The Character and Purpose of Luke's Christology

An examination of Luke's carefully designed christology, showing that he portrays the exalted Christ as God's co-equal.

H. Douglas Buckwalter (Author)

9780521561808, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 August 1996

368 pages
23.4 x 14.7 x 2.8 cm, 0.564 kg

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.

Preface
List of abbreviations
Introduction: 1. Christology and Luke-Acts
Part I. Luke's Christology and the Purpose of Luke-Acts: 2. An evaluation of Luke's purpose
3. A proposal for Luke's purpose
Part II. Luke's Christology and Mark's Gospel: 4. Mark's Gospel – a window to Luke's christology
5. Jesus and the resurrection
6. Jesus and Spirit baptism
7. Jesus and salvation history
Part III. Luke's Christology and Jesus's Lordship: 8. Jesus and God the Father
9. Jesus and the Spirit
10. Jesus and the end of history
Part IV. Luke's Christology and Jesus's Humiliation-Exaltation: 11. Jesus and servanthood
Conclusion: 12. The character and purpose of Luke's christology
Bibliography
Index of ancient sources
Index of subjects.

Subject Areas: Biblical studies & exegesis [HRCG]