28 Jesus ’ Death in Luke - Acts : The New Covenant Sacrifice

Asteady debate over the meaning of the death of Jesus in Luke-Acts runs through the heart of scholarly attention to Lukan theology. Alongside the growing recognition of Luke as a theologian in his own right, the uniqueness of his interpretation of the cross over against other biblical authors has been regularly emphasized. In this regard, it has become commonplace to affirm Luke attaches no direct soteriological value to the death of Jesus, or at the very least minimizes any such connection.1 More specifically, a broad contingent of critical scholarship has concluded that nowhere in Luke-Acts is Christ’s death presented as an atonement for sin.2 Rather, Luke’s soteriological emphasis is said to land squarely upon Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation as Lord.3 Without deny ing scholarship’s well-grounded assessment regarding Luke’s emphasis on the saving significance of Jesus’ resurrect ion and exaltat ion, the value Luke attributes to the death of Christ has been underestimated. A proper reading of the Lukan narrative shows the death of Christ is given greater direct soteriological significance in Luke-Acts than scholarship generally acknowledges. Specifically, Luke presents the death of Jesus as a substitutionary atonement that brings about the forgiveness of sins. This is not to say Luke emphasizes the saving significance of Christ’s death above other soteriological events such as resurrection and exaltation. Rather, it is to say that atonement plays a fundamental role in Luke’s soteriology such that when this aspect is rejected or minimized, Luke’s presentation of the cross and salvation is distorted.