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THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION
9
The `we' sections of the Acts are as follows:
(1) Acts 16:10-40. Troas and Philippi.
(2) Acts 21:1-18. Tyre and Jerusalem.
(3) Acts 27:1 to 28:16. Caesarea to Rome.
If these sections are read and compared with other parts, it will be seen that they are characterized by exact data,
lengths of halts, small details, and the usual features of the narrative of an eye-witness. Harnack's research reveals
that the `we' sections have in common with
The rest of Acts and Luke, but omitted from Matthew,
Mark and John.................................................... 44 words.
Luke, but omitted from the rest of Acts, and Matthew,
Mark and John.................................................... 20 words.
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Total .................................................................. 64 words.
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Over against this strong link with Luke's writings and the rest of the Acts, place the following small items:
`We' in common with the rest of Acts and Matthew....... 3
words.
`We' in common with Matthew only............................. 3
words
`We' in common with the rest of Acts and Mark ............ 2
words
`We' in common with Mark only................................. 1
word
`We' in common with the rest of Acts and John ............. 2
words
`We' in common with John only.................................. 2
words
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Total .................................................................. 13
words
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The investigations reveal that there are in all 130 words or phrases, in 190 places, which the `we' sections have in
common with the rest of Acts or Luke, or together, but which are absent from the other Gospels.
Rackham, quoting Dr. Plummer and Professor Blass, says that there are 750 words in the Gospels and the Acts
which are peculiar to Luke. Can literary criticism in any of its branches produce such a testimony comparable with
this? Of these 750 words we propose to examine the 20 that are set by Harnack as being common to the `we'
sections of Acts and Luke, but omitted from the rest of the Acts and Gospels.
1. Anaphainein.- `They thought that the Kingdom ... immediately to appear' (Luke 19:11).
`Now when we had discovered Cyprus' (Acts 21:3).
2. Aneuriskein.-`They found Mary' (Luke 2:16).
`Finding disciples' (Acts 21:4).
3. Anaptein.-`Fire ... already kindled' (Luke 12:49).
`They kindled a fire' (Acts 28:2).
(Harnack has here Aptein luchnon and pur. So far as we can find, this has no reference to Acts. We record
Harnack's words, however, in case further investigation should warrant the reading. He gives as reference, Luke
8:16; 11:33; 15:8; 22:55; Acts 28:2).
4. Apospasthenai apo.-`He was withdrawn from them' (Luke 22:41).
`To draw away disciples' (Acts 20:30).
(Harnack includes this reference evidently in the `we' section).