Josep Rius-Camps, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XX) (Acts 13:44-52)», Vol. 21 (2008) 139-146
In Acts 13:44-52, Luke narrates the events in Antioch of Pisidia that follow his speech in the synagogue. A series of critical variant readings arise in the text of Codex Bezae that alter significantly the perspective of the narrative. While the Alexandrian text presents the incidents, and the response of Paul and Barnabas to them, as being of local relevance and importance, Codex Bezae indicates that they also relate to a wider dimension involving the whole history of Israel, and their relationship as a people with God and with the Gentiles. Indeed, in the face of the hostile reaction of the Jews to their message about Jesus, Paul and Barnabas declare that the time has come for the gifts that had hitherto been their privilege to be shared on a universal scale with non-Jews. Thus, this passage is a key text for understanding the on-going relationship between Paul and the Jews throughout the rest of his mission.
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The Variant Readings of the Western
Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XX)
(Acts 13:44-52)
JOSEP RIUS-CAMPS AND JENNY READ-HEIMERDINGER
In Acts 13:44-52, Luke narrates the events in Antioch of Pisidia that
follow his speech in the synagogue. A series of critical variant readings arise
in the text of Codex Bezae that alter significantly the perspective of the nar-
rative. While the Alexandrian text presents the incidents, and the response
of Paul and Barnabas to them, as being of local relevance and importance,
Codex Bezae indicates that they also relate to a wider dimension involving
the whole history of Israel, and their relationship as a people with God and
with the Gentiles. Indeed, in the face of the hostile reaction of the Jews to
their message about Jesus, Paul and Barnabas declare that the time has come
for the gifts that had hitherto been their privilege to be shared on a universal
scale with non-Jews. Thus, this passage is a key text for understanding the
on-going relationship between Paul and the Jews throughout the rest of his
mission.
Part Three.– I. The First Phase of the Mission to the Gentiles
(Paul and Barnabas). 13:1–14:27 (cont.)
[DA’] 13.44-52 The Gentiles in Antioch
The second part of this sub-sequence in Antioch of Pisidia mirrors the
first ([DA], 13.14-43), although the first was much longer by virtue of the
length of Paul’s speech. The events related in the second sub-sequence of
the Antioch narrative take place over a period of time that is undefined
but seemingly brief. They begin in a first episode [A] on the Sabbath
following Paul’s synagogue speech (13.14-41) with Paul’s address to the
city as a whole [a] and continue, on the same day, with the speech of
Paul and Barnabas to the Jews who, fired by their zeal to preserve their
privileged heritage, had opposed Paul [b, c]; the conversion of the Gentiles
brings the events of that day to a close [c’, b’] but there then follows a
general statement [a] which, being linked with καί, serves as a conclusion
to the overall episode.
A second episode, [B], follows as a consequence of the first when the
Jews, having been unable to put a stop to Paul’s message of salvation to
the Gentiles by arguments, now turn to physical means [a, b]. The perse-
cution leads to Paul and Barnabas moving on to Iconium [b’], whereupon
FilologÃa Neotestamentaria - Vol. XXI - 2008, pp. 139-146
Facultad de FilosofÃa y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)
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