Luke in His Own Words - (Library of New Testament Studies) by Jenny Read-Heimerdinger

About the Book

An analysis of linguistic features of Luke's writing, applying tools of discourse analysis and taking account of variant readings among early manuscripts.

Book Synopsis

Jenny Read-Heimerdinger examines the language of Luke-Acts, exploring aspects of Luke's use of Greek that traditional approaches have not generally accounted for previously. Drawing on contemporary developments in linguistics - broadly referred to as 'discourse analysis' - Read-Heimerdinger emphasises that paying close attention to the context of language is vital to understanding the reasons behind an author's choices.

Read-Heimerdinger applies the tools of discourse analysis to several features of Luke's Greek - such as variation in word order, the use of the article and fine distinctions between synonyms - in order to demonstrate how principles that govern their use subsequently affect exegesis. In addition, she makes suggestions to account for manuscript variation, which in turn have an impact on the editorial choices of Nestle-Aland's Greek New Testament.

Review Quotes

"This intriguing collection [deserves] close attention and can be enthusiastically recommended to all those interested in the textual tradition of Acts. It certainly opens new possibilities for further research." --Religious Studies Review

About the Author

Jenny Read-Heimerdinger is a Visiting Research Fellow at Newman University, Birmingham and Honorary Research Fellow at Roehampton University, London, UK.