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New Testament Theology
From the Manger to the Throne: A Theology of Luke
An Introduction to the Dominant Biblical-Theological Themes of the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke is a wonderfully detailed account of the ministry and miracles of Jesus Christ. What many readers don't realize is that Luke, who was likely a Gentile, wrote his Gospel with a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament--pointing to Jesus's life, ministry, and death as the culmination of Old Testament expectations and prophecy.
In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, Benjamin L. Gladd explains the dominant biblical-theological themes in the Gospel of Luke, including the defeat of evil, peace in heaven and earth, the incorporation of the nations, and the kingdom of God. This resource is perfect for those looking to dig deeper into studying the interconnectedness of Scripture.
For Those Interested in Biblical Theology: Ideal for college and seminary students, laypeople, and pastors Helpful Bible Study Resource: A great companion to commentaries on Luke Part of the New Testament Theology Series: Other volumes include The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation and The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts
The Gospel of Luke is a wonderfully detailed account of the ministry and miracles of Jesus Christ. What many readers don't realize is that Luke, who was likely a Gentile, wrote his Gospel with a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament--pointing to Jesus's life, ministry, and death as the culmination of Old Testament expectations and prophecy.
In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, Benjamin L. Gladd explains the dominant biblical-theological themes in the Gospel of Luke, including the defeat of evil, peace in heaven and earth, the incorporation of the nations, and the kingdom of God. This resource is perfect for those looking to dig deeper into studying the interconnectedness of Scripture.
For Those Interested in Biblical Theology: Ideal for college and seminary students, laypeople, and pastors Helpful Bible Study Resource: A great companion to commentaries on Luke Part of the New Testament Theology Series: Other volumes include The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation and The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts
208 pages, Paperback
Published November 8, 2022
11 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin L. Gladd
22 books28 followersBenjamin L. Gladd (PhD, Wheaton College) is professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 4, 2022
This is the first book in this series that I have read and it met my high expectations. As Gladd has done in other books, he carefully and beautifully shows how the use of the Old Testament in the New helps the reader better grasp the depth and significance of a text or book.
In his Theology of Luke, From the Manger to the Throne, Dr. Gladd takes us back to the Old Testament often to show how Luke was using ancient promises and themes to shape how he wrote his careful account to Theophilus. This careful account is just as useful today as it was 2,000 years ago and Gladd helps us see that in a perfect balance of faithful academics and heartfelt devotion. I highly recommend you buy this for yourself and a friend.
In his Theology of Luke, From the Manger to the Throne, Dr. Gladd takes us back to the Old Testament often to show how Luke was using ancient promises and themes to shape how he wrote his careful account to Theophilus. This careful account is just as useful today as it was 2,000 years ago and Gladd helps us see that in a perfect balance of faithful academics and heartfelt devotion. I highly recommend you buy this for yourself and a friend.
December 13, 2022
From the Manger to the Throne "attempts to get at the heart of Luke's message by sketching some of his main ideas and showing how they intersect with one another.” Ladd selects 7 key events/themes from Luke-Acts and proceeded to hash out Luke's theology. The following is a list of chapter headings and the concepts discussed.
1. The Great Reversal - Satan's humiliation and Christ's exultation
2. Peace on Earth and in Heaven - How the effects of Jesus securing peace in heaven and on earth are threefold.
3. Israel, The Gentiles, and Isaiah's Servant - How by applying Isaiah 49:6 to Jesus, Simeon identified Jesus as the long-awaited messiah who would restore Israel and bring salvation to the nations.
4. The Way of Life - How the first exodus foreshadows Christ's work.
5. The Success of the Last Adam - Comparing Adam's temptation to Christ's wilderness temptation.
6. The Son of Man's Rule and the Ancient of Day - How Jesus performs the drama of Daniel 7.
7. The Year of Jubilee - How Jesus reads Isaiah 61 and then goes on to fulfill Leviticus 25 and Isaiah 61.
With the release of this book so close to Christmas, I had hoped for an Advent read with a devotional quality but what I got was a brisk swim in the deep end of the theological pool. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book or learn many new concepts. Indeed, my copy is full of highlights and post-it flags marking concepts I'd like to discuss with my pastor—primarily in chapters five and six. In Chapter 6, Gladd writes, "While it may appear that I am leaning too hard on Daniel 7 and grasping at intertextual straws, Jesus's ministry in Luke (and the other three Gospels) make good sense in light of these connections." Somehow this made me feel better for not fully understanding what was being presented. This leads me to recommend this selection to lay theologians, seminarians, elders, or pastors rather than the average person in the pew.
Notable Quotes:
"Jesus commissions seventy-two disciples (10:1-17), a group that signifies restored humanity and the reversal of the scattering of seventy-two people groups at Babel in Genesis 10-11. " p. 28
"Jesus and the disciples celebrate the Passover Thursday night (22:13-38), a day early because Jesus and the disciples were Galileans. Galileans were permitted to celebrate Passover a day early because of the crowds." p. 31
"Luke is the only Evangelist to record Jesus's ascension. But he narrates the event twice—at the end of his Gospel in Luke 24:50-55 and again in Acts 1:9-11. Whereas John's Gospel views the cross as Jesus's exaltation (see John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32), Luke emphasizes Jesus's ascension as his exaltation." p. 57
"Humanity must first fellowship with God before fellowship with one another is possible." p. 67
"Adam and Eve didn't bow down to physical idols but worshiped themselves—the most heinous form of idolatry." p. 135
"Like Jesus, we must also know the Scriptures deeply and wield them carefully when Satan attacks." p. 142
"Since all believers are equal in the sight of God and have begun to inherit the new creation, we must stamp out anything that inhibits unity among God's people: divisiveness, racism, injustice, and so on. A great deal of the New Testament can be summarized in a handful of words: we must be who we are in Christ." p. 182
I received this book from the publisher to review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
1. The Great Reversal - Satan's humiliation and Christ's exultation
2. Peace on Earth and in Heaven - How the effects of Jesus securing peace in heaven and on earth are threefold.
3. Israel, The Gentiles, and Isaiah's Servant - How by applying Isaiah 49:6 to Jesus, Simeon identified Jesus as the long-awaited messiah who would restore Israel and bring salvation to the nations.
4. The Way of Life - How the first exodus foreshadows Christ's work.
5. The Success of the Last Adam - Comparing Adam's temptation to Christ's wilderness temptation.
6. The Son of Man's Rule and the Ancient of Day - How Jesus performs the drama of Daniel 7.
7. The Year of Jubilee - How Jesus reads Isaiah 61 and then goes on to fulfill Leviticus 25 and Isaiah 61.
With the release of this book so close to Christmas, I had hoped for an Advent read with a devotional quality but what I got was a brisk swim in the deep end of the theological pool. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book or learn many new concepts. Indeed, my copy is full of highlights and post-it flags marking concepts I'd like to discuss with my pastor—primarily in chapters five and six. In Chapter 6, Gladd writes, "While it may appear that I am leaning too hard on Daniel 7 and grasping at intertextual straws, Jesus's ministry in Luke (and the other three Gospels) make good sense in light of these connections." Somehow this made me feel better for not fully understanding what was being presented. This leads me to recommend this selection to lay theologians, seminarians, elders, or pastors rather than the average person in the pew.
Notable Quotes:
"Jesus commissions seventy-two disciples (10:1-17), a group that signifies restored humanity and the reversal of the scattering of seventy-two people groups at Babel in Genesis 10-11. " p. 28
"Jesus and the disciples celebrate the Passover Thursday night (22:13-38), a day early because Jesus and the disciples were Galileans. Galileans were permitted to celebrate Passover a day early because of the crowds." p. 31
"Luke is the only Evangelist to record Jesus's ascension. But he narrates the event twice—at the end of his Gospel in Luke 24:50-55 and again in Acts 1:9-11. Whereas John's Gospel views the cross as Jesus's exaltation (see John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32), Luke emphasizes Jesus's ascension as his exaltation." p. 57
"Humanity must first fellowship with God before fellowship with one another is possible." p. 67
"Adam and Eve didn't bow down to physical idols but worshiped themselves—the most heinous form of idolatry." p. 135
"Like Jesus, we must also know the Scriptures deeply and wield them carefully when Satan attacks." p. 142
"Since all believers are equal in the sight of God and have begun to inherit the new creation, we must stamp out anything that inhibits unity among God's people: divisiveness, racism, injustice, and so on. A great deal of the New Testament can be summarized in a handful of words: we must be who we are in Christ." p. 182
I received this book from the publisher to review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 2, 2025
Very interesting read. His focus on the wilderness temptation as one of the most important aspects of Jesus’ ministry was fascinating, though seemed a little stretched at times. Did not expect so much talk of Satan and demons, but I loved it!
December 5, 2022
This book is a doxological, biblical-theological joy! Rich, well written and nicely put together, if the rest of the series is like this then I’ll be reading and recommending. Great work by Gladd.
January 17, 2023
My Rating: Must Read
Level: Moderate, written at popular level but Biblical knowledge is helpful; short (less than 200 pages).
Summary
The book is broken into seven chapters - The Great Reversal; Peace on Earth as in Heaven; Israel, the Gentiles, and Isaiah's Servant; The Way of Life; The Success of the Last Adam; The Son of Man's Rule and the Ancient of Days; and The Year of Jubilee. There is also the series preface, book preface, intro, and an epilogue. If they chapters don't look chronological to you, it is because they aren't. The unique aspect of this series is that it seeks to catch all the major theological themes, but in commentary style.
My Thoughts
This is the first book I've read in Crossway's New Testament Theology series, and I think it is a fairy unique angle for study. I've seen this book (or series) occasionally referred to as a commentary (not by Crossway) and while that isn't technically correct, I can see where people are coming from. If you took a true scholarly commentary on Luke (e.g. Baker's) and stripped out just the sections on theological themes or maybe an excurses on angels, you'd end up with something like this book. The series preface says they are seeking, in this series, to take a Biblical Theological approach to the major themes of each book covered. If you aren't as familiar with the term Biblical, it is as opposed to the more common Systematic way of handling theology; the latter being focused on topics first (sin, the church, etc.), while the former looks at overarching themes that unfold as you read through the Bible (or individual book in this case).
Now, the seven themes Gladd has chosen are probably not the consensus themes among theologians/scholars. I imagine if you asked 10 people to pick seven themes, they might agree on three or four of them. Even as I read, I caught myself wondering whether one or two of the topics really belonged. That being said, I actually think this adds to the potential use for the book. As I read, I kept thinking about how great this would work as a small group or other Bible study. I would have loved to hear others' feedback on some of the threads Gladd pick's up on. He obviously makes compelling cases in each chapter and backs up each point with scripture from all over the Bible, so I don't think any of them are 'wrong.' For a pastor a bible study leader, that gives you some compelling material to challenge people.
I was pretty much hooked on this after the intro while long for an intro to a book this size (over 10% of the pages) it makes sense once you read it. Gladd takes you through a quick summary of all of Luke. It was probably one of the most concise, while still being dense and comprehensive, overviews of any book of the Bible I've ever read. It really would be a great way to start off a Bible study.
I wouldn't recommend this book as the first thing someone reads on Luke, or even for a new believer. To be as short as it is, you need some level of scripture to begin. This book would best be used in self study as a supplement to a regular commentary or, as I mentioned, an eight part Bible study with a group. I think getting everyone caught up on Luke from the intro, then spending a study time on each chapter would be a great use of this book and lead to some interesting discussion. For pastors preaching through all of Luke, this would certainly give you some ideas to focus on and themes to pull out and make sure are coming out in your sermons. While being somewhat technical, it is well and is a fair quick and easy read; it is also short at under 200 pages. If you are already familiar with Luke and look for another way to study, or leading a study, or are a preacher, this book is a must read.
More reviews at MondayMorningTheologian.com
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Level: Moderate, written at popular level but Biblical knowledge is helpful; short (less than 200 pages).
Summary
The book is broken into seven chapters - The Great Reversal; Peace on Earth as in Heaven; Israel, the Gentiles, and Isaiah's Servant; The Way of Life; The Success of the Last Adam; The Son of Man's Rule and the Ancient of Days; and The Year of Jubilee. There is also the series preface, book preface, intro, and an epilogue. If they chapters don't look chronological to you, it is because they aren't. The unique aspect of this series is that it seeks to catch all the major theological themes, but in commentary style.
My Thoughts
This is the first book I've read in Crossway's New Testament Theology series, and I think it is a fairy unique angle for study. I've seen this book (or series) occasionally referred to as a commentary (not by Crossway) and while that isn't technically correct, I can see where people are coming from. If you took a true scholarly commentary on Luke (e.g. Baker's) and stripped out just the sections on theological themes or maybe an excurses on angels, you'd end up with something like this book. The series preface says they are seeking, in this series, to take a Biblical Theological approach to the major themes of each book covered. If you aren't as familiar with the term Biblical, it is as opposed to the more common Systematic way of handling theology; the latter being focused on topics first (sin, the church, etc.), while the former looks at overarching themes that unfold as you read through the Bible (or individual book in this case).
Now, the seven themes Gladd has chosen are probably not the consensus themes among theologians/scholars. I imagine if you asked 10 people to pick seven themes, they might agree on three or four of them. Even as I read, I caught myself wondering whether one or two of the topics really belonged. That being said, I actually think this adds to the potential use for the book. As I read, I kept thinking about how great this would work as a small group or other Bible study. I would have loved to hear others' feedback on some of the threads Gladd pick's up on. He obviously makes compelling cases in each chapter and backs up each point with scripture from all over the Bible, so I don't think any of them are 'wrong.' For a pastor a bible study leader, that gives you some compelling material to challenge people.
I was pretty much hooked on this after the intro while long for an intro to a book this size (over 10% of the pages) it makes sense once you read it. Gladd takes you through a quick summary of all of Luke. It was probably one of the most concise, while still being dense and comprehensive, overviews of any book of the Bible I've ever read. It really would be a great way to start off a Bible study.
I wouldn't recommend this book as the first thing someone reads on Luke, or even for a new believer. To be as short as it is, you need some level of scripture to begin. This book would best be used in self study as a supplement to a regular commentary or, as I mentioned, an eight part Bible study with a group. I think getting everyone caught up on Luke from the intro, then spending a study time on each chapter would be a great use of this book and lead to some interesting discussion. For pastors preaching through all of Luke, this would certainly give you some ideas to focus on and themes to pull out and make sure are coming out in your sermons. While being somewhat technical, it is well and is a fair quick and easy read; it is also short at under 200 pages. If you are already familiar with Luke and look for another way to study, or leading a study, or are a preacher, this book is a must read.
More reviews at MondayMorningTheologian.com
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2023
This is a really helpful big picture of the theology of Luke's gospel. While some of the connections the author makes with the Old Testament seem a little strained, this does not diminish the usefulness of the book as a whole.
The author traces some key themes, and their Old Testament roots, through the gospel of Luke. Each chapter ends with application to believers today. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to study Luke in a bit more depth.
The author traces some key themes, and their Old Testament roots, through the gospel of Luke. Each chapter ends with application to believers today. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to study Luke in a bit more depth.
May 21, 2023
Overall a good read. Two chapters may have been too much based on a “possibility” of a connection between two passages, for my taste, but I learned a lot and would recommend the book.
November 17, 2023
This is an excellent book that traces the major themes in the book of Luke. It has been a helpful resource to me as I study Luke and is beneficial to both pastors and lay people alike.
January 10, 2025
Read in prep for church. Just really tight logic and so much to commend in his method. A few chapters really insightful.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews