In That Day: The Coming of the Son of Man in Luke-Acts

Abstract

This thesis analyses the concept of the "Day of the Lord" as it comes to expression in Luke-Acts. In these books, this Old Testament concept is reinterpreted and used in conjunction with another Old Testament theme: the coming of the Son of man. An analysis of the Lukan passages about the coming of the Son of man (Luke 17:22-37i 21:5-36; 12:35-48) in the context of the contemporary historical situation of first-century Judaism reveals that when speaking of the coming of the Son of man, the Lukan Jesus is referring to a number of comings; namely, his own life (Luke 12) and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE (Luke 17 and 21). The Old Testament imagery of the Son of man is used to show the nature of this coming: a vindication of those suffering "for my name's sake" (Luke 21: 17). In Luke this message of hope and judgment is brought to Israel; Acts shows how the final age has dawned, extending this message of hope and judgment to the gentiles. The suffering of Jesus and his resurrection of vindication become the suffering of the church to be ended by another day of vindication and resurrection. Luke-Acts, therefore, points out the eschatological character of the coming of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, for they are the beginning of an event that will be consununated in the final coming. In the mean-time, those who eagerly await that coming can claim the already fulfilled promises and testify to the Spirit-filled restoration taking place already now, in the last days.