Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 63:3 (Sep 2020)
Article: Evaluating The Validity Of The “Three Missionary Journeys” Structuring Motif In Acts
Author: Patrick Schreiner

JETS 63:3 (September 2020) p. 505

Evaluating The Validity Of The “Three Missionary Journeys” Structuring Motif In Acts

Patrick Schreiner

Patrick Schreiner is Associate Professor of NT and Biblical Theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 5001 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, MO 64118. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: The three missionary journeys of Paul provide a standard structural outline for Acts. However, it is questionable whether this was Luke’s literary intention. In fact, the division was not recognized until 1742 and then popularized by mission agencies. This article argues that structures are both internal and external to a text; overviews constructions of the three missionary journey model; and critiques this model from the perspectives of history of interpretation, literary emphasis, and grammar. An alternative structuring model is found in more recent works (Asian Mission and Aegean Wandering) and I point out some hermeneutical implications. Finally, I return to arguments for the three missionary journey model and argue that a dotted line, not a heavy line, should be drawn between the “second” and “third” journeys which reveals more unity between them.

Key words: Acts, structure, Paul, missionary, journey, outline, Luke, mission, gospel, witness

A text without a structure is a text without a meaning. As one philosopher said, “Men die because they cannot join the beginning to the end.”1 This paper concerns the larger structure of Acts, and more particularly the structure of Acts 13–20 and the now-famous “missionary journeys of Paul.” The acceptance of this model is evidenced by the maps at the back of most study Bibles visually charting these journeys. However, is the missionary journey model Luke’s structural intention? And if not, what insights arise if we begin to view this portion of Acts under a different banner?

Structure, like genre, is both internal to a text and external to the text. It is internal in that one adheres and pays attention to certain clues from the text itself and tries to compose divisions. It is external in that it is truly laying a framework upon a text formally external to it. Luke does not give us an explicit structure for his work; we deduce it. Structural analysis therefore combines both an author-centered approach and a reader-involved method.

Will Kynes gives the example of constellations for genre theory in this regard which applies to structure as well.2 The stars exist, but the lines between them are...