RT Article
T1 Seeing Visions: The Persuasive Power of Sight in the Acts of the Apostles
JF Journal for the study of the New Testament
VO 40
IS 3
SP 337
OP 359
A1 Prince, Deborah Thompson
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2018
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1576142418
AB Visions play a central role in Acts, as evidenced in the Joel quotation in Peter's Pentecost speech (Acts 2.17). Although the speeches have received more scholarly attention, the many vision accounts reveal an emphasis on sight that is often overlooked by interpreters focused on the prevalence of speech. This article explores the sensory nature of the narratives at the center of Acts, the visions of Saul and Ananias (ch. 9) and Cornelius and Peter (ch. 10), in order to clarify (1) the complex relationship of seeing and hearing in Hellenistic literature, and (2) the rhetorical function of these visions in the narrative of Acts. A brief review of ancient rhetorical and historical literature demonstrates a strong relationship between seeing and hearing in persuasive communication. This subtle interplay between vision and word is evident in the visions of Acts and is a key component of their rhetorical effectiveness.
K1 Apostles
K1 Acts
K1 Bible. Acts
K1 Luke-Acts
K1 Pentecost
K1 Paul
K1 Peter
K1 Rhetorical criticism
K1 Visions
DO 10.1177/0142064X18755909