The Path to Salvation in Luke's Gospel

What Must We Do?

MiJa Wi

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN:
  9780567700315
• eBook ISBN:
  9780567687401
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

This book investigates Luke's message of salvation in relation to socio-economic issues, and thus concerns salvation of the rich as well as the poor. With a narrative reading of Luke's Gospel built on careful examination of its socio-economic context, it demonstrates that Luke's message of salvation is best understood as: 1) Divine mercy which champions the cause of the poor and redresses the injustice of the world, 2) Its human embodiment, and 3) Divine reward promised to those who enact mercy.

Wi argues that Luke's question of 'what must we do?' juxtaposes salvation with 'doing', posing interesting questions with respect to the salvation of the rich. This volume highlights good news to the poor in terms of divine mercy and justice, shows that the reception of divine mercy calls for practices, which embody it, and above all clarifies Luke's notion of salvation of the rich which will happen as participation in the salvation of the poor. Wi's conclusion challenges its readers by asking the question along with Luke's audience: What must we do?

Chapter 1

Introduction

Luke’s noted concern for socio-economic issues is axiomatic in Lukan studies as the plethora of works in this area shows. Most studies are directed towards Luke’s theology of the poor or Luke’s wealth ethics. Rarely, however, have scholars discussed Luke’s interest in socio-economic issues in relation to his message of salvation despite their close links in the Gospel.¹ Few works directly tackle the salvation of the poor and the rich, and the use of wealth in the light of salvation in Luke’s Gospel.² In fact, Luke frequently communicates the message of salvation in socio-economic terms. Concerning soteriological inquiries, Luke’s response conveys economic connotations in perspective (Lk. 3.10-14; 10.25, 28, 37; 18.18, 22). Conversely, how one uses material goods determines one’s eternal destiny (Lk. 12.15, 20-21; 16.9). Socio-economic issues not only serve as an essential part of Lukan salvation but also shape his understanding of salvation in the Gospel. Hence this thesis explores Luke’s incorporation of socio-economic issues into his message of salvation and Luke’s soteriological concerns for the rich as well as the poor.

This thesis aims to address several issues. First, what does it mean when Luke’s Gospel postulates good news to the poor (Lk. 4.18-19; 7.22; cf. 1.52-53; 6.20-21; 7.11-17; 16.19-31)? Who are the poor and what is good news? Second, what is the significance of the recurring question: Τί ποιήσωμεν (Lk. 3.10, 12, 14; also in 10.25; 12.17; 16.3; 18.18; cf. Acts 2.37; 16.30), which apparently combines salvation with ‘doing’? Is Luke’s preponderant use of ἔλεος (ἐλεέω, ἐλεημοσύνη Lk. 1.50, 54, 58, 72, 78; 10.37; 11.41; 12.33; 16.24; 17.13; 18.38; cf. 6.36) in the context of salvation significant in this regard? Third, can the rich be saved, even with Luke’s unfavourable depiction (Lk. 6.24-25; 1.51-53; 12.16-21; 14.16-24; 16.19-31; 18.18-25; cf. 19.1-10)? If so, how? Finally, these still beg one final question: Do the salvation of the poor and the rich relate to each other? If so, how does Luke’s Gospel envisage their gathering? While these questions will be revisited and refined throughout the thesis, this chapter deals with some preliminary issues for the whole thesis.

1.1 Justification for the Thesis

Good news to the poor (πτωχοί) (Lk. 4.18; 7.22) is an axiom upon which Luke’s Gospel builds. Lukan studies on ‘poor and rich’ primarily define the poor in the light of the good news. François Bovon’s review of research on ‘poor and rich’ in Luke-Acts affirms that scholars have addressed this topic substantially.³ Bovon, however, raises a significant question: ‘Is it healthy’ to produce another exegetical work on this issue?⁴ This is indeed a crowded area of research; however, continued scholarly works evince both the unresolved problems and the relevancy of this issue for Lukan studies. The spectrum of scholarly opinions on ‘poor and rich’ and (either lack of or surplus of) wealth is wide and diverse. It ranges from the ‘centrality of the poor’⁵ to Luke as ‘the evangelist of the rich’⁶ and from the elimination of wealth⁷ to its accommodation.⁸

More importantly, previous works focused on resolving seemingly problematic issues which emerge from the programmatic role of good news to the poor (Lk. 4.18; 7.22) in Luke-Acts. If Luke’s πτωχοί are the beneficiaries of salvation, they either have spiritual or moral qualities. This refers to their belief. It is often questioned whether material poverty and wealth might be the sole factors which determine one’s salvation.⁹ Nor can the scope of salvation be reduced only to the socio-economically impoverished.

This thesis, however, suggests that the issues need to be addressed from a different angle. The vital role of Lk. 4.18-19 (7.22) does not and should not confine good news only to the poor regardless of how one defines them. Although this programmatic passage underscores Jesus’ primary concern for the poor, salvation is not limited to the poor in Luke.¹⁰ Previous studies have not sufficiently addressed the ‘poor and rich’ in the context of Luke’s message of salvation which centres on divine mercy (ἔλεος) and its human embodiment. Divine mercy and its human embodiment in fact shed light on the salvation of the rich as well as the poor and on the restorative and redemptive use of wealth, namely, almsgiving (ἐλεημοσύνη).¹¹

In what follows, I will offer a brief survey of scholarly readings of ‘poor (πτωχοί) and rich (πλούσιοι)’ in Luke’s Gospel. Defining the poor is a ‘vexing question’.¹² The spiritual and religious understanding of them has never faded while their socio-economic status seems more remarked on.¹³ Scholars have asserted that the humble circumstances of the poor lead them to trust in God. I. Howard Marshall’s view on the poor as the pious is typical in this regard.¹⁴ In a similar vein, Luke T. Johnson argues that Luke employs the terms, ‘poor and rich’, for a literary purpose.¹⁵ Johnson argues that Luke uses the terms symbolically to denote their spiritual attitude, and thus they do not carry socio-economic meanings.¹⁶ Johnson sets ‘the pattern of the Prophet and the People’ in his reading of ‘poor and rich’ in Luke-Acts. Those who accept the prophet are the poor and those who reject the rich.¹⁷

David P. Seccombe contends that the poor in Luke’s Gospel are Israel who needs salvation while the rich are those who refuse to repent.¹⁸ He asserts the following:

The poor is a traditional characterization of Israel understood in terms of its suffering and humiliation at the hands of nations and as a result of its own disordered internal life. … There is nothing socio-economic or socio-religious about Luke’s use of ‘poor’ terminology in the passages. … The poor are Israel and the answer to their poverty is the messianic Kingdom.¹⁹

Due to his overemphasis on an Isaianic understanding of the poor, he suppresses their socio-economic meaning despite its evident presence in the texts (e.g. Lk. 7.11-17; 14.16-24; 16.19-31).²⁰ Rather, he unduly applies the notion of the poor as Israel to texts that mention the poor.

Employing a literary approach, John Roth categorizes the poor as a cha racter type which depicts unfortunate stereotypes in the LXX.²¹ They are not actors, but acted upon, and thus ‘conventional recipients of God’s saving action’.²² In doing this, he tackles the long-standing conundrum, that is, Luke’s pervasive use of the terms ‘poor (πτωχοί) and rich (πλούσιοι)’ and the warning against wealth in the Gospel that virtually disappear in Acts.²³ His study offers a Christological solution for the absence of the terms in Acts. Jesus is no longer God’s eschatological benefactor of the poor, but a risen Lord in Acts.²⁴ While the works of Seccombe and Roth mainly focus on the poor, Halvor Moxnes features Luke’s description of the rich as ‘negative examples’, somewhat similar to the Pharisees – φιλάργυροι (Lk. 16.14).²⁵ His contextual studies of first-century Palestine peasant society stand solid: the rich in that society oppressed the poor.²⁶ Thus, rich Christian sounds almost oxymoronic to him. The rich in Luke’s narrative world are outsiders, urban elites and unbelievers.

Similarly, Outi Lehtipuu observes that the poor and the rich in Luke’s Gospel are characters in ‘a socially – and ideologically – constructed reality’.²⁷ She raises and revisits disturbing problems of the salvation of the poor and the rich in Lk. 16.19-31 in which Jesus bases their salvation seemingly on their economic status.²⁸ It is indeed problematic to modern readers that the poor are rewarded for their poverty and the rich are condemned for their wealth. Instead of challenging the issues further, however, she op...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Title
• Contents
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgements
• List of Abbreviations
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Part One Socio-Economic Contexts of Luke’s Gospel
• Part Two Salvation of the Poor and the Rich
• Bibliography
• Index
• Ancient Index
• Copyright