File:2024 Moraff.jpg

{en} Jason F. Moraff, Reading the Way, Paul, and "the Jews" in Acts within Judaism: "among my own nation" (London: T&T Clark, 2024).

Abstract

"Jason F. Moraff argues that Acts uses common Jewish ethnicity and parallel characterization to bind the Way, Paul, and "the Jews" together into a shared identity as Israel, God's covenant people, on a communal journey of repentance"-- "Jason F. Moraff challenges the contention that Acts' sharp rhetoric and portrayal of 'the Jews' reflects anti-Judaism and supersessionism. He argues that, rather than constructing Christian identity in contrast to Judaism, Acts binds the Way, Paul, and 'the Jews' together into a shared identity as Israel, and that together they embark on a journey of repentance with common Jewishness providing the foundation. Acts leverages Jewish kinship, language, cult, and custom to portray the Way, Paul, and 'the Jews' as one family debating the direction of their ancestral tradition. Using a historically situated narrative approach, Moraff frames Acts' portrayal of the Way and Paul in relation to the Jewish people as participating in internecine conflict regarding the Jewish tradition-in-crisis, after the destruction of the temple. By exploring ancient ethnicity, Jewish identity and Lukan characterization, images of the Jews, the Way, and Paul, violence in Acts and the theme of blindness in Luke's gospel, the Pauline writings and Acts, Moraff stresses that Acts speaks from 'among my own nation,' meaning 'the Jews', and makes it possible to understand Acts' critical characterization of 'the Jews' within Second Temple Judaism."--

Contents

"Nothing against my nation" : Acts, Jews, and Judaism -- "I am a Jew" : ancient ethnicity, Jewish identity, and Lukan characterization -- "Like you are today" : images of the Jews, the Way, and Paul -- "I persecuted this way" : agents of violence in Acts -- "I could not see" : Israel's blindness, Paul, and the end of Acts -- Conclusion: "Among my own nation" : reading the Way, Paul, and "the Jews" in Acts within Judaism.