Evidence and Paul's Journeys (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The narrative of Paul's journeys begins in the thirteenth chapter of Acts..." (more)
Key Phrases: New Testament, Fair Havens, Cape Matala (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a comprehensive guide and a fascinating survey of Paul's travels...Very highly recommended... -- Bookwatch April, 2001

Product Description

"Evidence and Paul's Journeys" is a fascinating historical investigation into the travels of the Apostle Paul. Here is what two noted scholars have written about it:

"It is very encouraging to see that the most recent research...has been so carefully gathered together and presented in such a readable form. Jefferson White is to be commended for rendering such a service and his book deserves a wide audience."

- Dr. Bruce Winter Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge University

"When I received Evidence and Paul's Journeys in the mail, I planned on skimming it for a minute or two and putting it on the shelf. That was a big mistake. Once I began, I could not put it down. The book encouraged my soul, not only about the historical facticity of the book of Acts, but also in making the events vivid and real. An open minded skeptic would benefit from this book and a convinced believer will enjoy the reality it breathes into the Acts narrative."

- J. P. Moreland, Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

The historical evidence that the book investigates includes:

- the city, regional, and provincial political boundaries and titles mentioned in the book of Acts, some of which existed only in the middle of the first century.

- the social and political characteristics unique to the cities and provinces that Paul visited.

- the archeological findings that bear on the biblical narrative.

- the distances that Paul traveled on land and on sea, and how long it took to cover those distances, according to the scriptures and to ancient and modern testimony.

- the meteorological and nautical evidence relevant to Paul's travels by sea, including the spectacular confirmation of the details surrounding his shipwreck at Malta.

- Paul's arrests and trials, and the legal maneuverings that took place in quite different jurisdictions, studied in the light of evidence about ancient law.

- Paul's dealings with noted individuals who are also written about in pagan and Jewish historical accounts.

- a comprehensive examination of the complex evidential relation between Paul's letters and the book of Acts.

For the first time, all the historical details of Paul's journeys are found in a single book written for the general reader.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Parsagard Press (January 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970569505
• ISBN-13: 978-0970569509
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #181,280 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for personal and small group New Testament studies, April 28, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Jefferson White's Evidence & Paul's Journeys: An Historical Investigation Into The Travels Of The Apostle Paul is a comprehensive guide and a fascinating survey to Paul's travels for the purpose of spreading the message that the Messiah had arrived and his name was Jesus. Written specifically for the non-specialist general reader, Evidence & Paul's Journeys is a compelte and detailed examination of the historical evidence for Paul's journeys and related activities in founding and advising Christian communities. Very highly recommended for personal, small group, and parochial school studies, each evidential point presented in Evidence & Paul's Journeys is scrupulously footnoted to a comprehensive and scholarly appendix that aptly serves as a basis for further study making it ideal for personal and small group New Testament studies.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent adventures, February 27, 2001

By	P. Rugola (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews

I love history because I love stories, and the Acts of the Apostles is filled with wonderful stories. But Luke's narrative tone is a bit prosaic, and the familiarity wrought by frequent rereading can take the edge off the excitement of the events Luke describes.

"Evidence and Paul's Journeys" brings the excitement back. As he corroborates detail after detail of Paul's missionary journeys, Mr. White casts a raking light on the excitement and drama of Paul's travels and brings them into sharper relief.

All Christians recognize St. Paul's importance in shaping the early church and in spreading the Gospel well beyond its earliest boundaries. But I for one was only dimly aware of the sheer drama of his life. What adventures he had! Arrests and trials, torture, shipwrecks, preaching before cheering throngs and reviled by angry mobs, encounters with fascinating people from all walks of life and of countless ethnic backgrounds (was Paul the first multiculturalist?). All Paul's adventures and encounters are here, placed solidly within their social and historical context so that Paul's great courage and faith shine forth.

"Evidence and Paul's Journeys" will send you back to Acts with fresh eyes, able to appreciate once again the power of the wonderful stories Luke tells.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Evidence in bite-sized chunks..., February 24, 2002

By	The BPR Reference Guide (East Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

The majority of this book deals with Acts. The author breaks all the evidence therein down into bite-sized chunks and deals with each piece in a straightforward and no nonsense fashion while following a self-imposed rule that "a contradiction cannot be proved if there is a reasonable explanation for it" (p. 118). This rightfully narrows the field of contradictions down to a scant few and warrants the author's assertion that: "The Acts account of Paul's journeys is as reliable as we may expect history to be. So far as it can be tested by objective evidence, Acts has proven to be an astonishingly accurate record of events" (p. 134). All of this evidence eventually points to "one of the most striking aspects of the Acts record" which is how many of the details "belong to the middle of the first century, and to that era alone" (p. 132).

He also deals with empirical evidence regarding 1 and 2 Corinthians and states: "If Paul had not written a second letter to Corinth, or if that letter had been lost to history, the travel plans that he outlines in the first Corinthian letter would contradict Luke's account of his movements in the third journey" (p. 88). We can apply this same logic to the perceived contradictions elsewhere and wonder if they wouldn't be just as easily cleared up if there were more manuscripts extant relating to that time--we shouldn't look askance at the Biblical narrative because it has a remarkable track record but question our limited understanding of that particular time.

Easy writing style that won't leave you exhausted; nicely done.
--Moza