The Character and Purpose of Luke's Christology (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series, Series Number 89)

Luke's christology is carefully designed. Luke portrays the exalted Jesus as God's co-equal by the kinds of things he does and says from heaven. Through the Holy Spirit, the divine name and personal manifestations, Jesus behaves toward people in Luke-Acts as does Yahweh in the Old Testament. His power and knowledge are supreme. Jesus sovereignly reigns over Israel, the church, the powers of darkness and the world. Luke deepens this portrait by depicting Jesus as deity who by nature behaves as servant: the earthly Jesus acted among his people as one who serves; the exalted Jesus continues serving his people by strengthening and encouraging them in their witness of him to the world. That the believers in Acts resemble the way Jesus behaved in the Gospel means that they too are now imaging some of his servant-like character in their witness of him.. Introduction. Christology And Luke--acts -- Luke's Christology And The Purpose Of Luke--acts. An Evaluation Of Luke's Purpose ; A Proposal For Luke's Purpose -- Luke's Christology And Mark's Gospel. Mark's Gospel - A Window To Luke's Christology ; Jesus And The Resurrection ; Jesus And Spirit Baptism ; Jesus And Salvation History -- Luke's Christology And Jesus' Lordship. Jesus And God The Father ; Jesus And The Spirit ; Jesus And The End Of History -- Luke's Christology And Jesus' Humiliation-exaltation. Jesus And Servanthood -- Conclusion. The Character And Purpose Of Luke's Christology. H. Douglas Buckwalter. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 285-318) And Indexes. This book explains why Luke said what he did about Jesus in his earthly ministry in the Gospel and about his work from heaven in Acts. Scholars have argued that Luke's christology is haphazard and lacks unity, that it is incompatible with the Gospel of Mark and with Paul's writings, and that Jesus is of subordinate rank to God. Buckwalter shows a unity, a compatibility with Mark and Paul, and for Jesus a divine rank equal to God. Luke's christology is by careful design: he portrays the exalted Jesus as God's co-equal.