The Speeches In Acts

This historical reappraisal of the Acts of the Apostles, written in narrative form, allows the reader to understand the biblical author's worldview, historical and ideological assumptions, and purposes as they were communicated through portions of this work. Marion Soards analyzes the speech texts by comparing them to writings from ancient history, rhetoric, and midrashic interpretation of scripture. He points out the interesting features in the speeches and highlights the thematic similarities. Soards provides a clear picture of the manner of writings in Acts, the theology, and the encompassing history of the early Christian period, and he supplies a sound basis for contemporary Jewish-Christian relations.

Acts is the sequel to Luke's gospel and tells the story of Jesus's followers during the 30 years after his death. It describes how the 12 apostles, formerly Jesus's disciples, spread the message of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean against a background of persecution. With an introduction by P.D. James

In The Function of the Speeches in the Acts of the Apostles, interrelations of the speeches are analyzed in two major groups: the group of topic speeches, and the group of structural speeches.

The book of Acts is a remarkable fusion of the historical and theological, and its account of the early church has fascinated theologians and biblical scholars for centuries. Just who was the author of this work? And what kind of book did he write? How do we classify its genre? The Acts of the Apostles provides an advanced introduction to the study of Acts, covering important questions about authorship, genre, history and theology. Osvaldo Padilla explores fresh avenues of understanding by examining the text in light of the most recent research on the book of Acts itself, philosophical hermeneutics, genre theory and historiography. In addition, Padilla opens a conversation between the text of Acts and postliberal theology, seeking a fully-orbed engagement with Acts that is equally attuned to questions of interpretation, history and theology.

This groundbreaking commentary is the first to provide a detailed social and rhetorical analysis of the book of Acts. At the same time it gives detailed attention to major theological and historical issues.

How does Luke's portrait of the outsider help in exploring the theology and historiography of Acts? Previous studies of the author and his work have concentrated on the speeches given by insiders - members of the early Christian church - but until now the speeches of the outsiders have been marginalised by scholars in the field. Osvaldo Padilla takes an intriguing approach by concentrating on the direct speech of such figures, arguing that the portrayal of outsiders to a religious movement should not be neglected when considering the author's viewpoint. By exploring the place of outsiders in Old Testament and Second Temple literature, then offering comparisons with the depictions found in Acts, Padilla provides an insightful take on the subject that will prove invaluable to scholars and students of biblical and early Christian studies.

'Reconciliation and Hope: New Testament Essays on Atonement and Eschatology' A Festschrift presented to Dr. Leon Morris on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Throughout his long and distinguished career in New Testament studies, Leon Morris has devoted considerable attention to the themes of atonement and eschatology. the nineteen essays included in this volume pay fitting tribute to Dr. Morris by reflecting and expanding on these important elements of the Christian Faith. Contributing to Reconciliation and Hope are leading evangelical biblical scholars from around the world: Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States. An Appreciation by David A. Hubbard and a select bibliography of Morris' publications complete the volume.