The Acts of the Apostles

120 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
(Stephen, vi. 5, 8, 10; vii. 55; xxii. 20; Philip,
viii. Gy*. ; Barnabas, iv. 36 f. ; xi. 24 ; xv. 26 ; ApoUos,
xviii. 24^.). It is not insignificant that thesefour
are all Hellenists. The greatest emphasis is laid
upon the characterisation of St. Stephen, and—what is
still more important—a long speech of his is recorded.
Owing to this he approaches very nearly to St. Peter
and St. Paul in the importance given to him in the
economy of the book. We might describe him by
the numeral 1^ so important is he to the author, so
great is his admiration for him. St. Barnabas comes
next in importance, but no speeches of his own are
recorded, though he speaks together with St. Paul
(xiv. 14y! 22^; xv. 3,12). Likewise no reports are
given of discourses of St. Philip, yet cursory reference
is made in viii. 35 to a missionary sermon of his on a
passage in Isaiah, and the renown of his miracles is
celebrated in the strongest terms. These three per-
sons of secondary rank have a very high, and indeed
the same, significance in the plan of the work. They
are to St. Luke of the highest importance for his
representation of the passage of the Gospel from the
Jews to Gentiles. There is no need to go more into
detail on this point. In the second part of the book,
however, there is no personage of secondary rank
within the general plan of the book It is the more
remarkable that outside the general plan there is one
person, ApoUos, who strongly excited the interest of
St. Luke. The manner in which this personage is
treated, i.e. characterised, in the book, makes him
appear on a level with Stephen, Philip, and Barnabas.
How came St. Luke to treat him with such distinc-