Common Property, the Golden Age, and Empire in Acts 2: 42-47 And 4: 32-35

Joshua Noble focuses on the rapid appearance and disappearance in Acts 2 and 4 of the motif that early believers hold all their property in common, and argues that these descriptions function as allusions to the Golden Age myth. Noble suggests Luke’s claims that the believers “had all things in common” and that “no one claimed private ownership of any possessions” – a motif that does not appear in any biblical source – rather calls to mind Greek and Roman traditions that the earliest humans lived in utopian conditions, when “no one ... possessed any private property, but all things were common.” By analysing sources from Greek, Latin, Jewish and Christian traditions, and reading Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions, Noble illustrates how Luke’s use of the motif of common property is significant for understanding his attitude toward the Roman Empire. Noble suggests that Luke’s appeal to this myth accomplishes two things: it characterizes the coming of the Spirit as marking the beginning of a new age, the start of a “universal restoration” that will find its completion at the second coming of Christ; and it creates a contrast between Christ, who has actually brought about this restoration, and the emperors of Rome, who were serially credited with inaugurating a new Golden Age. Cover Contents Acknowledgments List of Tables List of Abbreviations 1 Introduction Previous Research on the Literary Background of Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 Friendship Traditions Ideal State Descriptions Accounts of Distant Lands or Primitive Peoples Golden Age Accounts Reasons for Pursuing a Golden Age Interpretation of the Acts Summaries The Detection of Allusions The Structure of This Study 2 The Golden Age Myth in Greek and Latin Sources Summary: The Golden Age Myth in Greek Sources The Golden Age Myth in Latin Sources The Golden Age Myth in Lucretius The Golden Age Myth in Virgil The Golden Age Myth in Ovid Common Property and the Golden Age in Other Sources The Golden Age Myth before Hesiod The Golden Age Myth in Greek Sources The Golden Age Myth in Hesiod The Golden Age Myth in Plato The Golden Age Myth in Aratus Political Applications of the Golden Age Myth in Other Sources Summary: The Golden Age Myth in Greek and Latin Sources 3 The Golden Age Myth in Jewish and Christian Sources The Golden Age Myth in Philo of Alexandria The Golden Age Myth in Josephus Excursus: The Essenes in Philo and Josephus The Golden Age Myth in the Sibylline Oracles The Golden Age in Books 1–2 of the Sibylline Oracles The First Race: Sib. Or. 1.65–86 The Sixth Race: Sib. Or. 1.283–306 The Tenth Race: Sib. Or. 2.6–33 The Blessings of the Righteous: Sib. Or. 2.313–338 Summary: The Golden Age in Books 1–2 of the Sibylline Oracles The Golden Age in Book 8 of the Sibylline Oracles A Condemnation of Greed: Sib. Or. 8.17–36 Equality in Hades: Sib. Or. 8.107–121 The Blessings of the Righteous: Sib. Or. 8.205–212 Summary: The Golden Age in Book 8 of the Sibylline Oracles The Golden Age in Book 14 of the Sibylline Oracles Summary: The Golden Age Myth in the Sibylline Oracles Summary: The Golden Age Myth in Jewish and Christian Sources 4 Preliminaries to a Golden Age Reading of the Acts Summaries Eschatology in Luke-Acts: Conzelmann and His Responders Realized Eschatology in Acts 2:17–21 The Text-Critical Debate Regarding ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις in Acts 2:17 Eschatology and the New Age in Acts 2:17–21 The Pneumatological Context of Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Eschatological Descriptions Conclusion: The Eschatological Character of Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 Luke-Acts and Rome Luke-Acts and Rome: Major Approaches Establishing Luke’s Use of Imperial Language Interpreting Luke’s Use of Imperial Language Previous Claims of Lukan Allusions to the Golden Age Myth Allen Brent on Luke-Acts and the Golden Age Michael Wolter on Luke-Acts and the Golden Age Stefan Schreiber on Luke-Acts and the Golden Age Summary: Preliminaries to a Golden Age Reading of the Acts Summaries 5 Reading Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions The Meaning of κοινωνία in Acts 2:42 The Meaning of ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό in Acts 2:44, 47 The Meaning of ἀφελότης in Acts 2:46 The Meanings of ἔχειν χάριν πρός in Acts 2:47 and of χάρις in Acts 4:33 The Nature of the Property Arrangements in Acts 2:44–45 and 4:32, 34–35 “And [they] had all things in common” (2:44b); “and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but all things were common to them” (4:32c) “They would sell their possessions and goods” (2:45a); “for as many as owned lands or houses sold them” (4:34b) “And [they] brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet” (4:34c–35a) “And [they would] distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need” (2:45b); “and it was distributed to each as any had need” (4:35b) Summary: The Nature of the Property Arrangement Identifying Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions The Distinctiveness of Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 The Use of Distinctive Vocabulary in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 Tensions between the Summaries and Their Immediate Contexts The Uniqueness of the Summaries in Their Broader Context Golden Age Features in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 The Summaries in Acts: A Lost Age and a New Age The Summaries in Acts: Blessed with Divine Favor The Summaries in Acts: Marked by Unity and Harmony The Summaries in Acts: A Time when Property Was Common The Summaries in Acts: Associated with Imperial Ideology The Summaries in Acts: An Eschatological Image Summary: Identifying Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions Interpreting Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions Suggested Reasons for Luke’s Utopian Language in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 The Golden Age Allusion as a Sign of the Universal, Eschatological Spirit The Golden Age Allusion as a Supra-Imperial Claim Summary: Reading Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 as Golden Age Allusions Five Exegetical Issues Conclusion Bibliography Ancient Sources Index Subject Index "Joshua Noble focuses on the rapid appearance and disappearance in Acts 2 and 4 of the motif that early believers hold all their property in common, and argues that these descriptions function as allusions to the Golden Age myth. Noble suggests Luke's claims that the believers "had all things in common" and that "no one claimed private ownership of any possessions"-a motif that does not appear in any biblical source- rather calls to mind Greek and Roman traditions that the earliest humans lived in utopian conditions, when "no one ... possessed any private property, but all things were common." By analyzing sources from Greek, Latin, Jewish, and Christian traditions, and reading Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35 as Golden Age allusions, Noble illustrates how Luke's use of the motif of common property is significant for understanding his attitude toward the Roman Empire. Noble suggests that Luke's appeal to this myth accomplishes two things: it characterizes the coming of the Spirit as marking the beginning of a new age, the start of a "universal restoration" that will find its completion at the Second Coming of Christ; and it creates a contrast between Christ, who has actually brought about this restoration, and the emperors of Rome, who were serially credited with inaugurating a new Golden Age."--Quatrième de couverture "Joshua Noble focuses on the rapid appearance and disappearance in Acts 2 and 4 of the motif that early believers hold all their property in common, and argues that these descriptions function as allusions to the Golden Age myth. Noble suggests Luke's claims that the believers "had all things in common" and that "no one claimed private ownership of any possessions" - a motif that does not appear in any biblical source - rather calls to mind Greek and Roman traditions that the earliest humans lived in utopian conditions, when "no one ... possessed any private property, but all things were common.""-- Provided by publisher Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Golden Age Myth in Greek and Latin Sources -- 3. The Golden Age Myth in Jewish and Christian Sources -- 4. Preliminaries to a Golden Age Reading of the Acts Summaries -- 5. Reading Acts -- 2.42-47 and -- 4.32-35 as Golden Age Allusions -- 6. Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index