This groundbreaking work by Darrell Bock thoroughly explores the theology of Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. In his writing, Luke records the story of God working through Jesus to usher in a new era of promise and Spirit-enablement so that the people of God can be God’s people even in the midst of a hostile world. It is a message the church still needs today. Bock both covers major Lukan themes and sets forth the distinctive contribution of Luke-Acts to the New Testament and the canon of Scripture, providing readers with an in-depth and holistic grasp of Lukan theology in the larger context of the Bible. I. Howard Marshall: “A remarkable achievement that should become the first port of call for students in this central area of New Testament Theology.” Craig S. Keener: “Bock’s excellent exploration of Luke’s theological approach and themes meets an important need in Lukan theology.”

What is the meaning of the Holy Spirit's activity in Luke-Acts, and what are its implications for today? Roger Stronstad offers a cogent and thought-provoking study of Luke as a charismatic theologian whose understanding of the Spirit was shaped wholly by his understanding of Jesus and the nature of the early church. Stronstad locates Luke's pneumatology in the historical background of Judaism and views Luke as an independent theologian who makes a unique contribution to the pneumatology of the New Testament. This work challenges traditional Protestants to reexamine the impact of Pentecost and explores the Spirit's role in equipping God's people for the unfinished task of mission. The second edition has been revised and updated throughout and includes a new foreword by Mark Allan Powell.

Acts is the sequel to Luke's gospel and tells the story of Jesus's followers during the 30 years after his death. It describes how the 12 apostles, formerly Jesus's disciples, spread the message of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean against a background of persecution. With an introduction by P.D. James

'But God Raised Him from the Dead' is the first comprehensive study of Jesus' resurrection in Luke-Acts. Through wide-sweeping research and detailed exegesis, Dr. Anderson supports the claim that the resurrection of Jesus is the focus of the message of salvation in Luke-Acts. The study situates Luke's resurrection theology within Jewish and Hellenistic conceptions of the afterlife, and addresses critical questions in Lukan studies, such as the relationship between resurrection, ascension, and exaltation and the vital linkage between Jesus' resurrection, the hope of Israel, and the final resurrection of the dead. 'But God Raised Him from the Dead' demonstrates how the resurrection of Messiah-Jesus is indispensable to the major theological dimensions of Luke's narrative of God's saving action. Jesus' resurrection is a key component in the divine plan to raise up the Savior for Israel, to extend God's saving benefits to the ends of the earth, and to guarantee the complete fulfillment of the hope of Israel and salvation of the people of God at the final resurrection of the dead.

This work illuminates the tension between divine empowering and the neglected element of the work of the Spirit in contexts of opposition. This lacuna, not addressed in previous Pentecostal scholarship, is at the heart of Mittelstadt's exegesis. Thus, Jesus not only lives and ministers in the power of the Holy Spirit, but also experiences opposition and persecution as a man of the Spirit. Further, the Lukan Jesus not only transfers the Spirit to his disciples, but also anticipates a similar fate for his followers. Finally, Luke forecasts that this divine enablement of the Spirit, also available for future witnesses, brings with it a similar anticipation of the same rejection and opposition as was experienced by Jesus and the disciples. While Pentecostals owe a debt of gratitude for the pioneering work of Pentecostal scholars, this book furthers their efforts by exploring the implications of Spirit-led witness in Luke-Acts.

"The meaning of this book is that the walls must come down between Pentecostals and evangelicals. If canonical Luke has a charismatic theology as Stronstad proves, we cannot consider Pentecostalism to be a kind of aberration born of experiential excesses buta 20th century revival of New Testament theology and religion. It has not only restored joy and power to the church but a clearer reading of the Bible as well." --

A distinguished group of scholars here provides a comprehensive survey of the theology of the early church as it is presented by the author of Acts. The twenty-five articles show the current state of scholarship and the main themes of theology in Acts.

This book, the first comprehensive study of persecution in Luke-Acts from a literary and theological perspective, argues that the author uses the theme of persecution in pursuit of his theological agenda. It brings to the surface six theological functions of the persecution theme, which has an important paraenetic and especially apologetic role for Luke's persecuted community. The persecution Luke's readers suffer is evidence that they are legitimate recipients of God's salvific blessings.

In this widely-acclaimed study, Dr Esler makes extensive use of sociology and anthropology to examine the author of Luke Acts' theology as a response to social and political pressures upon the Christian community for whom he was writing. As well as interesting those concerned with recent developments in New Testament scholarship, Esler's book offers a New Testament paradigm for those interested in generating a theology attuned to the social and political realities affecting contemporary Christian congregations.

Among New Testament writers, who is the best historian? Without a doubt, says Justo Gonzalez, it s Luke. Concerned about the particulars of people and events, Luke also gives readers the big picture, positioning the stories of Jesus not just in the history of Israel but in the history of humankind. Luke uniquely tells us the grand story of salvation -- then and now. Gonzalez skillfully highlights key themes in Luke s storytelling, including his strong emphasis on God s great reversals, his keen interest in shared meals and their intimate connection to worship and communion, and his passionate underscoring of both the saving work of Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Writing in a conversational style, Gonzalez draws readers into Luke s story with fresh overviews and rich details, showing how Luke invites us to continue his gospel witness today.