Luke and Vergil: Imitations of Classical Greek Literature (The New Testament and Greek Literature Book 2)

These two volumes of The New Testament and Greek Literature are the magnum opus of biblical scholar Dennis R. MacDonald, outlining the profound connections between the New Testament and classical Greek poetry. MacDonald argues that the Gospel writers borrowed from established literary sources to create stories about Jesus that readers of the day would find convincing. In Luke and Vergil MacDonald proposes that the author of Luke-Acts followed Mark s lead in imitating Homer s Iliad and Odyssey, but greatly expanded his project, especially in the Acts, but adding imitations not only of the epics but also of Euripides' Bacchae and Plato's Socratic dialogues. The potential imitations include spectacular miracles, official resistance, epiphanies, prison breaks, and more. The book applies mimesis criticism and uses side-by-side comparisons to show how early Christian authors portrayed the origins of Christianity as more compelling than the Augustan Golden Age. Machine Generated Contents Note: Vergil And The Gospels -- Luke's Access To The Aeneid -- Luke's Politics Of Imitation -- About This Book -- Introduction To Part One -- The Popularity Of Euripides' Bacchae -- Did Luke Know The Bacchae? -- Mimesis Criticism -- A Test Case: A Miraculous Catch Of Fish -- Bacchae 1-166. Divine Madness -- Women Followers Of Jesus (luke 8:1-3) -- Pentecost (acts 2:1-11) -- Excursus 1. Homeric Hymn To Apollo -- Xenolalia At Pentecost (acts 2:1-11) -- Lydia From Lydia (acts 16:13-24) -- Bacchae 167-214. The God's Male Devotees -- A Dancing Old Cripple (acts 3:1-10) -- Bacchae 215-431. Theomachos -- Accusation Of Drunkenness (acts 2:12-13) -- Peter's Defense Of Xenolalia (acts 2:14-40) -- Killers Of The Child Of God (acts 3:11-26) -- Religious Rulers As Theomachoi (acts 4:1-7) -- One Must Obey God Rather Than Mortals (acts 4:13-14 And 5:29) -- Gamaliel's Warning (acts 5:33-39) -- Bacchae 432-518. Arrest, Interrogation, And Prison Break -- Apostles' Prison Break (acts 5:17-32) -- Bacchae 519-801. Prayer, Earthquake, And Prison Break -- Prayer And Earthquake (acts 4:24-31) -- Saul The Theomachos (acts 8:1-3 And 9:1-2) -- Paul's Prison Break (acts 16:16-40) -- Excursus 2: Pindar Pythian Ode 4 -- Jason Of Thessalonica (acts 17:1-9) -- Bacchae 802-1392. Punishing The Theomachos -- Zacchaeus Up A Tree (luke 19:1-10) -- Saul's Encounter With Jesus (acts 9:3-19a) -- Elymas And Sergius Paulus (acts 13:6-12) -- Conclusion To Part One -- Introduction To Part Two -- Plato Republic 416d-417a. Socrates' Utopia -- All Things In Common In Jerusalem (acts 2:41-47 And 3:1-10) -- Plato Republic 462c-464c. Socrates' Utopia, Again -- All Things In Common In Jerusalem, Again (acts 4:32-37) -- Plato Apology 17a-24c. Socrates' Crimes And Accusers -- Jesus' Crimes And Accusers (luke 23:2) -- Paul's Speech In Athens (acts 17:16-34) -- Xenophon Apology And Memorabilia. Socrates' Innocence -- Pilate Declares Jesus Innocent (luke 23:3-25) -- Paul Circumcises Timothy (acts 16:1-5) -- Paul's Teaching In Ephesus (acts 19:8-10) -- Riot At Ephesus (acts 19:23-20:1) -- Plato Apology 24d-42a And Crito. Socrates' Defense -- Paul's Thwarting Spirit (acts 16:6-8) -- Paul's Apology Before The Sanhedrin (acts 22:22-23:11) -- Excursus 3: Aeschylus Seven Against Thebes -- The Death Pact To Kill Paul (acts 23) -- Paul's Apology Before Felix (acts 24:1-23) -- Paul's Refusal Of A Bribe (acts 24:24-27) -- Paul's Apology Before Festus And Agrippa (acts 25:1-26:32) -- Plato Phaedo. Socrates' Death -- The Last Supper (luke 22:15-38) -- Gethsemane And Arrest (luke 22:39-53) -- Jesus Forgives His Executioners (luke 23:33-34) -- Promise Of Paradise (luke 23:40-43) -- Death Of Jesus (luke 23:44-49) -- Paul Under House Arrest (acts 28:16-31) -- Conclusion To Part Two -- Excursus 4: From The Dionysian To The Apollonian In Luke-acts -- Introduction To Part Three -- Aeneid 1.1-147. Juno's Rage And Aeolus's Winds (od. 5.268-473 And 10.1-75) -- Jesus Calming The Sea And Odysseus's Shipwreck (mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25, And Acts 27:13-44) -- Aeneid 1.157-222. Trojans Survive The Shipwreck (od. 5.474-493 And 6.177-245) -- Paul Survives The Shipwreck (acts 27:44b-28:3) -- Aeneid 1.227-259. Jupiter's Promise To Venus (il 20.297-308) -- Excursus 5. The Homeric Hymn To Aphrodite -- God's Promises To Zechariah And Mary (luke 1) -- Aeneid 1.257-296. Aeneas's Coming Rule And Ascension (11. 20.203-241) -- Jesus' Coming Rule (luke 1:5-38 And 2:8-15) -- Aeneid 1.305-497. Aeneas's Untriumphal Entry Into Carthage (homeric Hymn To Aphrodite And Od. 6.251-7.135) -- Jesus' Untriumphal Entry Into Jerusalem (mark 11:1-14 And Luke 19:28-40) -- Aeneid 1.588-613. Aeneas's Transfiguration (od. 16.172-303) -- Jesus' Transfiguration (mark 9:2-9 And Luke 9:28-36) -- Aeneid 2.199-227. Portent Of Serpents (il. 2.301-335) -- Portent Of Birds And Reptiles (acts 10:9-23) -- Aeneid 2.647-794. Aeneas's Farewell To Creusa (il. 6.369-502) -- Paul's Farewell To The Ephesian Elders And Jesus' Resurrection Body (acts 20:18-38 And Luke 24:37-40) -- Aeneid 3.1-279 And Often. Aeneas's We-voyages (od. 9.37-42) -- Paul's We-voyages (acts 16:9-12 And Often) -- Aeneid 3.294-380. Andromache Mourns Hector (il. 6.369-502) -- Paul's Farewell To The Ephesian Elders, Again (acts 20:18-38) -- Aeneid 3.374-462. Helenus's Prophecy That Aeneas Must Go To Rome (od. 12.37-110) -- Jesus' Prophecy That Paul Must Go To Rome (acts 23:11) -- Aeneid 3.569-691. Polyphemus (od. 9.105-542) -- The Demoniac From The Caves (mark 5:1-20 And Luke 8:26-39) -- Aeneid 4.238-594. Aeneas's Escape From Dido (il. 24.677-718) -- Peter's Escape From Prison (acts 12:1-17) -- Aeneid 5.84-103. Portent Of The Serpent (il. 2.301-335) -- The Portent Of Birds And Reptiles, Again (acts 10:9-23) -- Aeneid 5.835-871. Death Of Palinurus (od. 10.467-574) -- Death Of Eutychus (acts 20:7-12) -- Aeneid 6.156-371. Ghosts Of Misenus And Palinurus (od. 10.551-574) -- Reviving Of Eutychus (acts 20:7-12; Cf. Mark 14:50-52) -- Aeneid 6.495-512. Murder Of Deiphobos (od. 11.387-411) -- Murder Of John The Baptist (mark 6:14-29) -- Aeneid 6.603-611. Tantalus's Torments (od. 11.582-592) -- The Rich Man In Hades (luke 16:19-31) -- Aeneid 6.679-901. The Ghost Of Anchises (od. 11.90-151) -- Bartimaeus (mark 10:46-52 And Luke 18:35-43) -- Aeneid 7.10-20. Circe (od. 10.203-399) -- Jesus Turns Legion Into Swine (mark 5:1-20 And Luke 8:26-39) -- Aeneid 7.385-405. Amata's Madness (bacchae) -- Divine Madness In Jerusalem (acts 2) -- Aeneid 7.408-432. Allecto And Turnus's Malevolent Dream (il. 2.1-33) -- Cornelius's Vision (acts 10:1-48) -- Aeneid 8.90-305. Feast Of Evander (od. 3.1-67 And 4.141-145) -- Feeding Of The Five Thousand (mark 6:30-44 And Luke 9:10-17) -- Aeneid 9.224-449. Trojan Council (il. 9.9-188) -- Jerusalem Council (acts 15:1-35) -- Aeneid 9.473-502. Mourning Of Euryalus's Mother (il. 22.405-515) -- Women At The Cross (mark 15:40-41 And Luke 23:49) -- Aeneid 9.656-661. Apollo Flies From Ascanius (od. 1.319-323) -- The Holy Spirit Like A Dove (mark 1:9-11 And Luke 3:21-22) -- Aeneid 10.270-275. Aeneas's Shining Helmet (il. 18.205-206) -- Stephen's Radiant Head (acts 6:9-15) -- Aeneid 11.34-38 And 142-147. Lamentations For Fallen Pallas (il. 24.709-712) -- Women At Jesus' Tomb (mark 15:40-41) -- Aeneid 12.54-63. Amata Weeps For Turnus Not To Fight Aeneas (il. 22.79-92) -- Jesus And The Daughters Of Jerusalem (luke 23:27-31) -- Aeneid 12.385-429. Aeneas's Hemorrhaging Wound (il. 16.433-683) -- Jesus Heals A Hemorrhaging Woman (mark 5:21-43 And Luke 8:40-56) -- Aeneid 12.430-443. Aeneas's Prayer For Ascanius (il. 6.466-481) -- Symeon's Prayer For Jesus And Paul's Prayer For The Elders (luke 2:21-38 And Acts 20:32-38) -- Aeneid 12.725-952. Death Of Turnus (il. 22.289-363) -- Death Of Jesus (mark 15:33-38 And Luke 23:44-48) -- Excursus 6. The Ascensions Of Aeneas, Romulus, And Jesus -- Conclusion To Part Three: Luke's Aeneid. Dennis R. Macdonald. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction -- Passages in Luke-Acts with proposed Imitations -- -- Part One. Euripides' Bachae and Luke-Acts: Introduction to Part One; Bacchae 1-166. Divine Madness; Excursus 1. Homeric Hymn to Apollo; Bacchae 167-214. The God's Male Devotees ; Bacchae 215-431. Theomachos; Bacchae 432-518. Arrest, Interrogation, and Prison Break; Bacchae 519-801. Prayer, Earthquake, and Prison Break; Excursus 2: Pindar Pythian Ode 4; Bacchae 802-1392. Punishing the Theomachos; Conclusion to Part One -- Part Two. Socrates in Platoi and Xenophon: Introduction to Part Two; Plato Republic 416D-417A. Socrates' Utopia; Plato Republic 462C-464C. Socrates' Utopia, Again; Plato Apology 17A-24C. Socrates' Crimes and Accusers; Xenophon Apology and Memorabilia. Socrates' Innocence; Plato Apology 24D-42A and Crito. Socrates' Defense; Excursus 3: Aeschylus Seven against Thebes; Plato Phaedo. Socrates' Death; Conclusion to Part Two; Excursus 4: From the Dionysian to the Apollonian in Luke-Acts -- -- Part Three. Vergil's Odyssey-Iliad and Luke-Acts: Introduction to Part Three; Aeneid 1.1-147. Juno's Rage and Aeolus's Winds (Od. 5.268-473 and 10.1-75); Aeneid 1.157-222. Trojans Survive the Shipwreck (Od. 5.474-493 and 6.177-245); Aeneid 1.227-259. Jupiter's Promise to Venus (IL 20.297-308); Excursus 5. The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite; Aeneid 1.257-296. Aeneas's Coming Rule and Ascension (11. 20.203-241); Aeneid 1.305-497. Aeneas's Untriumphal Entry into Carthage (Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite and Od. 6.251-7.135); Aeneid 1.588-613. Aeneas's Transfiguration (Od. 16.172-303); Aeneid 2.199-227. Portent of Serpents (Il. 2.301-335);- Aeneid 2.647-794. Aeneas's Farewell to Creusa (Il. 6.369-502); Aeneid 3.1-279 and Often. Aeneas's We-Voyages (Od. 9.37-42); Aeneid 3.294-380. Andromache Mourns Hector (Il. 6.369-502); Aeneid 3.374-462. Helenus's Prophecy That Aeneas Must Go to Rome (Od. 12.37-110); Aeneid 3.569-691. Polyphemus (Od. 9.105-542); Aeneid 4.238-594. Aeneas's Escape from Dido (Il. 24.677-718); Aeneid 5.84-103. Portent of the Serpent (Il. 2.301-335); Aeneid 5.835-871. Death of Palinurus (Od. 10.467-574); Aeneid 6.156-371. Ghosts of Misenus and Palinurus (Od. 10.551-574); Aeneid 6.495-512. Murder of Deiphobos (Od. 11.387-411); Aeneid 6.603-611. Tantalus's Torments (Od. 11.582-592); Aeneid 6.679-901. The Ghost of Anchises (Od. 11.90-151); Aeneid 7.10-20. Circe (Od. 10.203-399); Aeneid 7.385-405. Amata's Madness (Bacchae); Aeneid 7.408-432. Allecto and Turnus's Malevolent Dream (Il. 2.1-33); Aeneid 8.90-305. Feast of Evander (Od. 3.1-67 and 4.141-145); Aeneid 9.224-449. Trojan Council (Il. 9.9-188); Aeneid 9.473-502. Mourning of Euryalus's Mother (Il. 22.405-515); Aeneid 9.656-661. Apollo Flies from Ascanius (Od. 1.319-323); Aeneid 10.270-275. Aeneas's Shining Helmet (Il. 18.205-206); Aeneid 11.34-38 and 142-147. Lamentations for Fallen Pallas (Il. 24.709-712); Aeneid 12.54-63. Amata Weeps for Turnus Not to Fight Aeneas (Il. 22.79-92); Aeneid 12.385-429. Aeneas's Hemorrhaging Wound (Il. 16.433-683); Aeneid 12.430-443. Aeneas's Prayer for Ascanius (Il. 6.466-481); Aeneid 12.725-952. Death of Turnus (Il. 22.289-363); Excursus 6. The Ascensions of Aeneas, Romulus, and Jesus -- Conclusion to Part Three: Luke's Aeneid. The volumes of The New Testament and Greek Literature are the magnum opus of biblical scholar Dennis R. MacDonald, outlining the profound connections between the New Testament and classical Greek poetry. MacDonald argues that the Gospel writers borrowed from established literary sources to create stories about Jesus that readers of the day would find convincing. In Luke and Vergil MacDonald proposes that the author of Luke-Acts followed Mark's lead in imitating Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, but greatly expanded his project, especially in the Acts, adding imitations not only of the epics but also of Euripides' Bacchae and Plato's Socratic dialogues. The potential imitations include spectacular miracles, official resistance, epiphanies, prison breaks, and more. The book applies mimesis criticism and uses side-by-side comparisons to show how early Christian authors portrayed the origins of Christianity as more compelling than the Augustan Golden Age. Book jacket The two volumes of The New Testament and Classical Greek Literature are the magnum opus of biblical scholar Dennis R. MacDonald, outlining the profound connections between the New Testament and classical Greek poetry. MacDonald argues that the Gospel writers borrowed from established literary sources to create stories about Jesus that readers of the day would find convincing.