Reading the Way, Paul, and "The Jews" in Acts within Judaism - (Library of New Testament Studies) by Jason F Moraff (Paperback)

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

Jason F. Moraffchallenges 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.

Review Quotes

Given the increasing popularity of reading Luke and Acts "within Judaism," Moraff has put together an invaluable resource for future scholarship, and so I expect that this book's impact will be long-reaching.
Religious Studies Review

About the Author

Jason F. Moraff is assistant professor of biblical studies at The King's University in Southlake, USA.