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Product Description

Advanced college students, seminarians, and graduate students will appreciate this broadly accessible introduction to Christianity’s first historian and his work. Parsons examines Luke as a storyteller within the context of ancient rhetorical criticism as practiced in the Hellenistic world and as represented by the Hellenistic rhetorical tradition. Moving on to Luke as an interpreter of traditional materials and social conventions, he ends with an exploration of Luke the evangelist, and his view of Jesus as a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of the people of Israel. Considering these three angles of vision and the clarity each one provides for understanding Luke and Acts, Parsons offers a significant contribution to the overall appreciation for Luke’s literary and theological accomplishments.

Reviews

"In this well-researched, if specialized, study, Baylor University scholar Parsons draws on a wealth of resources to explore how the author of the Gospel of Luke functions as an ancient bard, an interpreter of received traditions, and an evangelist of the early Church. Situating Luke in his Hellenistic and late Jewish context, Parsons locates Luke’s canny control of narrative and his dramatic storytelling skills in the arts of ancient Greek rhetoric. Parsons demonstrates, for example, the ways that Luke used Greek rhetorical exercises as a means of structuring the preface to his own gospel. Luke’s writing was enriched, according to Parsons, because of his lively interpretations of Hellenistic ideas such as friendship and Jewish notions such as the suffering servant. As an evangelist, Luke redefined the idea of Christianity and the roles that Gentiles could play in this Jewish sect."
—Publishers Weekly Religion Bookline

“Most of the chapters in this introduction to Luke-Acts were ‘road tested’ as previously published articles in view of the eventual publication of this volume. Rather than a comprehensive introduction, much less a commentary, Parsons offers helpful probes into each of three dimensions of Luke cited in the title: the evangelist''''s rhetorical and theological perspectives as ‘storyteller,’ his use of Jewish and Greco-Roman tradition as ‘interpreter’ (using the example of Luke''''s employment of the category of ‘friendship’), and a consideration of his proclamation as ‘light of salvation to the Gentiles’ under the category of ‘evangelist.’”
—The Bible Today

“Advanced college students, seminarians, and graduate students will appreciate this broadly accessible introduction to Christianity’s first historian and his work. Parsons examines Luke as a storyteller within the context of ancient rhetorical criticism as practiced in the Hellenistic world and as represented by the Hellenistic rhetorical tradition. Moving on to Luke as an interpreter of traditional materials and social conventions, he ends with an exploration of Luke the evangelist, and his view of Jesus as a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of the people of Israel. Considering these three angles of vision and the clarity each one provides for understanding Luke and Acts, Parsons offers a significant contribution to the overall appreciation for Luke’s literary and theological accomplishments.”
—Review of Biblical Literature

“Parsons’s incisive and challenging interpretations should move the field of Lucan studies forward on several important fronts, notably in terms of method and theology. This book will make an excellent addition to required reading lists for graduate courses on Luke and Acts.”
—Catholic Biblical Quarterly

“The book is intended for college students, seminarians, and graduate students, whose understanding of the social and literary context of Luke-Acts will not doubt be enhanced by reading Parson’s book. ”
—Theological Studies Book Reviews

“Parsons presents a work that is thought-provoking, even when one disagrees with the methods or conclusions. The author clearly presents and cogently argues his propositions. This book will be most useful to those who are already well-versed in Luke-Acts studies or those actively pursuing academic research in the area. . . . Parsons provides intriguing avenues for further exploration into the study of Luke as storyteller, interpreter, and evangelist.”
—Criswell Theological Review

“Parson’s work is well documented, engaging, thought provoking, and readable.”
—Restoration Quarterly

“. . . a welcome addition to the stock of scholarly reflection of Luke’s work, not least because notes to each chapter generously indicate the work’s underlying bibliography and the author’s engagement with other scholars.”
—Journal for the Study of the New Testament Booklist

Mikeal C. Parsons is a professor of religion at Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

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