Book Review: A Theology of Luke and Acts

Here is a book for you consider adding to your library: A Theology of Luke and Acts. The author is Darrell Bock, who is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. It is in a class of reference works called Biblical Theology. As a reference work, it is not one that you would just sit down and read from cover to cover, but rather you would use it as a study aid. You would be looking for specific information about a Bible doctrine that you are studying. With this book, you would want to know what does the Bible teach in the book of Luke and Acts about the doctrine of God, or the Holy Spirit, or the church?

 

After covering some introductory information in the first part of the book (including a thorough and helpful outline of both Luke and Acts in chapter 4), Bock then begins taking a chapter at a time to look at various doctrinal teachings. Here are some examples of chapter titles that will give you the idea:

Ø  Chapter 5: The Plan, Activity and Character of God: A Survey in Narrative Order

Ø  Chapter 6: The God of Promise, Fulfillment, and Salvation: Synthesis of Texts on the Plan of God

Ø  Chapter 9: The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts: Power and Enablement for the Promise and Witness of the New Era

Ø  Chapter 12: Israel in Luke-Acts

Ø  Chapter 17: Women, the Poor, and the Social Dimensions in Luke-Acts

Ø  Chapter 20: Eschatology, Judgment, and Hope for the Future in Luke-Acts

I think you get the idea. These chapters make up the vast majority of the book, (which is almost 500 pages!). Let me give you some of the ideas that Bock gives us in his chapter on Eschatology to help you more.

The chapter is outlined to easily follow the author’s logic in presenting the teaching of Luke. He sees the Kingdom being taught in two parts: the Already and the Not Yet. The Already teaching is the promise of a kingdom to come from the Old Testament prophecies and the ministry of John the Baptist. The Not Yet element shows what Luke teaches concerning the Kingdom “in which God’s promises will be brought to full realization. All the prophetic promises made to Israel will be fulfilled (Acts 3:19-21).”

From that point, Bock moves to talking about accountability in connection with eschatology: We are motivated to serve by “love generated by the grace of God” (Luke 7:36-50), as well as “duty of service” (Luke 17:7-10), which is thoroughly emphasized through some of the parables that Luke includes in his narrative.

The author also deals with the visit of the Messiah in connection with the Battle with Satan and his demons, with Jesus, as well as Paul as recorded in Acts, “turning people from Satan to God, showing the cosmic dimensions of the battle and the victory that comes through the one God has sent.” The theme of hope is also emphasized in Acts, mostly through the messages that are preached by Paul. This hope is always connected to the “hope of Israel” (Acts 28:20). But, as Bock points out:

Israel’s story of hope is also the world’s story of hope. So Acts ends with Paul speaking to anyone who listen about the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:30-31). This is where Luke’s eschatology takes us-to the kingdom of God and to Jesus as its Lord Messiah. Deliverance, vindication, justice, hope, and peace are found here for Luke.

This is a scholarly work, not easy to just pick up and read. Prepare yourself for some serious study. But you will gain much valuable information from it. You will be better able to explain what God wants us to know about Himself and His plan. There is a helpful scripture index at the end of the book that you can go to time and again when you are studying various passages, just to find out what someone has to say about the verses you are studying.

Zondervan provided me with a copy of this book to review and share my thoughts. They did not require to me make any recommendation. But I do recommend it for the serious Christian who wants to know more about what they believe and why they believe it.