Epistemic and Dialogic Language

Abstract

The Areopagus speech has been studied widely by many scholars, and different aspects of it have been highlighted. The present study concentrates on the literary nature of both the introduction of the speech and the speech per se . The author here proposes that Luke’s narrative technique can be labeled as an “epistemic-dialogic grammar,” meaning that Luke builds his narrative using language about knowing and language of communication to portray a dialogue on divine knowledge. Luke’s narrative technique shows that, instead of presenting the philosophers in negative terms, he is presenting a cordial conversation between genuine knowledge-seekers and an inspired knowledge-revealer.