Luke (Teach the Text Commentary Series)

by R. T. France

Publisher:

Baker

, 2013

Overview

Luke’s Gospel is about salvation. It is filled with Jesus’ encounters with lost, often marginalized people and the change he brought to their lives. Luke carefully sets his narrative both in the historical context of its day and within the prophetic context of God’s larger salvation history. In this commentary, noted scholar R.T. France provides valuable historical, theological, and practical insight for those who wish to faithfully teach and preach the powerful message of salvation found in Luke.

Key Features

• Examines Luke’s intent for his writing
• Contrasts Luke with the other gospels
• Contains illustrations, themes, and historical background
• Provides ideas on how to connect the text to the modern world

Contents

Top Highlights

“When Jesus says that ‘yours is the kingdom of God,’ the implication is that those who are not disciples fall outside the sphere of God’s rule and therefore also of his blessing. If to enter such a state entails poverty, then that poverty is a blessing. Jesus is not saying that being poor is a commendable state in itself.” (Page 106)

“The parable was spoken openly to ‘the people’ (20:9), and although it is not explicitly applied, the imagery was too obvious to miss. In the setting where they have just challenged Jesus’s authority, this was clearly a deliberate and public counterchallenge, calling on the people as a whole to support Jesus against their official leadership. If they had any doubts whether Jesus really was a serious threat to the status quo, and to their public authority, this parable has removed them. This is going to be a fight to the death.” (Page 317)

“Mary’s song reveals two complementary aspects of the character of God well known from the Old Testament. He is the mighty warrior who over throws those who oppose him, but he is also the God of the covenant whose love and faithfulness ensure the ultimate blessing of his chosen people.” (Page 23)

“But Mary is to be congratulated not on good fortune, but on her own faith, which has been willing to take God at his word even when what is promised seems incredible.” (Page 22)

“The parable of the good Samaritan, however, is not primarily a call to universal benevolence; rather, it is a challenge to social and ethnic stereotyping. For a Jew to be kind to a Samaritan might be unnatural, but such an act could afford a smug sense of superior goodness. But to be the recipient of unconditional love from a Samaritan would take a typical Jew far outside the comfort zone, since it challenges the very basis of Jewish identity as the true people of God. This parable, properly understood, is one of the most powerful challenges to racism in the Bible.” (Page 191)

Product Details

• Title: Luke
• Author: R. T. France
• Series: Teach the Text Commentary Series
• Publisher: Baker
• Print Publication Date: 2013
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 416
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. N.T. Luke › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9781441257321, 9780801092350, 9780801075995, 9781540902337, 1441257322, 0801092353, 0801075998, 1540902331
• Resource ID: LLS:TTCS63LU
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T17:13:00Z

About R. T. France

R.T. France (1938–2012) was a New Testament scholar who served as a senior lecturer at London Bible College, principal of Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University, and honorary research fellow at Bangor University. He is the author and editor of many books, including The New Bible Commentary, the commentary on Matthew in The New International Commentary on the New Testament, and the commentary on Mark in The New International Greek Testament Commentary.