According To Luke PB

According To Luke by David Gooding - 9781874584261

Right from the start of his gospel Luke makes it clear that the story of Jesus is neither ancient myth nor contemporary fable. It is straightforward history. To emphasize this he provides us with historical coordinates. He informs us, for example that when John began publicly to introduce Christ to his nation it was in the fifteenth year of the Emperor Tiberius' reign, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. This is, then, an historical account. But what does Luke's history of Jesus mean? And how can we be certain that we have understood the message that he has presented in his account of Christ's life?

In his book "According to Luke" David Gooding asks us to begin by recalling that Luke is an ancient and not a modern historian. A modern historian might compile a list of the things that Jesus did and taught, and then ass his own explanations. But Luke has more in common with ancient historians such as Thucydides and writers of Old Testament books such as Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel. With minimal comment, he has grouped the material about Christ in a way that leads thoughtful readers to discover for themselves the point and purpose of each incident. Luke is, then, both historian and artist.

With profound understanding of both the Scriptures and the classical world that influenced Luke, this exposition leads us through the aristry of Lukes presentation. However familiar the terrain of this Gospel, we will find that having an experienced guide makes a difference. By bringing out the significance of the narrative as a whole, David Gooding's analysis will help us to arrive at a confident understanding of Luke's message and open up insightful lines of application.