Citation

Kent BHM. J. Stud. New Testam. 2017; 39(4): 412-440.

Affiliation

Department of Religions and Theology, University of Manchester, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0142064X17703296

PMID

29278250

PMCID

PMC5732586

Abstract

Scholars of Luke-Acts have struggled to define the apostles' proclamations of judgment on those who threatened the early Christian community. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 4.32-5.11), Simon magus (8.4-25) and Bar-Jesus (13.4-12) all fall victim to the apostles' words of power, yet scholars have typically shied away from categorizing their speeches as curses. Close analysis of the structure, style, phonaesthetic and dramatic aspects of the Greek texts suggests, however, that Luke indeed intends the apostles' speeches to be heard as curses whilst simultaneously presenting them as legitimate acts of power. A comparison with Greek and Coptic 'magical' texts helps to place the curses of Acts in the context of cursing traditions in the wider ancient Mediterranean world.

Language: en

Keywords

Acts; Coptic; apostles; curse; magic; papyri