The College Press NIV Commentary Series: Luke
Overview
What should Christians do about the poor? Are Christians saved by being good disciples, or is salvation an absolutely free gift? When can Christians expect Jesus to return? Does prayer really change God's plans? How can we be sure of the historical facts of the story of Jesus? Although they could be topics from last night's Bible study, these questions were of great importance to Luke and his first readers. In other words, Luke's questions are our questions. Luke and his first readers were very much like us. They were not among the first generation of believers. Yet these readers of the Gospel of Luke were educated people, having been raised on the best human thinking. Being bright and inquisitive, yet knowing the basics about Jesus and his followers, they had many questions. And Luke gave them answers. The single goal of the present commentary is to place modern readers into the shoes of the first readers of Luke's Gospel. The assumption behind this commentary is that we can only know what Luke means if we know what Luke meant. We are especially fortunate in this regard to be examining the Gospel of Luke, since Luke, more than any other Gospel writer, tells us what the message of Jesus meant in a later day. To give his readers this information, Luke provides a sequel—the book of Acts. The present commentary therefore looks at the Gospel of Luke from the perspective of Acts, the best commentary on Luke's Gospel, and with a view toward the modern church.
Top Highlights
“He simply means that people such as this manager understand how to use possessions to secure their futures better than Christians (‘children of light’) understand how to use their possessions to ensure a place in the kingdom.” (Luke 16:8b)
“I prefer to think that Jesus’ mention of ‘all these things’ refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the beginning of the signs of the second coming, which did occur during the lifetime of some of his hearers (within about forty years).14 This solution preserves the natural meaning of ‘this generation’ and assumes that ‘all these things’ which must happen are the signs which lead up to the final event but do not include the final event itself.” (Luke 21:32–33)
“ the primary teaching is about Jesus, who in this story shows himself more powerful than a whole legion of Satan’s best.” (Luke 8:26–39)
“He is called not only Savior (one who delivers a people from their enemies) but also Christ (Greek for ‘Messiah’) and Lord (master, implying his followers are his slaves).” (Luke 2:8–12)
“The fact that Lazarus has a name is unusual in a parable.” (Luke 16:19a)
- Title: Luke
- Author: Mark C. Black
- Series: College Press NIV Commentary
- Publisher: College Press
- Print Publication Date: 1996
- Logos Release Date: 2001
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. Luke › Commentaries
- Resource ID: LLS:29.47.4
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-04-26T02:10:29Z
