The Death Of Jesus In Luke Acts

Acts is the sequel to Luke's gospel and tells the story of Jesus's followers during the 30 years after his death. It describes how the 12 apostles, formerly Jesus's disciples, spread the message of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean against a background of persecution. With an introduction by P.D. James

For over a century New Testament scholars have explored the issue of possible antisemitism in Luke-Acts, especially because the author apparently blames the Jews for the death of Jesus. This monograph offers a fresh analysis of this question revealing a different emphasis: that among the Jews only those associated with Jerusalem, especially the Sanhedrin, are responsible for Jesus' death. Luke's Israel is in fact divided in response to Jesus, not monolithically opposed to him. Furthermore, the ascription of responsibility to the people of Jerusalem in Acts, widely regarded as a Lukan creation, in fact is more likely to have been based on sources independent of the synoptics. A consideration of ancient literature concerned with the deaths of innocent victims further suggests a likely "Sitz im Leben" for the transmission of material ascribing responsibility for Jesus' death.

This textbook on how to read the Gospels well can stand on its own as a guide to reading this New Testament genre as Scripture. It is also ideally suited to serve as a supplemental text to more conventional textbooks that discuss each Gospel systematically. Most textbooks tend to introduce students to historical-critical concerns but may be less adequate for showing how the Gospel narratives, read as Scripture within the canonical framework of the entire New Testament and the whole Bible, yield material for theological reflection and moral edification. Pennington neither dismisses nor duplicates the results of current historical-critical work on the Gospels as historical sources. Rather, he offers critically aware and hermeneutically intelligent instruction in reading the Gospels in order to hear their witness to Christ in a way that supports Christian application and proclamation.

For over a century New Testament scholars have explored the issue of possible antisemitism in Luke-Acts, especially because the author apparently blames the Jews for the death of Jesus. This monograph offers a fresh analysis of this question revealing a different emphasis: that among the Jews only those associated with Jerusalem, especially the Sanhedrin, are responsible for Jesus' death. Luke's Israel is in fact divided in response to Jesus, not monolithically opposed to him. Furthermore, the ascription of responsibility to the people of Jerusalem in Acts, widely regarded as a Lukan creation, in fact is more likely to have been based on sources independent of the synoptics. A consideration of ancient literature concerned with the deaths of innocent victims further suggests a likely "Sitz im Leben" for the transmission of material ascribing responsibility for Jesus' death.

To Christians worldwide, the man Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope, and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. The second edition of Four Portraits, One Jesus has been updated throughout to meet the needs to today's students. It is a thorough yet accessible introduction to the four biblical Gospels and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books addressing the following important areas: First he addresses the nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds of the Gospels. He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme. Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus' ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels. This textbook together with its workbook, video lectures, and laminated sheet gives students everything they need for a thorough and enriching study of Jesus and the Gospels.

In the past century of critical scholarship on Luke-Acts, it has become commonplace to affirm that Luke attaches no direct soteriological value to the death of Jesus. More specifically, the scholarly consensus affirms that Luke-Acts does not present Jesus’ death as an atonement for sin. Rather, Luke’s soteriology is understood to center upon Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation as Lord. In this careful thematic study of atonement theology in Luke’s double-work, John Kimbell demonstrates that the value Luke attributes to the death of Christ has been underestimated. When all the data is considered, the death of Christ is given greater direct soteriological significance in the Lukan writings than scholarship has generally acknowledged. Specifically, the death of Jesus is portrayed by Luke as an atoning death that brings about the forgiveness of sins. This book does not deny the presence of other soteriological emphases. Nevertheless, it convincingly shows that atonement theology plays a fundamental role in Luke’s soteriology, such that when this aspect is rejected or minimized, Luke’s presentation of the cross and salvation is significantly distorted. Kimbell carefully interacts with the scholarly secondary literature on this subject, ensuring that any serious Christian reader will find this work stimulating and useful. Detailed exegesis is paired with careful attention to Luke’s overall theological purposes. The result is that the reader will come away with a clearer understanding of Luke’s writings and a deeper appreciation for the meaning of Christ’s death.

In this modern classic Richard Burridge offers an engaging introduction to the New Testament Gospels. Using the ancient visual symbols for the Gospels — human face, lion, ox, and eagle — Burridge presents a clear interpretation of each Gospel author's portrait of Jesus. This new edition contains updated suggestions for further reading and a substantial new Afterword in which Burridge reflects personally on his book's genesis, development, and positive reception over the years. Four Gospels, One Jesus? in this third edition will continue to be appreciated by teachers, students, pastors, and other readers wanting to understand Jesus more fully.