The Plan Of God In Luke Acts

This study examines one significant theological theme in Luke-Acts, that of 'The plan of God'. It traces the way this theme is developed throughout Luke-Acts, both through direct statements by the writer and through various associated means such as divine appearances, signs and wonders, the fulfilment of prophecy, and indications of fate as of necessity. Dr Squires locates Luke's use of this theme in the context of the history-writing of the Hellenistic period, noting numerous passages in those works which illumine Luke's theological purposes. His book shows how the notion of the plan of God is used by Luke as he writes to confirm his readers' faith, encouraging them to bear witness to this faith, and equipping them for the task of defending it.

This book explores the central function of the concept "repentance" in the narrative structure and implied social world of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, and provides an excellent synthesis and analysis of the usage of "repent" and "repentance" in Classical, Hellenistic, Hellenistic Jewish, and early Christian literature. Paperback edition is available from the Society of Biblical Literature (www.sbl-site.org)

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

Litwak challenges previous studies of the use of the Old Testament in Luke-Acts as inadequate. In contrast to previous studies that consider only quotations or obvious allusions, he examines intertextual echoes of the Old Testament at strategic points in Luke-Acts, as well as quotations and allusions and echoed traditions. Thus, this study's database is larger. Previous studies generally argue that Luke's use of the Scriptures is in the service of christology. This leads to the exclusion of scriptural citations, such as those of the temptation (Luke 4.1-13) which have different emphases. Litwak views ecclesiology as the overall purpose behind Luke's use of the Old Testament, but he does not skip or avoid intertextual references that may lie outside an ecclesiological function. Whilst other studies contend that Luke uses the Old Testament according to a promise-fulfillment/proof-form-prophecy hermeneutic, Litwak argues that this fails to account for many of the intertextual references. Other studies often subsume all of Luke's use of the Scriptures of Israel under one theme, such as the 'New Exodus', but this study does not require that every intertextual echo maps to a specific theme. Rather, the many intertextual references in strategic texts at the beginning, middle and end of Luke-Acts, and Luke's use of the texts, are allowed to dictate the 'themes' to which they relate. JSNTS 282

This groundbreaking work by Darrell Bock thoroughly explores the theology of Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. In his writing, Luke records the story of God working through Jesus to usher in a new era of promise and Spirit-enablement so that the people of God can be God’s people even in the midst of a hostile world. It is a message the church still needs today. Bock both covers major Lukan themes and sets forth the distinctive contribution of Luke-Acts to the New Testament and the canon of Scripture, providing readers with an in-depth and holistic grasp of Lukan theology in the larger context of the Bible. I. Howard Marshall: “A remarkable achievement that should become the first port of call for students in this central area of New Testament Theology.” Craig S. Keener: “Bock’s excellent exploration of Luke’s theological approach and themes meets an important need in Lukan theology.”

The New Testament Challenge is designed to help small-group members explore the books of the New Testament in a fresh and new way. In this Bible study (DVD/digital downloads sold separately), participants will learn how the story of God restoring his original creation—which was begun in the Old Testament—reached its crowning moment with the birth of Messiah into the world. Through Jesus' birth, he answered the question once and for all of who God is and what he is like. Through Jesus' teaching, he revealed the deepest meaning of the laws and institutions that God gave to the people of Israel. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, he introduced the life of the age to come into the present age. Group members will also discover how the followers of Jesus formed a new community and invited people from all over the world to join them, and how the Bible looks ahead to the day when Christ will return to renew all of creation and establish God's justice and peace on the earth. Sessions include: Luke–Acts Luke–Acts, 1–2 Thessalonians 1–2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans Romans, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy Matthew Hebrews, James, Mark 1–2 Peter, Jude, John 1–3 John, Revelation Designed for use with The New Testament Challenge Video Study (sold separately).

An investigation in to where, how and why Luke interacts with Isaiah; focusing on the importance of the servant motif for Luke, in supplying the job description for Jesus' messianic mission and that of his followers.

In this book Jacob Jervell challenges two widely held theories about Luke: that he was a representative of the institutional church, and that his writing was directed primarily at Gentile readers. He also presents much valuable insight into the growing pains of the early church, especially the relationship of the Jews to the Jewish Christians, and the relationship of both these groups to the Gentiles.