Locating Paul : Places of Custody as Narrative Settings in Acts 21-28

by Skinner, Matthew L.

• ISBN13: 9789004130593
• ISBN10: 9004130594
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-08-01
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub

Summary

Luke s story of Paul s prolonged imprisonment under the Romans provides readers with an unexpected setting for considering the proclamation of the word. This narrative-critical study explores the custody settings of Acts 21 28 as places that frame and amplify the detained Paul s social marginality to powerful interests that have a stake in his ministry and contends that the settings serve as new venues for Paul s continuing yet redirected missionary vocation. The book provides a penetrating discussion of the relationship between the young church and imperial Rome, suggesting that the accounts of Paul s activity and divine assistance, coming precisely within the settings intended to enforce Roman control, constitute subtle yet powerful confrontation and manipulation of the social and religious powers.Paperback edition available from the Society of Biblical Literature (www.sbl-site.org).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
Abbreviations	xi
1. Overview of the Project	5	(3)
2. On Readers and Narrative	8	(19)
The Reader(s) of Luke-Acts	10	(8)
Analyzing Narrative	18	(7)
Conclusion	25	(2)
Chapter 1 SETTINGS AND THEIR LITERARY FUNCTIONS	27	(30)
1. In Search of Lukan Places	28	(6)
2. The Place of Setting	34	(8)
Setting as an Aspect of Narrative	34	(1)
Settings as Literary Places	34	(8)
3. The Integration of Setting, Character, and Action in Narrative	42	(6)
Setting and Character	42	(4)
Setting and Plot	46	(2)
4. The Narrative Functions of Setting	48	(5)
5. Conclusions	53	(4)
Chapter 2 LUKE'S ACCOUNT OF PAUL'S DETENTION IN RECENT STUDY	57	(20)
1. Features of Acts 21-28	57	(3)
2. Recent Analyses of Acts 21-28	60	(17)
Acts 21-28 as Political Apology 6i
The Juridical History behind Acts 21-28	64	(3)
Paul's Speeches in Acts 21-28	67	(3)
The Portrait of Paul in Acts 21-28	70	(7)
Chapter 3 PERCEPTIONS OF CUSTODY IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD AND PORTENTS OF PAUL'S PLIGHT IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES	77	(30)
1. The Conditions of Custody in Ancient Literature	79	(8)
2. Snapshots of Custody in Biblical Literature	87	(1)
3. Custody in Luke-Acts	88	(6)
4. Looming Imprisonment and the Suffering of Paul in Acts	94	(10)
Damascus	95	(3)
Miletus	98	(3)
Caesarea	101	(1)
Conclusions	102	(2)
5. Summary	104	(3)
Chapter 4 UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTIONS OF PAUL'S CUSTODY SETTINGS IN ACTS 21-28, PART ONE	107	(44)
1. Immediately Prior to Custody under the Romans (Acts 21:17-32)	109	(2)
2. The Jerusalem Barracks, Part One (Acts 21:33-22:29)	111	(8)
3. The Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30-23:10)	119	(7)
4. The Jerusalem Barracks, Part Two (Acts 23:11-30)	126	(6)
5. The Caesarea Praetorium, Part One (Acts 23:31-24:27)	132	(7)
6. Excursus: Vocabulary for Binding in Luke-Acts (δepsilonω, δσμα, and αλupsilonσepsilonιζ)	139	(2)
7. The Caesarea Praetorium, Part Two (Acts 25:1-22)	141	(4)
8. The Caesarea Praetorium, Part Three (Acts 25:23-26:32)	145	(6)
Chapter 5 UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTIONS OF PAUL'S CUSTODY SETTINGS IN ACTS 21-28, PART TWO	151	(24)
1. Aboard Ships Bound for Rome (Acts 27:1-44)	151	(6)
2. Excursus: Jesus-Paul Parallels and the Significance of Acts 27-28	157	(3)
3. The Final Leg of the Journey (Acts 28:1-15)	160	(4)
4. House Arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16-31)	164	(6)
5. Summary	170	(5)
Chapter 6 ASSESSING THE FUNCTIONS OF PAUL'S CUSTODY SETTINGS,	175	(28)
1. Interpreting the Places of Paul's Custody as Literary Settings	176	(4)
2. Custody Settings Compared	180	(5)
3. Implications of the Current Study for the Interpretation of Luke-Acts	185	(14)
Paul's Custody Settings and Challenges to the Social Order	185	(4)
A Triumphant Vision?	189	(2)
The Paul of Acts	191	(4)
Other Approaches to Acts 21-28	195	(4)
4. Toward Other Considerations	199	(4)
Bibliography	203	(20)
Index of Ancient Sources	223	(8)
Index of Modern Authors	231