l i b r a r y o f n e w t e s t a m e n t s t u d i e s ‘Through MANy TribuLATioNS’ The Theology of Persecution in Luke-Acts Scott cunningham JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SUPPLEMENT SERIES 142 Executive Editor Stanley E. Porter Editorial Board David Catchpole, R. Alan Culpepper, Margaret Davies, James D.G. Dunn, Craig A. Evans, Stephen Fowl, Robert Fowler, Robert Jewett, Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, Robert W. Wall Sheffield Academic Press 9 Through Many Tribulations The Theology of Persecution in Luke-Acts Scott Cunningham Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 142 Copyright © 1997 Sheffield Academic Press Published by Sheffield Academic Press Ltd Mansion House 19 Kingfield Road Sheffield SI 19AS England Typeset by Sheffield Academic Press British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library EISBN 9781850756613 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 7 Abbreviations 9 Introduction 13 Chapter 1 INTERPRETATIONS OF THE LUKAN PERSECUTION THEME 23 Chapter 2 THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 42 Chapter 3 THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 186 Chapter 4 THEOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PERSECUTION THEME IN LUKE-ACTS 295 Chapter 5 THE THEOLOGY OF PERSECUTION AND THE PURPOSE OF LUKE-ACTS 328 CONCLUSION 337 Bibliography 343 Index of References 355 Index of Authors 374 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The present work is substantially the result of my doctoral studies under the New Testament faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary completed in 1993. Any proficiency I have gained in New Testament studies has been largely due to their contribution. Dr H. Hoehner has been of great encouragement and I thank him for the very personal interest that he has taken in my efforts. Dr D.L. Bock, having introduced me to the richness of Luke-Acts, graciously accepted to be my advisor for this project and has accomplished that responsibility with his usual diligence and expertise. He has contributed much more to my understanding of Luke-Acts than the few references I have made to his published work would indicate. Few doctoral students have had such personal attention from their mentors and fellowship in ministry with them as have I. Thanks must go to my colleagues at ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja (Nigeria) and particularly to my first principal there, Dr N. Olutimayin, who initially suggested that I pursue further studies. Along that journey I have become indebted to many others for their encouragement and aid. Above all, my best friend and dear wife, Beth, has been an incredibly understanding partner. She has wonder- fully adjusted to meet my inability at times to meet the needs of our family due to the pressures of research and writing, and lovingly sacrificed some of her own desires. I have relied upon her wisdom to maintain my balance in the priorities of life. Our children bless her and I will praise her. My thanks also go to our mission, SIM International, which granted one year of study leave, allowing me to complete my residential work and examinations. Throughout my studies our family has benefitted from the faithful support of many partners in ministry, and each of them deserves more than this collec- tive thanks. In particular I must mention the elders and other believers of Community Bible Chapel (Richardson, Texas) for their generous and loving support in so many ways. Through their prayers I have enjoyed 'the help that comes from God'. 8 Through Many Tribulations' My thanks also go to Dr S.E. Porter, Executive Editor of the JSNT Supplement Series, and the staff of Sheffield Academic Press for their advice and assistance in readying this manuscript for publication. In the process of revising and updating, I have briefly interacted with a number of recent articles and monographs having immediate rele- vance to the subject. However, I did not attempt to reference newly published commentaries on Luke-Acts, such as those by D.L. Bock and J. Nolland (second and third volumes) or C.K. Barrett's first volume on Acts, as rewarding as that might have been. My interest in the topic of persecution was initially stimulated by the current situation in Nigeria, my adopted home for more than 15 years. As in many parts of the world, Christians here have been the frequent object of persecution, and thousands have given their lives during this decade. My hope is that this work will contribute to a bib- lical understanding of persecution that will provide the basis for a truly Christian response. It is with my prayers that I dedicate this work to my persecuted Christian brothers and sisters of Africa. ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible ACNT Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament AJBS African Journal of Biblical Studies AnBib Analecta Biblica AUSTR American University Studies: Series 7: Theology and Religion BAGD W. Bauer, W.F. Arndt, F.W. Gingrich and F.W. Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (2nd edn, 1979) BB Bible Bhashyam BBB Bonner biblische Beitrage BDF F. Blass, A. Debrunner and R.W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament (1961) BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium BFCT Beitrage zur Forderung christlicher Theologie Bib Biblica BibTh Bibliotheque Theologique BR Biblical Research B TB Biblical Theology Bulletin BWANT Beitrage zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament BZ Biblische Zeitschrift BZNW Beiheft zur ZNW CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly EKKNT Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament ESEC Emory Studies in Early Christianity ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses EuH Europaische Hochschulschriften ExpTim Expository Times FFNT Foundations and Facets: New Testament FM Faith and Mission FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments GBSNTS Guides to Biblical Scholarship: New Testament Series GNS Good News Studies Herm Hermeneia—A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible HSLib Herald Scriptural Library HTKNT Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament