tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860023273901948907.post5739266091028470001..comments2024-03-08T18:04:37.943-08:00Comments on Paul and co-workers: Titius Justus, Polycharmus, and synagogue architectureRichard Fellowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06777460488456330838noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860023273901948907.post-91420233332092293712010-01-11T04:04:14.580-08:002010-01-11T04:04:14.580-08:00Well, I'm more of a Knoxian on the methodologi...Well, I'm more of a Knoxian on the methodological side, than on his specific chronology. I do think there's a lot of value in Acts (with some major topical displacements), but getting my thoughts to explain that point will take some time.<br /><br />"Baptismal names" may be begging the question too much. Paul may have conferred these names later, though he did baptize Crispus and Gaius (and I almost forgot, the household of Stephanas) in Corinth.Stephen C. Carlsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18239379955876245197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860023273901948907.post-83706007503742005742010-01-10T20:41:43.454-08:002010-01-10T20:41:43.454-08:00Thanks for the comments, Stephen.
I have become i...Thanks for the comments, Stephen.<br /><br />I have become increasingly convinced that the Acts chronology is correct (though Luke left out politically sensitive events like imprisonments and collections). You may remember that, on the Xtalk list, I posted a sequence of events that I laid out as a challenge to the Knox hypothesis. I may blog about this at some point.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I think the question is whether the information that Acts gives about Titius Justus is likely to be correct. The relevant data set for answering this question is the data on the other minor characters associated with Corinth.<br /><br />Luke connects Prisca and Aquila with Corinth, as does Paul, and both say that they were house owners. Also both place Prisca before Aquila at times, which is significant. And both connect them with Rome.<br />Both Luke and Paul mention Erastus (who travelled with Timothy from Ephesus to Corinth via Macedonia.<br />Paul's use of Sosthenes as a co-sender of 1 Corinthians fits well with the role that Acts gives him (Corinthian Archisynagogos and, if he was Crispus, founding benefactor).<br />Luke and Paul both say that Apollos went to Corinth after Paul's first visit there and they agree that Apollos was an important missionary there and was independent of Paul.<br />Both Paul and Luke tell us that Timothy and Silas/Silvanus were with Paul during this first visit to Corinth.<br /><br />So, Acts does seem to be accurate in its reporting of the minor characters associated with Corinth, whatever chronology we favor.<br /><br />I don't think the term "baptismal names" is the right one here. Since both Titius Justus and Crispus were almost certainly Roman citizens, it would be better to call their new names Agnomina.<br /><br />Concerning Paul's selective use of these new names, the discussion with Doug Chaplin was useful to me and allowed me to tighten the arguments. See the comments to my blog post of Nov 28. Paul's use of "Peter" in Gal 2:7-8 is important here.Richard Fellowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06777460488456330838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860023273901948907.post-45009351475076882642010-01-10T19:09:47.257-08:002010-01-10T19:09:47.257-08:00Thanks for this. I think this background informat...Thanks for this. I think this background information fleshes out much of the picture nicely.<br /><br />As for the Stephanas=Titius Justus link, ever since coming to Duke, ever I've become more of a Knoxian, so I'm now more cautious about using Acts directly as a source (until I do a lot more work in Pauline chronology!).<br /><br />Nevertheless, I still think the link bears plausibility, subject to a number of decisions that, to my mind, require further scrutiny (usefulness of Acts, the viability of the Crispus=Sosthenes identification, Paul's conferring of baptismal names and his selective use of them in the letters, etc.).Stephen C. Carlsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18239379955876245197noreply@blogger.com