Table Of ContentPraise for Volume One
“Acts has now taken a new step forward . . . the his impressive acquaintance with the literary en-
starting point for all Acts scholarship from now vironment of the New Testament. . . . He is also
on!” remarkably thorough in citing other scholars.
—Scot McKnight, Northern Seminary . . . Anyone concerned with Acts is best advised
to take account of this extensive study from a
widely read and dedicated scholar.”
“Somewhat surprisingly, a socio-historical ap-
proach to Acts still needs to be defended and its —Larry Hurtado, University of Edinburgh
value demonstrated. No one does this better—is
more informed about ancient literature, parallels, “This promises to be the most comprehensive
and precedents, and more interactively and fruit- commentary on Acts to date. Keener presents a
fully engaged with contemporary literature and socio-historical reading of the text with meticu-
issues—than Craig Keener. For anyone wanting lous precision, and his knowledge of scholarly
to appreciate how Acts ‘worked’ in its original research is impressive. The book of Acts is read
context and to get into the text at some depth, as a historiographical work in which its author
rewrites traditions; the documentation from
Keener will be indispensable and ‘first off the
ancient Jewish literature is exceptionally rich.
shelf.’”
Keener treats hermeneutical issues and the his-
—James D. G. Dunn, University of Durham
torical reliability of the text astutely and clearly.
From now on, any exegesis of Acts will need to
“Keener takes very seriously the claim of the
take into account this major work.”
book of Acts to be historiography. His encyclo-
—Daniel Marguerat,
pedic knowledge of ancient literature and his
University of Lausanne, Switzerland
intelligent skill as an exegete make this a magiste-
rial commentary.”
“As one has come to expect from Keener, there
—Richard Bauckham, University of
is thorough knowledge and use of the best
St. Andrews; Ridley Hall, Cambridge
and most important secondary literature and
abundant utilization of a wide range of ancient
“Keener’s finished commentary will dwarf sources. This is a commentary that will continue
other modern commentaries, if measured by to serve as a detailed resource for both schol-
the quantity of either ink spilled or of citations ars and students wishing to explore the book
of Greco-Roman texts. Beyond such metrics, of Acts.”
Keener’s magnum opus is a rich resource that
—Stanley E. Porter,
will serve Acts scholars for years to come. . . . McMaster Divinity College
A scholar with extensive knowledge of Jewish
and Greco-Roman materials, Keener brings this
“A work of great quality and value. . . . Keener
expertise to his commentary, introducing scores
provides numerous connections to pertinent
of relevant citations to subsequent scholars of Greco-Roman and Jewish sources, to archaeol-
Acts. . . . This volume is the result of the careful, ogy and material evidence, and to the other writ-
balanced work of a senior scholar. Any serious ings of the New Testament, particularly the let-
scholar will want to have this valuable commen- ters of Paul. . . . Keener’s prodigious work offers
tary ready-to-hand.” a closely reasoned and thoroughly documented
—Daniel L. Smith, argument for the historical worth of Acts, that
Review of Biblical Literature is, ‘historical’ judged by the canons of history
prevalent in the ancient world. This is a very valu-
“To my knowledge, Keener’s four-volume project able resource work that will surely be a point of
. . . is by far the largest single-author work on Acts reference for all future discussions about Acts.”
to date. . . . Keener’s strong suit has always been —Donald Senior, CP, The Bible Today
_Keener_Acts_book_vol2.indb 1 6/21/13 10:10 AM
“Craig Keener has provided us with a rich gem and extensive acquaintance with ancient Greco-
of a commentary on Acts. One can use it and get Roman and Jewish literature, and the result is a
a real sense of what this key work is all about.” rich, detailed commentary packed with abun-
—Darrell L. Bock, dant and useful information. . . . I am unable
Dallas Theological Seminary to agree with many of his convictions about
Acts but am compelled to admire his well-
“This commentary sets Acts in its ancient social conceived and well-documented arguments and
and historical setting. Keener’s wide reading of interpretations.”
scholarly discussion is stupendous. A marvelous, —Joseph Tyson, Review of Biblical Literature
impressive, and inspiring commentary!”
—Manfred Lang, Martin Luther “Craig Keener’s academic commentaries are
University, Halle-Wittenberg among the most important in print, because they
not only summarize former scholarship but also
“By almost any measure, Craig Keener’s com- add so many new insights from primary literature
mentary on Acts is a remarkable achievement. of the time.”
. . . He is thoroughly engaged with a wide range —David Instone-Brewer,
of critical studies of Acts and related writings. Tyndale House, Cambridge
Keener also brings to the study of Acts a deep
_Keener_Acts_5_Pt2_TW_djm.indd 2 6/26/13 1:21 PM
Acts
An ExEgEticAl
commEntAry
Volume 2
3:1—14:28
crAig s. KEEnEr
K
_Keener_Acts_book_vol2.indb 3 6/21/13 10:10 AM
© 2013 by Craig S. Keener
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy,
recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception
is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Keener, Craig S., 1960–
Acts : an exegetical commentary / Craig S. Keener.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8010-4837-1 (cloth)
1. Bible. N.T. Acts—Commentaries. I. Title.
BS2625.53.K446 2012
266.6077—dc22 2011048744
Unless noted otherwise, all translations of Scripture are those of the author.
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
_Keener_Acts_book_vol2.indb 4 6/21/13 10:10 AM
contents
Abbreviations xiv
Part 2: Apostolic Leadership in Jerusalem (3:1–5:42) 1039
The Healing of the Paralytic and Its Aftermath i. The Ancestral Deity
(3:1–4:30) 1042 ii. The Glorified Servant
iii. The Servant Rejected
1. The Power of Jesus’s Name (3:1–11)
a. Introductory Issues iv. Pilate’s Desire to Release Jesus
b. Hour of Prayer (3:1) d. Disowning the Bringer of Life (3:14–15)
c. The Disabled Beggar at the “Beautiful” Gate i. The Holy and Righteous One (3:14)
(3:2–3) ii. Rejecting Jesus (3:14)
iii. Preferring a Murderer (3:14)
iv. The Establisher of Life (3:15)
Excursus: The Disabled, Poverty, and
Begging 1050 e. Faith and Witness (3:15–16)
i. Witness (3:15–16)
1. The Disabled (3:2)
ii. Faith in Jesus’s Name (3:16)
2. Poverty in General (3:2)
f. Their Ignorance and God’s Plan (3:17–18)
3. Urban and Judean Poverty (3:2)
i. Ignorance as a Mitigating Factor (3:17)
4. Alms (3:2)
ii. God’s Plan (3:18)
5. Begging (3:2–3)
g. Repentance Would Bring Israel’s Restoration
d. Faith in Jesus’s Name (3:4–7)
(3:19–21)
i. Inviting Attention (3:4–5)
i. Luke’s Repentance Eschatology (3:19)
ii. Without Silver or Gold (3:6)
ii. Repentance Eschatology in Early Judaism
iii. Jesus’s Name (3:6)
(3:19)
iv. Commanding Healing (3:6)
iii. Refreshing and Jesus’s Return (3:20)
v. Contrast with Gentile Attempts to Secure
iv. Restoration Eschatology (3:21)
Divine Favor
h. The One Predicted by Moses and the
vi. Strengthened Feet (3:7)
Prophets (3:22–24)
e. Public Attention to the Healing (3:8–10)
i. The Prophet like Moses (3:22)
f. Running Together at Solomon’s Portico
ii. Punishment for Rejecting Him (3:23)
(3:11)
2. Call for Israel’s Repentance and Salvation iii. All the Prophets Announced These Days
(3:12–26) (3:24)
a. Introduction i. Israel’s Blessing through Jesus (3:25–26)
i. Message i. Heirs of Covenant Blessing (3:25)
ii. Authenticity ii. The Condition for Blessing (3:26)
iii. Rhetoric 3. Confronting Jerusalem’s Elite (4:1–30)
b. Not by Our Power or Devoutness (3:12) a. Introduction
c. God Glorified His Rejected Servant Jesus i. Power Conflict
(3:13) ii. Sources and Narrative Construction
v
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Contents
b. Jerusalem’s Elite Confront the Apostles (1) Satan’s Activity (5:3)
(4:1–7) (2) Lying to God (5:3–4)
i. The Elite Arrest the Apostles (4:1–3) (3) Ananias’s Death (5:5)
(1) Commander of the Temple Guard (4) Ananias’s Immediate Burial (5:6)
(4:1) iv. Sapphira’s Lie and Judgment (5:7–10)
(2) Sadducees (4:1) v. Others Observed and Feared (5:11)
(3) Announcing the Resurrection in Jesus 4. Apostles’ Honor and Signs (5:12–16)
(4:2) a. The People Revere the New Movement
(4) Jailed Overnight (4:3) (5:12–14)
ii. Church Growth despite Persecution (4:4) i. Signs through the Apostles’ Hands (5:12)
iii. The Political Elite Confront the Apostles ii. Respect for the Apostolic Movement
(4:5–7) (5:13–14)
(1) Rulers, Elders, and Scribes (4:5) b. Seeking Healing (5:15–16)
(2) The Sanhedrin (4:5) i. Dramatic Signs (5:15)
(3) Named High Priests (4:6) ii. Shadows (5:15)
(4) The Authorities’ Challenge (4:7) iii. The Word Spreads Further (5:16)
c. Salvation in Jesus’s Name (4:8–12) iv. Delivering People from Unclean Spirits
i. Filled for Confrontation (4:8) (5:16)
ii. Arraigned for Benefaction (4:9)
More Persecution (5:17–42) 1205
iii. Charging the Real Criminals (4:10)
iv. The Rejected Cornerstone (4:11) 1. Arrest, Release, Rearrest (5:17–28)
v. Salvation in Jesus’s Name (4:12) a. Sadducees Arrest the Apostles (5:17–18)
d. Confounding the Authorities (4:13–22) i. The Sadducean “Sect” (5:17)
i. The Apostles’ Boldness (4:13) ii. Jealousy as a Motivation (5:17)
ii. “Uneducated” (4:13) iii. Arrest and Detention (5:18)
iii. Private Discussion (4:14–17) b. Released and Commissioned (5:19–20)
iv. Refusing to Be Silent (4:18–22) i. Miraculous Escapes (5:19)
e. Prayer for More Boldness (4:23–30) ii. The Message of Life (5:20)
i. The Gathering and Address (4:23–24) c. The Council’s Reaction (5:21–28)
ii. The Enemies in Psalm 2 (4:25–26) i. Morning Discovery (5:21–25)
iii. The Psalm’s Present Application (4:27–28) ii. Rearrest and Charge (5:26–28)
iv. Prayer for Boldness and Signs (4:29–30) 2. Obeying God rather than the Elite (5:29–33)
a. Obeying God (5:29)
Results of the Second Outpouring of the Spirit
b. The Message (5:30–32)
(4:31–5:16) 1173 c. The Authorities’ Response (5:33)
1. Immediate Impact of Prayer (4:31) 3. Gamaliel’s Defense (5:34–39)
2. Sacrificial Sharing of Believers (4:32–35) a. Gamaliel, Pharisees, and the Speech
a. Common Property (4:32) (5:34–35)
b. Power and Grace (4:33) i. Gamaliel
c. How the Property Was Distributed (4:34–35) ii. Pharisees
3. Positive and Negative Examples of Sharing
(4:36–5:11) Excursus: Pharisaism 1225
a. Positive Example: Joseph Barnabas (4:36–37)
i. Naming Barnabas (4:36) iii. The Speech’s Design
ii. A Cypriot Levite (4:36) iv. Gamaliel Begins Speaking (5:34–35)
iii. Salvation for the Wealthy (4:37) b. Jesus versus Revolutionary Movements
b. Negative Example: Ananias and Sapphira (5:36–37)
(5:1–11) i. Luke versus Josephus on Theudas’s
i. Introduction Chronology
ii. Deceptively Withholding Income (5:1–2) ii. Luke’s Rhetorical Use of Theudas
c. Gamaliel’s Wise Counsel (5:38–39)
4. Continued Obedience (5:40–42)
Excursus: Parallels for This Narrative 1186
a. The Council’s Reticence to Execute (5:40)
iii. Spiritual Confrontation and Judgment b. Celebrating Persecution (5:41)
(5:3–6) c. Continued Teaching about Jesus (5:42)
Part 3: The Hellenist Expansion (6:1–9:31) 1247
Hellenist Leaders (6:1–7) 1249 3. The Problem (6:1)
1. Historical Basis? a. Hellenists and Hebrews
2. Literary Connections i. The Tübingen Approach
vi
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Contents
ii. Hebrews iii. Deliberate Judicial Deception
iii. Hellenists iv. Luke’s Portrayal
d. The Charges (6:11–14)
Excursus: Greek and Aramaic Use in Judea i. Listing the Charges
and Galilee 1255 ii. Ancient Customs and Laws
iii. The Temple
iv. More Than Language
v. Diaspora Immigrants
Excursus: Views about the Temple 1322
vi. Conflict over the Law?
b. The Complaint (6:1) e. Stephen’s Transfiguration (6:15)
c. Charity and Widows (6:1) f. The High Priest’s Question (7:1)
i. Charity and Distribution Mechanisms 3. Stephen’s Countercharge (7:2–53)
ii. Widows a. Introduction
iii. Disproportionate Numbers Poor? i. Rhetoric of Acts 7
4. The Solution (6:2–7) ii. Use of Scripture
a. God’s Message or Serving Tables? (6:2, 4) (1) Historical Retrospectives
i. The Apostles’ Priorities (6:2, 4) (2) Luke’s Selection Criteria
ii. Serving by Proclamation and Prayer (6:2, (3) Applying the Scriptures
4) iii. History and Redaction
iii. “Serving” Economically (1) Arguments for Sources
b. Securing the Right Ministers (6:3) (2) Arguments against Sources
i. Delegation (3) Mediating Approaches
ii. Qualifications, Including Reputation iv. Acts 7 and the Samaritans
iii. Full of the Spirit and Wisdom v. Hellenistic Judaism
iv. Seven Men vi. The Land
c. Choosing the Seven (6:5) (1) Early Jewish Land Theology
i. Harmonious Resolution (2) Holy Sites within the Land
ii. Electing the Seven (3) Devotion to Holy Sites
iii. Stephen (4) Samaritans and the Temple
iv. Philip and Other Names b. Abraham the Alien (7:2–8)
v. Nicolas from Antioch i. God Speaks in Mesopotamia (7:2)
ii. Forsaking All for God’s Promise (7:3)
Excursus: Proselytes 1284 iii. Abraham’s Departure (7:4)
iv. The Promise for the Future, Not the
vi. Seven Hellenists
Present (7:5)
d. The Commissioning (6:6)
v. The Promise of Exodus and the Land
e. Summary of the Church’s Growth (6:7)
(7:6–7)
i. Summary Statements
vi. The Covenant and the Patriarchs (7:8)
ii. Conversion of Priests
c. Joseph the Rejected Deliverer and Alien
Stephen (6:8–8:1a) 1294 (7:9–16)
i. Literary Connections
1. Introduction to Stephen
ii. God’s Presence versus Jealous Patriarchs
2. Ministry and Opposition (6:8–7:1)
(7:9)
a. Grace and Signs (6:8)
iii. God Exalted Joseph (7:10)
i. Grace
iv. Meeting Joseph through Famine
ii. Signs and Wonders
(7:11–13)
b. Debating Some from the “Freedpersons”
v. Migration to Egypt (7:14–15a)
Synagogue (6:9–10)
vi. The Patriarchs’ Death and Burial
(7:15b–16)
Excursus: Synagogues 1298
d. Moses the Rejected Deliverer (7:17–28)
i. Multiple Synagogues? i. Introduction
ii. Synagogue of Freedpersons (6:9) ii. Growing in Egypt (7:17–18)
iii. Exposing Infants (7:19)
iv. Moses’s Infancy (7:20)
Excursus: Freedpersons 1304
v. Moses’s Adoption (7:21)
iii. Diaspora Synagogues in Jerusalem vi. Education and Exploits (7:22)
iv. A “Hellenist” Synagogue vii. Moses Visits and Defends His People
v. Stephen’s Inspired Success in Debate (7:23–24)
(6:10) viii. A Rejected Deliverer (7:25–28)
c. False Witnesses (6:11, 13) e. Moses the Alien (7:29–34)
i. False Charges i. The Fugitive Father (7:29)
ii. Investigating and Punishing False ii. The Burning-Bush Theophany (7:30–31)
Witnesses iii. God’s Commission (7:32–34)
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Contents
f. Moses, Prototype of the Rejected Deliverer b. The Great Persecution (8:1)
(7:35–43) c. Who Is Scattered? (8:1)
i. Reiterating Moses’s Rejection (7:35) d. Economic Consequences (8:1)
ii. An Exodus with Signs (7:36) e. Stephen’s Burial and Mourning (8:2)
iii. The Prophet like Moses (7:37)
iv. Preferring Egypt’s Idols to Moses’s Law Excursus: Burial and Mourning Practices
(7:38–40) and Stephen’s Death 1471
v. Israel’s Idolatry in the Wilderness
1. Varied Burial Customs
(7:41–43)
2. Location of and Responsibility for Burials
g. God Does Not Need the Temple (7:44–50)
3. Burial Preparation
i. The Tabernacle (7:44–45)
4. Honorable Burials
ii. David Wants to Build a Temple (7:46)
5. Necessity of Burial
iii. Solomon’s Temple (7:47)
6. Refusal of Burial
iv. Not in Humanly Built Temples (7:48)
7. Mourning
v. Isaiah’s Testimony (7:49–50)
8. Prohibited Mourning
h. Returning the Charge of Undermining the
9. Who Buried Stephen?
Law (7:51–53)
i. Stephen’s Rhetoric in 7:51–53 f. Saul’s Persecution (8:3)
ii. Positive Portrayal of Stephen g. The Dispersed Spread the Message (8:4)
iii. Resisting God’s Spirit (7:51) 3. Samaria Receives the Word (8:5–25)
iv. Killing Prophets (7:52)
v. Against the Lawbreakers (7:53) Excursus: Samaritans 1488
4. Stephen Follows His Martyred Lord (7:54–8:1a)
1. Samaritan Relations with Others
a. Stephen’s Martyrdom
2. Were Samaritans Gentiles?
i. Martyr Stories
3. Conflict between Jews and Samaritans
ii. Parallels with Jesus
4. Animosity against Each Other’s Holy Sites
iii. Capital Authority?
5. The Languages for Preaching
iv. Lynch Mobs?
b. The Audience’s Anger and the Lord’s Support a. Philip’s Success versus Simon (8:5–13)
(7:54–57) i. “A Samaritan Town” (8:5)
i. The Enraged Audience (7:54) ii. Preaching Christ (8:5)
ii. Stephen Sees Jesus Exalted (7:55–56) iii. Philip’s Signs (8:6–8)
iv. Simon the Sorcerer (8:9–11)
Excursus: The Son of Man 1437
Excursus: Magic and Magicians 1500
iii. Standing at God’s Right Hand (7:55–56)
1. Magi and Magic
iv. The Audience’s Hostility (7:57)
2. Malevolent Sorcerers versus Charlatans
c. Introducing Saul (7:58)
3. Gentile Magic in General
i. Saul’s Name
4. Magic in Judaism
ii. Saul’s Presence
5. Antimagical Apologetic
iii. Paul’s Judean Background
iv. Saul as a “Youth” (7:58) (1) Claims about Simon External to Acts
v. Saul’s Activity and His Youth (7:58) (2) God’s Great Power (8:10)
vi. Gaining Respect While Young (3) Samaritan “Orthodoxy” and Hellenism
d. Stephen’s Stoning (7:58) (4) Syncretism of Deities
i. Stoning as a Mob Action (5) Male-Female Dyads
ii. Judean Stonings v. Philip’s Converts (8:12–13)
e. The Witnesses’ Nakedness (7:58) b. God and Jerusalem Confirm the Samaritans’
i. Stripping for Activities Conversion (8:14–17)
ii. Nakedness and Shame i. Approving the Samaritan Mission (8:14)
f. Stephen’s Prayers and Saul’s Approval of His ii. Needing the Spirit (8:15–16)
Death (7:59–8:1a) iii. Baptism in Jesus’s Name (8:16)
i. “Receive My Spirit” (7:59) iv. Receiving the Spirit (8:17)
ii. Kneeling (7:60) c. Confronting Simon’s Syncretism (8:18–24)
iii. Jesus’s Model of Forgiveness (7:60) i. Money and Magic (8:18–19)
iv. Confessing Others’ Sins (7:60) ii. Confronting Depravity (8:20–23)
v. Falling Asleep, Saul’s Approval (7:60–8:1a) iii. Simon’s Repentance? (8:24)
d. Apostles Continue Samaritan Ministry (8:25)
Philip Reaches beyond Judeans (8:1b–40) 1464 4. The Pious African Official’s Conversion
1. Introduction to Philip’s Ministry (8:26–40)
2. Persecution Disperses the Jerusalem Church a. Introduction
(8:1b–4) i. Literary Features
a. Introduction ii. Historical Questions
viii
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Contents
iii. Biblical Background (1) Saul’s Hatred (9:1)
iv. Luke and Africa (2) Saul’s Commission (9:1–2)
(1) Tension between the Treasurer and (3) Access to the High Priest (9:1–2)
Cornelius? (4) Letters of Authorization (9:2)
(2) Why Does Luke Not Include More (5) Extradition Requests Here? (9:2)
about Africa? (6) “The Way” (9:2)
(3) Presuppositions Involved in the (7) Damascus (9:2)
Contrast (8) Jews in Damascus (9:2)
(4) The First Gentile and the African iii. Saul’s Theophany (9:3–6)
Mission (1) Appearances (9:3)
b. Divinely Arranged Encounter (8:26–31) (2) Struck Down (9:4)
i. On the Road to Gaza (8:26) (3) Heavenly Voice (9:4)
(1) The “Absurd Command” (4) The Voice’s Charge (9:4)
(2) Travel at Noon? (5) The Voice’s Identity (9:5)
(3) The Road to Gaza (6) Instructions to Saul (9:6)
ii. The Official’s Nation (8:27) iv. Responding to the Theophany (9:7–9)
(1) Meroë’s Location (1) The Companions’ Partial Experience
(2) Information and Myths (9:7)
(3) Exotic Analogies (2) Physical and Spiritual Blindness (9:8)
(4) The African’s Color (3) Entering Damascus (9:8)
(5) Jewish Sources on Africa and Black (4) Saul’s Fast (9:9)
Complexion b. Paired Visions Confirm Saul’s Call (9:10–19a)
iii. The Official’s Jewish Status (8:27) i. Sent to Saul of Tarsus (9:10–12)
(1) Worshiping God (1) Jesus Appears to Ananias (9:10–11)
(2) Proselyte or God-Fearer? (2) Saul from “Tarsus” (9:11)
(3) A Genuine Eunuch? (3) Political and Economic Life of Tarsus
(4) Castration and Status (4) Tarsus and Education
iv. The Official’s Socioeconomic Status (8:27) (5) Straight Street (9:11)
(1) A Meroitic Treasurer (6) Ananias’s Mission (9:12)
(2) Queen Candace ii. Resolving Ananias’s Concern (9:13–16)
(3) Mediterranean Perspectives on the (1) Ananias’s Concern (9:13–14)
Candace (2) Vessel to the Nations (9:15)
(4) Queen of the South? (3) Paul’s Future Sufferings (9:16)
v. The Encounter (8:28–31)
(1) The Chariot and the Scroll (8:28–29) Excursus: Meritorious Suffering
(2) Running to Obey the Spirit (8:29–30) in Judaism 1658
(3) Discussing the Official’s Readings
iii. Saul’s Restoration (9:17–19a)
(8:30–31)
(1) Ananias’s Mission (9:17)
c. Scripture about Jesus the Servant (8:32–33)
(2) Filled with the Spirit (9:17)
i. Correlations with Jesus
(3) “Brother” Saul (9:17)
ii. The Atoning Servant?
(4) Saul’s Sight Restored (9:17–18)
d. Eagerly Embracing the Message (8:34–39)
(5) Saul’s Baptism and Restoration
i. Explaining Scripture (8:34–35)
(9:18–19a)
ii. The Official’s Baptism (8:36–38)
2. Saul Begins Ministry and Faces Conflict
iii. Their Parting (8:39)
(9:19b–31)
e. Philip’s Continuing Ministry (8:40)
a. Opposition to Ministry in Damascus
Saul Becomes a New Witness (9:1–31) 1597 (9:19b–25)
1. Saul’s Conversion and Call to the Gentiles i. Comparing Paul and Luke
(9:1–19a) ii. Success in the Synagogues (9:19b–22)
a. Jesus’s Theophany Blinds and Converts Saul (1) Son of God (9:20)
(9:1–9)
i. Introduction Excursus: Son of God 1671
(1) Comparing Luke’s and Paul’s Accounts
(2) His Hearers’ Amazement (9:21)
(2) Luke’s Three Accounts
(3) Saul’s Success (9:22)
(3) Date
iii. Saul Escapes the First Plot (9:23–25)
(4) Various Explanations
(1) Comparing Luke’s and Paul’s Accounts
(5) A Parallel in Joseph and Aseneth?
(6) Revelatory Calling
(7) Paul’s Theological Reversal Excursus: Nabatean Opposition 1676
(8) Calling or Conversion? 1. Traditional Nabateans
(9) Theology and Structure 2. Nabatea and Damascus
ii. Commissioned by the High Priest (9:1–2) 3. Paul’s Business in Nabatea
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