Sacra Pagina: The Acts of the Apostles

Sacra Pagina #5

by Luke Timothy Johnson

The Acts of the Apostles is really the second volume in the two-part writing scholars call Luke-Acts. It continues the story begun in the Gospel of Luke, showing how the Good News offered by Jesus to the outcast of the people was eventually extended to the end of the earth," so that Gentiles as well as Jews came to share in the blessings of God. This commentary treats Luke-Acts as an apologetic history. It takes with equal seriousness both Luke's literary artistry and his historical interests, fitting his methods comfortably within the ancient standards of historiography. This perspective illustrates in particular that Luke's historical narrative serves a definite religious intent. Tracing that intent through the specific contours of Luke's story is the special contribution of this commentary. "

Genres: Reference, Theology, Christianity, New Testament, Religion

592 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1992

About the author

Luke Timothy Johnson is an American New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology and a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University.

Johnson's research interests encompass the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Epistle of James.

Reviews

[Nick Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many, many helpful insights. Johnson, though, seems intent on insisting that most situations found in Acts are either somewhat, or completely Luke’s imaginative telling of a story- not real history. It would not surprise me if many came away questioning the historicity and authority of Scripture (which is not bad, this needs to be wrestled with, but other sources definitely need to be brought in for balance).

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of the curriculum for the course "The Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles" at the Pontifical College Josephinum. It's very helpful in understanding the Book of Acts, going into great detail for specific logical segments of the text, such as Pentecost, Peter's speeches, and the martyrdom of Stephen. It's heavily referenced and assembled in a consistent manner across the sections. I found I could open any particular passage and get a detailed explanation.

[Rick Folker · Rating 4 out of 5]

erudite

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely superb book. This is a literary commentary on the purposes of Luke in writing Acts (and the Gospel, Luke).

I always knew that Paul was resolutely Jewish but the commentary points out how Acts bears that out. Paul always wanted to remain for himself and for other Jews within the ethos of Judaism. The Council of Jerusalem related to Gentiles.

And Paul argued not just the resurrection of the body to his fellow Pharisees who held that doctrine but the resurrection of this Jesus. And that is where they parted ways.

Johnson translates Christians as Messianists, using what was originally a pejorative term to illustrate the differences between those Jews who accepted our Lord as Messiah and those who did not.

[Qwo-Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, before you think I've gone back to Jesus, let me explain.

When I was in eighth grade--at which time I was in Catholic school--we had to read the Acts as literature. And, because this is the kind of school we went to, we didn't really discuss it as literature, we discussed it as church history and doctrine.

I was way into Jesus then. Like, big time. And I was also deeply terrified by the idea of Satan, who I was sure was the reason I kept thinking about penis. Reading Acts, then, made me feel closer to Jesus and further away from faggotry.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It follows The Apostles and other people that lived their lives for Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke. In this book it talks about after Jesus died and has some of the stories in that time that were about the Twelve Apostles and other important people that followed God. One of the stories in the book is... The conversion of Saul (Paul), a Miracle preformed by Peter and John, and Peters Miraculous escape from Prison. There are many more stories but these are just a few to give an idea of what is in this book.

[Frans]

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