Digital Logos Edition
'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.
“the completion of God’s saving work in the restoration of all things (3:20–21)” (Page 29)
“Eschatologically, the resurrection of Jesus adumbrates and guarantees the culmination of God’s salvation of his people and the full realization of the kingdom of God among humankind.” (Page 13)
“What is Luke’s view of the people of Israel vis-à-vis the Christ-event and the Christian movement?” (Page 12)
“I. Howard Marshall represents more than a score of scholars who share the following understanding of the theology of Acts: ‘We believe that Acts is primarily about God’s action in offering salvation through Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles and thereby creating a new people.’” (Page 12)
“death and resurrection of Jesus fall under divine necessity (Luke 24:26; Acts 17:3” (Page 41)
Anderson demonstrates the central significance of the resurrection of Jesus as the major saving event in Luke-Acts and constantly develops fresh insights into the text. This is a definitive treatment of the topic.
—I. Howard Marshall, Emeritus Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Honorary Research Professor, University of Aberdeen
In spite of the generally recognized centrality of the resurrection of Jesus to the theology of Luke-Acts, this is the first monograph devoted to the subject in the English-speaking world. In a stunning tour de force, Anderson locates Luke's presentation of the resurrection within the ancient Jewish and Roman worlds of thought and engages in careful exegesis of a range of relevant Lukan texts in order to interpret the significance of God's raising Jesus from the dead within Luke's message of salvation. The result is a welcome, impressive contribution both in our understanding of resurrection in Second Temple Judaism and the Greco-Roman World and to Lukan studies.Joel B. Green, Asbury Theological Seminary
This truly interesting and perceptive book contends that the conceptual background in Luke-Acts of Jesus' resurrection and ours is Jewish and associates these topics with the final restoration of God's people and the full establishment of his kingdom. Jesus' resurrection is very correctly interpreted as prefiguring and guaranteeing our own.
Robert O'Toole, SJ, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, Italy