U3AOS2

TNT Sac 2

Q1 Who is the author of the Gospel? What is their identity and background?

• Author of Acts

• A God-fearing Gentile possibly from Syria

• Well educated Greek speaker

• Well understanding of the Septuagint

• Understand Diaspora Judaism

Fitzmyer

• Physician

• Companion of Paul

• Not eyewitness - relied on gentiles

• Gospel in concern for Gentiles

Q2 When was the Gospel written?

• After Mark - 65-67CE

• After the last recorded event in 62CE, before cited in 170CE by Irenaeus (Bock)

• Conservative scholars claim between 60-70CE, NT scholars claim within the 80s

Before 70CE

• Luke never mentioned major events.

  • Fall of Jerusalem -70CE

• Rome and Christian relationships

  • Rome was portrayed as still friendly - no strong evidence of persecution.

• Jew-gentile relationships

  • Reassurance to gentiles’ belonging

• Pauline Epistles never mentioned

  • It was significant especially as Luke traveled with Paul

• Dating of Acts

  • End of acts focus on 54-49CE

  • Acts dated to mid-60s

    • Earlier than 64CE (Bruce)

• Mid 60s - Bock

• Mid-late 60s - Carson and Moo

After 70CE

• Luke was written after Mark - dated mid to late 60s

• Prophecies about the destruction were placed back in Jesus’ mouth after destruction

• Luke doesn’t want to offend Romans

  • Leaves out Jerusalem’s destruction

Fitzmyer: 80-85CE

• Not enough time for “many” accounts

• Too much detail for destruction

Q3 Where was the Gospel written?

We don’t know exactly where it was written

• If Caesarea → 60s

• If Rome → 60s - 80s

• If Antioch → Any Date

• If Greece → Any Date

Bovon - Rome

Fitzmyer - Anyone’s guess

Q4 What is the purpose of the Gospel? Why was the Gospel written?

Carson and Moo:

• Written to provide Theophilus and other gentile converts with reassurance about what God has done in Christ

Bock:

• To prove how Christianity is old and a continuation of Judaism, as religions were respected for age not newness

• Salvation belongs to everyone

• God is behind Christians, despite persecution

• Show who Jesus is and his teaching

• Show how to live as a Christian

Q5 What is the stated intention of the Author of the Gospel?

• Many have written accounts about the events of Jesus.

• Luke decided to write an account of what had happened according to eyewitnesses.

• Provide a well-ordered account, so Theophilus and other Gentiles can grasp what they had been taught about Jesus.

• Audience have a firm grasp of what has been taught

Q6 What are the implied intentions of the author of the Gospel?

Carson and Moo:

• Written to provide Theophilus and other gentile converts with reassurance about what God has done in Christ

Bock:

• To prove how Christianity is old and a continuation of Judaism, as religions were respected for age not newness

  1. Salvation belongs to everyone

  2. God is behind Christians, despite persecution

  3. Show who Jesus is and his teaching

  4. Show how to live as a Christian

Burge and Green:

• God’s salvation for the marginalised (poor, oppressed, sinful)

Beasley-Murray:

• Christianity is for everyone, of all races, genders, and social statuses

Gundry:

• Anything new was suspected, but traditions are trusted

• Display that Christianity is a continuation of Judaism (Bock)

Q7 In the light of the other Gospels, what reason did the author have for writing this Gospel, and what did they wish to achieve?

Strauss: Synoptic gospels are different from John, and the Gospels all have different emphasise

Synoptic Gospels

• Galilean setting emphasised

• Little about the length of the Ministry

• Parables and short saying

• Focuses on the Kingdom of God, healing, exorcisms, and salvation

John

• Moving between Galilee and Judea

• 3 different Passover meals

• Long speeches, dialogues, and interviews

• Focuses on Jesus as the son of God, and the revelation of God the Father

• Most theological

Matthew:

• Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the fulfilment of the Old Testament

• Most Structured

Mark:

• Jesus is the suffering Son of Man, who offers himself as a sacrifice for sins.

• Most dramatic

Luke:

• Jesus is the Saviour for all people and brings salvation to all nations

• Luke is also the most thematic (follow the themes)

Q8 Who is the intended audience of the Gospel? Who was the Gospel written to?

Theophilus

• Gentile

• The name means “Lover of God” in Greek

• Know the Septuagint well

• Possibly a recent convert - doubting due to persecutions (Bock)

• High social status, perhaps Roman aristocrat

• May have funded Luke through his writings

Some scholars: Theophilus was also thought of as a community of people who love God

Stein and Powell: - Jews + gentiles, mainly gentile - explaining many Jewish terms and ideas

Bock: - Luke was written to any gentile

Q9 What is the background of the community for whom the Gospel was written?

Scholars largely agree the Lukan community was:

• Urban

• Hellenistic

• missionary-minded

Carson and Moo: - Luke is written to a wider audience of Gentiles and Jews

• The Gospel was presented in the context of secular history

• The universal implication of the gospel

• Begins genealogy with Adam, showing Jesus is for all

• Leaves out Jewish laws

• Sub out Jewish titles with the Greek equivalent

Setin: Location:

• Antioch

• Achaia

• Rome

• Caesarea

• Decapolis

• Asia Minor

Q10 What Literary forms and techniques does the Gospel author use?

Blomberg:

6 main forms of the gospel:

• Sayings of Jesus

  • Wisdom, apocalyptic, and legal sayings

• Pronouncement stories

  • Conflicts between Jesus and authorities

  • Highlights the authorities to Jesus

• Parables

  • Easy-to-understand teachings usually about the kingdom of God

  • Lead people into self-reflection

• Speeches

  • Jesus used figurative speeches to make his point

• Miracle stories

  • Often request help

  • Jesus intervenes

  • Desirable result/observers’ reaction

• Other historical narratives

  • Annunciation Stories - Jesus’ birth, childhood, and resurrection

Luke used many literary techniques, the most popular one was the Chiasm: pattern ideas in A-B-C-B’-A’ formate