Paul On Trial The Book Of Acts As A Defense Of Christianity (Paperback)

by John W. Mauck (Author) "What do you think of when you hear the world "Christian"?..." (more)
Key Phrases: judicial reader, evangelistic agenda, brief hypothesis, Holy Spirit, New Testament, God of Israel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

JOHN W. MAUCK provides an exciting new way of understanding the Book of Acts. With great skill and powerful arguments, the author contends that Acts was written primarily to defend Paul for his forthcoming trial in Rome. After reading Mauck's volume, the read we will not only gain a fuller understanding of Acts, but also obtain rock-solid arguments for defending Christianity and understanding its Jewish roots.

What's Inside:

A fresh study of Acts as a legal "brief"

Insights gained from understanding of Roman law

Numerous Charts that outline Luke's "argument"

Recorded speeches viewed as "witness testimony"

A section-by-section review of all of Acts

A powerful apologetic defending the claims of Christianity

Endorsements:

"The book is a terrific addition to any lawyer's library. It makes the Book of Acts come alive with new and useful insights." -- Samuel B. Casey, Executive Director, Christian Legal Society

"It makes a constructive, fresh, and fascinating contribution to the understanding of Acts." -- Dr. Donald Hagner, Author of Matthew in WBC, Fuller Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785245987
• ISBN-13: 978-0785245988
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,422 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Acts as a Legal Document, November 5, 2001

By	Jefferson White (Hilliard, OH USA) - See all my reviews

As someone who has written a book on the relationship of historical evidence to the book of Acts (Evidence and Paul's Journeys: An Historical Investigation into the Travels of the Apostle Paul), I wish that I had had John Mauck's book in hand while doing my research.

Mauck, a seasoned attorney, cogently argues the case that the book of Acts was written as a pre-trial document for the Apostle Paul, while Paul was awaiting trial before the emperor Nero. Although I am not sure that this thesis is finally proven, Mauck weaves together enough fascinating strands of evidence to suggest the very real possibility that Acts was just such a document. At the very least, he establishes that Acts was deliberately written with the legal status of Paul - and of Christianity - in mind.

The casual Bible student too easily views Acts as simply an account of Paul's missionary efforts, without recognizing the key role that law and litigation played in his career. Paul was a controversial figure, who did not back down when proclaiming his message in the cities and provinces of the Roman empire. Acts describes in detail the court fights and imprisonments that Paul underwent for the sake of the gospel.

To understand Acts, and the radical character of early Christianity, it is necessary to understand the legal strategies of Paul and his opponents. John Mauck takes us into the middle of that legal battle and gives us new insights into the formative period when the gospel was first proclaimed to the Roman world.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Son's Review, May 11, 2001

By	Andrew Mauck (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Paul on Trial concludes that the Book of Acts was originally a legal brief written to Theophilus, the chief pretrial fact investigator for the infamous Roman Emperor Nero. As the son of the author, I like to think of dad's book as an adventure/detective expedition into the heart of the New Testament and the politics and real people whose decisions, actions and proclamation shape the world we live in. It helps to have familiarity with Acts, but Mauck does a good job of serving both the scholar and the neophite Bible reader. Bottom line: this answers a theological question that has baffled scholars for centuries, and it does so in compelling fashion. A great read for anyone interested in Roman law or Christianity.

I'm proud to call him my father.

Drew Mauck

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Approach to Acts, June 3, 2003

By	"ska21" (the Chicago suburbs) - See all my reviews

I read this book about 2 years ago, and am still fascinated by its premise and the well-reasoned approach used to support that premise. Mauck's writing is clear and compelling, and got me thinking about the Book of Acts in a far different way than I ever had before. To the best of my knowledge, there is no other book that treats Acts as a legal document and Mauck's arguments gripped me to read further and revisit the Bible itself in light of this idea.

I am neither a law student nor Bible scholar, just a Christian interested in learning more about my faith. I highly recommend Paul on Trial to anyone who is interested in more fully exploring the early Christian church and Paul's challenges in spreading the Gospel.