125. What was the Tax-Collector Asking God to do? (Luke 18:13 hilaskesthai)
One of Jesus’ most poignant and subversive parables tells about two contrasting individuals — a Pharisee and a tax-collector who find themselves in the Jerusalem temple praying to Yahweh at the same time! This is one of the few parables in which the theme or topic is defined before the parable is presented (Luke 18:9). [...]
108. Mary’s “Interpretation” (sumballein) of the Shepherds’ News (Luke 2:19)
We do not have a lot of information about Mary, the mother of Jesus in the writings of the New Testament apart from Luke-Acts and Matthew. Twice in the short notices that define her Luke says that she preserved (sunetērei, 2:19; dietērei, 2:51) certain information. In the first instance it is the prophetic announcement given [...]
85. The “Coming of the Holy Spirit Upon You”
Luke 1:35 and Acts 1:8
It is probable that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles form one literary work split into two volumes. The overlap between the ending of this Gospel and the beginning of Acts, with focus upon the Ascension of Jesus Christ, as well as the dedication of both volumes to Theophilus, would be [...]
84. Discerning the Presence of God’s Kingdom
(Luke 17:20-21 – meta paratērēseōs)
Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God remains the most complex element of his message. Today, two thousand years after he made his proclamation that “the time stands fulfilled; the Kingdom of God stands near” (Mark 1:15), we struggle to comprehend all of its mystery. We are not surprised then to read in the Gospel [...]