The Gospel of Luke

The New International Commentary on the New Testament

by Joel B. Green, Anonymous

This highly original commentary on the Gospel of Luke is unique for the way it combines concerns with first-century culture in the Roman world with understanding the text of Luke as a holistic, historical narrative. Focusing primarily on how each episode functions within Luke’s narrative development, Joel B. Green provides countless fresh perspectives on and new insights into the Third Gospel. His extended examination of Luke’s literary art and Luke’s narrative theology allows the Evangelist to address clearly and convincingly both ancient and contemporary readers.

Insisting on the narrative unity of Luke-Acts, Green highlights in this volume the centrality of God’s purpose to bring salvation to all people. Against the backdrop of the conflicted first-century world of the Mediterranean, Green proposes that the purpose of Luke-Acts would have been to strengthen the early Christians in the face of opposition by assuring them in their interpretation and experience of the redemptive purpose and faithfulness of God and by calling them to continued faithfulness and witness in God’s salvific project.

Genres: Reference, Theology, Religion, Biblical Studies, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

935 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

Joel B. Green (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean of the Center for Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prior to moving to Fuller, he taught at Asbury Theological Seminary for ten years. He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Theological Interpretation and has authored or edited numerous books, including the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green's commentary on Luke is a remarkable narrative approach to the text, providing a fresh new breeze of realization from a familiar text. I will not claim to have read every page of this almost 900 page commentary, but I have read over half of it. Green is not the one to go to explain every Greek word, but if you want to know the co-text and the context of the Gospel of Luke, to know the culture in which Jesus lived and how he and his message upended that culture (and by implication ours today), you cannot do better. Invaluable for teaching and just a joy to read generally.

Here is one comment (from Luke 6) chosen almost at random: "Jesus has just subverted a key organizing factor of the Roman Empire - namely, patronal ethics. The Empire was an intrusive, suffocating web of obligation, with resources deployed so as to maintain social equilibrium, with the elite in every village, town, city, and region, and of the Empire as a whole given esteem due them in light of their role as benefactors. If God, and not the emperor, is identified as the Great Benefactor, the Patron, and if people are to act without regard to cycles of obligation, then the politics of the Empire is sabotaged."

[Joe Koehler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Green's approach to studying Scripture is refreshingly NOT extra-biblical. Green does not look to make sense of Luke by simply looking to corroborating historical information, but recognizes Luke's narrative aim (not biographical or historical) and purpose (at least exclusively). He recognizes Luke may have paired stories together, not for chronological accuracy, but to give a weightiness to a certain truth. I also appreciated Green's desire to interpret individual pericopes as they relate to the overarching theme of Luke-Acts. Certainly we should not throw history and cultural studies of antiquity out the window, but Green has offered a method of studying Scripture that, I believe, comes closer to the desire Luke may have had for his original readers. You may not agree with Green's conclusions or emphases at times, but his method is at least commendable and, again, refreshing.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few commentaries I have read from cover to cover. A must have commentary in your collection for the gospel of Luke.

[Cecília · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This isn't the version I read)
A few highlights: when Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul for the sake of her child; when Christ said that Pharisees build monuments to the prophets their fathers killed; when Christ takes pity on a widow and raises her dead son to life. Also, a question: why is it nowhere in the New Testament explained how we know the words Christ prayed alone in the garden of Gethsemane?

[Jon Pentecost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a phenomenally useful commentary.
What makes Green especially useful is his careful attention to Luke (and Acts) as a united, literary work. This means the volume is helpful not just in considering the significance of the particular pericope, but in understanding the purpose and order in Luke's carefully structured account.

Used in preaching Luke in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

[David Fenske]

The historical and cultural background that this commentary provides is great! However, this commentary wasn't serving my needs as I translate through the book of Luke, so I've decided to stop after reading about 25% of it. I will certainly return to this commentary in the future and it will be a valuable resource on my reference shelf.

[Kushal Hamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

26 Mar 2015 - Reading the Kindle edition, and about 1/3 of the way through. Green's commentary is a literary analysis of Luke, meaning he gets into the story, tries to figure out what Luke's point is, finds commonality between sections of Luke's own narrative and certain passages in the Old Testament, and does his best to take on the mind of Luke. Enlightening. My only complaint is that the Kindle edition, which usually lets you zoom or shrink text, does not do this for certain areas where Green has included brief charts of comparison and quoted text from the Bible. For some reason, you cannot zoom out these paragraphs, even on a PC, so a small part of Green's helpful analysis is lost to the Kindle reader.

...........................

10 Apr 2015 - Appreciate Green's footnotes.

I'm sometimes frustrated by what seems to be, to me, too many (coded) words as Green gets to his point. A very small example are these: "...in the Third Gospel" and "...by the Evangelist." Why doesn't Green just say "Luke"? It occurs to me, in my frustration, that Green is not writing for popular reading. Another example of "unnecessary words" is Green's frequent use of the word "co-text." Although I understand what he means, I stumble each time I come to it, wondering why he brands his current explanation with this word which, for me, does not add clarity but serves as a stumbling block to the flow of my reading and absorbing.

I am gaining better understanding of Luke through Green, but I think I will supplement this commentary with the Pillar commentary to be released later this month. So far, I would rate Green's commentary, for my purposes, just short of 4, but will probably round it up to a 4 when I'm done. There are sections of Green's commentary where my mental lightbulbs flash continually.

My purpose for this commentary is to enhance my personal Bible study. I do think, though, that Green's commentary would be good fodder for sermon making.

30 Apr 2015 - Favorite Phrase

I have come across this phrase: inbreaking of ... God, kingdom of God, presence, etc ... to me, this is a beautiful phrase, a poetic illustration of how God comes to us, a phrase that speaks of movement, a living event ... it is now happening; it is not yet complete, but it is happening even as we speak. Green uses this phrase more than any other commentator I've read, and it blesses me each time I read it.

8 May 2015 - Finished

I'm sure I will refer to Green's commentary many tines in the future His commentary builds to a high just as Luke's gospel builds, and as I finish, I feel an emotional shout of "Joy!!" rise within me. This is one of Green's closing comments: "Finally, their earlier joy, which produced astonishment and disbelief (v 41), has given way to “great joy." Lovely!

Additional notes about the Kindle edition (nearly as expensive as the print edition): The end matter has a great table of authors Green cites as well as a standard index of subject matter. Oh how I wish these were linked to the text. Of course, I could do a search, but it would have been great just to touch (or click) the topic and have been redirected. Maybe one day publishers will find an economic way to do that. After all, you can do it in Word, so I know it's possible.

I am settling on 4 stars, not 3. My inclination toward 3 to 4 is because Green's language is not my own. I am not intimate with literary criticism. It is not my language. But Green gave me a new perspective on Luke, and I am grateful to see this gospel in a new light.

In the meantime, I am left with this echo of Green's commentary in my mind: Break in, you inbreaking Kingdom of God! Come Lord Jesus, come! Maranatha!

Second reading begun 20 Mar 2018
(30 Mar 2018) Note: My kindle ebook began to crash my android tablets regularly. Amazon was not able to detect why or to correct the problem, so they graciously refunded my purchase price and removed the book from my kindle apps.)

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great commentary on Luke. Green takes a narrative-historical approach and examines Luke on his own terms. In preaching through Luke I found this to the most helpful of my stack of commentaries. On the down-side, Greens is sometimes so focused on "social justice" that he can miss the primary thrust of a passage. While I might go to Green first, I wouldn't rely on him alone; the alternative viewpoints of other commentators are necessary. Green doesn't always "show his work", giving little more than a footnote listing other books and articles, which is often frustrating.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book as I was teaching from the Gospel of Luke throughout the Spring. Overall it is a very helpful commentary giving historical background information and focusing on the overall story Luke was telling, within the context of what had come before (Israel, Old Testament) and what would come after (Acts). Recommended to anyone studying and teaching on Luke.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a literary analysis of the Gospel of Luke. This was very helpful to look at Luke as a literary work with important pieces of information rooted in how this text was written. I would recommend this as another commentary to help anyone who is studying Luke to look at it through different eyes.

[Ryan Linkous · Rating 5 out of 5]

This commentary by Green is fantastic. It approaches Luke mainly on Luke's terms and the OT's terms rather than on the terms of the other Synoptic Gospels. It's very readable and Green has great insights. If only more commentaries were as readable and accessible as Green's! I'm thankful for this work of scholarship that serves both the academy and the church.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The replacement volume for Geldenhuys' commentary on Luke in the NICNT series, it is MUCH better than Geldenhuys. I didn't think Celdenhuys ever said a great deal, and Green is much better and has become one of my top commentaries on Luke's gospel.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading slowly (and rather laboriously) through the commentary over a rather long period, I finished with a sigh. Admirable and valuable, yes. But disappointing, or at least not for me. (I posted a longer review on Amazon.)

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used not read. There could not be anything worse than reading a commentary straight away. This is a really good one. To have by your side if you are studying Luke.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

His Wesleyanism only showed through once. Most questions were answered and there was very good detail except for only a few times. Very good.

[Greg Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all-time favorite commentary on any book.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short review: Very good commentary.

My longer reviews on my blog. http://bookwi.se/luke-green/

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful in elucidating the historical background of Luke and the Greek text. It can be dense at times and is probably best for the serious student / minister.

[Dustin Bagby · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the last 1.5 years in Luke, this has been the most helpful commentary I've read. Excellent! I highly recommend it.

[hihihoho · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rly like this Gospel

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invaluable resource