Proclaiming the Judge of the Living and the Dead: The Christological Significance of Judgement in Acts 10 and 17

Abstract

This volume is a revised version of the author’s Ph.D. thesis accepted by the University of St. Andrews in 2017. The research was initially directed by Grant MacAskill, then completed under David M. Moffitt. Akagi claims that previous research on Luke–Acts and the speeches in Acts has missed the significance of Jesus’s role as eschatological judge of all humanity. He selects the speeches of Acts 10:34–43 and 17:22–31 as his focal texts since both climax with statements that highlight Jesus’s role as final judge. Akagi’s conclusions carry implications for our understanding of Lukan theology, of the speeches in Acts, and of the Messianic dimensions of early Christology.The customary opening chapter defines the central problem, reviews previous research, treats issues of methodology, and outlines the argument to follow. Akagi contends for his thesis in chs. 2–5 before concluding with a short summary chapter that highlights key findings. Since Akagi’s focus lies in Jesus’s role as eschatological judge, chs. 2–3 locate Jesus within the context of judgment figures present in the literature of early Judaism. Chapter 2 looks at three writings from the pseudepigraphal literature: Similitudes of Enoch, 4 Ezra, and 2 Baruch. These writings share common features: eschatological judgment is essential, a human messianic figure who will conduct that judgment (even though their depiction of how it takes place differ), and this human figure acting with supernatural power. In ch. 3, Akagi conducts a similar investigation based on selections from the Qumran literature. He concludes that these texts add little to his findings from the pseudepigraphal literature, though they do reinforce his earlier conclusions from a different circle within early Judaism.In chs. 4 and 5, Akagi turns his attention to key NT texts, Acts 10:34-43 and 17:22-31, respectively. One strength of these chapters lies in Akagi’s work to read these speeches within their narrative context rather than in abstraction. At the climax of his speech in Acts 10, Peter makes three claims about Jesus: he identifies Jesus the Christos whom God raised from the dead, he claims God appointed Jesus to judge “the living and the dead” by God (10:42), and he asserts that forgiveness of sins through Jesus’s name will be extended to all who believe in him. In doing so, he attributes authority and activity to Jesus that goes far beyond portrayals of other figures involved in judgment within early Judaism. In ch. 5, Akagi turns to Paul’s Areopagus speech in Acts 17. This speech, though quite different from that of Acts 10, nevertheless also speaks of Jesus’s resurrection by God and divine appointment as judge of the world. Although this speech lacks explicit indications of Jesus as Messiah, Akagi claims the audience of Acts would have heard such associations based on parallels with messianic activity found earlier in Acts. Once again, this human figure Jesus judges the world with divine authority as a function of his messianic identity.In summary, Akagi argues that the implications of Jesus’s role as eschatological judge have been overlooked in Christological formulations. On the basis of his comparative work with other figures of judgment within early Judaism and on the narrative progression of Acts, Jesus’s messianic identity entails acting with an authority typically attributed to God alone. Thus, Akagi argues for a high Christology in Acts, in contrast to much academic work on the subject.Just when one thinks everything that could be said about the speeches in Acts (or Luke’s theology/Christology) has already been exhausted, along comes a carefully argued and clearly written thesis such as this that explicates an important though overlooked theme. Akagi’s work offers much to ponder for further research. In particular, one must ask if his proposed link between Jesus’s messianic identity and judgment is located (and developed further) elsewhere in Acts where the proposed connection will not be as explicit. In conclusion, this is a significant work for scholars working on Lukan Christology and the speeches in Acts.