Does the New Testament imitate Homer? [[electronic resource] ] : four cases from the Acts of the Apostles / / Dennis R. MacDonald

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910451979703321
• Autore: MacDonald Dennis Ronald <1946->
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: New Haven, CT, : Yale University Press, c2003
• ISBN: 1-281-72239-1; 9786611722395; 0-300-12989-0
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (1 online resource (x, 227 p.))
• Disciplina: 226.6/066
• Soggetti: Greek literature - Relation to the New Testament; Electronic books.
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references (p. 209-219) and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Front matter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Part One: The Visions of Cornelius and Peter and Iliad 2 -- 1. Cornelius and Peter -- 2. Lying Dream and True Portent -- 3. More Dreams and Portents -- 4. The Visions of Cornelius and Peter -- 5. Local Legend or Homeric Imitation? -- Part Two: Paul's Farewell at Miletus and Iliad 6 -- 6. Hector's Farewell to Andromache -- 7. Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders -- 8. Jewish Testament or Homeric Imitation? -- Part Three: The Selection of Matthias and Iliad 7 -- 9. The Selection of Ajax to Face Hector -- 10. The Selection of Matthias to Replace Judas -- 11. Jerusalem Legend or Homeric Imitation? -- Part Four: Peter's Escape from Prison and Iliad 24 -- 12. Priam's Escape from Achilles and Its Imitators -- 13. Alexander's Escape from Darius -- 14. Peter's Escape from Herod -- 15. Hellenistic Legend or Homeric Imitation? -- Conclusion -- Appendix. Greek and Latin Parallels -- Abbreviations -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index
• Sommario/riassunto: In this provocative challenge to prevailing views of New Testament sources, Dennis R. MacDonald argues that the origins of passages in the book of Acts are to be found not in early Christian legends but in the epics of Homer. MacDonald focuses on four passages in the book of Acts, examines their potential parallels in the Iliad, and concludes ; that the author of Acts composed them using famous scenes in Homer's work as a model. Tracing the influence of passages from the Iliad on subsequent ancient literature, MacDonald shows how the story generated a vibrant, mimetic literary tradition long before Luke composed the Acts. Luke could have expected educated readers to recognize his transformation of these tales and to see that the Christian God and heroes were superior to Homeric gods and heroes. Building upon and extending the analytic methods of his earlier book, The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark, MacDonald opens an original and promising appreciation not only of Acts but also of the composition of early Christian narrative in general.