An example of textual criticism

LUKE 4:18

This exercise will apply the method of Textual Criticism in practice. The task given was to evaluate if the sentence "he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted" in Luke 4:18, should inserted or not into the verse. The verses 18 and 19 are quotation from Isaiah 61:1,2a. The verse 1 especially forms the other end of the comparison.

External evidences

First, we look the external evidences, which means different manuscripts.

The sentence is included:

Manuscripts:
A codex Aleksandrianus 5th century
Theta (Cesarean) 9th century
Psi (Western) 9/10th century

Other scripts:
O102 7th century
or younger

The sentence is excluded:

Manuscripts:
Alef codex Sinaiticus 4th century
B codex Vaticanus 4th century
D 5th century
Etc.

Other scripts:
33. 9th century
or younger

The external evidence supports the supposition that the sentence was not existing in the original text.

Internal evidences

The rule of "shorter reading is to be preferred", supports the assumption that the sentence would be an addition.

On contrary the rule of "more complicated reading is to be referred" supports the hypothesis that the sentence is not an addition.

"The more in line of the author"-rule supports the assumption that the sentence was not in the original text. The Gospel of Luke and Acts are not using the terms elsewhere.

Rules of "the scribes' tendency to harmonize the text" and "support some theological aspects" are together supporting the assumption that the sentence is later made addition. Probably including the sentence was an attempt to harmonize the Scriptures according the Septuagint and Isaiah.

I think that it is probable that Luke as a Greek, used the Greek translation, Septuagint. For example, Septuagint uses the term "blinds" instead of Isaiah's "prisoners." Luke also has "blinds" which fits in his literal use of terms. Luke had the socio-ecomical emphasis of the society in his Gospel.

Conclusions

 
My opinion is that the sentence "he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted" is addition because of the harmonizing the text of Luke with others.

Why Luke then excluded it from the original text? It is probable that Luke, because of not being the eyewitness of the incident, copied verses 18 and 19 straight from the Scriptures. The sentence is included in both the hebrew text of Isaiah and Greek Septuagint. With the purpose, Luke excluded the sentence of "brokenhearted" ones because it was too abstract for his practical doctor-minded purposes in his very own gospel.

The advance of the gospel by Paul and the Holy Spirit

Experiencing the baptism in the Spirit is said to be for the witnessing task, for the proclamation about the kingdom of God through the power the experience brings along it. This essay focuses on how the Spirit is seen in Acts and in the life of Paul as the advancer. Why Paul then? Simply because he is in the Lucan literature the most powerful advancer of the gospel.


Paul’s experience of the Spirit

The passage of Acts 9:17 and further includes the Luke’s recording of Paul’s fillment with the Spirit. When Ananias visited at Paul in Antioch, one purpose of visit was that Paul would be filled with the Spirit. Right after that, Paul is told to start his witnessing, which is the other important consequence, besides tongues, connected to the baptism in the Spirit by Luke.

Paul himself says elsewhere that he speaks in tongues, but Luke is not mentions his tongues. Anyway, Luke’s usage of terms refers to the similar experience than earlier, and later, the others believers got. They spoke in tongues and prophesied, in a meaning to proclaim boldly the words of power.

Therefore, we suppose that Paul got the general gift of the power to witnessing, as a part of that prophetic ministry continuing from Jesus and disciples to the Church. Luke clearly connects the Spirit to the strong guidance incidents in the life of Paul, which immediately, or later, are revealed to have significance for the advance of the Gospel.


Activity of the Spirit in Paul missionary journeys

Stronstad has collected[1] charismatic experiences of Paul together. According him, Luke tells the filling experiences in Acts 9:17 and 13:9. The guidance from the Spirit was experienced in Acts 13:1-2; 16:6-7; 21:4,10-11. All the guidance experiences have connection to Paul’s missionary journeys.

In Acts 13 the Holy Spirit speaks clearly and initializes the activity on Paul’s first journey. After the obedience for the Spirit’s speak, Paul and Barnabas are told to be “proclaiming the word of God.” Surely, those apostles had a call to take a trip earlier, but they were waiting for the right moment.

In Acts 16:6-7 the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of Jesus, had an unusual task in our eyes on Paul’s second journey, it was hindering the proclaimation. But like the verse 10 says, the team as a whole understood that God has called them elsewhere than their human-plan was taking them. They were ought to conquer new areas soon.

In Acts 21:4 and 10-11, the friends of Paul and Agabus warned Paul not to go into Jerusalem. Luke tells that those “warners” talked in the Spirit, but Paul himself said: “compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there… I consider my life worth nothing to me, if I only… complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me –the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

There is no common feature at the beginning of the journeys that could be considered as programmatic report. At the beginning of the first journey, the Spirit activated the departure. But, on the two later journeys, Paul experienced the lead of the Spirit during the trip. Paul and his team made own plans, but they were open for the guidance too. The activity of the Spirit decided and changed the direction.

Luke says concerning the later journeys that Paul and companions “strengthened the churches”, or “all the disciples.” This is common feature of those journeys. This together with the reported proclamation on the first trip could be a programmatic exposition. Those journeys took their place in a purpose to advance the proclamation indirectly or directly. We know that one task of the Spirit is strengthening, enabling the saints for the effective witnessing task.

Activity of the Spirit in advancing the gospel

The disciples received the power as Jesus promised. They also became witnesses. Their witnessing spread geographically as Jesus prophesied in the Spirit. Luke’s narrative implicitly tells that external force of the Spirit was necessary to start the expansion.

First, the disciples suspiciously listened the stories about non-Jews whom God has called. Secondly, they stayed Jerusalem-centered until the persecutions broke out. Thirdly, after the compulsory starting shot from Jerusalem they mostly stayed with the Jews in other cities. In every case above, later interpretations are noticing the work of the Spirit. It opens the cultural, spiritual, language or other bindings that are hindering the advance. Jesus transferred the prophetic ministry to disciples and further -to all.

In Acts, all are witnessing and getting the power are speaking in tongues. According Stronstad, important is that Luke hints by the usage of Greek term ten ecclesia that God’s nation was nomore Israel only, but the community (church) of Spirit filled and baptized believers (Acts 4.) The signs and wonders, as shaking of house in Acts 4:31 as well as phenomenas in the day of pentecost too, are references from the Old Testament. God has changed the tool for serving the mankind.

The nation of Prophets (or spokesmen) of God, as Moses in Numbers 11 hoped for, had born. The regeneration into the nation happened in the baptism with and by Spirit. The Spirit influenced to the inner life of individuals and community. Outer life was also created by and in the Spirit; all were witnessing boldly with the words of power in Acts.

The advance of gospel was now on the shoulders of new nation called Church, which was empowered by the Spirit. The Spirit was personally guiding the community of spokesmen as the individual prophets guided the nation in the Old Testament.


Activity of the Spirit in contemporary mission

The contemporary mission could learn something about Menzie’s thoughts. He concludes in his article on the supplemental readings (p.276,) that Luke maybe wrote to the church contemporary him. He gave guidance in the light of primitive church, which decades earlier existed. Menzie thinks that Luke tried to demonstrate for his contemporaries that activating and initializing of the Spirit was necessary for the missions.

Menzie supposes also that the church in Luke’s time maybe had emphasis of dunamis, the powerful works. Luke put the weight to the inspired speech, which dominated in the Old Testament. Stronstad supports Menzie’s thought by his general defining that the purpose of the Spirit was to help in a service of others, and God, by witnessing.

However, the contemporary church puts the weight on the activity of itself today. The work itself is important; it is the commandment of our Lord that is clear and easy enough to proceed. The Spirit is thought to support the work because it is the will of God, anyway. The Spirit is particularly needed in cases which the existence of God should be proved trough the miracles, dunamis. Otherwise, the Spirit is useful only in making the life of individual more pleasant.

What was normative, or at least necessary in Luke’s concern, should be that today also, more commonly. The Spirit should initialize our the deeds as well as to change our plans of work, as it changed Paul’s and made him more effective in advancing the gospel.The Spirit is not supporting just the pure practice. The effectiveness and spirit goes together. We need the continuing experience of the Spirit.

[1] Stronstad, R., The Charismatic theology of St. Luke, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994), 66.

The letter of Julle to the readers of the Luke (NIV)

Luke: Are his writings in the New Testament didactical or historical?                                                                                        

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about Bruce, Menzie and Stronstad we share, I felt I had to write and urge to contend for the unity that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord  Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you. My brothers, some of the books have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Luke”, still another “I follow my Ratio.”

It is actually reported that there is confusion among you if the texts of Luke are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I give you this charge: Preach the word, like the texts of Luke are describing. And what more shall I say? I do not have room to tell you about John the Baptist, Peter the Denialer, Philip the Flyer, Stephen the Martyr or the cloud of witnesses, who through being filled with the Spirit conquered the kingdoms, administered gospel, and gained what was promised; Who shut the mouths of the possessed, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness turn to was turned to strengh. Men received back their dead, raised to life again.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us in the writings of Luke. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith as well as the writings of Luke through the same Spirit He promised.

Luke told you was what was written: Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. It happened. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In Jesus name they drive out the demons; they speak in tongues; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. All that happened, as your Brother Mark told it will, in his writings.

Now about spiritual gifts brothers. There are several kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one is given the faith by the same spirit, to another miraculous power, to still another the speaking in different kind of tongues, as Brother Paul taught.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially gift of prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in number too, like Luke constantly sums up for you.

What, after all is Paul? And what is Luke? Only writers, through whom you came to know the Spirit –as the Lord has assigned to each his task. Do not you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? Be holy for the Spirit is holy in you! You are sanctified and accepted as the temple of the Holy Spirit and of self-discipline to prepare God’s people for works of service, like Luke emphases, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Pray and you can filled with the Holy Spirit and speak the word of God boldly, like the united congregation at the beginning in Luke’s writing.

Now to another matter you were confused: it is good for man not to worry, for there is no distinction in the Lord for thoughts of Paul and Luke. There was no distinction between them when they concluded that God had called them to preach the gospel to gentiles (Acts 16:10), or when they were breaking of bread (Acts 20:7), or baptized gentiles with the water (Acts 16.15).

What comes to their pneumatology, we know that we all possess the knowledge. The man who speaks in tongues is known by Spirit. But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to models of latter Christianity that they think speaking in tongues as having been model only for the early Christianity. But tongues do not bring us near to God; we are not be the content of the Holy Scriptures of Luke as equal of Paul. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authoritative writing among men: whether to the historical narrative, as the didactic epistles. For it is God’s will that by doing that you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

For the contemporary non-pentecostals scholars I say: You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. You are not like your fathers: you nowadays resist the Holy Spirit. And now you have silenced and extinguished Him. When you hear this, do not get furious and gnash your teeth at me, instead repent and be baptized in the Spirit.

You then, my brothers, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have read me write in the presence of my fellow students entrust to the reliable lecturer who also is qualified to teach others. Remind the people to be subject to writers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is from the Spirit.

May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us through his Spirit what is pleasing to him. Amen.

Grace be with you all.