The messianic kingdom theology in Luke-Acts

Abstract

The author of Luke-Acts presents a ―messianic kingdom theology‖ – a synthesis of Christology and ecclesiology woven with the chord of soteriology. This theology has often been reduced in many a study by isolating Christology or some other aspect of Luke‘s theology as his focus. Reading Luke-Acts from a language-in-life-situation hermeneutic reveals that Luke weaves the ideas of a people of God in unfavourable condition with those of a community messiah concerned with the wellbeing of his people in presenting the Jesus story. He projects two prongs of this theology: Prompted by his royal theology, Jesus Messiah challenged the dehumanisation and oppression of the vulnerable of his society through campaigns to create a new society built on respect for human dignity and the rights of the people (Luke). His commissioners after him continued his liberation and human rights advocacies and completed the formation of his messianic countercultural community (the ἐκκληζία), in spite of fierce opposition from a coalition of Jewish parties and Roman imperial officials (Acts). This article suggests and traces this synthetic theology of the messianic kingdom in Luke-Acts based on Luke‘s motivation and goal in writing.

Keywords: Messianic kingdom theology, community wellbeing, ecclesiology, Christology