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Journal for the Study of the New Testament
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The Reception of Luke and Acts and the Unity of Luke—Acts

Andrew Gregory

University College, Oxford, OX1 4BH andrew.gregory{at}theology.ox.ac.uk

This article argues that Irenaeus and the author of the Muratorian Fragment each read Luke and Acts as two elements of one literary whole, but that Irenaeus's understanding of what this literary unity entails appears to have been different from that of many modern scholarly readings of Luke—Acts. It also argues that there is reason to believe that Luke intended his two volumes to circulate together, and offers hermeneutical reflections on the fact that they have not always been read in this way. Two different approaches to the reception of Luke and Acts are identified and the merits of each are discussed.

Key Words: Luke • Acts • unity of Luke—Acts • Irenaeus • Muratorian Fragment • reception-history • canonical approach

References

  • Barrett, C.K. 1994 A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, I (ICC; Edinburgh : T&T Clark).
  • Bieder, W. 1960 Die Apostelgeschichte in der Historie: Ein Beitrag zur Auslegungsgeschichte des Missionsbuches der Kirche (ThSt, 61; Zürich: EVZ Verlag ).
  • Bird, M.F. 2007 `The Unity of Luke—Acts in Recent Discussion', JSNT 29.4: 425-47.
  • Bovon, F. 1967 De Vocatione Gentium: Histoire de l'interprétation d'Act. 10, 1-11, 18 dans les six premiers siècles (BGBE, 8; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
  • forthcoming `The Reception of the Book of Acts in Antiquity', in T. Phillips (ed.), Contemporary Studies in Acts (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press).
  • Cadbury, H.J. 1955 The Book of Acts in History (London : A. & C. Black).
  • Childs, B.S. 1984 The New Testament as Canon: An Introduction ( London: SCM Press).
  • Davies, J.G. 1958 He Ascended into Heaven (London: Lutterworth Press).
  • Gregory, A.F. 2003 The Reception of Luke and Acts in the Period before Irenaeus: Looking for Luke in the Second Century (WUNT, 2.169; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck).
  • forthcoming `Irenaeus and the Reception of Luke and Acts in the Second Century ', in T. Phillips (ed.), Contemporary Studies in Acts (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press).
  • Haenchen, E. 1971 The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary (ed. R. McL. Wilson; Oxford: Basil Blackwell).
  • Johnson, L.T. 2005 `Literary Criticism of Luke—Acts: Is Reception-History Pertinent?', JSNT 28.2: 159-62.
  • Maddox, R. 1982 The Purpose of Luke—Acts (SNTW; Edinburgh: T&T Clark).
  • Pagels, E. 1978 `Visions, Appearances and Apostolic Authority: Gnostic and Orthodox Tradition', in B. Aland (ed.), Gnosis (Fs. Hans Jonas; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht): 415-30.
  • Parsons, M.C., and R.I. Pervo 1993 Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts ( Minneapolis: Fortress Press).
  • Pelikan, J. 2006 Acts (SCM Theological Commentary on the Bible; London: SCM Press).
  • Rousseau, A., and L. Doutreleau 1974 Irenée de Lyon contre les hérésies livre III tome II (SC, 211; Paris: Cerf, 1974).
  • Rowe, C.K. 2005 `History, Hermeneutics and the Unity of Luke—Acts ', JSNT 28.2: 131-57.
  • `Literary Unity and Reception History: Reading Luke—Acts as Luke and Acts', JSNT 29.4: 449-57.
  • Smith, D.E. 2002 The Canonical Function of Acts: A Comparative Analysis ( Collegeville, MN: Michael Glazier/ Liturgical Press).
  • Stuehrenberg, P.F. 1987 `The Study of Acts before the Reformation: A Bibliographical Introduction', NovT 29: 100-36.
  • Verheyden, J. 1999 `The Unity of Luke—Acts. What are we up to?', in idem (ed.), The Unity of Luke—Acts (BETL, 142; Leuven: Leuven University Press/Uitgeverij Peeters , 1999): 3-56.
  • Wall, R.W. 1992 `The Acts of the Apostles in Canonical Context', in R.W. Wall and E. Lemcio (eds.), The New Testament as Canon ( JSNTSup, 76; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press): 110-28.
  • 2002 `The Acts of the Apostles', in L.E. Keck (ed.), New Interpreter's Bible (12 vols.; Nashville: Abingdon Press), X: 1-368.

Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Vol. 29, No. 4, 459-472 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0142064X07078996


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This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
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Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
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Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
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Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
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Right arrow Articles by Gregory, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
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What's this?