Abstract
Blomkvist’s dissertation, written at the University of Oslo, consists of five parts. The best place to start reading may be chapter four. Despite being entitled ‘Résumé’, the chapter is actually an excellent overview of what the book is all about. With the main arguments concisely presented, readers may decide from there how to proceed: Chapter One offers a general discussion on traditional questions concerning the Euthalian apparatus (author, time, extent of the material, literary relations, etc.). Chapter Two is for everyone who wants to become familiar with the actual text: chapter titles (kephalaia-titloi), argumenta (hypotheseis) and prologues (prologoi) to the Pauline and Catholic letters and to Acts (including a list of apostles, deacons, and wonders) are presented with the Greek text of von Soden (1902) on the left and a modern English translation on the right. The third chapter presents a commentary on selected issues. In particular, questions concerning genre and the way in which Paul is pictured are discussed with due regard to standard literature (the comprehensive bibliography is worth mentioning). Although following the arguments involves turning pages to the previous chapter (a biblical text close at hand is helpful too), the clear summaries make following the main points of the commentary easy. The fifth chapter is an appendix and a source collection in its own right. It contains parallel material in Latin and Greek with translation (Marcionite Prologues, Edition of Priscillian, Theordoret’s and Theophylact’s Arguments). Additionally, a revised article concerning genre by the author and David Hellholm from 2004 is included. In general, the book is worth reading and offers a ready access to the Euthalian material.