The Gospel of Luke is a book about Jesus, claiming to provide assurance concerning what its reader has been taught about Jesus. But how does it do that? This book provides an answer to that question by helping readers understand Luke as a gospel story in its historical context and with appreciation for the author's literary artistry and theological perspectives.
Part one explores background information and literary features of Luke such as its author and first readers, genre, plot and character development, the role of programmatic passages, and interpreting the large number of parables included by Luke. Part two focuses on themes that run throughout the Gospel: Jesus's mission, salvation, discipleship, the kingdom of God, resurrection, and ascension. The discussion of these features and themes will provide readers of Luke's Gospel with a grasp of its overarching framework so that they are able to comprehend Luke's unique presentation of Jesus's life and read the Gospel with increased confidence for themselves.
Industry Reviews
"Frank Dicken is a wonderful guide to Luke. He orients readers to how Luke's story works by focusing on key passages that open up the rest of the Gospel. Informed by the best scholarship, he addresses why we read Luke: its interpretation of Jesus, his ministry, and how he calls followers to live in the world. The chapter on Luke's distinctive parables is worth the price of the book."
-Greg Carey, professor of New Testament, Lancaster Theological Seminary
"Frank Dicken here provides a super study of Luke's Gospel which will be of great value to those engaging with Luke from a scholarly perspective for the first time. He draws judiciously on up-to-date scholarship to illuminate the Third Gospel and to help readers see how Luke's story of Jesus communicates. He writes accessibly and clearly. It would be hard to imagine laypeople, students, pastors, and scholars who would not benefit from this fine book."
-Steve Walton, senior research fellow in New Testament, Trinity College
"What is new and exciting about Frank Dicken's Reading Luke is its focus on the pragmatics of Luke's narrative. Dicken makes modern readers aware of how Luke's story was meant to work when read sequentially and intertextually by its earliest audience. Replete with insights from cutting-edge research on characterization, plot, parables, and programmatic passages, this text deserves a prominent place in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses on the Lukan writings."
-John A. Darr, associate professor of theology, Boston College
"Frank Dicken makes the world of Lukan studies accessible through this slim volume. He writes as though conducting a personable conversation, striking the friendly tone of mentor as he makes clear important features of Luke's text and elucidates long-standing debates in Lukan studies. The questions for reflection deftly draw the reader further into dialogue. In this generous and thoughtful work, Dicken offers us an excellent resource for biblical studies teaching and Bible study alike."
-Kylie Crabbe, senior research fellow, Australian Catholic University
