Theologie der lukanischen Schriften

Abstract

Theologie der lukanischen Schriften, by Petr Pokorny. FRLANT 174. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998. Pp. 225. DM 48.00. German scholarship has more often criticized than commended Lukan theology, typically viewing it as a triumphalist (theologia gloriae) and early catholic dilution of Paul's vital faith in Christ's atoning death and urgent hope in Christ's consummative Parousia While indebted to this critical tradition forged by such notables as P. Vielhauer, H. Conzelmann, and E. Kasemann, the present work moves markedly beyond its predecessors in appreciating Luke's distinctive theological contribution and its perduring relevance in the modern world. Although touching on a wide range of issues, this study chiefly aims to elucidate Luke's vibrant vision of God's overarching plan of salvation for humankind (Heilsgeschichte). In terms of method, the author follows standard techniques of redaction and composition criticism based on the two-source hypothesis and the presumed literary and theological unity of Luke and Acts. He discerns the main tendencies of Lukan theology in a web of editorial emendations, recurrent motifs, and proof texts scattered throughout Luke's two-volume work. But he judiciously balances this systematic approachwith its potential for selective abstraction and circular reasoning-with several sustained, incisive exegeses of key Lukan narratives, notably, the presentation of the infant Jesus (Luke 2:22-40), the parables of the Lost Son (15:11-32) and Pharisee/tax collector (18:9-14), the Emmaus road journey (24:13-35), and Paul's Areopagus speech (Acts 17:16-34). This study first sets out to explicate Luke's understanding of the scope and purpose of the people of The temple prophecy of the aged Simeon is programmatic. As the Lord's servant now ready to depart in peace, Simeon signals, in Pokorny's view, the salvation-historical shift away from national Israel to the universal people of The revelation of Jesus as Israel's Messiah ushers in the decisive age of redemptive peace ... in the presence of all peoples (Luke 2:29-32; cf. 2:10, 14). In the Lukan scheme, the church-which bears witness to this gospel of Jesus Messiah-constitutes the people of God. The church, however, is not conceived as the Israel, but rather as the mediator (Mittlerin) between Israel and humankind. Some within Israel will rise (along with Gentiles) to welcome God's glorious visitation in Jesus, while others will stumble and fall (Luke 2:34). The main obstacle to faith will be the scandal of Jesus' crucifixion. The messianic secret for Luke is not (daft) Jesus is the Messiah, but how (wie) he fulfills that role (p. 81). Ironically, the necessity (dei) of the Messiah's suffering, which many in Israel resisted, is patently disclosed in the Jewish Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27; cf. v. 32). While forming the eschatological community of God's people, the church is not, in Lukan terms, coterminous with the kingdom of Through its witness to God's acceptance of estranged sinners and satisfaction of humanity's deepest longing (Sehnsucht), the church inaugurates and anticipates the final restoration (Wiederherstellung) of all things under the rule of God's exalted Messiah (Acts 3:20-21). Modifying Conzelmann's classic periodization of Lukan Heilsgeschichte, in which the earthly Jesus stands in the middle of time, followed by the extended era of the church coping with Jesus' dilatory return, Pokorny sees both Luke and Acts depicting complementary middle phases of salvation history or, alternatively, a double (Doppelanfang): Acts presents a new beginning (cf. …