Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine Luke’s understanding of Jesus’ death which has been described in Luke 23:44-49. For this purpose, we have conducted examinations utilizing the approach of intertextuality between Luke 23:44-49 and the Peter"s Pentecost speech in Acts 2:14-41.<BR> Findings from this study are as follows.<BR> In Luke 23:44-49, Jesus has been portrayed as the obedient son of God doing His will. This theme has been expressed by the last word of Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:46; Ps. 30:6 quotation), exposing Jesus’ complete trust in God. Through the lips of Peter, Luke says that Jesus" death was ‘the plan of God’(Acts 2:23), and proclaims that the promise of God about the resurrection of Jesus has been fulfilled (Acts 2:24-28). In Luke, the death of Jesus was on the way to the eschatological ‘last days’(Luke 23:44-45), and the ‘last days’ have been inaugurated by the Jesus’ pouring out of the Spirit upon the disciples on the Pentecost(Acts 2:17-21; Joel 2:28-32 LXX quotation). Furthermore, Luke declares that Jesus was not only the ‘innocent’ but also the ‘righteous’ one(23:47). This notion is supported by Psalm 15 LXX(Acts 2:25-28 quotation) in which it is implied that according to the late Jewish thought about life after death: the righteous one does not go down to ‘sheol’ but ascends directly to the paradise in heaven. The reference of Luke about the people’s guilty feeling about Jesus’ death in Peter"s speech(Acts 2:37), appears similarly in the death of Jesus(Luke 23:48).<BR> Luke 23:44-49 and Acts 2:14-41 are the hermeneutical keys for each other and illustrate the dynamics of the texts. Luke saw Jesus on the cross, who had been faithful to God and who entrusted himself to God until the last moment. On the basis of this understanding, Luke depicted the death of Jesus through a sophisticated literary work.

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