Acts: An Exegetical Commentary : Volume 3: 15:1-23:35

© 2014 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

Ebook edition created 2014

Ebook corrections 11.30.2015, 10.30.2017

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 is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-4633-2

Unless noted otherwise, all translations of Scripture are those of the author.

Praise for Volume One

Somewhat surprisingly, a socio-historical approach to Acts still needs to be defended and its value demonstrated. No one does this better—is more informed about ancient literature, parallels, and precedents, and more interactively and fruitfully engaged with contemporary literature and issues—than Craig Keener. For anyone wanting to appreciate how Acts ‘worked’ in its original context and to get into the text at some depth, Keener will be indispensable and ‘first off the shelf.’ 

—James D. G. Dunn, University of Durham

Keener takes very seriously the claim of the book of Acts to be historiography. His encyclopedic knowledge of ancient literature and his intelligent skill as an exegete make this a magisterial commentary.

—Richard Bauckham, University of St. Andrews; Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Keener’s magnum opus is a rich resource that will serve Acts scholars for years to come. . . . A scholar with extensive knowledge of Jewish and Greco-Roman materials, Keener brings this expertise to his commentary, introducing scores of relevant citations to subsequent scholars of Acts. . . . This volume is the result of the careful, balanced work of a senior scholar. Any serious scholar will want to have this valuable commentary ready-to-hand.

—Daniel L. Smith, Review of Biblical Literature

To my knowledge, Keener’s four-volume project . . . is by far the largest single-author work on Acts to date. . . . Keener’s strong suit has always been his impressive acquaintance with the literary environment of the New Testament. . . . He is also remarkably thorough in citing other scholars. . . . Anyone concerned with Acts is best advised to take account of this extensive study from a widely read and dedicated scholar.

—Larry Hurtado, University of Edinburgh

This promises to be the most comprehensive commentary on Acts to date. Keener presents a socio-historical reading of the text with meticulous precision, and his knowledge of scholarly research is impressive. The book of Acts is read as a historiographical work in which its author rewrites traditions; the documentation from ancient Jewish literature is exceptionally rich. Keener treats hermeneutical issues and the historical reliability of the text astutely and clearly. From now on, any exegesis of Acts will need to take into account this major work.

—Daniel Marguerat, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

As one has come to expect from Keener, there is thorough knowledge and use of the best and most important secondary literature and abundant utilization of a wide range of ancient sources. This is a commentary that will continue to serve as a detailed resource for both scholars and students wishing to explore the book of Acts.

—Stanley E. Porter, McMaster Divinity College

Craig Keener has provided us with a rich gem of a commentary on Acts. One can use it and get a real sense of what this key work is all about.

—Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary

By almost any measure, Craig Keener’s commentary on Acts is a remarkable achievement. . . . He is thoroughly engaged with a wide range of critical studies of Acts and related writings. Keener also brings to the study of Acts a deep and extensive acquaintance with ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish literature, and the result is a rich, detailed commentary packed with abundant and useful information. . . . I am unable to agree with many of his convictions about Acts but am compelled to admire his well-conceived and well-documented arguments and interpretations.

—Joseph Tyson, Review of Biblical Literature

Praise for Volume Two

Acts has now taken a new step forward . . . the starting point for all Acts scholarship from now on!

—Scot McKnight, Northern Seminary

This is the most expansive treatment of Acts in modern scholarship. Keener offers the reader a sweeping tour of the relevant ancient material and modern scholarship on Acts. He takes Acts seriously as a work of ancient history; at the same time, he is aware of the literary and rhetorical dimensions of the text.

—Gregory E. Sterling, Yale Divinity School

Craig Keener, a master of primary and secondary sources, has crafted another meticulous commentary that is a joy to read. It is full of information that shows Keener’s unusual industriousness and precision. Highly recommended.

—James H. Charlesworth, Princeton Theological Seminary

A magnificent achievement. This volume continues in the same vein as the first, with superbly detailed exegesis of the text as well as many helpful excursuses on more general topics of interest—with a wealth of material to back up all the claims made. Without any shadow of doubt, an indispensable reference work for all students of Acts and early Christianity.

—Christopher Tuckett, Pembroke College, University of Oxford; president of the Society for New Testament Studies (2013)

Craig Keener has proved himself to be one of the greatest living commentators on the New Testament. This second volume on Acts—packed with an incredible amount of contextual information as well as wisdom about the text itself—is bound to become a standard reference work for many years to come.

—Ben Witherington III, Asbury Theological Seminary; St. Andrews University, Scotland

This commentary is so thorough and comprehensive that it can truly be said to ‘leave no stone unturned.’ Keener has single-handedly wrought an encyclopedic work, the likes of which only whole teams of scholars have been able to produce in multivolume compendia. It therefore will be the first commentary to which scholars, students, and pastors will turn with any question on the text of Acts.

—Seyoon Kim, Fuller Theological Seminary

Keener’s commentary on Acts is a tour de force. One might be daunted by such hefty volume(s) on one book of the New Testament, but be reassured: this commentary may be all that you will ever need on Acts. It is not only exhaustive in its historical detail, it is rich in inspiring interpretation.

—David E. Garland, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

This is the second of a projected four volumes of Craig Keener’s monumental commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. To describe this as ‘monumental’ is an understatement. In size alone it will certainly be the most extensive commentary on Acts ever penned. . . . More important than its size, however, is the quality of Keener’s scholarship and his interpretation of this key New Testament book. . . . Keener musters a truly impressive array of knowledge about the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of the first century and has a command of the extensive literature on the Acts of the Apostles and related topics. This will certainly remain a standard resource work for study of Acts.

—Donald Senior, CP, The Bible Today

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Praise for Volume One

Praise for Volume Two

Abbreviations

PART 5: PAUL’S DIASPORA MISSIONS (12:25–19:41) (CONTINUED)

Ratifying the Gentile Mission (15:1–35)

1. Introduction

a. The Relevance of Galatians 2:1–10

  i. Arguments Favoring Galatians 2:1–10 as the Famine Visit of Acts 11:30

 ii. Against Arguments That Galatians 2:1–10 Is the Famine Visit

iii. Other Arguments for Galatians 2:1–10 as the Jerusalem Council

b. The Decrees of Acts 15:20, 28–29

  i. No Decrees in Paul’s Letters

 ii. Why Not in 1 Corinthians?

iii. Does Luke Conflate Two Events?

c. The Significance of Acts 15

  i. Significance for Luke

 ii. Did Luke Invent Consensus?

iii. Shifting Consensus?

2. Conflict over Circumcising Gentiles (15:1–5)

a. Conflict at Antioch (15:1–2)

  i. Shifting Politics Affects the Church (15:1)

 ii. Galatians and the Antioch Conflict

iii. Circumcision for Salvation? (15:1)

EXCURSUS: CIRCUMCISION

1. The Importance of Circumcision

2. Circumcision in a Missionary Setting

3. Biblical Concerns

iv. Seeking Resolution from Jerusalem (15:2)

b. Received by the Churches (15:3–4)

  i. Reporting in Phoenicia and Samaria (15:3)

 ii. Reporting in Jerusalem (15:4)

c. Insistence on Circumcision (15:5)

  i. Pharisaic Believers

 ii. Arguments and Power

3. Peter and the Missionaries Invoke God’s Acts (15:6–12)

a. Leaders’ Discussion (15:6–7a)

b. Peter Invokes God’s Example (15:7b–11)

  i. Tradition?

 ii. Recalling the Cornelius Incident (15:7–9)

iii. Testing God by Yoking Gentiles (15:10)

iv. Saved the Same Way (15:11)

c. Paul and Barnabas Recount Signs (15:12)

4. James’s Biblical Proposal (15:13–21)

a. The Speech and the Historical James

b. James’s Introduction (15:13–14)

c. Amos’s Prophecy (15:15–18)

  i. James’s Words

 ii. Use of the Septuagint

iii. The Sense in Amos

iv. James’s Interpretation

 v. David’s Tent (15:16)

vi. Turning of Gentiles (15:17)

d. James’s Compromise Solution (15:19–21)

  i. The Proposed Decree (15:19–20)

 ii. Proposed Backgrounds of the Decree

(1) Moral Interpretation

(2) Avoiding Pagan Temples

(3) Laws for Sojourners

(4) Noahide Laws

iii. Content of the Decree

(1) Idol Food

(2) Sexual Immorality

(3) Avoid Blood (and Strangled Animals)

iv. Plausibility of the Decree

 v. Law Observance Will Not Suffer (15:21)

5. The Consensus Decree (15:22–29)

a. Choosing Emissaries (15:22)

b. Greetings (15:23)

c. The Letter Body (15:24–29)

  i. Dissociation from the Schismatics (15:24)

 ii. The Importance of Harmony (15:25)

iii. The Council’s Consensus (15:25)

iv. Recommending Judas and Silas (15:26–27)

 v. A Charismatic Decree (15:28–29)

6. Delivering the Message in Antioch (15:30–35)

a. Delivering the Letter (15:30–31)

b. Receiving Jerusalem’s Delegates (15:32–33)

c. Who Remains? (15:34–35)

Paul and Companions in Asia and Achaia (15:36–19:41)

1. New Colleagues, Old Areas (15:36–16:5)

a. Conflict with Barnabas over Mark (15:36–39)

  i. Following Up on Converts (15:36)

 ii. Barnabas’s Loyalty to Mark (15:37)

iii. Paul’s Concern with Mark (15:38)

iv. The Missionary Schism and History (15:39)

 v. A Negative Portrayal (15:39)

b. Strengthening Churches in Syria and Cilicia (15:40–41)

c. Recruiting Half-Greek Timothy (16:1–3)

  i. Travel to Derbe and Lystra (16:1)

 ii. Jewish-Gentile Intermarriage (16:1)

iii. Timothy’s Ethnic Status (16:1)

iv. Timothy’s Reputation (16:2)

 v. Timothy’s New Role (16:3)

vi. Timothy’s Circumcision (16:3)

d. Strengthening Churches in Phrygia (16:4–5)

2. God’s Leading to Macedonia (16:6–10)

a. The Spirit’s Prohibitions (16:6–7)

  i. The Phrygian-Galatian Region (16:6)

 ii. Not North Galatia (16:6)

iii. Mysia and Bithynia (16:7–8)

iv. Divine Guidance (16:6–7)

b. Divine Invitation to Macedonia (16:8–10)

  i. Troas and Ancient Troy

(1) Alexandria Troas

(2) Evocative Connections with Ancient Troy?

 ii. Asia’s New Gift to Europe

(1) The Troad, Europe, and Asia

(2) Between Asia and Europe?

(3) A Mission toward Rome

iii. The Dream-Vision (16:9–10)

(1) The Macedonian Man (16:9)

(2) Paul’s Dream (16:9)

EXCURSUS: DREAMS

(3) The Interpretation (16:10)

iv. We Passages (16:10)

(1) A Fictitious Literary Device

(2) Sea-Voyage Category of Fictitious Narratives?

(3) Travel Journal

(4) Luke as Paul’s Traveling Companion

EXCURSUS: ACTS AND FIRST-PERSON USAGE IN SOME ANCIENT HISTORIANS

1. Historians’ Use of Third and First Person

a. Third Person

b. First Person

2. We as a First-Person Historical Claim?

a. Questioning We as a Historical Claim

b. Acts’ Anonymity?

c. What Historians Meant by We

3. Use of We instead of Author’s Name

a. Other Meanings of the First Person Plural?

b. Usage Varied

c. Keeping the Focus on Paul

4. Conclusion

3. Ministry and Opposition in Philippi (16:11–40)

a. Lydia and Her House Church (16:11–15)

  i. From Troas to Neapolis (16:11)

(1) Voyage to Macedonia

(2) Samothrace

(3) Neapolis

 ii. Philippi (16:12)

(1) Philippi’s Prosperity and Past

(2) Philippi and Rome

(3) A First City

iii. Finding the Sabbath Meeting (16:13)

(1) Locating the Gathering

(2) Which River?

iv. Speaking to Women (16:13)

(1) Women’s Status in Religion

(2) Women and Judaism

(3) Focusing on Women

 v. Lydia’s Response (16:14)

(1) Lydia’s Conversion

(2) Lydia’s Freed Status?

(3) Lydia’s City

(4) Lydia’s Occupation

(5) Lydia’s Economic and Social Status

EXCURSUS: PURPLE

1. Tyrian Purple

2. Status Symbol

vi. Lydia’s Hospitality (16:15)

(1) A Property Owner

(2) Scandalous Hospitality?

EXCURSUS: PATRONS, CLIENTS, AND RECIPROCITY

1. Benefactors and Patrons

2. Reciprocity in and beyond Patronage

3. Problems in Patronage

EXCURSUS: HOSPITALITY

1. Inns

2. Greeks and Hospitality

3. Hospitality Connections and Obligations

4. Hospitality in Judaism

5. Accepting Hospitality

b. Exorcism of a Powerful Spirit (16:16–18)

  i. The Slave and Her Exploiters (16:16)

EXCURSUS: PYTHONESS SPIRITS

1. Pythian Apollo

2. The Delphic Pythia

3. Apollo’s Oracles beyond Delphi

4. Apollo’s Prophecies

5. Hostility toward the Oracle

EXCURSUS: DEMONS AND SPIRIT POSSESSION

1. Daimones

2. Jewish Demonology

3. Possession

4. Prophylaxis against Demons

5. Exorcism

6. Cross-Cultural Character of Such Experiences

7. Possession Behavior

8. Interpreting Spirit Possession

9. Exorcism in More Recent Times

 ii. A Spirit Exposes the Mission (16:17)

(1) A Spirit’s Testimony

(2) A Positive Testimony?

(3) A Suppressed Female Voice?

(4) Most High God

iii. Jesus’s Name Expels the Spirit (16:18)

c. Paul and Silas Beaten, Imprisoned (16:19–24)

  i. Aftermath of the Exorcism (16:19)

(1) The Slave Girl’s Liberation (16:19)

(2) Dragged to the Forum (16:19)

 ii. Xenophobic Charges (16:20–21)

(1) The Officials (16:20)

(2) Legal Accusations (16:20–21)

(3) The Charges (16:20–21)

EXCURSUS: ANCIENT ANTI-JUDAISM

1. Roman Xenophobia

2. Grounds for Anti-Judaism