Luke and Acts with(in) Second Temple Judaism

Steven Avery

Steven Avery

Administrator
About this book

The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are nearly always attributed to a single gentile author writing for a gentile audience. Many studies thus concentrate on how Luke and Acts as gentile Christian texts relate to Hellenistic culture or the Roman Empire, with little to no consideration to their ancient Jewish context. Attention to Luke and/or Acts in relation to Judaism is often limited and tends to focus on either the author’s familiarity with Jewish scripture and tradition or the author’s perspective on Torah obedience for gentile followers of Jesus. Even then, scholars assume that “Luke,” as one of the first writers to designate Jesus’ followers as “Christian” (Acts 11:26; 26:28), situates Christianity outside of Judaism.

This volume resituates Luke and Acts with(in) Second Temple Judaism. Several contributions make a case for Luke and Acts being written by a Jew for an audience that included Jews. Various kinds of Jewish settings and intellectual traditions are accordingly appreciated for interpreting key topics in Luke and Acts (e.g., Torah observance, messianism, and eschatology). Additionally, the volume includes discussions on how Luke and Acts might be appreciated within their Greco-Roman environment in light of their Jewish heritage and possibly even as ancient Jewish texts. Finally, Luke and Acts are compared to other early Christian writings as they concern Judaism and Jews, including Jewish followers of Jesus, based on more nuanced and recent understandings of the complexity of early Jewish-Christian relations.

Author / Editor information

Isaac W. Oliver, Bradley University; Jocelyn McWirther, Albion College; Joshua Scott, University of Michigan, USA.
 
Steven Avery

Steven Avery

Administrator
Thanks!
A superb topic.

Starting from Simeon and Anna at the Temple, and note we have the fascinating Acts 6:7 "great company of priests" coming to faith in Jesus, which may easily be a subtle self-reference, (Luke the Priest, p. 126, Rick Strelan).

Will any of the essays consider the Theophilus proposal? The idea that Luke's Prologue was to the high priest Theophilus. This would make the Gospel of Luke no later than the early 60s. And if "most excellent" refers to Theophilus currently being the high priest, no later than AD 41 (early dating for most scholars, quite acceptable for many Bible believers doing research.)
 
Steven Avery

Steven Avery

Administrator
what do we call an author's reference that quietly refers to his own activities, Acts 6:7 as an example, if Luke was one of the great company of priests

AI Overview



An author's quiet, implicit inclusion of themselves in a narrative—such as Acts 6:7, if interpreted as Luke including himself among the obedient priests—is often described as a subtle self-reference or a form of covert autobiography. In the context of Luke-Acts, this is considered a "hidden" or implied presence.
  • Subtle Self-Reference/Implicit Inclusion: The author uses a "we" passage or a general "we" group description (like "priests") to indicate firsthand knowledge without directly naming themselves.
  • The "We" Passages: These are the most direct references where the narrator shifts to the first person, indicating they were present during events in Acts.
  • Context of Acts 6:7: Scholars such as Rick Strelan in Luke the Priest suggest that when Luke speaks of a "great company of the priests" obeying the faith, he is subtly referencing his own participation.
 
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