Luke's Jesus in the Roman Empire and the Emperor in the Gospel of Luke

Download or read book Luke's Jesus in the Roman Empire and the Emperor in the Gospel of Luke written by Pyung-Soo Seo and published by James Clarke & Company. This book was released on 2015-08-27 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shrewd and thoughtful, Pyung-Soo Seo offers an exciting and refreshing perspective on Luke's Gospel, which provides valuable clues to a deeper understanding of the vast power of the Roman Empire through Jesus' birth and trial accounts. Seo analyses the political role the Gospel played in the decades following the Crucifixion, and presents a compelling argument: the Bible emphasises Jesus' relationships with tax collectors as a way of displaying his moral authority, seen as he confronts one of the most hated aspects of the empire: the corruption and intimidation for which the emperor was ultimately responsible. Seo suggests that Luke wants us to compare Jesus and the emperor to show us how the emperor is found wanting. Concentrating on the titles of 'benefactor' and 'saviour' his analysis of Christ's moral authority is both discerning and erudite.