CONFLICTS OF MAGEIA AND MIRACLE IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: SOCIAL DISCOURSE ON LEGITIMATE AND DEVIANT USE OF SPIRITUAL POWER by Ronald Dennis Roberts Bachelor of Arts, 1998 Mississippi College Clinton, MS Master of Divinity, 2004 George W. Truett Theological Seminary Baylor University Waco, TX Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Brite Divinity School In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Interpretation Fort Worth, TX May 2013 CONCFLICTS OF MAGEIA AND MIRACLE IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: SOCIAL DISCOURSE ON LEGITIMATE AND DEVIANT USE OF SPIRITUAL POWER WARREN CARTER, PH.D._____________________________ Dissertation Director SHELLY MATTHEWS, D.TH.__________________________ Reader FRANCISCO LOZADA, JR., PH.D.______________________ Reader JEFFREY WILLIAMS, PH.D.___________________________ Associate Dean for Academic Affairs JORETTA MARSHALL, PH.D.__________________________ Dean WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish photocopy or reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. CONTENTS Table of Contents . iv List of Additional Abbreviations . vii List of Figures and Tables . viii Preface . ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCING MAGEIA-MIRACLE CONFLICTS IN ACTS . 1 I. Studying Magei/a and Magic . 3 II. Magic in the Social Sciences . 14 III. The Social Sciences and Ancient Texts . 18 IV. A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to Magei/a in Acts . 25 V. Wonder-Working Competitions for Legitimacy and Authority . 30 VI. Outline of the Study . 30 CHAPTER 2: SOCIAL-SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO MAGIC . 34 I. James George Frazer’s Intellectualist Theory of Magic . 35 II. The Sociological Approach to Magic . 40 III. E. E. Evans-Pritchard’s Approach to African Witchcraft and Magic . 54 IV. Symbolist Approach to Magic . 64 V. Neo-Intellectualist Approach to Magic . 71 VI. Conclusion . 77 CHAPTER 3: GRECO-ROMAN MAGIC AND MIRACLE IN PREVIOUS HISTORICAL AND BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP . 81 iv I. Analysis of Approaches to Magic in the Greco-Roman World . 81 II. Analysis of Studies of Magic in Acts . 106 III. Summary Analysis . 126 CHAPTER 4: ANALYZING MAGEIA-MIRACLE CONFLICTS IN ACTS . 131 I. Social-Scientific Critical Study of Magic in Acts . 132 II. Deviance and Identity in Magei/a-Miracle Conflicts . 148 III. Conclusion . 193 CHAPTER 5: INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF MIRACLE-WORKER IDENTITY IN ACTS 1–7 . 194 I. Pentecost: The Coming of the Holy Spirit and Power (Acts 2) . 195 II. Miracle-Working in the Jerusalem Church (Acts 3–7) . 245 III. Character Sketch of Miracle-Workers in Acts 1–7. 266 CHAPTER 6: MAGEIA AND MIRALCES IN SAMARIA (ACTS 8:4–25) . 285 I. The First Samaritan Mission (Acts 8:4–25) . 288 II. Developing Further the Miracle-Worker . 337 III. Plotting Characters from Acts 8:4–25 onto the Model (Diagram 6.1) . 342 CHAPTER 7: PAUL DEFEATS A JUDEAN MAGOS ON CYPRUS (ACTS 13:4–12) . 346 I. Magei/a-Miracle Conflict between Judeans among Gentiles (Acts 13:4–12) . 353 II. Development of the Miracle-Worker Character Type in Acts 13:4–12 . 390 III. Plotting the Characters from Acts 13:4–12 onto the Model (Diagram 7.1) . 394 CHAPTER 8: PAUL CONFRONTS A MEDIUMISTIC DIVINER (ACTS 16:16–18) . 399 I. Paul Encounters a Divining Slave in Philippi (Acts 16:16–18) . 404 v II. Developing the Identity of Miracle-Workers in Acts 16:16–18 . 444 III. Plotting the Characters from Acts 16:16–18 onto the Model (Diagram 8.1) . 453 CHAPTER 9: JUDEAN EXORCISTS IN EPHESUS (ACTS 19:8–20) . 457 I. Miracle and Magei/a in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–20) . 464 II. The Development of the Miracle-Worker Character Type in Acts 19:8–20 . 502 III. Plotting the Wonder-Working Characters in Acts 19:8–20 onto the Model (Diagram 9.2) . 506 IV. The Development of the Miracle-Worker Character Type in Acts 20–28 . 509 CHAPTER 10: CONCLUSION; THE LEGITIMATION OF MIRACLE-WORKING IN ACTS. 513 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 525 vi LISTS ADDITIONAL ABBREVIATIONS All abbreviations in this dissertation are from the SBL Handbook of Style for Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies, eds. Patrick H. Alexander and others (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999). The following abbreviations are used in addition to those found in the SBL Handbook of Style. Africa Africa: Journal of the International African Institute ASAM A.S.A. Monographs BCENT Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament ELH ELH: English Literary History FN Filologia Neotestamentaria JPT Journal of Pentecostal Theology JPTSup Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement Series JRAI Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, formerly Man (1901–1994) JRAIGB The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1907–1965), absorbed into Man in 1965 LNTS Library of New Testament Studies RAIN Royal Anthropological Institute News TPAPA Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, former name of Transaction of the American Philological Association (TAPA) vii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figures 2.1. Witch as outsider pattern . 60 2.2. Witch as insider pattern . 61 4.1. Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts . 190 5.1. Class structure of advanced agrarian societies . 228 5.2. Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts 1–7 . 284 6.1. Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts 8:4–25 . 345 7.1. Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts 13:4–12 . 398 8.1. Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts 16:16–18 . 456 9.1. Human-spirit social relations in Acts 19:13–16 . 482 9.2 Model for categorizing wonder-workers in Acts 19:8–20 . 508 10.1 Model categorizing wonder-workers in Acts . 521 Tables 5.1. Poverty scale for Greco-Roman society . 231 5.2. Characteristics of miracle-workers in Acts 1–7 . 280 6.1. Additional characteristics of miracle-workers in Acts 8:4–25 . 341 7.1. Additional characteristics of miracle-workers in Acts 13:4–12 . 393 10.1. Characteristics of a prototypical miracle-worker in Acts . 516 viii PREFACE Much hard work and sacrifice has gone into the production of this dissertation. The majority of the sacrifices were made by many whose names are not listed on the title page. The initial ideas for this study developed in the fall of 2007 during two class taught by Dr. Carolyn Osiek, my faculty advisor at the time. Papers in these classes formed the basis for chs. 6 and 8. Following Dr. Osiek’s retirement at the end of my coursework, I asked Dr. Warren Carter to serve as my dissertation director. I hoped that Dr. Carter’s attention to detail and excellence that were characteristic of his own academic writing instruction would carry over into his role as dissertation director, and this certainly has been the case. Thus, I would like to thank Dr. Carter for his diligence and his endurance in reading and commenting on the unpolished, initial drafts of each chapter of this study. Furthermore, Dr. Carter has my deepest gratitude for his desire to see excellence in my work and for his immense patience over the last few years. I would also like to thank the other members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Shelly Matthews and Dr. Francisco Lozada, for their time in reading and commenting on this project. Dr. Matthews, whose own work concentrates on the book of Acts, has provided very valuable, albeit at times challenging insights. I would like to thank Dr. Jeffrey Willaims, Dean of Academic Affairs at Brite Divinity School, for his encouragement and prodding aimed at making sure that I finish. In addition, Brite Divinity School’s NT Testament colloquium discussed ch. 6 in the fall of 2012, and that discussion not only strengthened ch. 6 but the entire dissertation. Many thanks go to the Context Group, who have always supported and contributed to my development as a social-scientific critic of the Bible. Among my fellow students that have provided valuable support, ix three of them deserve special thanks for their help and friendship—Coleman “J. C.” Baker, Nathan Barnes, and Jason Lamoreaux. The hardest work and costliest sacrifices performed for my dissertation, however, have come from those closest to me. To my parents, Russ and Charlotte Roberts, mere words cannot express my love and gratitude for your never ending love, encouraging support, and occasional financial assistance. For my grandmother, who wished I visited more, many thanks for understanding. To my wife’s family, the Aguilares, I express my thanks for often providing needed social diversions, baby sitters, and teaching me how to celebrate the really big moments in life, such as birthdays, vacations, and family holidays. For the two most important people in my life, Elizabeth and Russell, I reserve the greatest gratitude and love. To Russell, who does not understand why Daddy was always reading or writing, I apologize for all the missed sunny afternoons in the park, and I thank you for all your love and hugs. To Elizabeth, who has made more sacrifices of time, money, opportunities, and thousands of other little things that we take for granted every day, I say thank you.