The Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles The Acts of the Apostles
28 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (xv. 36 and xviii. 23) ^juepa^ rivdg and ')(^p6vov riva respectively, and that he remained in Corinth (xviii. 18) yet ^juLepag iKavdi after the trial, moreover, that Felix summoned St. Paul before him (xxiv. 24) juLerd ^/uLcpas Tivd^f finally that Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea (xxv. 13) ^jmepcj^i/ Siaycvoiuevcov tlvwv after the first appearance of St. Paul before Festus and abode there (xxv. 14) izXelov^ ijjmepag—in face of all these instances we can scarcely regard the epithets used with ^imepa^ as meaningless, or as quite arbi- trarily chosen—especially seeing that in several cases we can prove that they have been most suitably chosen — rather we are led to suppose that St. Luke^ in these cases was in possession of good information, even though it were not exact but only * It follows from Gal. i. 17 /. that the stay of St. Paul in Damascus, including a journey into Arabia which came just at the beginning, lasted three years. St. Luke says nothing of the journey into Arabia; probably it was of no importance or he had no knowledge of it. St. Paul only mentions it in order to explain that he, although he had taken a journey, had nevertheless not journeyed to Jerusalem. That St. Paul soon (after T]ixepa% TLvd%) began his missionary work "in the synagogues," is not excluded by the Galatians, for " in the synagogues" may well include those without Damascus, and Arabia extended to the very gates of that city moreover, the rjfi^pai iKavai of the Acts would correspond with the three years of the Epistle.—That St. Paul on his last visit to Antioch could only have remained a short time can also be shown to be probable from the epi&tles. It can also be shown that the approximate chronological statements of the section dealing with St. Paul, Felix, and Festus are correct, especially as many definite dates are found side by side with them. It is strange that in XV. 36 we read only of "some days" which St. Paul and St. Barnabas spent at that time in Antioch, while it was during this time—some scholars place it earlier—that the visit of St. Peter to this city (Gal. ii. 11/. ) seems to have occurred. ;
CHRONOLOGICAL DATA 29 approximate.^ This supposition also may be extended to the instances xviii. 1 and xix. 21—23 ; for the description of the visit to Athens, taken in connec- tion with the context, makes it clear that St. Paul made only a quite short stay in this city, a fact which is confirmed by the Epistles to the Thessa- lonians ; and likewise there was no need that exact dates should be given in order to explain that the events narrated in xix. 21^. happened at the end of the long ministry in Ephesus. Accordingly, there remain only four passages in which the indefinite chronological statement possibly or probably disguises inadequate knowledge, namely, i. 15, vi. 1, xii. 1, xv. 33 (the date of the completion of the College of Apostles and of the uprising of the Hellenists ; the chronological relationship of the Herodian persecution to the history of the planting of Christianity in Antioch ; the length of the stay of Judas and Silas in Antioch). This is a small number, and we may accordingly maintain that the Acts of the Apostles even in regard to its indefinite, and still more in regard to its definite, chronological statements is, on the whole, a very respectable historical work (in spite of its want of a chronological scheme). In this respect it can very well hold its own when ^ Naturally in a number of these instances he may also have possessed quite exact information, but did not consider it necessary to impart it. Thus in xiii. 31 he says that our Lord after His Resurrection showed Himself iirl Tj/xipai TrXet'oi/j ; in an earliei passage, however, he has given the more exact statement: 5t' rjfjLepQv TeaaapaKovra (i. 3). Also in i. 5 we read that the disciples received the baptism of the Spirit, ov /xeTOL woXKas Tavrai ijfjL^pas, and in ii. 1 the exact date is given.
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CHRONOLOGICAL DATA 29<br />
approximate.^ This supposition also may be extended<br />
to <strong>the</strong> instances xviii. 1 and xix. 21—23 ; for <strong>the</strong><br />
description <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> visit to A<strong>the</strong>ns, taken in connec-<br />
tion with <strong>the</strong> context, makes it clear that St. Paul<br />
made only a quite short stay in this city, a fact<br />
which is confirmed by <strong>the</strong> Epistles to <strong>the</strong> <strong>The</strong>ssa-<br />
lonians ; and likewise <strong>the</strong>re was no need that exact<br />
dates should be given in order to explain that <strong>the</strong><br />
events narrated in xix. 21^. happened at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> long ministry in Ephesus.<br />
Accordingly, <strong>the</strong>re remain only four passages in<br />
which <strong>the</strong> indefinite chronological statement possibly<br />
or probably disguises inadequate knowledge, namely,<br />
i. 15, vi. 1, xii. 1, xv. 33 (<strong>the</strong> date <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> completion<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> College <strong>of</strong> <strong>Apostles</strong> and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> uprising <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Hellenists ; <strong>the</strong> chronological relationship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Herodian persecution to <strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> planting<br />
<strong>of</strong> Christianity in Antioch ; <strong>the</strong> length <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> stay <strong>of</strong><br />
Judas and Silas in Antioch). This is a small number,<br />
and we may accordingly maintain that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Acts</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Apostles</strong> even in regard to its indefinite, and still<br />
more in regard to its definite, chronological statements<br />
is, on <strong>the</strong> whole, a very respectable historical<br />
work (in spite <strong>of</strong> its want <strong>of</strong> a chronological scheme).<br />
In this respect it can very well hold its own when<br />
^ Naturally in a number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se instances he may also have<br />
possessed quite exact information, but did not consider it necessary<br />
to impart it. Thus in xiii. 31 he says that our Lord after His<br />
Resurrection showed Himself iirl Tj/xipai TrXet'oi/j ; in an earliei<br />
passage, however, he has given <strong>the</strong> more exact statement: 5t'<br />
rjfjLepQv TeaaapaKovra (i. 3). Also in i. 5 we read that <strong>the</strong> disciples<br />
received <strong>the</strong> baptism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spirit, ov /xeTOL woXKas Tavrai ijfjL^pas,<br />
and in ii. 1 <strong>the</strong> exact date is given.
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