Date of Award

Spring 1972

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Theology

Abstract

Our century has witnessed both the horrendous results of twenty centuries of anti-Semiticism in the "Holocaust" of Jews in Nazi Germany and the beginnings of a promising future of an atmosphere of ecumenical trust in which Jews and Christians can fruitfully share what they hold in common and respect one another's differences. The following study of one verse from the book of Acts in the New Testament was chosen mainly for two reasons: (1) its meaning was not entirely clear to me, and (2) the verse seemed to be structurally important to the whole of Acts, As the study progressed, the meaning of the verse became sufficiently clear, but its structurally importance demanded more control of the whole of the book of Acts and of the gospel of Luke than was possible, In this regard it would seem to be a grave mistake not to let the whole of Luke-Acts nuance Luke's use of "the Jews" in this one verse, For example, one Lukan concern which definitely affects the reading of "the Jews" in Acts 18,6 is the eschatological one of decision/division, acceptance/ rejection, Yet, much scholarly work remains to be done on Lukan eschatology. Hopefully, therefore, this study will be seen as a step toward a better understanding of Luke-Acts and not as a possible detriment to Jewish-Christian dialog.

Share

COinS