Baptismal exegesis in Arator's Historia Apostolica
The aim of this thesis is to examine the Historla Apostolica (AD 544) not as an example of 'biblical epic' nor as a literary paraphrase but as a commentary on The Acts of the Apostles, and in particular to signal Arator's concern to explain the text in terms of its baptismal significance. The opening chapter reviews previous approaches to the H.A. and is followed by a survey of Arator's interpretation and interpolation of baptismal material, showing both how those episodes In Acts which deal specifically with baptism are given extended exegetical attention, and how baptismal significance is frequently divined in passages which have no obvious baptismal connection. The central chapters examine in detail the episodes of the poem which are of most baptismal importance. Two deal with Arator's exegesis of explicitly baptismal situations: Simon Magus' failure to receive the Spirit is presented as being prefigured in the failure of the raven to return to the ark, a parallel also drawn by Augustine; the Ethiopian eunuch is presented in accordance with the Ethiopianâ exegesis first formulated by Orlgen. Four more chapters examine episodes which Arator deems of implicit baptismal significance: the ascension is interpreted
Hillier, Richard John
Philosophy
Baptismal exegesis in Arator's Historia Apostolica. The aim of this thesis is to examine the Historla Apostolica (AD 544) not as an example of 'biblical epic' nor as a literary paraphrase but as a commentary on The Acts of the Apostles, and in particular to signal Arator's concern to explain the text in terms of its baptismal significance. The opening chapter reviews previous approaches to the H.A. and is followed by a survey of Arator's interpretation and interpolation of baptismal material, showing both how those episodes In Acts which deal specifically with baptism are given extended exegetical attention, and how baptismal significance is frequently divined in passages which have no obvious baptismal connection. The central chapters examine in detail the episodes of the poem which are of most baptismal importance. Two deal with Arator's exegesis of explicitly baptismal situations: Simon Magus' failure to receive the Spirit is presented as being prefigured in the failure of the raven to return to the ark, a parallel also drawn by Augustine; the Ethiopian eunuch is presented in accordance with the Ethiopianâ exegesis first formulated by Orlgen. Four more chapters examine episodes which Arator deems of implicit baptismal significance: the ascension is interpreted
baptismal exegesis historia aim_examine example biblical epic literary paraphrase commentary acts apostles particular signal concern explain text term baptismal significance open review_previous approach follow survey interpretation baptismal material show episode acts deal specifically baptism give extended exegetical attention baptismal significance frequently divine passage obvious baptismal connection central examine_detail episode poem baptismal importance two_deal exegesis explicitly baptismal situation failure receive spirit present failure return parallel also_draw augustine present accordance exegesis first formulate four_examine episode deem implicit baptismal significance ascension interpret