Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History [Hardcover]

Colin J. Hemer (Author), Conrad H. Gempf (Editor)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 482 pages
• Publisher: Eisenbrauns (November 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0931464587
• ISBN-13: 978-0931464584
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about Acts, December 16, 2001

By 

Timotheus Josephus - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament) (Hardcover)

The amount of information in this book is absolutely overwhelming. Colin Hemer has left us with what I consider to be the greatest historical examination of Acts written in the 20th century. Authorship, date, historical reliability, and many other details are covered in as detailed and thorough a fashion as is possible.

Hemer defends a pre-70 A.D. date for Acts, along with presenting a strong case for authorship by Luke, the companion of Paul. He also presents an excellent argument for an early date for Galatians as part of his overall historical reconstruction. An extremely careful comparison of Acts and Paul's letters is studied in order to glean as much information as possible. Apparent discrepancies between Paul and Acts (chronology, historical details, etc.) are handled well.

If you have an interest in Acts and its historical reliability, then you need look nowhere else than right here. Colin Hemer has given you all you could ever want in this field.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHY IS THIS TREASURE OF A BOOK OUT OF PRINT???, August 15, 2010

By 

Jeri Nevermind "loves to read" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament) (Hardcover)

Hemer's book on Acts is simply the best on the market. For sheer in-depth scholarship, is it is without parallel.

First off, let me elucidate his conclusions. He argues for "a dating of Acts in 62" (p 408) after an exhaustive investigation into the evidence. Also, he contends that Luke was the author of both Acts and Luke.

He insists that various "inconsequential details are hard to explain except as vivid experiences recalled at no great distance " (p 389). In addition, to argue for a later date is to have to explain why there is no mention of the fall of Jerusalem, not even a hint of war, or of the death of James.

There is not even the slightest suggestion in either Luke and Acts of "the more immediate deterioration of Christian relations with Rome involved in the Neronian persecution" (p 377), all of which is inexplicable except with the early date.

Furthermore, "The prominence and authority of the Sadducees in Acts belongs to the pre-70 situation, before the collapse of their political cooperation with Rome" (p 378).

Luke shows all the characteristics of a true scholar and a reliable historian. And, of course, he writes in the most elegant Greek of the New Testament. Time and again, Hemer finds proof Luke appears to have questioned "surviving eyewitnesses" (p 355) including the mother of Jesus. Hemer also finds evidence that he has re-interviewed eyewitnesses and as a result "sometimes edited older traditions (p 351).

He also argues that "Galatians...as the earliest epistle, c late 48" (p 270) against the most usual candidate, 1 Thess. And he provides brilliant arguments for this conclusion.

Regarding the all important 'we-passages' Hemer is clear as to their importance and meaning. Indeed, all the arguments against the we-passages being just what they seem are strained and unlikely.

Chapter 4 and 5 give what has got to be the most EXHAUSTIVE list of historical and other knowledge displayed in Acts that I have ever seen. It actually runs from page 101-220. This alone makes the book valuable.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PLEASE REISSUE THIS BOOK!!! For one thing, I want a copy I don't have to pay $140 for.