Luke's Resemblances to Paul's Theology

Abstract

This dissertation takes up a classic problem in New Testament studies: whether and how far Luke, Paul’s earliest biographer, belongs together theologically with the apostle to the gentiles. It is animated by the fact that for over fifty years the dominant position in NT studies has maintained that, though Luke admired Paul and made him the central figure in his second volume, Luke’s theology does not conform with Paul’s and therefore cannot serve as a reliable guide to understanding Pauline thought. To test this scholarly consensus, I examine the perspectives and convictions of Paul, Luke, and other early Messiah-followers on four topics which have served as the support system buttressing the regnant view: natural theology, theology of the Law, Christology, and eschatology. The method employed to pursue this examination is thus both descriptive and comparative. In each chapter I offer a thick, holistic description of the views and postures of Paul and Luke on the relevant topic and then I comparatively synthesize their convictions by bringing the perspectives of other early Messiah-followers into the picture. I conclude that, though not identical or even similar on every matter, and while exhibiting significant differences on the matter of the Law, Paul and Luke also share significant theological convergences on all four topics that results in (i) revising the standard view which has dominated the field up to this day, (ii) underlining the areas in which Luke helps readers interpret Paul well, and (iii) encouraging a reconsideration of Luke’s historical companionship with Paul.