Abstract

JANTSCH, Torsten. The God of glory: Explicit references to God in discourses in the Acts of the Apostles (7:2-53; 14:15-18; 17:22-31). STJ [online]. 2018, vol.4, n.2, pp.197-222. ISSN 2413-9467.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/STJ.2018.V4N2.A10.

This essay offers insight into Luke's concept of God by analysing three sections in which God is explicitly a topic of discussion. These sections are Stephen's apology (Acts 7:2-53), the account of Paul's and Barnabas' mission in Lystra (Acts 14:8-18), and the Areopagus speech (Acts 17:22-31). Because these texts share similar motifs, they can be said to constitute an argumentative series. In these sections, Luke provides a coherent concept of God comprised of many motifs from Luke-Acts. The central motif is that God created the world, which results in God's self-sufficiency. Therefore, a worship with neither sacrifices nor temple is the appropriate response to God as a self-sufficient, transcendent, spiritual, and perfect being that is completely different from every mortal being on earth.

Keywords : God; theology; Luke-Acts; Christian worship; monotheism.

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