The Acts of the Apostles : A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary

Description

Like Ben Witherington's previous commentary Conflict and Community in Corinth, this commentary breaks fresh ground in providing a detailed social and rhetorical analysis of the book of Acts. \n \nWritten in a readable style, with more detailed interaction with scholarly discussion found in the various excursuses, this commentary draws on the best new insights from a number of disciplines (narratological studies of Luke-Acts, archaeological and social scientific study of the New Testament, rhetorical analysis of Acts, comparative studies in ancient historiography) to provide the reader with the benefits of recent innovative ways of analyzing the text of Acts. \n \nThis groundbreaking commentary is the first to provide a detailed social and rhetorical analysis of the book of Acts. Ben Witherington draws on the best new insights from a number of disciplines to provide readers with the benefits of recent innovative ways of analyzing the text of Acts. In addition, Witherington gives detailed attention to major theological and historical issues, including the question of the relationship of Acts to the Pauline letters, the question of early Christian history and how the church grew and developed, the relationship between early Judaism and early Christianity, and the relationship between Christians and the officials of the Roman Empire. \n \nIn addition there is detailed attention to major theological and historical issues, including the question of the relationship of Acts to the Pauline letters, the question of early Christian history and how the church grew and developed, the relationship between early Judaism and early Christianity, and the relationship between Christianity and the officials of the Roman Empire. \n \nActs is seen as a historical monograph with affinities with the approaches of serious Greek historians such as Thucydides and Polybius in terms of methodology, and affinities with some forms of Jewish historiography (including Old Testament history) in terms of content or subject matter. \n \nThe book is illustrated with various pictures and charts, which help to bring to light the character and setting of these narratives. \n \n  \n \n  \n \n