Corpus-Paul

[kpdonfried <kpdonfried AT amherst.edu>]

Dear Colleagues,

In Acts 18:8 Crispus is referred to as “archisunagogos” and in v. 17
Sosthenes is similarly described.  Was there only one “archisunagogos”
at a time or were Crispus and Sosthenes part of a group leadership of
the synagogue in Corinth?  Both positions are asserted without
compelling evidence.  Speaking against Bruce, Barrett, etc. that there
could simultaneously be more than one “archisunagogos”, Luedemann has
written (PAUL, APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, 185n.52) that “Jewish
prescriptions, however, preclude this possibility.  See Bill., 4:145ff.
The plural in Acts 13:15 is not a counter argument and, further, is not
the only example of Luke’s ignorance of Jewish prescriptions.”

Do any of you have data that would allow us to decide this issue with
some degree of probability?

Many thanks,
Karl Donfried