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Document Details : Title: 'Rhetorik des Schweigens'? Subtitle: Der unvollständige Schluss der Apostelgeschichte (Act 28,30-31) im Licht antiker Literaturtheorie und historiographischer Praxis Author(s): BAUM, Armin D. Journal: Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses Volume: 88 Issue: 1 Date: 2012 Pages: 95-128 DOI: 10.2143/ETL.88.1.2164171 Abstract : The Acts of the Apostles is incomplete. This can be concluded from the fact that Luke does not relate the outcome of Paul’s trial. Given the high regard for martyrdom in early Christianity, Luke would not have intentionally concealed Paul’s death during the persecution under Nero. Likewise, against the background of ancient historiographical theory and practice, it is improbable that by omitting significant historical facts Luke employed the literary device of an 'open end' and made use of an alleged 'rhetoric of silence' in order to convey a certain theological message (D. Marguerat, T.M. Troftgruben). The existence of a 'rhetoric of silence' has not yet been corroborated by adequate evidence from ancient historiography. At the same time, in their literary critical remarks ancient authors (such as Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Diodorus Siculus) demanded that historians bring their narratives to a satisfactory conclusion. In contrast to recent rhetorical interpretations of the incomplete ending of Acts, the historical explanations can rely on a number of distinct ancient source texts and historiographical analogies. Two of the historical hypotheses deserve to be shortlisted. It cannot be ruled out that Luke left his report on Paul’s captivity and trial in Acts uncompleted because he intended to resume it in the first part of a third volume (Th. Zahn, J. Winandy). However, in the context of ancient literary conventions it appears to be slightly more probable that Acts is incomplete because Luke published it before Paul’s trial had come to a definite end (F.F. Bruce, C. Hemer). |
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