ESCHATOLOGY
IN LUKE-ACTS (MUOGBO MICHAEL SSPP/THEO/18/0734)
Much recent discussion of Luke and his theology
has revolved around his interpretation of the eschatological outlook of early
Christianity. Throughout the entire New Testament, just as in the
Old Testament, the theme eschatology is intertwined. Jesus is an eschatological
Messiah in Luke and Acts, specifically referred to as the Son of Man in Luke
and shown as the Holy Spirit working among men in Acts. Luke places increased
emphasis on the theme of eschatological judgment as a warrant for moral
behavior in the present time. He contributes distinctively to the
eschatological picture by opening longer constructive prospects for the
church’s continuing existence in history and by highlighting the role of the
eschatological spirit in the church’s present existence.[1]
In both the Gospel and
Acts Luke enhances the eschatological significance of the present. In the
Gospel, the Kingdom of God is present in a dynamic way through the ministry of
Jesus and His disciples. In Acts the Holy Spirit inaugurates the new age and
enables Luke to continue to speak of Christ as the present Lord. In both books
Jesus’ disciples are to be recognized as the historical eschatological
community of salvation. Luke’s eschatological views determine his theology
about the disciples of Jesus. These disciples are for Luke men and women who
enjoy the salvation bestowed by Jesus, and as such occupy an identifiable and
privileged position so that in the Gospel and Acts they can be called “those
who are being saved”.[2]
Luke’s eschatology is inseparable from his Christology; what Jesus
does and who Jesus is are related ideas for Luke. We need not discuss the
titles that Luke gives to Jesus but simply comment on two important ones which
especially help us to understand Luke’s ideas. Luke stresses that Jesus is both
the Davidic Royal messiah and the Eschatological Prophet. Luke’s special
interest in describing Jesus as the Davidic royal messiah is not political, it
is eschatological. He has charismatic
endowments, and his reign is to last forever.[3]Luke boldly affirms that
Jesus is that awaited kingly messiah, God’s agent in this day of eschatological
fulfillment. Anointing by the Spirit was also the mark of the prophet (1Kings
19:16, 1 Chron. 16:22, Ps. 105:15). Twice Luke takes over passages from Mark in
which Jesus is called a prophet (Mk. 6:15, Lk. 9:8; Mk.8:28, Lk. 9:19); and
once, a passage in which Jesus likens Himself to a prophet (Mk. 6:4, Lk. 4:24).
In Luke’s special material the crowds at Nain say of Jesus, “A great prophet
has arisen amongst us” (Lk.7:16). This prophetic portrayal of Jesus is however
most significant in the story of Jesus at Nazareth.Here he takes the mantle of prophecy
and announces thatHe Himself is the fulfilment of prophecy.
The message of Jesus
according to Luke, as with the other synoptic evangelists, may be most
concisely summed up as “the Kingdom of God”.[4]The kingdom of God is by definition the future eschatological age.
The innumerable studies of this subject reveal its theological importance. If
we can discover Luke’s own understanding of the Kingdom we will be well on the
way to understanding his total eschatological perspective. Several passages, in
which we would suspect that Luke’s own theology can be detected, show that for
him the Kingdom of God was, in part at least, a present reality manifesting
itself and making claims upon men from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In the
mission instruction of the seventy-two Luke records Jesus’ command to preach,
saying ‘…The Kingdom of God has drawn near to you’ (Lk. 10:9), and he adds the
proviso that if they are rejected they are to announce ‘…yet know and be sure
that the kingdom of God is near’ (Lk. 10:11). The literal meaning of ‘near’ in
the New Testament denotes ‘nearness in space’ and correspondingly the verb ‘approach’
declares that “one has come nearer to a place than before but has not reached
it”. When these words are used temporally they denote “an event which is near,
but has not yet taken place”.[5] The Kingdom was near to
men in its proclamation by Jesus or His disciples. The kingdom of God is
present event for the individual in the witness of the seventy. It is the local
nearness of a present reality. The spatial meaning is confirmed by the context.
The words of warning and judgment are pronounced not simply because the message
of the seventy-two is rejected, but because they themselves, as bearers of the
kingdom, are not received (Lk. 10:10). Rejection of them is the same as
rejection of Jesus which is in turn the rejection of God. The seventy-two are
representatives and heralds not of a kingdom which will come in the future, but
of a kingdom which is evident here and now. In gathering the eschatological
harvest (Lk.10:2), the powers of the age to come break into history (Lk.
10:19). Men are healed, the devil is cast down (Lk. 10:17), messianic peace is
bestowed (Lk. 10:5). It is more than “the message of the kingdom”[6] which is present, it is
the reality itself.[7]
The kingdom of God is proclaimed as good news and
everyone presses into it (Lk16:16),[8] some views advocates that
the kingdom of God is a victim,[9] it is under attack. The
opponents of the Kingdom of God on Luke’s context are the Pharisees, but it
could refer to demonic forces.[10] Preaching the kingdom of
God is uniquely Lukan, For Conzelmann it only means "the message of the
Kingdom is present.[11] In contrast Elli s claims
that these statements should be understood in relation to the Old Testament
ideas about “the word of God”. He writes, “Like the creative word of God in
Genesis (1:3) the word of the Kingdom contains
within it the reality of the new creation itself”.[12]
In the chapter 19:11-27 of the Gospel, Luke’s introduction to the
parable of the coins also shows that it was told to the disciples. The
disciples expect Jesus to march into Jerusalem and inaugurate the kingdom of
God at once, but the parable serves as a narrative to cool the eschatological
fervor of the disciples. The noble man in the parable represent Jesus himself
who is to go away to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33) and return ultimately in
power. Thus the final words of Jesus to the community in Luke-Acts community
are ‘forget the eschatological timetable; your job is to be my witnesses’.
Despite the subsequent angelic affirmation that Jesus will return the same way
that the apostles have seen him go, the emphasis is shifted away from the
future expectation (“why do you stand looking up towards heaven”) and towards
the immediate mission (Acts 1:10-11).[13]
By allowing the
disciples to be preachers of the kingdom in both the Gospel and Acts, Luke is
contemporizing the gospel narrative to prefigure the universal mission, and by
associating Jesus and the kingdom in acts, he shows that both are creative
present possibilities. Jesus the preacher and Jesus the preached, both makes
the kingdom of God a present reality.[14] To preach the gospel
means for Luke “that in the events produced by the Spirit in Jesus’ pre- and
post resurrection missions the kingdom itself it being manifested”.[15]It has been said correctly that in the third gospel, the whole narrative
is so written as to lead through successive phases in Galilee and Samaria, to
climax in Jerusalem which culminates in the ascension.[16]
It is not just a matter of preparing for, or frequently alluding to the
ascension, the ascension is foundational to the Lukan theology. It is more
important to Luke than the parousia. The present glory of Jesus in heaven
rather than the future glory of Jesus at the parousia fill’s luke’s mind as he
write both book. The point is that the ascension and the coming of the holy
spirit in themselves introduce the last days as far as Luke is concerned. To
put it another way the ascension and Pentecost in Acts is an eschatological or
to be even more precise, the eschatological event. The fact that Luke
understands the spirit as an eschatological sign is shown by the fact that he
alters the opening of Joel quotation in Acts 2:17 from “afterwards” to “in the
last days”. The out pouring of the spirit prefigures the end, and thus the
community that lives and acts in the power of the spirit is an eschatological
community, bringing God’s future into being in the communal life and thus
witnessing to the world about the power of the resurrection. This conviction
imparts to the book of Acts its tremendous energy and forward thrust.[17]
[1] R. Hays, The
Moral vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary introduction to New Testament
Ethics, Continuum, New York (NY) 1996, 129.
[2] Cf Lk.
13:32, Acts 2:47
[3] R. Fuller, The Foundations of New Testament Christology, Scribners, New York
(NY) 1965), 28.
[4]cf. Luke 4:43
[5] W. Kummel,
Promise and Fulfilment, S.C.M., London I96I ,
19.
[6] H. Conzelmann, The Theology of St. Luke, Paber &
Paber London I96I, 114.
[7] G. Norman,
The community of salvation in the theology of St. Luke, Durham Theses,
Durham University 1974, 10.
[8] R. Otto, The Kingdom of
God and the Son of Man, Lutterworth Press, London 1943, 108-112.
[9] F. Danker, Luke 16:16 : An Opposition Legion , J.B.L., 1958, 236.
[10] J. Kallas,
The Significance of the
Synoptic Miracles, S.P.C.K.V, London 1961,
73.
[11] H. Conzelmann, The Theology of St. Luke, 122.
[12] E. Ellis,
The Gospel of Luke, The
Century Bible, T.Nelson & Son, London 1966,
I4.
[13] R. Hays, The
Moral vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary introduction to New Testament
Ethics, 130-131
[14]G. Norman,
The community of salvation in the theology of St. Luke,
Durham Theses, Durham university 1974,
12
[15] E. Ellis, The Gospel of Luke, The
Century Bible, 14.
[16] C. Jones,
“The Epistle to the Hebrews and the Lucan writings", in D.E.
Nineham (ed) Studies in the Gospels, 125.
[17] R. Hays, The
Moral vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary introduction to New Testament
Ethics, 131.
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