Author

Hyo-Jong Kim

Date of Award

5-31-1970

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Sacred Theology (STM)

Department

Exegetical Theology

Scripture References in this Resource

Hosea 12:7; Job 29:23; Deuteronomy 32:18; Genesis 8:10; Psalm 37:9; Judges 3:25; Lamentations 3:26; Psalm 33:18-22; Psalm 37:69; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 51:5; Lamentations 3:18; Jeremiah 8:15; Jeremiah 14:19; Job 30:26; Jeremiah 13:16; Isaiah 59:9; Isaiah 59:1-2, 12; Psalm 39:8; Isaiah 5:1ff; Isaiah 30:18; 1 Peter 3:20; Philippians 3:20; Matthew 20:28; Philippians 2:7; Isaiah 33:2; Proverbs 20:22; Zephaniah 3:8; Exodus 3:13-15; Isaiah 42:8; Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 60:9; Psalm 145:15; Psalm 119:147; Psalm 31:25; Psalm 38:16; Psalm 40:2; Psalm 130:5; Psalm 135:13

Abstract

Stephen's speech leaves us with many questions. Our study will help to answer some of these questions. Chapter One of this study deals with some background issues, i.e., Who Stephen is among the Seven Deacons, and Who the Hellenists are, whose complaint threatened the unity and harmony of the church in Jerusalem. Chapter Two seeks to determine how the reporting of speech in ancient literature is to be understood. This is an attempt to defend the authenticity, and thus, the reliability of the ancient records of various speeches. The third chapter, the main body of the work, handles the issues dealt with in Stephen's speech. Special attention will be given to the following questions: How is Stephen unique in treating and understanding the three patriarchs at the beginning of the speech? How does Stephen use the Old Testament to highlight his points? Is Stephen suggesting that the tabernacle is more divine than the Jerusalem temple? How does Stephen relate his hearers with their ancestors? Chapter Four builds on Chapter Three by arranging and analyzing the speech under three distinctive themes, i.e., Pilgrim theme, Samaritan theme, and Rejection theme, which will lead us to see the missiological implications of the speech in the Book of Acts. We will seek to draw some points focusing on questions like, how the speech might have influenced the development of the first century mission, what the significance of this speech is for the church's mission today, and what insights can be gained from this speech.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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