Discussion Board Forum 1

Give the evidence to support Luke as author of Acts.  How could Luke become aware of privileged information such as found in Acts 23:25–30, 25:14–22, and 26:30–32?  How important are the" we" passages in Acts to determining authorship?

There is enough internal and external evidence to show that Luke was the author of The Acts of the Apostle. The external evidence can be found in the books written by Paul the Apostle mainly 2 Timothy, Colossians, and Philemon.  The other external evidence involves the traditions of the early church, and these have been supported in the past by individuals such as Jerome, Irenaeus, and Alexandra. The earliest copies the Gospel written by Luke – Kata Loukan – serve as very interesting evidence to support the authorship of Luke[1].  The internal evidence can be found in the Bible also serves to proof that Luke is the author of Acts.  The language and tone used in writing the book is an important aspect of this evidence especially in the "we sections" which connotes that Luke was in companion of other apostles[2]. The "we-section" can be partly understood to mean that Luke was a close companion of Apostle Paul since the author of the book uses the "we" to refer to the witness and work of Paul and himself, Acts 16:10[3].  Possibly a major compelling evidence involves the demonstration of order and linguistics that have been highlighted in the book by previous studies.  In one of the study, 400 medial terms occurring in Acts were compared with the vocabulary common to the Greek physicians and the findings surprisingly associated a lot of this linguistic to a particular physician.  Among the apostles who regularly accompanied Paul in his missions, only Luke can surely be identified as a doctor. 

Moreover, there is a systematic approach to Luke's historicity and focus on details in Acts, which indicates that the author had a rich scientific background.  In fact, the introduction to both the books of Acts and Apostle shows that the person who authored them had a good background of education, with a vast knowledge of Old Testament and aware of the nature of 1st-century society[4]. There is an alignment of the two books in this sense.   In the book of Philemon 24, Paul appears to be in the company of Luke and as the only companion in 2 Timothy 4: 11. The book of Colossians 4: 14 indicate that Paul is in the company of the beloved physician[5].  These passages may offer support for a change to the first person from the third person plurals in the book of Acts and thereby prove that Luke was the author of the text. Also, Acts 23-26 can be seen as either as ether verbal or written correspondence between officials in Romanian Government and this begs the question as to how the writer could have been allowed to such a privileged access to confidential information. The characters in these verses are Felix, King Agrippa, Festers and Claudius Lysias.  As per Luke 1:4, the physician admits that he carried out investigations from other sources. It is possible that potential sources for this Gospel include the letter alluded to in Acts 23, involving a discussion with Apostle Paul.  Finally, referring to Theodor Mommsen, a legal historian from Rome can also relate the authorship of Acts to Luke[6]. He highlights that the account by Luke about the trial of Paul before Festus and Felix shows the penal procedure at the time[7].  It seems that Luke went a long way to get information from credible sources so that it the account can be accurate including while documenting information in privileged places.  The authorship of the book presents a practical lesson to Christians, in that they should endeavor to provide accurate information. They should follow Luke's way of learning and present information especially if it relates to the interpretation of messages from God. Such information should be enough to influence the Church currently and in future.

 

 

Provide an overview of Paul's story of his conversion as found in Acts 9:1–19, 22:3–16, and 26:4–23.  Are the differences in these accounts normal variations found when someone retells an important event, or are they clear indicators of a fabrication?  Give evidence for your view.  How can Paul's story of his conversion be used as a model for Christians today?

A converted person can clearly relate to the story of Paul's conversion in Acts Acts 9:1–1 9, 22:3–16, and 26:8–9.  The book of Acts presents Paul initially as Saul, and he is referred as by the former name for the first time in chapter 13.9[8].  The experience of Paul after Christ's revelation follows a familiar pattern that can be found in the entire Bible.  For instance, in the Gospels, a common pattern can be observed that includes Jesus death that results to lost hope among the disciples, He gives a sign as his identity and disciples can now recognize Him[9].  Paul's was on horseback, traveling to Damascus and the Lord suddenly appears before him and Jesus' brilliance glory knocks him to the ground. After Paul asks who the Lord was, Jesus tells him that he was the One from Nazareth that Paul was prosecuting. Jesus tells Paul that it was hard for him to kick against the goads. In response, Paul asks what Jesus willed for him to do[10]. The Lord tells him to Damascus City and where was to wait until he is instructed on what to do. For three days Paul could not see and did not eat or take any drink. In a vision, Ananias is told by Jesus to seek for Saul of Tarsus in Judas house but he was fearful since he had heard of the persecution meted on the Church by Paul. Jesus assures Ananias that Saul had been chosen by God as a vessel to preach to the Gentiles. After finding Paul, Ananias lays his hands on Paul at which point he gets back his sight. He is then baptized[11].

 In acts 9, Luke writes in third person a description of the conversion of Saul to Paul and how his ministry started and a focus on the growing church.  Acts 22 includes Paul's description of his own account of conversion and the interaction with the Lord and is speaking to Jews. He is justifying the ministry given to him and how the encounter with the Lord changed him from an elect Pharisee.  In chapter 26, he is justifying his calling to preach to the Gentiles about salvation through Jesus[12]. The variations in these accounts arise from the fact that Paul and Luke are addressing different audiences but the message is similar, only adjusted to suit their particular audiences[13]. The conversion is not a fabrication.  The account serves as a model of teaching modern Christians that they should their personal testimonies can have an impact on other people's lives. While some accounts may be intriguing and others surprising, Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to be their guide while addressing their audience.

 

Bibliography

John A, Battle, Life and Epistle of Paul; Chapter 2 .The Book of Acts . Accessed March 2018: http://wrs.edu/Materials_for_Web_Site/Courses/Paul/Chapter_2--Book_Acts.pdf

Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

 

Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

 

Jimmy W. Dukes, “Introduction to Acts,” Theological Educator, no. 42 ( 1990): 51

Joseph, A. Fitzmyer, and Bibelwissenschaftler Jesuit. The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Doubleday, 1998.

 

 

Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

 

Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

 

Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

 

 

[1] John A, Battle, Life and Epistle of Paul; Chapter 2 .The Book of Acts . Accessed March 2018: http://wrs.edu/Materials_for_Web_Site/Courses/Paul/Chapter_2--Book_Acts.pdf

 

[2] Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

 

 

[3] Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

 

 

[4] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

 

[5] Joseph, A. Fitzmyer, and Bibelwissenschaftler Jesuit. The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Doubleday, 1998.

 

 

[6] Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

 

[7] Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

 

[8] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

 

[9] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

 

[10] Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

 

 

[11] Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

 

 

[12] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

 

[13] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.