13 WITNESSING TWO TWO ACTS APOSTLES BY IN THE OF THE of the book of Acts (Cornelius in 10,1.22; Julius in 27,1.3) 22, or he portrays the figure or the action of two protagonists by means of similar characteristics, such as Peter and Paul in Acts. There can be no doubt that, from the aesthetical and redac- tional perspective, Luke intends to present his characters in syn- krisis. The recourse to synkrisis is more than evident in the parallel infancies of the Baptist and Jesus in Luke 1–2, the two annuncia- tions, births, circumcisions, together with their canticles. However in Acts, the same kind of parallelism is set up primarily between Peter and Paul, in their respective speeches, healings and actions 23, more than between the above pairs: Peter and John, or Trophimus and Aristarcus. In fact, A. von Harnack had already pointed out the disparity between Peter and John in Acts, noting that the John whom Luke puts at the side of Peter is a faint, colourless, “smug- gled ” figure, whose deeds are nonexistent, in comparison with those of Peter, so much so that the character of John can’t be com- pared to that of Peter. R. Morgenthaler disputes the thesis of Harnack and offers a different interpretation making reference to Numbers 35 and Deu- teronomy 19 in order to explain the presence of John at the side of Peter. According to the biblical Law, two or three witnesses are necessary to establish the validity and indisputability of the testi- mony : “If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness” (Num 35,30); “A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in R.C. TANNEHILL, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts. A Literary Interpre- 22 tation (Philadelphia, PA 1986) I, 3-4: “Characters and actions may echo charac- ters and actions in another part of the story (...). There are a number of significant parallels among Jesus, his predecessor, John, and his witnesses in Acts. These connections provide internal commentary on the story, clarifying meanings and suggesting additional nuances”. In D. MARGUERAT, La première histoire du christianisme (Les Actes des apôtres) (Paris – Genève 22003) cf. Chapter III, entitled: “L’unité de Lc-Ac: Un travail de lecture” (67-95), where the author speaks of “trois procédures unificatrices [i.e. prolepse, chaînes narra- tives, la synkrisis]. Cf. A.C. CLARK, Parallel Lives. The Relation of Paul to the Apostles in 23 the Lukan Perspective (Carlisle 2001), especially the paragraphs entitled: “ Parallel Miracles Involving Peter and Paul” (209-229), “Parallel Preaching of Peter and Paul” (230-260), and “Conclusions” (320-341).