The Problem of the Text of Acts

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title The Problem of the Text of Acts
Authors and Contributors      By (author) W. A. Strange
SeriesSociety for New Testament Studies Monograph Series
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:276
Dimensions(mm): Height 217,Width 140
ISBN/Barcode 9780521018807
ClassificationsDewey:226.6
Audience
Professional & Vocational
Illustrations Worked examples or Exercises

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 22 August 2005
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

In the book of Acts, the so-called Western text departs from the alternative text in numerous points of detail. These divergences in the textual tradition of Acts have been the subject of renewed interest in recent years, with a notable concentration on Lucan traits in the Western text. The author of this study takes into account recent theories which have been proposed on the textual tradition of Acts, and puts forward an ingenious thesis (not considered hitherto) to explain the existence of two streams of textual tradition for the book. Analysis of a number of Western textual variants in Acts suggests that they may have arisen from the incorporation of marginal annotations into the text of Acts, but Lucan thought and language is indeed characteristic of these readings. Investigation of the non-Western textual tradition uncovers occasional signs of editing according to the interests of the second-century church. From this evidence Dr Strange proposes that Acts shared the fate of numerous other works of antiquity by being published posthumously; the work of two second-century editors is responsible for the remarkable divergence in the textual tradition of Acts.