Witness to the Gospel : The Theology of Acts

by Marshall, I. Howard

• ISBN13: 9780802844354
• ISBN10: 0802844359
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-04-01
• Publisher: EERDMANS

Summary

A distinguished group of scholars here provides a comprehensive survey of the theology of the early church as it is presented by the author of Acts. These twenty-five essays, designed to show the current state of scholarship in ways accessible to students of the New Testament, discuss the main themes in the theology of Acts: God's plan of salvation, the call of God and the spreading of the Word, the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the church, and more.

Table of Contents

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS	xi	(4)
PREFACE	xv
INTRODUCTION	1	(2)
1 HOW DOES ONE WRITE ON THE THEOLOGY OF ACTS?	3	(14)
Howard Marshall
I. Was Luke a 'theologian'?	3	(2)
II. What do we mean by 'the theology of the book of Acts'?	5	(3)
III. What can we learn from previous investigators?	8	(7)
IV. Why are we attempting this book?	15	(2)
PART I: THE SALVATION OF GOD	17	(150)
2 THE PLAN OF GOD	19	(22)
John T. Squires
I. Introduction	20	(3)
II. The plan of God in Acts	23	(14)
III. Conclusion	37	(4)
3 SCRIPTURE AND THE REALISATION OF GOD'S PROMISES	41	(22)
Darrell Bock
I. Introduction	42	(1)
II. Hermeneutical axioms	43	(6)
III. Five scriptural themes in Acts	49	(13)
IV. Conclusion	62	(1)
4 SALVATION-HISTORY AND ESCHATOLOGY	63	(20)
John Nolland
I. Introduction	64	(1)
II. Parousia hope	65	(3)
III. Kingdom as present and future	68	(2)
IV. Repetition and escalation in salvation-history	70	(6)
V. Jewish unbelief not the basis for good news to Gentiles	76	(7)
5 SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH: GOD AS THE SAVIOUR IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES	83	(24)
Joel B. Green
I. Introduction	84	(3)
II. 'The message of this salvation'	87	(8)
III. 'God has brought a saviour'	95	(6)
IV. 'What must I do to be saved?'	101	(4)
V. 'You and your entire household will be saved.'	105	(2)
6 THE DIVINE SAVIOUR	107	(18)
H. Douglas Buckwalter
I. Introduction	108	(1)
II. A survey of Luke's christology	108	(4)
III. A deity who reigns supreme	112	(8)
IV. A deity who waits on tables	120	(2)
V. Conclusion: the christological pulse of Acts	122	(3)
7 THE NEED FOR SALVATION	125	(20)
Christoph Stenschke
I. Introduction	126	(3)
II. How and why people need to be saved	129	(3)
III. Forgiveness of sin	132	(3)
IV. Luke's 'generation' and humanity in general	135	(5)
V. Repentance	140	(2)
VI. Some clues from Acts 2 (prior to Acts 2:37)	142	(2)
VII. Conclusion	144	(1)
8 SALVATION AND HEALTH IN CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITY: THE SOTERIOLOGY OF LUKE-ACTS IN ITS FIRST CENTURY SETTING	145	(22)
Ben Witherington III
I. Introduction	146	(1)
II. Salvation in a Graeco-Roman mode--spared, healed, blessed	147	(3)
III. Helped, cured, delivered in Luke-Acts	150	(5)
IV. The means of salvation in Luke-Acts	155	(4)
V. The meaning and the benefits of salvation in Luke-Acts	159	(4)
VI. Conclusions and corollaries	163	(4)
PART II: THE CALL OF GOD	167	(158)
9 THE ROLE OF THE APOSTLES	169	(22)
Andrew Clark
I. Introduction	170	(1)
II. The twelve Apostles	170	(2)
III. Peter as representative of the Twelve	172	(1)
IV. The roles of the twelve Apostles	173	(8)
V. Paul and Barnabas	181	(4)
VI. Peter and Paul parallels	185	(5)
VII. Conclusion	190	(1)
10 MISSION AND WITNESS	191	(24)
Peter Bolt
I. Introduction	192	(1)
II. Vocabulary	192	(4)
III. The witnesses and their witness	196	(14)
IV. Mission, witness and the readers of Acts	210	(5)
11 THE PROGRESS OF THE WORD	215	(20)
Brian Rosner
I. Introduction	216	(1)
II. Progress anticipated	217	(4)
III. Progress confirmed	221	(2)
IV. The author of progress	223	(2)
V. Patterns of progress	225	(4)
VI. Unending progress	229	(4)
VII. Conclusion	233	(2)
12 OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN OF GOD AND PERSECUTION	235	(22)
Brian Rapske
I. Introduction	236	(1)
II. Jewish opposition	236	(3)
III. Christian opposition	239	(6)
IV. How the persecuted fulfil the plan of God	245	(9)
V. Conclusion	254	(3)
13 THE PREACHING OF PETER IN ACTS	257	(18)
Hans F. Bayer
I. Introduction	258	(1)
II. The context of the Petrine speeches and the emerging portrait of Peter	258	(4)
III. Peter as a preacher of repentance and salvation	262	(7)
IV. Peter as a preacher of Christ: the christology of the collective apostolic witness with some Petrine emphases	269	(4)
V. Conclusion	273	(2)
14 THE SPEECH OF STEPHEN	275	(20)
Heinz-Werner Neudorfer
I. Introduction	276	(1)
II. Context and meaning of Stephen's speech	277	(4)
III. Stephen's speech as an 'historical review' in the context of Jewish literature	281	(2)
IV. Theological motives and building-blocks in Stephen's speech	283	(7)
V. Concerning the theological roots of Stephen's speech	290	(4)
VI. Conclusion	294	(1)
15 THE PREACHING AND DEFENCE OF PAUL	295	(30)
G. Walter Hansen
I. Introduction	296	(1)
II. Mission speech to Jews	297	(10)
III. Mission speeches to Gentiles	307	(10)
IV. Defence speeches	317	(7)
V. Conclusion	324	(1)
PART III: THE RENEWING WORK OF GOD	325	(194)
16 THE 'SPIRIT OF PROPHECY' AS THE POWER OF ISRAEL'S RESORATION AND WITNESS	327	(22)
Max Turner
I. Introduction	328	(5)
II. The Spirit as the 'Spirit of Prophecy' in Acts	333	(4)
III. The gift of the Spirit and conversion-initiation	337	(2)
IV. A Donum Superadditum or a soteriological necessity	339	(8)
V. Conclusion: Luke's pneumatology and the theology of Acts	347	(2)
17 THE NEW PEOPLE OF GOD	349	(24)
David Seccombe
I. A revolutionary transformation	350	(1)
II. Israel's restoration begins	351	(1)
III. The remnant of Israel	352	(1)
IV. A messianic people	353	(1)
V. Leadership of the new people	354	(1)
VI. God in their midst	355	(1)
VII. Condemnation of Israel's rulers	356	(1)
VIII. A creed for the people of God	357	(2)
IX. Assembling the outcasts	359	(1)
X. Gentile breakthrough	360	(3)
XI. Severance of church and synagogue	363	(2)
XII. The culture of the new people of God	365	(1)
XIII. An appeal to the Jews	366	(4)
XIV. A partial hardening of Israel	370	(1)
XV. The new people of God	371	(2)
18 THE WORSHIP OF THE NEW COMMUNITY	373	(24)
David Peterson
I. Introduction	374	(1)
II. The earliest disciples in the temple	374	(8)
III. The challenge to the Gentile world	382	(2)
IV. Homage and service under the new covenant	384	(5)
V. The character and function of early Christian gatherings	389	(5)
VI. Conclusion	394	(3)
19 THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW OF MOSES	397	(20)
Craig Blomberg
I. Introduction	398	(2)
II. Analysis	400	(15)
III. Conclusion	415	(2)
20 MISSION PRACTICE AND THEOLOGY UNDER CONSTRUCTION (ACTS 18-20)	417	(20)
Philip H. Towner
I. Introduction	418	(1)
II. Formative events and patterns	419	(5)
III. Modification of the pattern and developments in Corinth and Ephesus: Acts 18-19 (20)	424	(11)
IV. Conclusion	435	(2)
21 ISRAEL AND THE GENTILE MISSION IN ACTS AND PAUL: A CANONICAL APPROACH	437	(22)
Robert Wall
I. Introduction	438	(3)
II. Israel and the Gentile mission in Acts	441	(11)
III. Israel and the Gentile mission in Romans 9-11	452	(7)
22 SOCIOLOGY AND THEOLOGY	459	(14)
Stephen C. Barton
I. Prologomena	460	(7)
II. Sociology and theology in Acts: two case studies	467	(5)
III. A theological postscript	472	(1)
23 THE INFLUENCE OF JEWISH WORSHIP ON LUKE'S PRESENTATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH	473	(26)
Brad Blue
I. Introduction	474	(1)
II. Jewish antecedents	475	(4)
III. Apostles, Christian benefactors and early gatherings	479	(17)
IV. Conclusion	496	(3)
24 RECIPROCITY AND THE ETHIC OF ACTS	499	(20)
Brian Capper
I. Introduction	500	(4)
II. Literary resonances and the narrative tension of Acts	504	(8)
III. Friendship, reciprocity and meal-fellowship	512	(7)
CONCLUSION	519	(26)
25 LUKE'S THEOLOGICAL ENTERPRISE: INTEGRATION AND INTENT	521	(24)
David Peterson
I. Introduction	522	(1)
II. Some brief preliminaries	522	(1)
III. Integrating the themes of Acts	523	(9)
IV. Luke's intention	532	(13)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	545	(32)
INDEXES	577
Index of Authors	577	(8)
Subject Index	585	(10)
Index of Biblical References	595