Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle near the “Omphalos” as they critique Dennis R. MacDonald’s controversial theory. Does the Book of Acts imitate the Iliad? Discover the six criteria of mimesis and why Luke might actually be imitating Vergil instead.
Introduction: The Omphalos of the Airwaves
Welcome back to “Vomitorium Central,” listeners! In Episode 181 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe are broadcasting from the center of the world—or at least, their own personal Omphalos (navel).
Just as Zeus released two eagles to find the center of the earth at Delphi, the hosts have converged in the bunker (Parnassus Central) to discuss a topic that sits at the center of a massive scholarly debate: Intertextuality.
But first, travel is in the air. Dr. Winkle is preparing to take a group of students on a peregrinatio to Greece, visiting the Antirrio Bridge, Delphi, and perhaps the Oracle of Trophonius. Meanwhile, Dr. Noe is preparing for a trip to South Africa to lecture on Theodore Beza.
The Theory: Mimesis vs. Form Criticism
The text on the table is Dennis R. MacDonald’s provocative monograph, Does the New Testament Imitate Homer? MacDonald argues that the authors of the New Testament (specifically Luke in Acts) were not just redactors of oral tradition, but were actively rewriting Homeric stories.
The hosts discuss the distinction MacDonald draws between two critical approaches:
- Form Criticism: Compares a narrative to a collection of similar tales (a genre).
- Mimesis Criticism: Compares a text to a specific earlier model that served as a template.
MacDonald believes the New Testament is a case of mimesis. He suggests Luke wants to show that his Christian heroes rival the pagan heroes of the Iliad.
The Six Criteria of Imitation
How do you prove that one text is copying another? MacDonald offers six criteria for detecting mimesis.
- Accessibility: Was the source text available? (Verdict: Yes. Homer was the most preserved author in antiquity, with over 600 manuscripts compared to 83 for Demosthenes) .
- Analogy: Did other authors do this? (Verdict: Yes. Vergil imitated Homer; why not Luke?) .
- Density: The volume of parallels must be high.
- Order: The parallels should follow a similar narrative sequence.
- Distinctiveness: The parallel shouldn’t be a generic trope.
- Interpretability: Does seeing the parallel change how we understand the text?
The Rival Theory: Luke vs. Vergil?
Before diving into the case studies, the hosts discuss a counter-theory proposed by Marianne Palmer Bonz in her book The Past as Legacy.
Bonz argues that Luke isn’t imitating Homer directly, but is actually writing a prose epic modeled after Vergil’s Aeneid. She suggests that Luke-Acts presents a “rival vision of empire”.
- The Argument: Just as the Aeneid justifies the Roman Empire, Acts justifies the Kingdom of God.
- The Timeline: Dr. Noe notes the tight timeline—Vergil died in 19 BC, and Luke wrote around 60-70 AD. Is 90 years enough time for the Aeneid to become a cultural template in the East?
The Case Study Begins: Peter vs. Agamemnon
The hosts begin to test MacDonald’s theory by looking at his first example: Peter’s Vision in Acts 10 compared to Agamemnon’s Dream in Iliad Book 2.
MacDonald lines up the Greek text to show a parallel in the arrival of the messenger:
- Iliad: The Dream (Oneiros) arrives at the ships.
- Acts: An angel (Angelos) of God comes to Cornelius.
While intriguing, the hosts decide to suspend judgment on the “philological nitty gritty” until the next episode.
Sponsors
This episode is supported by friends of the Latin language and classical arts:
- Della Chelpka Art: Capture the beauty of the Omphalos (or your dog) in oil paint.
- The Deal: Use code APELLES for 10% off at dellachelpka.art.
- Hackett Publishing: For all your Homeric and Biblical needs.
- The Deal: Visit hackettpublishing.com and use code AN2025 for 20% off and free shipping.
- Ratio Coffee: Whether you are waking from a divine trance or just a nap.
- The Deal: Visit ratiocoffee.com/adnavseam and use code ANRATIO2025 for $20 off.
Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Winkle wraps up the episode with a quote from Stuart Stafford, outlining a universal law of dining:
“Stafford’s Law of Dining Out states that the second you finish ordering something in a restaurant, food will immediately arrive at an adjacent table that looks 10 times better.”
Valete! (And join us next week as we dig deeper into the Greek text!).
Resources for the Language Learner
- Latin Per Diem: Want to read Acts or the Iliad in the original?
- The Moss Method: Dr. Noe’s Greek course takes you deep into the text.
Visit:latinperdiem.com
