History and the New
Testament
Christadelphian Presentation
Luke-Acts
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Luke-Acts is a two-volume work
Luke-Acts is 28% of the New
Testament
Luke-Acts is a suitable test case
Scholars think that Luke intended to
write history
Historical Tests
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Preface – author’s intentions
Geographical accuracy
Terminological accuracy
Chronological synchronisms
Style of the speeches
Scriptural continuity (Inspiration)
Preface to Luke-Acts
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Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an
account of the things accomplished among us, just
as those who from the beginning were
eyewitnesses and servants of the word have
handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as
well, having investigated everything carefully from
the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive
order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you might
know the exact truth about the things you have
been taught. Lk 1:1-4 (NAS)
Josephus: Against Apion
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I suppose, that by my books of the “Antiquity of the
Jews‘”, most excellent Epaphroditus, {a} have made
it evident to those who peruse them, that our
Jewish nation is of very great antiquity, and had a
distinct subsistence of its own originally; as also, I
have therein declared how we came to inhabit this
country wherein we now live. Those Antiquities
contain the history of five thousand years, and are
taken out of our sacred books; but are translated by
me into the Greek tongue. I.1
Josephus: Against Apion
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I, therefore, have thought myself under an
obligation to write something briefly about these
subjects, in order to convict those who reproach us
of spite and voluntary falsehood, and to correct the
ignorance of others, and withal to instruct all those
who are desirous of knowing the truth of what great
antiquity we really are. I.3
Josephus: Against Apion
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As for the witnesses whom I shall produce for the
proof of what I say, they shall be such as are
esteemed to be of the greatest reputation for truth,
and the most skilful in the knowledge of all antiquity,
by the Greeks themselves. I will also show, that
those who have written so reproachfully and falsely
about us, are to be convicted by what they have
written themselves to the contrary. I.4
Josephus: Against Apion
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I shall also endeavour to give an account of the
reasons why it has so happened, that there have
not been a great number of Greeks who have made
mention of our nation in their histories; I will,
however, bring those Greeks to light who have not
omitted our history, for the sake of those who either
do not know them, or pretend not to know them
already.
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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Luke refers to previous writers (c.f. Polybius,
Book I.1.1, Dionysius of Halicarnassus
Roman Antiquities, Book I.1.1)
Luke uses the authorial first person, which is
found in historiographical prefaces such as
Diodorus.
Luke criticizes other accounts, but his
criticisms are implied by his objectives.
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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Luke says other accounts have failed to include the
beginning of the story; they have failed to include all
the necessary detail; their work was not precise
enough; and it was not in order.
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“…when he [the historian] has collected all or most
of the facts let him first make them into a series of
notes…then after arranging them into order, let him
give it beauty and enhance it with the charms of
expression, figure and rhythm”. Lucian, How to
Write History 48
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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While Luke does not claim to be an eyewitness, he
identifies with his story in the phrase “among us”
(Lk 1:1) and in the “we” passages of Acts, and this
satisfies Polybius’ desiderata that the historian be
“of action” or a participant “in actual affairs” (Book
I.1.2)
Eyewitness knowledge was thought the most
reliable, and Luke’s mention of eyewitnesses shows
a conscious evocation of this principle of evidence
and therefore an intentional participation on his part
in an historical method.
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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Luke’s stated objective to Theophilus is that might
“you may know the truth concerning the things of
which you have been informed”.
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The “apologetic” aspect of this objective is a
comparable utility to the “political” value of
Hellenistic histories.
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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Luke includes a dedication, and this
practise is indirectly evidenced for
Hellenistic histories. For example,
Dionysius of Halicarnassus in his
Roman Antiquities I.4.3 refers to the
common practise of writing histories
for kings.
Common Features of
Historical Prefaces
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The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of
all that Jesus began both to do and teach… Acts
1:1
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Luke’s second preface summarises the contents of
the previous work, and this bears comparison to
some Hellenistic histories, for instance, in Diodorus
Book II.1.1, “the preceding book, being the first of
the whole work”.
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The first preface was generally applicable to the
whole work, while subsequent prefaces were
shorter.
Geographical Terms
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“the city of the Ephesians is temple
keeper of the great Artemis” Acts
19:35
Paul preaches in Athens in the
“Areopagus” – and this is known to be
the common place for public lectures.
Synchronisms
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Historical works engaged in correlation of persons
and events in order to set their account in a wider
context. For example, Thucydides dates the
beginning of the Peloponnesian War with a precise
series of dates defined according to the year of
several contemporaneous rulers and governors
(Book II.2.1).
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Luke synchronizes the start of the ministry with the
incumbent political and religious authorities.
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Synchronisms continue in Acts with references to
persons and events such as Claudius, Herod,
Gallio, Felix and Festus (Acts 11:28, 12:1, 18:12,
23:24, 24:27).
Synchronisms
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Achaia was a senatorial province from 27 BC to AD
15 and then from AD44 onwards – Luke correctly
gives the title of Gallio as “proconsul”, and he
became proconsul in AD 51 (Acts 18:12)
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Cyprus was an imperial province until 22 BC and
then became a senatorial province – Luke correctly
calls Sergius Paullus a proconsul (Acts 13:7)
Synchronisms
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Nero became emperor in 54 AD and at this time the
proconsul of Ephesus was murdered by emissaries
of Nero’s mother; these then temporarily shared the
proconsul duties – hence Luke uses the plural term
“proconsuls” in describing the riot in Ephesus (Acts
19:38)
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Local officials at Ephesus were known as “Asiarchs”
and this is the term used by Luke – Acts 19:31
Synchronisms
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The magistrates at Thessalonica are called
“politarchs” – Acts 17:6 – and this is a title
confirmed on inscriptions.
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The chief official in Malta is called “the first man of
the island” – Acts 28:7 – and this is confirmed by
inscriptions
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Herod Antipas is called a “tetrarch” by Luke (Lk 3:1,
19), and this is his proper Roman title – unlike his
father upon whom the Romans conferred the title of
“king”
Mistakes?
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Jesus was born in the reign of Herod the Great who
died 4 BC, but the census under Quirinius conflicts
with evidence that he became governor of Syria in 6
AD
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This “problem” was known as early as Tertullian (c.
180- 240 AD), who suggested Luke got his
governor wrong, and that Saturninus (9-6 BC)
introduced the census.
Solution
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“…there was a hearing before Saturninus and
Volumnius, who were then the governors of Syria.”
Josephus, Antiquities XVI.280, 283, 344
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“And he sent great presents to his friends, at Rome
particularly, to gain their goodwill; and above all to
Saturninus, the governor of Syria.” Josephus,
Antiquities XVI.280
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Quirinius was active in the region in military affairs –
the possibility exists that he was a temporary
governor of Syria with Saturnius
Speeches
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“As to the speeches that were made by different
men… [they] are given in the language in which, as
it seemed to me, the several speakers would
express, on the subjects under consideration, the
sentiments most befitting the occasion, though at
the same time I have adhered as closely as
possible to the general sense of what was actually
said” Thucydides Book I.22.1.
Speeches
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Polybius followed Thucydides’ example; he states,
“…the peculiar function of history is to discover, in
the first place, the words actually spoken, whatever
they were, and next to ascertain the reason why
what was done or spoken led to failure or success.
For the mere statement of a fact may interest us but
is of no benefit to us: but when we add the cause of
it, study of history becomes fruitful” Book XII 25.1-2
Speeches
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Luke obviously follows this practise, insofar as he
places set-piece speeches at critical junctures in his
narrative.
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Luke’s structural use of set piece speeches is
analogous to Classical and Hellenistic historywriting.
Scriptural Continuity
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Luke intends Luke-Acts to function alongside the
Jewish Scriptures.
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Luke continues the story elements (plot lines,
events and characters) of the Jewish Scriptures
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Luke imitates Jewish scriptural episodes
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Luke uses a Septuagintal style in writing
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Luke presents a theological history which continues
the salvation-historical acts of God in respect of
Israel
Scriptural Status
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The dominance of these characteristics implies a
scripturally sensitive readership and invites such a
reader to read Luke-Acts alongside the Jewish
Scriptures.
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Did Luke conceive of his writing as “scripture”?
Argument 1
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Luke shows awareness of the historic role of
prophets in Israel’s history. Prophets have books
recording their oracles (e.g. Lk 4:17). Luke identifies
John the Baptist and Jesus as prophets (Lk 1:76,
4:24, 7:16, 26-28). He also presents their fate as
typical for prophets (Lk 11:49-51, 13:33-34, Acts
7:52). Luke claims to be recording their words and
deeds Lk 1:1-4, Acts 1:1), therefore it is reasonable
to assume that he viewed his writing as “scriptural”.
Argument 2
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Luke records an awareness of literary periodicity in
Jesus’ remark, “…the law and the prophets were
until John: since that time the kingdom of God is
preached” (Lk 16:16). The content of that preaching
is prima facia contained in Luke’s gospel and as
such represents the writing that comes after the
“Law and the Prophets” and adds to those writings
the new teaching of Jesus — a third corpus.
Argument 3
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Luke narrates the presence of the holy Spirit at the
beginning of the Gospel and throughout Acts.
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The Spirit is the “Spirit of prophecy” and as such
confirms, not only the Word that was preached by
the apostles, it confirms this Word as recorded by
Luke.
Conclusion
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In terms of the reading experience of Luke’s
audience, reading Luke-Acts is more likely to have
resembled the reading (or hearing) of the Jewish
Scriptures than the available political histories or
biographies.
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Recognition of the genre of Luke and Acts as
“scripture” as early as the writing and first
circulation of the two works is an indication that this
was its perceived genre.