Sárospataki Füzetek 16. (2012)
2012 / 3-4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK
P.H.R, van Hhad been given the task of finding the unknown owner of this house, by means of directions Jesus had given them. In this room, apparently a place their Master liked, they had made the necessary preparations for the Passover meal. Had arrangements been made for a longer tenancy of this room, perhaps? Even though a different terminology is used, this upstairs room in Acts is often identified with the upper storey described in Mark and Luke. It is rather less likely that one ought to think here of a different upstairs room, located somewhere within the temple complex. Indeed, it is not until Acts 2:46 that the temple is first mentioned. The article used in verse 13 could well be used anaphorically, referring to a location already known to the readers of Luke and Acts. Actually, an important historical argument may be advanced for this interpretation: archaeological research has shown that after Jerusalem was destroyed, a synagogue of Christian Jews was built upon the remains of this house. From there, various churches were established in Jerusalem. These days, tour guides point out the Coenaculum (the room of the Last Supper) as being located in a space above the traditional burial place of King David, in a 12th century Crusader church in Jerusalem.11 After Judas’ death, eleven of the twelve disciples remained. They are all listed by name in verse 13, beginning with Peter. Luke tells us that this gathering of eleven men ‘all joined together constantly in prayer’ (the Majority Text has ‘prayer and supplication , verse 14). This would certainly have included prayer for the promised Holy Spirit. Luke’s account shows that this wonderful unity, finding its expression in calling together on the name of God, was characteristic for the Christian community in Jerusalem from the earliest, most tender stages of its existence (Acts 1:14; 2:1; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12). In verse 14, Luke also records the presence of women. At first glance, the reader would be inclined to think of the women from Galilee, those frequently mentioned by Luke’s Gospel as Jesus’ most devoted followers. There are, however two clues pointing in a different direction. To begin with, the sentence lacks an article, leading Van Eck to make a point of translating this phrase as: ‘with women’ rather than ‘with the women’ or ‘with some women’.11 12 Nowhere does the book of Acts refer to women from Galilee. Following this, the Western text has added the word ‘children’ as well as an article, which indicates that the women meant here were also mothers of children. It seems reasonable, then, to think of the wives and children of the men listed by name in the previous verse. It is possible that not all of the apostles were married, but we know that Peter, for instance, took his wife along on his journeys (1 Corinthians 9:5). During the years that Jesus lived and worked on earth they had often, and for extended periods, left their families behind. 11 Bargil Pixner, Wege des Messias und Stätten der Urkirche. Herausgegeben von Rainer Riesner (Giessen/ Basel: Brunnen Verlag, 1991), 287-326; Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, “The Cenacle-Topographical Setting for Acts 2:44-45.” In The Book of Acts in Its First-Century Setting. Volume 4: Palestinian Setting, ed. Richard Bauckham (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 303-321; Bradley Blue, “Acts and the House Church.” In The Book of Acts in Its First-Century Setting. Volume 2: Graeco-Roman Setting, eds. David WJ. Gill and Conrad Gempf (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), 119-222 [134]. 12 John van Eck, Handelingen. De ivereld in het geding (Commentaar op het Nieuwe Testament; Kämpen: Kok, 2003), 43. 18 Sárospataki füzetek2012/3 .i
