Not found in the OT. However, the phrase does appear in the literature of the Qumran Community (Fitzmyer, 424). 4. Heard a voice In all three descriptions of what happened... the emphasis is on the auditory aspect. This will, however, be interpreted in time as a vision of the Lord; (Fitzmyer, 425) Paul himself in 1 Cor 9:1, 15:8 Contrast the earlier Gal 1:15-16, where Paul simply speaks of a revelation ( pleased to reveal his Son ). There it is not specified whether the revelation was visual or auditory (Fitzmyer, 439). Saul, Saul. A feature of call stories Moses, Moses (Exod 3:4) Samuel, Samuel (1 Sam 3:4,10) Pervo has an interesting parallel from the Hellenistic novel Joseph and Aseneth. See Appendix. No time in the lecture. 1 Dunn, Beginning from Jerusalem, Fitzmyer, Acts, 423.

4 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 4 of 10 Why are you persecuting me? Fitzmyer argues the thinking is similar to Matt 25:35-40, the Last Judgment. I was hungry... One should not read into this Lucan verse the Pauline notion of the church as the body of Christ, as did Augustine... That Pauline designation of the Christian community has no place in Lucan theology. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that Paul came to such a characterization of the Christian church immediately as a result of this experience... It was rather the result of his missionary endeavors, since it only gradually appears in his letters, being absent in the earliest of them Who are you, sir? Should kyrie be translated Lord or sir? Johnson: Lord Fitzmyer: Pace Johnson (Acts 163), it should not be taken at full value. 4 Fitzmyer thinks that at this early stage it does not have the full meaning it will have later in Paul s career. 6. You will be told This refers to the mediation of Ananias. More on this in the next lecture. 7. heaving the voice but seeing no one Contrast Paul s speech in Acts 22:9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice... (RSV) The best explanation I have heard is that 1) Paul misspoke in 22:9 2) Luke, under divine inspiration, got it right in chapter 9. 3) Under divine inspiration, he also correctly recorded Paul s error in chapter 22! Note that this explanation presupposes a verbal dictation model of inspiration. Moulton (followed by NET) More sophisticated explanation was proposed by the grammarian H. Moulton. The genitive case in chapter 9 means they did not hear the voice. The accusative case in chapter 22 means they did not understand the voice. Fitzmyer argues that this distinction, while theoretically possible, does not follow Lucan usage Blindness Probably not a punishment. Rather, it indicates the helplessness of a once powerful opponent. Fitzmyer comments, Though physically blind, Saul s eyes are being opened spiritually. 6 Translation of the Greek Lecture 42. Ananias Encounters Saul. Acts 9:10-19a 15. before: Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel A programmatic verse, like 1:8, Jerusalem, Judea, ends of the earth 3 Fitzmyer, Acts, Ibid. 5 Luke, like many other Greek authors, used akouein with gen. and acc. without a differentiation in meaning (Acts, 426, where he cites several scholarly articles). 6 Ibid.

5 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 5 of 10 Jews: Preaches to Jews in Cyprus, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium (13:5, 15-41; 14:1) King Agrippa (25:23-26:29) Gentiles (14:8-20; 15:3) 17. Ananias imposes his hand Unknown as a healing gesture in the OT or rabbinic literature! Such usage is found in the Qumran scrolls. (Fitzmyer, 429) Saul, Brother probably used by one Jew addressing another or it might be used proleptically in the Christian sense, since Saul is about to become one (Fitzmyer, 429) The role of Ananias Ananias s role in the call of Saul is repeated (with some modification) in 22:12-16, but is completely absent in the speech of chap. 26. There the commission is given to Saul at the time of Jesus appearance to him, and there is no mention of his blindness. He goes immediately to Damascus and starts to preach. This accords with Galatians, where there is no mention of Ananias either. There, in fact, Paul insists on his call without the mediation of any human being. Recall the words of Paul in Gal 1:17 For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Also, Gal 1:1 Paul an apostle -- not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead -- (RSV) Literary Goals Paul s literary goal is to assert his independence from the Jerusalem Church Luke s literary goal is to assert Paul s (and all other missionaries!) dependence on the Jerusalem Church Dunn s Comment That is why Paul was such an uncomfortable bedfellow with his fellow apostles: he saw himself as first and foremost apostle to the Gentiles ; and so far as Paul himself was concerned, that had been the case from his commissioning itself. 7 Luke will not have preaching to the Gentiles introduced by Paul. Rather, he will have it introduced by Peter (Cornelius story, next chapter). Other Implications of the Role of Ananias In the various versions of Saul s encounter we see In one version a human being tells Saul a message from the risen Lord (Acts 9, 22) In another version, the risen Lord is portrayed as speaking the message directly (Acts 26) Simply because the scriptures say that the risen Christ spoke to his disciples We are not justified in assuming that they heard a heavenly voice The word might have come through a Christian prophet, or some other means Brown s Comments Brown notes that the commands to the 12 at the end of each gospel reflect the theology of each evangelist. In the instance of the Trinitarian baptismal formula of Matt 28:19 even moderate scholars would admit that we have a phrasing that can scarcely stem from the first days of Christianity. This observations brings us face to face 7 Dunn, Beginning from Jerusalem, 354.

6 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 6 of 10 with the problem of whether the risen Jesus communicated with words [note 180. Notice the self-contradictory character of the Lucan information in Acts 9:7 and 22:9 about whether or not those who were with Paul... heard a heavenly voice] or whether there was some type of intuitive communication by Jesus that found words only later in the various traditions?... an ever-increasing number of scholars doubt that the risen Jesus used words.... Above (pp ) we discovered how difficult it was to understand the category of seeing applied to the appearances of the risen Jesus --the sight is not necessarily physical or available to all onlookers, and it it is more than a purely internal experience. And so now we find that the category of speaking may be inadequate to describe the unique and eschatological encounter with the risen Jesus. 8 Translation of the Greek Lecture 43. Saul in Damascus. Acts 9:19b Paul begins to preach in Damascus Immediately In Galatians 1:17, Paul claims that he went to Arabia immediately after his experience. Arabia was the area on the east side of the Jordan, all the way down to Egypt. Luke tells us nothing about Paul s experience in Arabia Is this something Luke knows nothing about? Or does he consider it irrelevant to the main themes of his story? Some Pauline commentators think that Paul went to Arabia to preach to the people there. This would definitely not fit into Luke s schema! Preaching in the synagogues Paul himself regarded his call as being to the Gentiles. For Luke, the Gentile mission has not yet begun. The opening will come through Peter (Cornelius story, next chapter), not Paul! Jesus, Son of God This is the only use of the title in Acts. Fitzmyer points out that it is implied in Paul s speech in Acts 13:33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, `Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.' (RSV) Here the divine sonship is understood as a result of the resurrection. This would be in accord with Paul s experience of the risen Jesus earlier in chapter 9. Luke himself understands Jesus as Son of God from the moment of conception (1:35). 9 This shows us that Luke is including early materials in his work -- not as developed as his own thinking. 21. Ravaging the Churches The Greek word is protheō. Paul himself uses this word. Pervo sees this as evidence that Luke had copies of the letters of Paul. This makes Pervo the odd man out among the commentators I am reading. Fitzmyer is emphatic: There is no substantial evidence that Luke had ever read any of Paul s Letters Raymond E. Brown, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus (Paulist, 1973) Words of Gabriel to Mary. The Gospel of Luke also uses Son of God 4 other times about Jesus: 4:3, 9, (spoken by Satan, If you are... ); 4:41 (by demons); 22:70 (question of the high priest). Luke also applies the phrase to Adam in Jesus genealogy (3:38,... the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God), but the Greek is slightly different -- the word huios (son) is implied, not expressed. 10 Fitzmyer, Acts, 434.

7 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 7 of How much time passed? hēmerai hikanai is literally sufficient days many days (KJV, RSV) a long time (NAB) some time (NET, NJB, NRSV) Paul himself states that it was three years before he left Damascus (Gal 1:18) The Jews plot to kill Paul Luke attributes the enmity against Paul to the Jews Paul himself blames the king s governor At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands. (2 Cor 11:32-33, RSV) Fitzmyer Even though they differ, the two reasons given by Luke and Paul are not necessarily incompatible, because Saul s Jewish opponents might have convinced the ethnarch to side with them.... it is one of the rare items in Acts and in the Pauline corpus that supplies something of an absolute chronological peg for the reconstruction of Paul s life and career. 11 The Nabateans had a king over Damascus from 8 B.C. - A.D Since Paul states that he was 3 years in Damascus, that would put his conversion in 36 or His disciples! Fitzmyer says One can only ask who his disciples might have been (436). This language is used nowhere else in Acts. Fitzmyer notes suggestions from Conzelmann and Haenchen that the text might be corrupt. It literally says, so taking, his disciples, at night, through the wall lowered, letting him down in a basket. If one reads αυτον instead of αυτου, it would say so disciples, taking him at night, through the wall lowered, letting him down in a basket. Translation of the Greek Lecture 44. Saul s First Visit to Jerusalem. Acts 9:26-31 Lucan Boilerplate Similarities between events in Damascus and in Jerusalem 13 1 hesitation of Ananias (13-14) hesitation of Jerusalem discipels (26) 2 Lord s reassurance (15-16) Barnabas reassurance (27) 3 preaching in synagogues (20-22) bold speaking out in Jerusalem (28b-29a) 4 plot of Damascus Jews (23-24) plot of Hellenist Jews (29b) 5 escape of Paul (25) escape of Paul (30 11 Fitzmyer, Acts, Ibid Fitzmyer, Acts, 438.

8 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 8 of Note that there were disciples in Jerusalem! This in spite of Luke s earlier hyperbole that all except the apostles were scattered. This lends evidence to the thesis that only Hellenist Christians were persecuted, not Hebrew Christians. 27. Barnabus brought him to the apostles Paul takes an oath that he saw no apostle but Cephas! (Gal 1:18) 28. Saul freely moving about among the Jerusalem Christians What about: And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea (Gal 1:22)? Some see this as a contradiction between Luke and Paul. However, Fitzmyer (440) notes that if Luke is distinguishing Jerusalem itself from Judea and if Paul s visit were short (15 days, Gal 1:22) then there is no necessary contradiction. In general, German scholars are quick to find contradictions. Americans, British, and French (especially French!) tend to smooth them over. 30. Fitzmyer s Comment Christians of Jerusalem thus get Paul off the scene, because he was stirring up trouble among Jews there, with whom they had come to some amicable understanding. 14 Thus Fitzmyer is in agreement with Dunn s basic conclusions. Paul is a hero of later Christianity, but I am not sure I would have wanted him in my parish! Implications The early, more conservative Hebrew Christians generally got along with their fellow Jews. They saw their devotion to Jesus as no obstacle to continued Temple worship (with animal sacrifices) Their devotion to Jesus was not seen as an obstacle to their fellow Jews. Probably, they were not calling Jesus God! Rather: Servant of God, Son of God, Prophet Like Moses, Righteous One, Lord-and-Messiah Many Jews probably regarded this as excessive, but not out-of-bounds. The most serious tensions were between the Jews and the Hellenist Christians (Stephen s group) And probably between the Hebrew Christians and the Hellenist Christians! 31. Galilee This is the only reference to Christian believers in Galilee in all of Acts! The word occurs 3 other times Men of Galilee (1:1, address by the angels at the Ascension) Peter tells Cornelius about Jesus activity in Galilee (10:37) Paul s speech in Pisidian Antioch tells the Jews there of Jesus activity in Galilee (13:31) Translation of the Greek Literary Form of 9:32-35, healing of Aeneas Form Critically: Healing 15 Lecture 45. Two Miracles by Peter. Acts 9: Fitzmyer, Acts, See Meier, Marginal Jew, volume 2, p. 775.

9 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 9 of 10 1) Introduction characters introduced, illness described 2) Healing often very brief, sometimes details given 2a) Demonstration e.g., walk, speak, see, behave normally 3) Reaction(s) of cured person, crowd, enemies Links with Gospel This healing recalls similar stories about Jesus Luke links the apostles with their master, Jesus, through their working of similar miracles. All three of them are linked to the Jewish tradition of miracle-working prophets: Moses, Elijah, Elisha. Literary Form of 9:36-40, the raising of Dorcas Form Critically: Same as a Healing Story 16 1) Introduction characters introduced; person dies / has died 2) Healing often very brief, sometimes details given 2a) Demonstration e.g., walk, speak, see, behave normally 3) Reaction(s) of cured person, crowd, enemies 36. Disciple To coin an English word, discipless The normal Greek word is mathētēs (masculine); the plural could include women as well as men. This is the only instance of the feminine form mathētria in the NT; indeed in the whole Greek Bible! Also, it is never once found in Josephus or the Apostolic Fathers. Philo uses the word once! Gary Gilbert notes that she is the only woman explicitly called a disciple in the NT Showed the tunics and garments Fitzmyer notes the middle voice of the verb. The widows were show themselves in the garments. That is, they did not bring extra garments to show Peter what Dorcas used to do. The very clothes that they were all wearing attested to her good works & generosity. Peter even knelt and prayed I translated the kai (usually just and ) as even because of its unusual position. The unusual posture (the normal prayer posture was standing) stresses Peter is not working by his own power. 40. Tabitha, Arise! This is similar to the command given by Jesus to the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:54). Luke will also portray Paul as raising Eutychus in Acts 20:9. Luke links Peter & Paul with their master, Jesus, through their working of similar miracles. All three of them are linked to the Jewish tradition of miracle-working prophets: Moses, Elijah, Elisha. Especially Elijah and Elisha, who raised the dead. Was Dorcas a Widow? Note that her husband is never mentioned among the mourners. The statement of the widows of what she did when she was with us might mean more than when she was alive. If Dorcas was a widow, this would lend support to Barbara Reid s theory Widows were often involved in ministry. The complaint in Acts 6:1 was not that the Hellenist widows were not receiving ministry (food) 16 See Meier, Marginal Jew, volume 2, p Acts JANT, note to 9:36.

10 Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Page 10 of 10 It was that they were not allowed to take their turn doing ministry. Recall that the complaint was that they were being neglected in the daily diakonia (the daily ministry). Appendix: Joseph & Aseneth Acts 9 18 Joseph and Aseneth When Aseneth had ceased making confession to the Lord, behold the morning star rose out of heaven in the east. Aseneth saw it and rejoiced and said, So the Lord God listened to my prayer, because this star rose as a messenger and herald of the light of the great day. 2 She kept looking, and behold, close to the morning star, the heaven was torn apart and great and unutterable light appeared. 3 Aseneth saw (it) and fell on (her) face on the ashes. A man came to her from heaven and stood by Aseneth s head. 4 He called her and said, Aseneth, Aseneth. 5 She said, Who is he that calls me, because the door of my chamber is closed and the tower is high, and how then did he come into my chamber? 6 The man called her a second time, Aseneth, Aseneth. 7 She said, Behold, (here) I (am) Lord. Who are you, tell me. 8 He said, I am the chief of the house of the Lord and commander of the whole host of the Most High. Rise and stand on your feet, and I will tell you what I have to say. 9 Aseneth raised her head and saw Acts 9 As he was nearing Damascus in the course of his journey a light from above suddenly engulfed him 4 He fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 5 Who are you, Lord? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do. 7 Those traveling with Saul were standing there speechless, for they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 When Saul arose and opened his eyes, he could not see 18 Richard I. Pervo, Acts: a Commentary on the Book of Acts, ed. Harold W. Attridge, Hermeneia a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2009), 235.