Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 29:1 (Spring 2008)
Article: Recent Ph.D. Dissertations At Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Author: Anonymous

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TRINJ 29:1 (Spring 2008) p. 127

Recent Ph.D. Dissertations At Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Doctoral Student: Hyochan Michael Kim

Dissertation Mentor: Dr. Eckhard J. Schnabel

Dissertation Title:

“From Israel to the Nations”:
A Critical Study of the Abraham Motif in Luke-Acts

The dissertation studies Luke’s appropriation of the Abraham motif in Luke-Acts. This motif plays an indispensable role in the formation of Luke’s narrative as a whole. Abraham appears most prominently in Luke’s writings among all NT books, evidenced by frequency, strategic placement, and pervasiveness of mentions of Abraham through intertextual connections to both the OT and Second Temple documents.

First, Luke’s focus is God’s covenant promise to Abraham, who is progenitor of the Hebrew race. By patterning the expansion of the covenantal blessings from a national aspect to a universal aspect in the development of the Abraham narrative, Luke places the theme of “from Israel to the nations” at the heart of his own narrative construction.

Second, Luke’s portrayal of Abraham recalls the image of Abraham in Second Temple Judaism. In tragic situations, ancient memories of Abraham become intensified, which is evident in the frequent appearances of the “remembering” motif and the transformation of Abraham into an eschatological figure. Abraham is presented not only as an individual of a bygone past, but as the eschatological father who will receive all faithful Jews in the age to come.

Third, from the outset of his narrative, Luke presents God’s remembering of the Abrahamic covenant as the foundation of his salvation work through Jesus Christ. Luke’s integration of the Abraham motif with other major historical motifs, such as the Davidic motif and the Exodus motif, demonstrates the continuity in God’s salvation work in Israel’s history.

Fourth, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant is no longer manifested in political terms but in soteriological ones such as salvation, repentance, forgiveness of sins, reversal of fortunes, joy, and other related terminologies.

In conclusion, Luke presents God as the God of worldwide mission, who has planned the salvation of all flesh from the

TRINJ 29:1 (Spring 2008) p. 128

beginning. This is evidenced by God’s continuing work in history and testified to by the entire Scriptures. Both the coming of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit have one consistent goal of fulfilling this divine plan of salvation, which is to be carried on by the Spirit-empowered community of Jesus’ followers, the church.

Doctoral Student: Hee Sung Lee...

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