The Kingdom of God in Luke Flashcards
What is the idea of the KoG a key part of?
The idea of the KoG is a core part of JC’s original kerygma (preaching).
How can we see the KoG as appearing in all 4 Gs?
It features in all 4 gospels, but Mt substitutes it for the ‘Kingdom of Heaven, while J prefers to write about eternal life
How does L explore the idea of the KoG?
L explores the idea of the KoG through parables. Parables are stories or brief narratives with a hidden meaning
What is J’s equivalent to L’s KoG?
L’s idea of the KoG is equivalent to J’s idea of eternal life
What is significant about L?
It is the longest gospel
Who is traditionally thought to have wrote L?
Traditionally thought to have been written by a companion of St Paul who was a doctor, as many scholars claim to find evidence of medical knowledge within this gospel
What did the writer of L also write?
Whoever wrote the gospel also wrote the Book of Acts, which describes the creation of the early church and the activities of Peter and Paul following the resurrection. Taken together, L and Acts takes up ¼ of the NT
How does L begin?
L begins with a prologue addressed to someone called Theophilus, in which the author claims to have gathered the info in this gospel from earlier sources: ‘Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account’ (Luke 1: 3)
What does Theophilus translate to?
Translates from Greek as ‘lover of God’
List the different theories about what Theophilus might mean
Some think he was L’s wealthy patron, a wealthy Christian convert who wanted to know more about the background of the religion
Others suggest he might be a Roman Official, since L goes out of his way to present Christianity as an official Roman religion that poses no threat to the Roman Empire
Since the term means ‘lover of God’, then the name might not refer to a single person at all, but rather the entirety of L’s Church
How often do miracles appear in L compared to the other gospels?
In L, JC performs 21 miracles, compared to 7 signs in J, and many involve casting evil spirits who recognise him as the SoG. This fits in with L’s view of JC’s ministry as a ‘cosmic drama’, involving Heaven and Hell as well as Earth. In L’s gospel, there are more mentions of angels than in any others; JC’s birth narrative involves angels and there are angels present at his empty tomb
What is the most distinctive feature of L’s G?
Another distinctive feature in L is the use of parables. 6 of them are also present in Mt and Mk, but L adds another 18 from his own sources
How did L redact previous texts about JC?
As a redactor, L alters material from Mk: not just correcting Mk’s Greek, L moves material around to produce a more logical and coherent story and alters the representations of the JC into something more respectful, removing scenes where JC is harsh, angry or emotional. At JC’s trial, L removes the description of JC being mocked and whipped by soldiers
What audience is L trying to reach out to?
L’s main concern is with the poor and the outcast. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Gospel of Compassion’, as it shows JC in a very compassionate light. JC blesses the poor and condemns the rich, and women and gentiles feature prominently
What kind of titles does L use for JC?
L is the only gospel writer to use the word ‘saviour’ to describe JC and his most common title for JC is ‘Lord’ - a title also applied to God.
Explain the theme of salvation in L
‘Salvation’ is a big theme in L, who explores the idea of salvation through the OT, through the ministry of JC, and afterwards, through the subsequent history of the Church
What did eschatology mean for the Greeks?
Hellenic culture said that the world passed the aeons or ‘ages’. Eschatology for the Greeks referred to the end of one age and the beginning of another
What was the Jewish idea of eschatology?
Jewish beliefs were more dramatic, with the idea of just two ages – this age and a ‘Messianic Age’ to come. For Jews, the end of the current age was going to be an apocalypse (an unveiling or revelation) in which God makes his presence known to all. The arrival of this new age would be a great crisis brought about by the arrival of the messiah. Different sects had different hopes about what the Messiah and the Messianic Age would look like. Most expected some sort of Earthly Kingdom, ruled over by a Messiah, with other empires in the world conquered by this Messiah. In this new world, order, Jews would no longer be persecuted
What was the pharasaical view of eschatology?
The Pharisees went further than this, believing that the dead would be returned to life and judges by either God or God’s representative, the ‘Son of Man’
What was the pharasaical view of eshcatology based upon?
This was based on OT prophecies such as: ‘Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the Earth will awake: some to everlasting life, other to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12:2)
What was the main eschatological discourse in L?
In Luke 21 there is an extended discourse called the ‘Little Apocalypse’ where JC describes the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple and the persecution of loyal Christians; these events culminate in a cosmic crisis where the ‘Son of Man’ comes to judge the world. Christians interpret this in four ways…
Explain the preterist interpretation of the ‘Little Apocalypse’ discourse
The Apocalypse refers to the events of JC’s lifetime and the lifetime of his immediate followers who experienced his Resurrection and founded his Church, with the destruction of the Temple representing the crucifixion of JC
Explain the futurist interpretation of the ‘Little Apocalypse’ discourse
Refers to the end of time, which is yet to come, with the destruction of the Temple symbolising the literal end of the world
Explain the literal interpretation of the ‘Little Apocalypse’ discourse
Describing factual events, as the temple was literally destroyed in 70 CE
