Soldiers in Luke-Acts

Engaging, Contradicting, and Transcending the Stereotypes

by Laurie Brink

Book cover: Soldiers in Luke-Acts

Extent: 222 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Biblical Studies

Series: Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2.Reihe

Series volume number: 362

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(March 2014)

ISBN: 9783161531637

6.06 x 9.06 inches

Price: $112.00

In stock

The author of Luke-Acts constructs a portrait of the Roman military that relies on a variety of literary stereotypes, anticipating that his authorial audience, familiar with the stereotypes, will bring their experience to bear in the process of more fully characterizing the soldiers. Expecting their antipathy, Luke upsets his authorial audience’s expectations. Laurie Brink demonstrates that the soldiers, in fact, do not wholly live up to their bad reputations. Engaging, contradicting and transcending the literary stereotypes, Luke creates a progressive portrait of the Roman soldier that demonstrates the attitudes and actions of a good disciple, and that serves as a critique of the authorial audience’s original response.


The author of Luke-Acts constructs a portrait of the Roman military that relies on a variety of literary stereotypes, anticipating that his authorial audience, familiar with the stereotypes, will bring their experience to bear in the process of more fully characterizing the soldiers. Expecting their antipathy, Luke upsets his authorial audience’s expectations. Laurie Brink demonstrates that the soldiers, in fact, do not wholly live up to their bad reputations. Engaging, contradicting and transcending the literary stereotypes, Luke creates a progressive portrait of the Roman soldier that demonstrates the attitudes and actions of a good disciple, and that serves as a critique of the authorial audience’s original response.

  • By (author) Laurie Brink

"Brink has raised and addressed interesting questions that deserve further discussion. She has furthered literary analysis of Luke-Acts, drawn attention to issues of characterization, and highlighted ancient portrayals of military figures. In all of these ways, her work is to be commended..." --Julia Snyder, Review of Biblical Literature, 10.1.2015
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