The Ascension Of The Messiah In Lukan Christology

Building on the form-critical assessment of the Lukan ascension story (LK 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-12) as a rapture story, and motivated by the consideration that the 'monotheistic principle' almost inevitably must have led to a reestimate of the meaning and function of rapture in comparison with heathen rapture stories (immortalisation and deification!), the present study seeks to investigate the Lukan ascension story in the light of the first-century Jewish rapture traditions (Enoch, Elijah, Moses, Baruch, Ezra, etc.). The author argues that first-century Judaism provides a more plausible horizon of understanding for the ascension story than the Graeco-Roman rapture tradition, and that Luke develops his 'rapture christology' not as a reinterpretation of the primitive exaltation kerygma (G. Lohfink), but as a response to the eschatological question, i.e. the delay of the parousia, so as to secure the unity of salvation history.

Collection of essays published previously between 1995 and 2010.

Bryan combines literary, historical, and theological approaches in this study of the doctrine of the Resurrection. Throughout, Bryan exhibits a willingness to face hard questions as well as an appropriate reverence for a faith that for almost two thousand years has enabled millions of people to lead lives of meaning and grace.

A new volume in the NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY STUDIES IN BIBLE AND THEOLOGY series, Lukan Authorship of Hebrews explains why Luke is the likely author of the book of Hebrews. The ramifications of this possibility are then detailed in depth, including the way Hebrews informs the interpretation of the books of Luke and Acts. Also present throughout is commentary author David L. Allen’s thorough analysis of the writing style similarities between Hebrews, Luke, and Acts.

"Taking inspiration from a different interpretative tradition, the classic work of Raymond Brown on the birth and death of the Messiah, Francis Moloney has provided a comprehensive narrative reading of the resurrection stories of all four Gospels, in close association with their passion narratives, to which they are the stunning response. The book traces how the four eangelists' different telling of the resurrection stories has "narrated" the action of God for Jesus, and the action of God and Jesus for all Christians in and through the early Church's belief and experience of the resurrection of Jesus. The final chapter discusses what we can recover about the events of Easter day and, more importantly, what these events meant then, and continue to mean today." - back cover

This work studies the literary and socio-discursive contexts of 'the Ananias and Sapphira episode' in Acts as a narrative illustrating the negative-ethos of community goods. This work examines the dynamics of the Ananias and Sapphira episode in Acts and its role in the narrative of Luke-Acts . McCabe locates the passage within its literary context, and emphasizes the manner in which it is embedded in a discourse on the life of the Christian community expressed through shared goods. Utilizing Speech-Act Theory , McCabe argues that Peter's words, divinely sanctioned, directly execute the divine judgment upon the couple. This is argued by appealing to the social processes and conventions of language-use within the context of a 'community-of-goods' discourse as present in the Lukan narrative. McCabe appeals to the conventions deployed in the narrative world of Luke-Acts which undergird the efficacy of prophetic speech to effect divine judgment, including the patterns established by prophetic figures in the Scriptures of Israel and Luke's own characterization of Jesus as Prophet-King, followed by an examination of Luke's characterization of Peter as an apostolic-prophetic successor to Jesus, deputized to speak on behalf of God. McCabe concludes by examining the successful execution of the speech-act of divine judgment. This is formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement , a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS , examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS .

In contrast to many studies of New Testament ethics, which treat the New Testament in general and Paul in particular, this book focuses on the person of Jesus himself. Richard Burridge maintains that imitating Jesus means following both his words -- which are very demanding ethical teachings -- and his deeds and example of being inclusive and accepting of everyone. Burridge carefully and systematically traces that combination of rigorous ethical instruction and inclusive community through the letters of Paul and the four Gospels, treating specific ethical issues pertaining to each part of Scripture. The book culminates with a chapter on apartheid as an ethical challenge to reading the New Testament; using South Africa as a contemporary case study enables Burridge to highlight and further apply his previous discussion and conclusions.

Timothy W. Reardon uncovers thesalvation narrative developed within Luke-Acts and its key themes as they develop within the Lukan presentation of time and space, while being attentive to overcoming a facile compartmentalization of religion and politics. Reardon argues that Luke-Acts offers a complete, holistic, embodied, and theopolitical soteriology, cosmic in scope, that includes both the what and how of salvation. In contrast to recent arguments for some form of vicarious expiation in Luke-Acts, Reardon instead suggests that Luke-Acts' presentation of salvation - though exhibiting elements of multiple atonement models - noticeably takes a Christus Victor form, using Irenaeus's Christus Victorparadigm in particular as a point of comparison. Throughout this book, Reardon repeatedly demonstrates that Lukan soteriology is political, examining Jesus' role as herald of God's kingdom, the salvific space of heaven and the Church, and the mission of salvation. Reardon concludes that Luke-Acts is a theopolitical salvation unfolding in space, aiming toward the reconciliation of all things.