Peter’s speech in Acts 10

The relationship has been noted above between Peter’s speech before Cornelius in Acts 1 and the contents of Mark’s Gospel. While frequent comment has been made upon this connection, what has usually gone unremarked is that the correspondences between the two actually include material beyond Mark 16:8. The clearest points of contact observable between the speech and the second Gospel came at the onset of Peter’s words (Acts 10;36-38a), where the Markan prologue is echoed both thematically and verbally, and in the latter part of the speech (vv. 40-43), where similar echoes are found in the post-resurrection accounts at the close of Mark, that is, of information contained within the longer ending. Between these two more specific sections of the speech, the bulk of Jesus’ ministry is summarized much more generally (vv. 38b-39). Allusions to the Markan ending, it is to be observed, extended into the concluding section of the chapter (vv. 44-48) immediately following Peter’s direct speech. Here follow the primary links between the two texts:

. . .

. . . and caused him to be seen [εμφανη]” (v. 40)

“he appeared [εφανη]” (16:9; cf. vv. 12, 14)

“after he rose [αναστηναι] from the dead” (v. 41)

“having risen [αναστας] . . . (16:9)

“He commanded us to preach [κηρυξαι] to the people” (v. 42)

“Go into all the world and preach [κηρυξατε] the gospel” (16:15)

“everyone who believes [τον πιστευοντα] in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (v. 43)

“He who believes [ο πιστευσας] . . .will be saved” (16:16)

“he ordered that they should be baptized [βαπτισθηναι]” (v. 48)

“and is baptized [βαπτισθεις]” (16:16)

“the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out . . . For they heard them speaking in tongues [λαλουντων γλωσσαις] . . .” (v. 46)

“And these sign will accompany those who believe . . . they will speak in new tongues [γλωσσαις λαλησουσιν]” (16:17)

The prologue to Mark (1:1) and the prologue to Matthew (1:1, 18) are the only places in the Synoptic documents where the combination “Jesus Christ” is found. That it is the opening of Mark that is in view here is shown by the fact that alongside this appellation both Acts and Mark include terms relating to the “good news” and in the next few words identify Jesus as “Lord.” Then reference is made to John the Baptist, Mark’s being the only Gospel that opens directly with his ministry. Each text then relates the baptism of Jesus, both significantly naming “Nazareth” as the place from which Jesus came. This, we note, is the sole use of this proper noun in both Mark and Acts. In both cases it is conjoined to the same preposition. Next Peter gives the briefest summary of Christ’s ministry, following which comes the crucifixion and resurrection on the third day. In this closing part of his speech Peter speaks of resurrection appearances, the apostolic commission, and the response of faith, all elements with thematic parallels in Mark 16:9-20. Here we find several distinctive verbal connections to the Markan ending which show that it was that Gospel’s ending in particular that was influencing Luke. Especially noteworthy is the use of the adjective εμφανη (“visible, manifest”). In his two volumes Luke employs this word uniquely at this point. For the first appearance of the risen Jesus Mark 16:9 has the verb εφανη (“appear/be seen”), a unique usage in all the Gospel endings. The formal resemblance (both showing the root φαν-) as well as the semantic relationship between the two is striking. Not only this, Peter now uses the verb αναστηναι of the resurrection event. As shown in an earlier chapter, in the various accounts this term is most prominently employed in narrating Jesus’ resurrection in Mark 16:9. Peter then speaks of the charge for “us,” the apostles, to preach, using the aorist active infinitive κηρυξαι. This has as its nearest corresponding term the aorist active imperative κηρυξατε in Mark 16:15, which is the sole such explicit command to preach in all four Gospel endings. The inclusion of believing in the context of this mandate is exclusive to Mark 16:16. Neither Matthew 28:16-20 or Luke 24:44-49 here speak of faith.

Each of the last four elements has close thematic and verbal affinities with the Markan ending. Yet there are two further correspondences in the subsequent closing narrative of Acts 10. First there is the coming of the Holy Spirit with its manifestation of speaking in tongues, one of the signs listed in Mark 16:17-18, and again, distinctive to that passage among the Gospel endings. Those who hear are then baptized. While Matthew 28:19 likewise mentions baptism as an activity of the apostles (βαπτιζοντες), the usage in Mark 16:16 shows the passive voice for those receiving the rite as is found twice in Acts 10:47-48. It would seem then that Luke is still writing under the influence of the Markan ending also in the final section of the chapter.

In view of the remarkable similarity at both the beginning and ending of Peter’s speech it is difficult to argue that Luke did not have the Gospel of Mark in mind when composing this portion of his work, again probably due to the Petrine connection. What is more, in the latter part of the chapter there exist no less than six features which all have either their closest or their sole correspondence in the Markan ending. This is a strong indication that not only did the author Luke knew and resort to Mark’s Gospel for this part of his work, but it was a Gospel that in fact contained Mark 16:9-20.