Freethought & Rationalism Archive

MrMacSon · 06-08-2013, 06:15 PM

Some historians believe that Acts borrows phraseology and plot elements from Euripides' play The Bacchae¹ and from Virgil's Aeneid².

Some feel that the text of Acts shows evidence of having used the Jewish historian Josephus as a source (in which case it would have to have been written sometime after 94 AD)³. For example, Richard Pervo dates Acts to the first quarter of the 2nd century⁴.

1 Randel McCram Helms (1997) Who Wrote The Gospels.

2 Marianne Palmer Bonz (2000) The Past as Legacy. Luke-Acts and Ancient Epic.

3 Mason, Steve (2003). Josephus and the New Testament (2nd ed.). Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson. pp. 185–229. ISBN 1-56563-795-X.
and Luke & Josephus, Richard carrier 2000

4 "Acts was written c. 115 by an anonymous author whose perspective was that of Ephesus or its general environs", Acts: a commentary, RI Pervo; in Hermeneia -A critical and Historical on the Bible (2008). Harold W. Attridge, editor. Fortress Press, Minneapolis. http://store.fortresspress.com/store...s-A-Commentary

aa5874 · 06-08-2013, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMacSon

"Acts is not history in the sense of accurate chronology or of continuity of events but in the ancient sense of rhetoric with an apologetic aim."

"Acts describes Paul differently from how he describes himself, both factually and theologically."

"Acts seems to differ with Paul's letters on important issues, such as the Law, Paul's own apostleship, and his relation to the Jerusalem church."

"Paul’s [supposed] speech on the Areopagus (a hill in Athens that traditionally was the meeting place of the city’s council) for a [supposedly] intellectual Athenian audience, is in good Greek, assimilating Gentile thought patterns, but is expressed in Old Testament universalistic terms."

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/...chor=ref598122

Acts is not history in any sense except that it documents what people believed in antiquity.

The story in Acts is compatible with the early Gospels not with the Pauline Pauline Corpus.

In Acts, Salvation is offered to the Jews by the supposed disciples if they ADMIT they killed Jesus and repent and baptized.

Acts 2

Quote:

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified , both Lord and Christ.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent , and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 28:19 KJV

Quote:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...

Justin's First Apology

Quote:

I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them.

Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water.

Baptism with water was carried out up to c 150 CE.

The Pauline writings are not compatible with the teachings of the Synoptic Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:17 KJV

Quote:

For Christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel : not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect .

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

06-08-2013, 06:15 PM	#31
MrMacSon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: South Pacific Posts: 559	Some historians believe that Acts borrows phraseology and plot elements from Euripides' play The Bacchae¹ and from Virgil's Aeneid². Some feel that the text of Acts shows evidence of having used the Jewish historian Josephus as a source (in which case it would have to have been written sometime after 94 AD)³. For example, Richard Pervo dates Acts to the first quarter of the 2nd century⁴. 1 Randel McCram Helms (1997) Who Wrote The Gospels. 2 Marianne Palmer Bonz (2000) The Past as Legacy. Luke-Acts and Ancient Epic. 3 Mason, Steve (2003). Josephus and the New Testament (2nd ed.). Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson. pp. 185–229. ISBN 1-56563-795-X. and Luke & Josephus, Richard carrier 2000 4 "Acts was written c. 115 by an anonymous author whose perspective was that of Ephesus or its general environs", Acts: a commentary, RI Pervo; in Hermeneia -A critical and Historical on the Bible (2008). Harold W. Attridge, editor. Fortress Press, Minneapolis. http://store.fortresspress.com/store...s-A-Commentary

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.