Prayer and Vindication in Luke Acts: The Theme of Prayer within the Context of the Legitimating and Edifying Objective of the Lukan Narrative

317 Pages·2011·1.38 MB·English

by  Geir O. Holmas

LIBRARY OF NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
433
formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement series
Editor
Mark Goodacre
Editorial Board
John M. G. Barclay, Craig Blomberg, R. Alan Culpepper,
James D. G. Dunn, Craig A. Evans, Stephen Fowl, Robert Fowler,
Simon J. Gathercole, John S. Kloppenborg, Michael Labahn,
Robert Wall, Steve Walton, Robert L. Webb, Catrin H. Williams
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PRAYER AND VINDICATION IN LUKE-ACTS
The Theme of Prayer within the Context of the Legitimating
and Edifying Objective of the Lukan Narrative
GEIR OTTO HOLMÅS
Published by T&T Clark International
A Continuum Imprint
TheTower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, NewYork,NY 10038
www.continuumbooks.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
© Geir Otto Holmås, 2011
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: HB: 978-0-567-01756-7
Typeset by Free Range Book Design &Production Limited
Printed and bound in Great Britain by CPI Antony Rowe, Chippenham,
Wiltshire
To Jorunn
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements xi
Abbreviations xiii
1. Introduction 1
I.Problem and Purpose 1
II.Previous Monographs on Lukan Prayer 4
III. Method and Outline 16
PARTONE: LAYING THEFOUNDATIONS
2. Delimiting the Scope of the Study: Semantic Considerations and
Text Selection 21
I.Introduction:The Challenge of Defining Lukan Prayer 21
II. Lexical Field and Semantic Range 23
A. Generic Terms 23
B.Terms Denoting Ask for, Request, Invoke 24
C.VariousVerbs of Communication Having a Contextual-usage
Meaning of to Pray 26
D.Terms Denoting to Entrust Someone to God 26
E.Terms Denoting Praise and Give Thanks 27
F. Terms Denoting Worship, Piety and ‘Religion’ 27
G.Preliminary Considerations Regarding Text Selection 29
III. Syntagmatic Field 30
A.Introduction 30
B. Model Syntagma (1) 30
C. Model Syntagma (2) 45
IV. Conclusion: Delimiting the Perimeters of the Study 46
3. Outlining the Controlling Agenda of Luke-Acts: Lukan
Prayer within the Context of the Historiographical Aims of the
Double Work 48
I.Introduction 48
II. Luke-Acts as Ancient Historia and the Bearing of Luke’s
Historiographical Aims on the Presentation of Prayer 49
A. Luke-Acts as Apologetic Historiography: Legitimating the
Jesus Movement 53
viii Contents
B. Luke-Acts and the Educative Function of Ancient
Historia 54
C.The Rhetorical Situation of Luke-Acts and the Makeup of
Luke’s Intended Readers 56
D.TheTheme of Prayer within the Context of the Legitimating
and Edifying Objective of Luke-Acts: A Preliminary Sketch 58
PART TWO: THE THEMEOF PRAYERIN THE GOSPELOF LUKE
4. Prayer and Israel’s Hope at the Opening of Luke’s Gospel
(Luke 1–2) 65
I. Luke 1–2 as the Beginning of the Lukan Narrative 65
II.Text Analysis 68
A.Prayer in the Opening Episode of Luke’s Gospel (1.5–25) 68
B. Jerusalem Prophets at Prayer: Simeon and Anna
(Luke 2.25–38) 72
III. Conclusion 76
5. ThePray-erPar Excellence:The Lukan Portrait of the Praying Jesus
(Luke 3–24) 77
I.Prayer in the Life and Mission of Jesus: Overview and Procedure 77
II.The Function of the Lukan Portrait of the Praying Jesus – A New
Proposal 78
III.Text Analysis 85
A. Jesus’ Practice of Prayer during His Public Ministry
(Luke 3–11) 85
B. Jesus’ PassionPrayers (Luke 22–23) 102
IV. Conclusion 114
6. ModellingPrayer:Prayer and Discipleship in the Period of Jesus 115
I.Introduction:TheProfile and Character of the Prayer Didactic
Emphasis in Luke’s Gospel 115
II.Prayer and the Formation of the Disciples under the Tutelage of
Jesus:Overview 119
III.Text Analysis 121
A.The Galilean Phase (Luke 4.14–9.50): Preliminaries 121
B.TheTravelNarrative (Luke 9.51–19.44) and the Pre-Passion
JerusalemPhase (Luke 19.45–21.38): Extensive Prayer
Instruction 128
EXCURSUS I: THE GENERAL TEACHING ONPRAYER
AND LUKE’SINTENDED READERSHIP 149
C.ThePassion Crisis (Luke 22.1–23.56): Failure to Pray 151
IV. Conclusion and Outlook 153
Contents ix
PART THREE: THE THEMEOF PRAYERIN THEBOOKOFACTS
7. PersistentPrayer and the Formation and Expansion of the Restored
People: Prayer in the Life and Mission of the Early Community
in Acts (Acts 1–12) 159
I.Prayer in the Book of Acts and the UnityIssue: Methodological
Considerations 159
A.The Scholarly Discussion of the Unity of Luke-Acts 159
B.TheUnity of Luke-Acts and the Theme of Prayer 160
C.Procedure 165
II.Prayer and the Formation and Growth of the Messianic People in
Jerusalem and Beyond (Acts 1–12): Overview 166
III.Text Analysis 167
A.The Apostles and the Early Believers in Jerusalem in Prayer
(Acts 1–7) 167
EXCURSUS II: PRAYER AND THE HOLY SPIRITINTHE
ACTSNARRATIVE 171
B. Beyond Jerusalem: Praying ‘Servants of the Word’ and Praying
Would-Be Believers (Acts 8–11) 193
C. A Final Time: The Jerusalem Community Importuning God
(Acts 12) 212
IV. Conclusion 215
8. Between Hardship and Hope: Prayer in the Context of Paul’s
Mission and Trial (Acts 13–28) 217
I.Paul and his Companions in Prayer – Paul on Prayer:Overview 217
II.Text Analysis 219
A. Commended to the Lord – Prayer Surrounding Paul’s
Diaspora Mission (Acts 13.1–21.16) 219
B. Worshipping God according to the Way: Prayer and Paul the
Defendant (Acts 21.17–28.31) 241
III. Conclusion 259
9. Conclusions 261
I.Prayer and the Logic of Luke’s ‘orderly account’ 262
II.TheIsraelite Matrix of Christian Prayer as Apologetics 263
III.Prayer, Eschatology and Luke’s Intended Readers 265
Bibliography 267
Index of References 285
Index of Authors 297