Panis Circenses: Did Paul Participate in the Composition of Luke-Acts?

From an earlier Twitter thread.

Did Paul participate in the composition of Luke-Acts? In this post I speculate on the possibility that Paul was part of the process that produced Luke-Acts for the Pauline mission churches. Again, this is based on speculation and likelihood but supported by scholarship.

Presumptions for post-70 CE composition of Luke-Acts have diminished. Lucan additions to Jesus’ prophecy of the Roman war (21:20, 23-26) are not post-event elaborations, but either OT allusions or an echo of an idea known to Paul (Luke 21:24 & Rom 11:25).[1] If Luke could be pre-70 CE, and presuming the author is the known companion of Paul (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, the Muratorian Canon, The Papyrus Bodmer XIV), is it possible the Luke-Acts project had some Pauline involvement?

Luke speaks of compiling an account of things accomplished among us (Luke 1:1) just as those who were eye-witnesses handed down information (1:2). The “we” passages of Acts begin at Troas during the 2nd Missionary Journey (Acts 16:10) and continue to Rome (28:14). The “we” and “us” are considered to be connected[2] and would include the author, presumably Luke. Since the “we” seems to include Paul in Acts, then it might include him in the “us” of Luke 1:1. Regardless, the “us” suggests collaboration on Luke-Acts.

It’s likely many of the NT documents were collaborative works (e.g., John’s Gospel [21:20-24] and 1 Peter [5:12]). Papias seems to think this was the case with the Gospel of Mark being Peter’s recollection. Certainly, Peter knew Mark (Acts 12:12; 1 Pet 5:13). Indeed, such was the closeness that Peter, when he escaped from prison, fled to the house of Mary, the mother of Mark, where the servant recognized his voice (Acts 12:12-14).

Paul himself is known to have used collaborators on his letters:

Paul, Silvanus, Timothy (1 Thes 1:1, 2; 2 Thes 1:1; 3:17)

Paul and Timothy (2 Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Phlm 1)

Paul, Timothy, Tychicus (Col 1:1; 4:7, 18)

Paul and Sosthenes (1 Cor 1:1; 16:21)

Paul, Tertius, Phoebe (Rom 16:1, 22)

Paul and Tychicus (Eph 6:21)

Paul and Luke (2 Tim 4:11)

That Paul is possibly included in “us” is strengthened by two additional points. One there is the general consensus among scholars that Luke-Acts is a narrative unity.[3]

Two, in my seminary thesis, I demonstrated how Luke used Jonah to first portray Jesus as a Jonah type and then Peter & Paul.[4] This built on studies showing the Luke anticipates Acts in its composition plan. So Paul was partly on Luke’s mind when he began constructing his Gospel.

Note: There are two places where Luke differs from Mark and Matthew, but which agree with Paul. The Last Supper addition of “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19 and 1 Cor. 11:23-26) and an addition to the Olivet Discourse (Luke 21:24 and Rom 11:25). See also Ellis:[5]

Along with collaboration, Luke states he used sources to compose his Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). It’s understood that one of these sources is the Gospel of Mark, based on Peter. Additionally, Paul and Peter seem to have shared Mark and probably Silvanus (1 Pet 5:12-13).

Presuming the author of Mark is the traditional attribution (Papias, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius, Tertullian, the Muratorian Fragment, the Anti-Marcionite Prologues), can we connect Mark to Luke? Yes.

Mark’s first venture with Paul ends before the 2nd Mission, 40 CE (Acts 15:39), just before the “we” passages begin. He's again with Paul (and Luke) during Ephesian imprisonment, 55/56 CE (Col 4:10; Phlm 24). From these verses (maybe 2 Tim 4:11), it’s evident Luke knew Mark. Indeed, Luke is familiar enough with Mark to know the name of the servant (Rhoda) who worked for Mary, mother of Mark (Acts 12:12-13).

Furthermore, Luke seems to have considered Mark a minister in the proclamation in the Word of God (Luke 1:2; Acts 13:15; see also Acts 26:16). See Ellis: [6]

If Paul participated at all in Luke-Acts composition, it was later in life. After 62 CE, probably after his trip to Spain (Rom 15:24-28; Acts 1:8; Rom 10:18), probably either at the end of the 2nd Aegean mission or at the beginning of Paul’s final visit to Rome.

Side note: Some believe Paul understood his Gentile mission somewhat geographically. He gathered this from his Old Testament readings (Isa 40-55; Deut 30; also Pss 19, 22, 68). Per my thesis, Jonah flees towards Spain (1:3), and Luke knows Paul wants to go there.[7]

We know about the 2nd Aegean mission from the Pastorals, which if legitimate, were written late in Paul’s life. If so, Luke would be with Paul until the very end (2 Tim 4:11). In this same verse (v. 11), Paul sends for Mark, including some books and parchments (v. 13).

Summing up: Pre-70 CE composition, Luke collaborates, knows Mark, considers him and authority on Word proclamation and even traditions, uses Mark’s Gospel. Paul collaborates, uses Mark (and Luke), shares workers with Peter (one us Mark who creates his Gospel from Peter). Luke had Paul in mind when composing the Gospel and might be considered in the “us”. If Paul collaborated on Luke-Acts then is was late in life, around the time he is with Luke and asking for Mark and specific documents.

Therefore, it’s possible that with the composition of Mark, Q, and “L”, the Pauline ministry sphere sought to create their own account (Luke-Acts) for their own churches,[8] and Paul requested Mark’s help in doing so.

This has all been fun speculation and more of a reason to research and dig into Scripture, but I think it still establishes the possibility that Paul was a collaborator on at least the initial stages of Luke-Acts.

[1] https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/when-was-acts-written 2/20

[2] Fitzmyer, Luke, 293f.

[3] See H. J. Cadbury, The Making of Luke-Acts (London: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 1958 [1927]), 213-238, 220; Conzelmann, Theology, 15ff.; F. W. Danker, Jesus and the New Age: A Commentary on St. Luke’s Gospel, rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Fortress Pres, 1988), 1; W. W. Gasque, A History of the Criticism of the Acts of the Apostles (Tubingen: 1975), 309; Ernst Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971), 96-103; J.C. Hawkins, Horae Synopticae (Oxford: 1968 [1909]), 174-193; C. Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History (Tubingen and Winona Lake, IN: 1990), 30-33; L.T. Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, SP, 3 (MN: The Liturgical Press, 1991), 17; R.C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts: A Literary Interpretation (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986), 2:1-2.

[4] Echoes of Jonah in Luke Acts (SWBTS 2007)

[5]