The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green

Leaven Leaven

Volume 5 Issue 2 Luke-Acts Article 14

1-1-1997

The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green

Miriam Y. Perkins

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Perkins, Miriam Y. (1997) "The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green," Leaven: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 14. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss2/14

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected].

48 Leaven, Spring 1997

Book ReviewsMarkus McDowell, Editor

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Jerome H. Neyrey, ed. The Social World of Luke-Acts:Models for Interpretation. (Peabody, MA: HendricksonPublishers, 1991). Reviewed by Susan G. Higgins.

The Social World of Luke-Acts, edited by JeromeNeyrey, makes an interesting comparison between the an-cient world and present modern American social structure.The articles explore social values, family structures, per-sonal psychology, and religious life by comparing thosedimensions to the patterns that are the norm today. An ex-ample of this comparison is the article by the editor him-self, which discusses the social dynamics of the Mediter-ranean world in light of the life of Christ, with specificregard to the rituals and ceremonial practices surroundingmeals and "table fellowship":

A map of persons, then, gives us clues aboutthe roles and statuses of participants at a meal: whosits and who waits on table, what specific actionsone performs during the meal, who sits close orfar from the host, what and how much food oneeats, and when one eats, either first or last. (365)

An unusual feature of Neyrey's model is his claim thatthe "human body is a replica of the social body, a symboland microcosm of it" (368); he expounds this by discuss-ing the boundaries, structure, and margins of the body,physical and social. It should be noted that not all anthro-pologists would agree with the parallelisms that he con-structs.

One important feature of the book is that the later ar-ticles presuppose the content of the preceding ones. Thus,

because the articles are not self-contained, the reader can-not selectively choose one or two areas in which s/he ismost interested, turn to the selected articles, and hope toprofit from them without having taken into account all thepreceding information. For example, the article on honorand shame by Bruce Malina and Jerome Neyrey is funda-mental to the understanding of several of the subsequentarticles about personality, community, patron/client rela-tions, household structure, and conflict.

In several of the chapters there are helpful visual chartsthat enable the reader to grasp quickly the differences be-tween the social structures of the ancient world and thoseof the present. However, the fact that many of the mostinteresting arguments are couched in pedantic and repeti-tive verbiage detracts significantly from the book's value.Nevertheless, the book offers several suggestions for fur-ther study and models that can be useful in comparativesocial studies.

The preface is especially valuable for a book laid outin this fashion because it provides an outline of how thebook is most effectively to be read and used. The betterarticles are Malina and Neyrey's "Honor and Shame inLuke-Acts," Richard Rohrbaugh's "The Pre-industrial Cityin Luke-Acts," and Vernon Robbins' "The Social Locationof the Implied Author of Luke-Acts." This book is helpfulas reference material for a theological school library; how-ever, the scholar on a more limited budget may decide toinvest his/her funds elsewhere.

SUSAN G. HIGGINS is Professor of Sociology and Mission,Milligan College, Milligan College, Tennessee.

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Perkins: The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green

Published by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 1997

Joel B. Green. The Theology of the Gospel of Luke,New Testament Theology series, ed. James D. G. Dunn(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995) 170pages. Reviewed by Miriam Y. Perkins.

It was Sunday morning. I was teaching from Luke,and most of the lesson was given to sharing historical de-tails and textual nuances that I had gleaned from readingseveral critical commentaries. The lesson went well, but Ileft feeling as if I had done a disservice both to those presentand to the text itself. No pressing theological questions ordiscussion were provoked by the lesson, and this disturbedme. I thought, Why am I teaching from Luke? What isLuke trying to say about the nature of God and the personof Jesus? How do encounters with Jesus shape salvationin formation? What kind of people does Luke call us tobe? Why is this Gospel important for the church and Chris-tian formation? Critical commentaries are not always de-signed to answer these sorts oftheological questions. MostNew Testament theologies, by comparison, are integrativein nature and are, therefore, not generally text- or author-specific. Typically, these theologies also overlook narra-tive theologies such as the Gospels. Green's book is aneffort to fill this gap by addressing the particular theologyof Luke's Gospel.

Unlike Ulrich Luz's The Theology of the Gospel ofMatthew in the same series, Green's study is organized bytopic rather than continuous narrative sequence. Greenexplores Luke's world, the continuing purposes of God,Jesus' identity, the nature of mission and salvation, life asdiscipleship, and the Gospel's relevance for the church to-day. Luke's understanding of the Spirit and eschatology isalso given particular attention, and the continuity betweenLuke's Gospel and Acts is mentioned throughout. Thedepth of Green's reading can be recommended in its en-tirety. Two topics in the study, however, are of particularconcern for those interested in the progressive thinking ofsound conservative scholarship: Luke's social world andLuke's concept of Christian discipleship.

In his first chapter, Green maps out the cultural frame-work and world view of Luke's Gospel, giving special at-tention to sociological concerns. The social world of Luke'sGospel is characterized by a balance of political power,eschatological expectation, and social stratification. Jesuscomes as savior and everlasting ruler over and againstOctavian and Rome. He is the final fulfillment ofIsrael'seschatological hopes for a divinely appointed Messiah who

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will save people from "political dominance and social op-pression" (9). The salvation loosed by Jesus reverses so-cial stratification; Jesus makes salvation accessible to ev-eryone and includes those on the margins. Sociological aswell as economic factors determine the classifications ofpoor and rich. Purity, physical health, ancestry, trade, andeconomic deprivation factor into determining the poor whostand in need of liberation. Jesus' instruction to lend anddo good even to those who cannot repay, without expecta-tion of return, shatters first-century systems of patronage.Luke works to shift a first-century social world view to-ward the purpose of God, which he believes is revealed bythe Spirit in the person of Jesus. Green's social analysismakes Luke's counterculture message of good news cometo life.

A full chapter is given to Luke's understanding of dis-cipleship. In Luke, following Jesus is a journey involvingfaith, repentance, and mission. Discipleship involves prais-ing God for his saving faithfulness and discerning God'swill through prayer in imitation of Christ. Entering God'snew community requires a changed outlook on wealth,power, and the need for status. This discussion leads wellinto the final chapter, which Green devotes to the signifi-cance of Luke for the church today. Green characterizesLuke's Gospel as a history of proclamation that calls forindividual and community response. Luke invites thechurch, as he invited his first-century readers, to align it-self with the purposes of God in a new social and culturalcontext. The invitation encourages Christians to becomedisciples of Jesus who discern together in community howfaithfully to embody Luke's call for status reversal andmission to those on the margins. Discernment should bemade following the example of Jesus and other Lukan char-acters; it must involve prayer and depend upon God's willrevealed through the Holy Spirit. Such theological dis-cernment in community is often sorely lacking in the lifeof many congregations. Green's portrayal of Lukan theol-ogy would have helped spur the theological questions anddiscussions that had been missing in my Sunday lesson.

The topical structure within Green's six chapters or-ganizes Luke's theology in ways that appropriately reflectLuke's narrative design. The purpose of God in Luke, forexample, is grounded in the older story of the Old Testa-ment Scriptures and God's overarching and unfolding di-vine plan. Green's understanding of Luke's christologyincludes narrative issues such as the role of the Phariseesand other Jews, Jesus as healer and table fellowship, as

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50 Leaven. Spring 1997

well as issues of Sonship, crucifixion, and exaltation.Luke's narrative structure is also paralleled in Green's treat-ment implicitly; several chapters and sub-topics begin withthe birth announcements and continue in narrative se-quence. Chapter four on mission, for example, begins withthe birth announcements and ends with the hope of Jesus'return. The topical approach, however, does make it moredifficult to use this book as a companion to critical corn-mentaries that address the text in narrative sequence. Ahelpful Scripture index alleviates this problem somewhat,but many gospel pericopes are mentioned only briefly ornot at all. Green instead offers a framework for under-standing the theological implications of any particular pas-sage.

Green' reading is appropriate for upper-level under-graduate and graduate study of Luke. A working knowl-edge of the contents of Luke as well as familiarity withcritical scholarship from various perspectives is assumed.Historical critical study and sociological study, as men-tioned above, undergird Green's analysis of Lukan theol-ogy. Literary studies also contribute to Green's study (dis-cipleship, for example, is a journey along "the way"). Thelay reader may need to rely on additional readings; notesand references, though not extensive, are helpful in thisregard. As the series editor suggests, Green's volume isbest used as a companion and supplement to critical study.An excellent list of resources for further study as well asScripture, subject, and modern author indices are appended.I recommend this reading without hesitation to students ofLuke, and especially to those teaching or preaching fromthis Gospel.

Miriam Y. Perkins is a student at Emmanuel Schoolof Religion, Johnson City, Tennessee, and a member ofthe Hopwood Memorial Christian Church.

Walter L. Liefeld. Interpreting the Book of Acts (GrandRapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1995) 141 pages.Reviewed by Paul R. McReynolds.

Ministers and teachers who want a succinct but well-rounded introduction to the literary, historical. and culturalbackgrounds of the book of Acts as a preface to detailed

study will be greatly rewarded through a study of Inter-preting the Book of Acts. This book is in the Guides toNew Testament Exegesis series, edited by Scot McKnightfor Baker Book House.

While nowhere as extensive as the Foakes-Jackson andLake massive five-volume work, this book introduces theessential issues for exegetical study of the book of Acts.One of the excellent characteristics of the book is the factthat the author does not do all the work for the reader, butrather raises and asks questions for the reader to answer.After the introduction, Liefeld discusses the variety of pur-poses that have been proposed for Acts. The last theoryconcerning purpose will be especially interesting to read-ers of Leaven from a Restoration background: Is Acts tobe interpreted and applied normatively or descriptively?Liefeld's answer is descriptively. For example: "So Actsdescribes a changing pattern of leadership and authoritydue to the nature of the church as 'emerging' rather thanstatic" (97-98). Restorationists, having emphasized Actsas normative for the church polity and growth, might liketo have seen a further discussion of this issue.

The chapter on structure is novel in that there is a dis-cussion of several types of structural patterns. This is es-pecially helpful in the attempt to determine the purposeof Acts. Discussion of geographical expansion, ethnic andcultural spread, parallels between Peter and Paul as wellas Luke and Acts, the summary colophons, and a sampleoutline are included in this chapter.

Because so much of Acts is narrative, Liefeld devotesa chapter to "narrative as theology" and briefly discussesthe dangers of responding to the narrative as the audiencein the narrative. For example, after the deaths of Ananiasand Sapphira, Acts relates that no one dared join them (theChristians). The readers are not being urged to stay away,but to be respectful of a group where God is actively in-volved in judgment.

No book on Acts would be complete without a discus-sion of the speeches in Acts. Herein lies the problem witha succinct book. While there are introductory discussionsof the issues of speeches, including a summary of each ofthe speeches, there is not space for a detailed discussionconcerning their historicity. The book does, however, makesuggestions for additional research.

No one would expect a chapter of the major themes tobe anything other then introductory. The author is wellaware of that perspective. "We hope that providing a sketch

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Perkins: The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, Joel B. Green

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of the evidence will encourage the student of Acts to digdeeper and to frame a personal perspective and opinion onthe material" (80).

The chapter on the background of Acts uses Acts 16 asa model of how an understanding of backgrounds helpsthe exegete. Here the author demonstrates his broad knowl-edge of background materials and even includes a specialbut limited bibliography concerning backgrounds at theend of the chapter. There is also an excellent up-to-datebibliography at the end of the book, which includes notonly commentaries and edited collections but an extensivelisting of articles. It is somewhat peculiar that very gen-eral volumes like the Anchor Bible Dictionary are includedin the bibliography.

The chapter that concludes the book shows the author'sadeptness not just at exegesis, but at application. Here

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again the author is concerned about the issue of whetherActs functions as normative or descriptive. Issues likewomen in leadership (for example, Priscilla), the commu-nalism of early Acts, the reception of the Holy Spirit andbaptism at Pentecost and Samaria, and even missionarystrategy are discussed briefly to demonstrate the problemsof applying the text entirely as normative.

This is an excellent though limited introduction to thecentral interpretation issues for the book of Acts. The bookdoes not pretend to be exhaustive, but it does thoroughlycover the range of matters of which an exegete, preacher,or teacher should be aware when preaching or teachingfrom the Acts.

Paul R. McReynolds is Professor of Greek and New Tes-tament, Pacific Christian College, Fullerton, California.

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