Convinced that God had Called Us Biblical Interpretation Series Editors R. Alan Culpepper Ellen van Wolde AssociateEditors David E. Orton Rolf Rendtorff Editorial Advisory Board janice capel anderson – mieke bal phyllis a. bird – erhard blum – werner h. kelber ekkehard w. stegeman – vincent l. wimbush – jean zumstein VOLUME85 Convinced that God had Called Us Dreams, Visions and the Perception of God’s Will in Luke-Acts by John B.F. Miller LEIDEN·BOSTON 2007 Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Miller,JohnB.F. ConvincedthatGodhadcalledus:dreams,visions,andtheperceptionofGod’swill inLuke-Acts/byJohnB.F.Miller. p.cm.—(BiblicalinterpretationseriesISSN0928-0731;v.85) Revisionoftheauthors’sthesis(doctoral)–PrincetonTheologicalSeminary. Includesbibliographicalreferences(p. )andindex. ISBN-13:978-90-04-15474-2(alk.paper) ISBN-10:90-04-15474-4(alk.paper) 1.Bible.N.T.Luke–Criticism,interpretation,etc.2.Bible.N.T.Acts–Criticism, interpretationetc.3.Visions–Biblicalteaching.4.Dreams–Biblicalteaching. 5.Vocation–Christianity–Biblicalteaching.I.Title. BS2589.6.V57M552006 226.4’06–dc22 2006043092 ISSN 0928-0731 ISBN-13 9789004154742 ISBN-10 9004154744 ©Copyright2007byKoninklijkeBrillNV,Leiden,TheNetherlands. KoninklijkeBrillNVincorporatestheimprintsBrill,HoteiPublishing, IDCPublishers,MartinusNijhoffPublishersandVSP. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,translated,storedin aretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic, mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutpriorwritten permissionfromthepublisher. Authorizationtophotocopyitemsforinternal orpersonaluseisgrantedbyBrillprovidedthat theappropriatefeesarepaiddirectlytoTheCopyright ClearanceCenter,222RosewoodDrive,Suite910 Danvers,MA01923,USA. Feesaresubjecttochange. printedinthenetherlands CONTENTS Abbreviations ......................................................... ix Acknowledgments .................................................... xi Introduction........................................................... 1 LiteraryandTheologicalSignificance............................ 2 LiterarySignificance............................................. 2 TheologicalSignificance......................................... 5 DefinitionsandDistinctions....................................... 8 Terminology...................................................... 8 ContextualConsiderations ...................................... 10 Appearances................................................... 10 GeneralAuditions............................................. 11 AuditionsoftheHolySpirit .................................. 13 Methodology....................................................... 14 ContentandFocus................................................. 19 ChapterOne.Dream-Visions inAntiquity.......................... 21 Dream-Visions inNon-Jewish,Graeco-RomanCulture......... 23 PositiveEvaluations ofDreams.................................. 23 DisputedDreamsinGraeco-Roman Literature................ 29 ScholarlyAttemptstoTreatThisDiverseEvidence ........... 36 AssessmentofDream-Visions inGraeco-RomanCulture ..... 39 Dream-Visions inJewishLiterature............................... 40 EvidencefromJewishScripture................................. 40 PositiveEvaluations ofDreams............................... 42 NegativeEvaluations ofDreams ............................. 46 PositiveEvaluations ofVisions................................ 50 NegativeEvaluations ofVisions .............................. 51 TheQuestionofDistinctionsbetween Dreamsand Visions ...................................................... 52 SummaryofDreamsandVisionsasRevelation inJewish Scripture.................................................... 53 EvidencefromOtherJewishLiterature......................... 54 OldTestamentApocrypha ................................... 54 Qumran ....................................................... 57 vi contents OldTestamentPseudepigrapha.............................. 58 Philo ........................................................... 59 Josephus ....................................................... 60 ComparisonofNon-JewishandJewishPerspectives............. 61 ImportancefortheStudyofDream-Visions inLuke-Acts....... 62 ConclusionsandCautions......................................... 63 ChapterTwo.HistoryofInterpretation............................. 65 InterpretationofActs16:6–10..................................... 65 Pre-CriticalPeriod............................................... 66 Calvin.......................................................... 66 19thCenturyScholarship........................................ 67 NeanderandZeller ........................................... 67 ReligionsgeschichtlicheSchule .................................. 68 Wikenhauser................................................... 68 Mid-20thCenturyActsScholarship ............................ 70 HenryJ.Cadbury............................................. 70 MartinDibelius ............................................... 71 ErnstHaenchen............................................... 71 HansConzelmann ............................................ 72 Later20thCenturyCommentators............................. 73 RichardI.Pervo............................................... 73 RobertC.Tannehill........................................... 73 LukeTimothyJohnson ....................................... 74 EdmondFarahian............................................. 75 C.K.Barrett................................................... 77 CharlesTalbert................................................ 77 F.ScottSpencer............................................... 78 JacobJervell ................................................... 78 JosephFitzmyer ............................................... 79 BeverlyRobertsGaventa ..................................... 79 Summary......................................................... 80 ScholarshiponDreamsandVisionsinLuke-Acts ............... 81 19thCenturyScholarship........................................ 81 Schneckenburger.............................................. 81 ReligionsgeschichtlicheSchule .................................. 82 Wikenhauser................................................... 82 Mid-andLate20thCenturyScholarship ...................... 83 ErnstBenz..................................................... 83 JohnA.Sanford............................................... 83 contents vii MortonT.Kelsey ............................................. 84 JohnHanson .................................................. 85 ShawnKelley.................................................. 86 JohnSquires................................................... 87 MichaelJames Day ........................................... 88 DavidAllanHandy ........................................... 89 Summary......................................................... 90 ChapterThree.Paul’sDream-Vision atTroas(Acts16:6–10)...... 91 AnalysisofActs16:6-10............................................ 91 SettingtheTroasPassageinContext............................. 99 PrecedingContext(Acts13:1–16:5) ............................ 99 Aftermath(16:11–17:15).........................................102 ImplicationsfortheInterpretationoftheTroasEpisode ........ 106 ChapterFour.Dream-Visions intheGospelofLuke............... 109 TheInfancyNarrative............................................. 110 Zechariah’s Vision ...............................................112 TheAppearance ofGabrieltoZechariah (Luke1:8–20)....112 TheBenedictus(Luke1:68–79)...............................118 Mary’sVision ....................................................123 TheAnnunciation toMary(Luke1:26–38)..................123 TheMagnificat (Luke1:46–55)...............................126 TheQuestionofExpectationsandFulfillment.................133 TheShepherds’Vision (Luke2:8–15)...........................146 OtherDream-Visions inLuke’sGospel .......................... 149 TheDescentoftheSpirit andGod’sAffirmation (Luke3:21–22) .................................................149 TheTemptation(Luke4:1–13) ..................................150 TheTransfiguration (Luke9:29–36) ............................153 “IwaswatchingSatanfall”(Luke10:17–20)....................158 AngelontheMountofOlives(Luke22:39–46) ................161 ResurrectionMessage,Report,andDisbelief(Luke24:4–7) ...163 Conclusion ......................................................... 165 ChapterFive.Dream-Visions intheActsoftheApostles .......... 167 Dream-Visions andtheEarlyWitnessinJerusalem.............. 168 TheAngelicMessagetotheApostles(Acts1:10–12)............168 TheComingoftheHolySpirit atPentecost(Acts2:1–4) ......170 TheComingoftheSpirit Explained(Acts2:12–21)............173 viii contents AnAngelRescuestheApostlesfromPrison(Acts5:19–21a)...177 Stephen’sArrestandRecapitulation ofIsrael’sStory(Acts 6:8–7:60) .....................................................178 Dream-Visions andtheSpreadoftheGospel.................... 182 AnAngel,theSpirit,Philip,andtheEthiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26–40)........................................................182 Saul’sConversion(Acts9:1–19,22:6–21,and26:12–18) ........186 JesusConfrontsSaul(Acts9:3–7).............................189 TheLordSpeakstoAnanias(Acts9:10–18) .................191 Paul’sFirstRetelling(Acts22:6–21) ..........................194 Paul’sSecondRetelling(Acts26:12–20)......................199 TheVisionsofCorneliusandPeter(Acts10:1–11:18).........202 AnAngelofGodAppearstoCornelius(Acts10:1–6).......203 Peter’sVision(Acts10:10–20).................................206 PeterandHerod:ADouble-VisionofDeliveranceand Death(Acts12:7–10,21–23) ...................................217 TheSpirit CallsBarnabas andSaul(Acts13:1–3) ..............220 MultifacetedWitnessoftheSpirit (Acts15:28;19:21; 20:22–23;21:4,11–14)..........................................223 ‘TheHolySpirit thinksso,too’(Acts15:28) .................223 TheSpiritandTestimony(Acts19:21and20:22–23)........225 TheSpiritandCounter-testimony(Acts21:4,11–14)........226 TheLordtellsPaultostayinCorinth(Acts18:9–11)...........229 Sadducees,Pharisees,andaVisionoftheLord(Acts23:8–11) 231 Paul’sVisionatSea(Acts27:23–24).............................232 Conclusion ......................................................... 233 Conclusion............................................................ 237 Summary........................................................... 237 TheImportanceandFunctionofDream-Visions inLuke-Acts. 241 SuggestionsforFutureResearch.................................. 242 Bibliography .......................................................... 245 AuthorIndex.......................................................... 259 IndexofPassages ..................................................... 263 SubjectIndex ......................................................... 279 ABBREVIATIONS AB AnchorBible ABD AnchorBibleDictionary.EditedbyD.N.Freedman.6vols.New York,1992. ABRL AnchorBibleReferenceLibrary AGJU ArbeitenzurGeschichtedesantikenJudentumsunddesUrchris- tentums AnBib Analectabiblica ANET AncientNearEasternTextsRelatingtotheOldTestament.Editedby J.B.Pritchard.3rded.Princeton,1969. ANRW AufstiegundNiedergangderrömischenWelt:GeschichteundKulturRoms imSpiegelderneuerenForschung.EditedbyH.Temporiniand W.Haase.BerlinandNewYork:deGruyter,1972– ANTC AbingdonNewTestamentCommentaries BDAG Bauer,W.,F.W.Danker,W.F.Ardnt,andF.W.Gingrich.Greek- EnglishLexiconoftheNewTestamentandOtherEarlyChristianLitera- ture.3ded. BDB Brown,F.,S.R.Driver,andC.A.Briggs.AHebrewandEnglish LexiconoftheOldTestament. BGBE BeiträgezurGeschichtederbiblischenExegese Bib Biblica BJRL BulletinoftheJohnRylandsUniversityLibraryofManchester BTB BiblicalTheologyBulletin BZ BiblischeZeitschrift BZAW BeiheftezurZeitschriftfürdiealttestamentlicheWissenschaft CBQ CatholicBiblicalQuarterly Comm Communio CurTM CurrentsinTheologyandMission DSS DeadSeaScrolls ER EcumenicalReview Expl Explorations HDB HarvardDivinityBulletin HTKNT HerderstheologischerKommentarzumNeuenTestament IBS IrishBiblicalStudies ICC InternationalCriticalCommentary IG Inscriptionesgraecae Int Interpretation JITC JournaloftheInterdenominationalTheologicalCenter JQR JewishQuarterlyReview JSNT JournalfortheStudyoftheNewTestament JSNTSup JournalfortheStudyoftheNewTestament:SupplementSeries JSOTSup JournalfortheStudyoftheOldTestament:SupplementSeries