Stephen, Paul and Luke

From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Fri Dec 19 1997 - 05:40:33 EST


In the midst of Stephen's account of the apostasy of Israel he uses a turn of
phrase that has a very familiar ring.

Acts 7:42

ESTREYEN DE hO QEOS KAI PAREDWKEN AUTOUS LATREUEIN ...

When I read this I could hear the voice of Paul in Romans 1:24:

DIO PAREDWKEN AUTOUS hO QHEOS EN TAIS EPIQUMIAS ...

Here we have a striking phrase used in the same sense while expounding the
same subject. Now this is an intriguing problem is it not? Paul was an auditor
at Steven's martyrdom was he not? But no one has ever suggested (have they?)
that Paul was in anyway dependent on Stephen for some of his ideas. Luke is a
factor here but I am not sure what sort of a factor. I remember reading here
and there things about Luke and Paul being together during Paul's journeys.

Does anyone want to try and explain this phenomena? Is this Paul borrowing
from Stephen or did Luke cast Stephen's speech into a Pauline form due to his
familiarity with Paul's manner of speech? What is going on here?

-- 
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 
Seahurst WA 98062


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