| This dissertation argues that Cornelius in Acts 10 is a model man for Luke's audience. While most scholars have focused on the role of Cornelius as a model Gentile, this dissertation argues that he is also a model man. By means of the characterization of Cornelius, Luke lifts up a man whose key qualities are submission, piety, and generosity. The characterization of Cornelius has features that are both similar to and different from characterizations of men in contemporary extrabiblical evidence. Like some elite Greco-Roman and military men, Cornelius has the virtue of piety. His piety can be seen in the Greek words epsilon'nusigmaepsilonbetaepsilon'i&zgr;, deltaikappaalphaio&zgr;, and words relating to generosity. Unlike other elite Greco-Roman and military men, Cornelius' piety is directed toward the God of Israel, a commitment that was likely complicated in light of his role as a centurion in the Roman military. The characterization of Cornelius also differs from some extrabiblical portrayals of centurions. Cornelius does not exercise his authority over Peter, a Judean subject. Luke portrays Cornelius' submission and giving up of control and authority through the gesture of TrpoouKvEIv. In addition, Cornelius does not display the brutality toward Judean subjects that one might expect, given extrabiblical descriptions of centurions as well as the brutal subjugation of Judeans by the Romans described by Josephus in The Jewish War and The Antiquities of the Jews. Against the backdrop of the Roman-Jewish war, Cornelius' commitment, obeisance, and relinquishment of control appear all the more striking. The inclusion of Gentiles in general and Roman military men in particular reflect the diversity of the Way. Yet the characterization of Cornelius, which has some features in common with the characterization of Moses in the writings of Philo, also indicates that the Way has preserved continuity with Judaism. |
