These hymns, the Magnificat, Benedictus and Nunc Dimittis, are a familiar part of Christian liturgy; but their origin is uncertain, their meaning debated and their significance within Luke-Acts often ignored. This monograph argues that they were composed in Hebrew by Jewish-Christian poets, and were incorporated by the evangelist as anticipating certain key themes of his own work.

It has long been recognized that the Greek of the Lukan infancy narrative (chapters 1-2) displays numerous Semitic features. Although the majority of recent scholarship assumes that such features stem from an imitation of the Septuagint (imitation theory), the issue has not been settled satisfactorily. Others argue that Luke probably relied on a written source for the infancy narrative-or at least for some parts of it-and that this source material was composed in imitation of the Septuagint. Luke was not, however, merely the reviser or compiler of his source; rather, he rewrote the source employing his own style and language for his own purpose. Here, Chang-Wook Jung examines the arguments most commonly put forward by both sides and considers their merits.

Time and space can take on a sacred nature in both Judaism and Christianity accompanied by a permanent critical attitude towards the sacred. Conceptions of sacredness imply a conception of community and of society at large. This study investigates the different attitudes toward sacred time and space from an interdisciplinary perspective, ranging from the Biblical period through Qumran, Patristics, Rabbinics, archaeology and theology to modern and even to post-modern rituals. This approach offers a fascinating insight into both the common heritage of Judaism and Christianity and their mutual differences.

The nature of Lukan christology has been much debated in recent years, with scholars claiming the pre-eminence of such categories as Lord, Prophet, Christ, or Isaianic Servant. In the present work the author examines one major theme within Luke's christology, that of the coming king from the line of David. A study of the Lukan birth narrative and the speeches in Acts reveals that Luke shows a strong interest in this royal-messianic theme, introducing it into passages which are introductory and programmatic for his christology as a sermon, portraying Jesus in strongly prophetic terms. The author seeks a synthesis of these seemingly conflicting royal and prophetic portraits in Luke's interpretation of the Old Testament book of Isaiah. When Isaiah is read as a unity, the eschatological deliverer is at the same time Davidic king (Isa. 9.11), suffering servant of Yahweh (Isa. 42-53), and prophet herald of salvation (Isa. 61), leading God's people on an eschatological new exodus. On the basis of this synthesis the christology of Luke-Acts is seen to be both consistent and unified, forming an integral part of Luke's wider purpose in his two-volume work.

THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY is for the minister or Bible student who wants to understand and expound the Scriptures. Notable features include:* commentary based on THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION;* the NIV text printed in the body of the commentary;* sound scholarly methodology that reflects capable research in the original languages;* interpretation that emphasizes the theological unity of each book and of Scripture as a whole;* readable and applicable exposition.

One in an ongoing series of esteemed and popular Bible commentary volumes based on the New International Version text.

Nearly all of the 175 articles in the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels have been reconceived and rewritten to reflect developments in the field since the 1992 edition. Showcasing the work of a new generation of scholars, this volume surveys scholarship and method in historical Jesus studies, New Testament textual criticism and more.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

Scholarly discussion concerning Elijah in Luke is affected mainly by the detection of the many allusions to Elijah in connection with Jesus and, at the same time, by noting the absence of some associations of Elijah with John the Baptist familiar from the Gospel according to Mark. This twofold observation has brought many scholars to rethink whether or not Luke continues to present John as the Elijah who was to come. In Luke's perspective, John is the Elijah promised by Malachi acting «in the spirit and power» of the Elijah of old. Luke, furthermore, agrees with Malachi that the promised messenger prepares for «the Lord». These and several other claims concerning the theme are proposed to the reader as the fruit both of the scholarly discussion and of an analysis of the appropriate Lucan texts in this monograph.

This Luke commentary bundle features volumes from the NIV Application Commentary Series, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series, and Expositor's Bible Commentary Series authored by Darrell L. Bock, David E. Garland, Walter L. Liefeld, and David W. Pao. The diverse features from each of the volumes gives you all the tools you need to master the book of Luke.