In previous studies we have considered the operation of the Spirit in the life of Jesus in terms of the his advent and his initiating the Kingdom. In Matthew Jesus is king, (Matt 27:37) In Mark he is prophet (Mark 6:4) and in John he is portrayed as priest (John 2:21) In Matthew and Mark we emphasized the authority of Jesus and the conflict between the kingdom of light and the powers of darkness. In John’s gospel the emphasis shifted to the accomplished work of Jesus and the anticipation of the Spirit. In John we saw that the activities of Jesus were rooted in faith, underscoring John’s overriding objective that his readers might believe and go on believing.

In Luke/Acts we will see the source of the activities of Jesus is the anointing and as we enter into ‘The Age of the Spirit’ we will see the seed that the Sower of Life scattered, take root in the hearts of believers, they too are empowered in like manner to do the works that Jesus did. Luke unites these themes of prophet, priest and king.

Luke is the only Gentile writer of Scripture. He approaches his two volume account as if he

were an investigative journalist. (Luke 1:3). The key to understanding this gospel is captured

in repetition (six-times) of the word ‘found’ in chapter 15. Luke is best known for his seminal

parable which we know as the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’. However, it is sometimes

overlooked that this parable is in fact the third in a trilogy beginning with ‘The Lost Sheep’,

then ‘The Lost Coin’ and the culminating with the story of ‘The Lost Son’: and this is the key to

understanding the Luke’s view of salvation: God through Christ had come to seek and save

that which was lost. This theme is carried over into the second volume – Acts where in the

post resurrection/ post ascension era, God through the Spirit has come to empower the

church in order to reconcile that which was restored in Christ.

Luke portrays Jesus as Last Adam and as such he is the prototype ‘new man.’ Perhaps more than any other writer Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. For Luke Jesus is the ‘Perfect Man’ living in perfect harmony with the Spirit. It is in his detailed account of the temptation that we find a key that can unlock for us the secret to understanding not only Jesus’ but also our own charismatic union with the Spirit. We will suggest that when taken as a whole, the two-volume account, that is Luke/Acts, it is a narrative on the anointing of Jesus (Luke) and the anointing of the Jesus people (Acts) in order that they each might fulfill their divine mission of redemption, reconciliation and restoration.

the continuity of luke/acts

The continuity of the Luke/Acts has been carefully crafted by Luke. The common denominator

is the Spirit. In Luke’s gospel the Holy Spirit is the background but in the Acts he is in the

foreground. In both accounts he is orchestrating events.

So seamless is the continuity and so careful is the crafting of Jesus as the prototype man that we can parallel Jesus’ journey into his destiny with ours. From the supernatural birth (rebirth in our case) to the anointing or (empowering for service in our case) to the mission of reconciliation for which Christ was the author and we are the ambassadors.

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