Convinced that God had Called Us: Dreams, Visions, and the Perception of God's Will in Luke-Acts (Biblical Interpretation Series)

295 Pages·2006·2.11 MB·English

by  John B.F. Miller

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
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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