Acts - (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament) by Mikeal C Parsons (Paperback)

About the Book

A leading biblical scholar offers grounding in the interpretation of Acts that draws heavily on ancient backgrounds and attends to the theological nature of the texts.

Book Synopsis

In Acts, the third of eighteen volumes in the Paideia commentary series, leading biblical scholar Mikeal Parsons gleans fresh theological insight into Acts by attending carefully to the cultural and educational context from which it emerges. Parsons see Acts as a charter document explaining and legitimating Christian identity for a general audience of early Christians living in the ancient Mediterranean world. Pastors, graduate and seminary students, and professors will benefit from this readable commentary, as will theological libraries.

The Paideia commentaries are designed to be read through and used, not shelved and referenced. The main text is supplemented with maps, sidebars, and photographs. Indexes and reference lists help readers locate discussions in the commentary and in other secondary literature.

From the Back Cover

In Acts, part of the multivolume Paideia commentary series, leading biblical scholar Mikeal Parsons gleans fresh theological insight from Acts by attending carefully to the cultural and educational context from which it emerges.

Paideia commentaries explore how New Testament texts form Christian readers by

- Attending to the ancient narrative and rhetorical strategies the text employs
- Showing how the text shapes theological convictions and moral habits
- Commenting on the final, canonical form of each New Testament book
- Focusing on the cultural, literary, and theological settings of the tex
t- Making judicious use of maps, photos, and sidebars in a reader-friendly format

"Parsons presents a masterful exposition both of the myriad strategies whereby the author of Acts attempted to persuade his original audience and of the ways in which this ancient book continues to speak powerfully to Christian faith in our own day. Readers will find here a treasure trove of insights into Hellenistic rhetorical conventions and their usage in Acts."--John A. Darr, Boston College

"Parsons's commentary on Acts takes an overtly rhetorical approach to the text, while not losing sight of its important theological implications. I commend him for focusing his commentary on the final form of the text as it was read by the first readers and recognizing the author as a theologian in his own right. Parsons also provides useful supplemental comments to aid those unfamiliar with the terminology of ancient rhetoric. A number of Parsons's assumptions and conclusions will no doubt prompt significant further discussion."--Stanley E. Porter, McMaster Divinity College

"Parsons deftly shepherds the reader through Acts of the Apostles in this rich and illuminating commentary. This book will be an ideal companion for students navigating Acts for the first time and a helpful resource for seasoned Acts scholars."--William Sanger Campbell, The College of St. Scholastica

"Mikeal Parsons has been on the forefront of reading the Lukan writings with strategies that combine the best of ancient literary criticism with social-world analyses, and socio-rhetorical expertise with biblical-theological acumen. His Acts Paideia commentary is his most recent integrative tour de force!"--David P. Moessner, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and University of Pretoria

About the Author

Mikeal C. Parsons (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Kidd L. and Buna Hitchcock Macon Chair in Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the author of Body and Character in Luke and Acts and coauthor of Illuminating Luke, Acts: A Handbook on the Greek Text, and Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts.