Jesus’, Mark’s & Luke’s Apocalyptism

Below are extracts from Bart Ehrman’s slides used in his lecture series on Luke at BSA titled Luke’s Maverick Gospel: A Vision of Reversals, Lecture 5: The End that Has Not Come. Minor formatting, emphasis, and several scriptural full-text insertions are mine.

The Apocalyptic Message of the Jews

• Jewish Apocalypticism
  • The Cosmic Power Struggle
  • The Historical Dimension
  • The Ultimate Sovereignty of God
  • The Coming Day of Judgment
  • The End is Near

The Apocalyptic Message of Jesus

• Jesus the Apocalypticist
  • The Original Summary of His Message (Mark 1:16)
  • The Imminent End of the Current Order
  • The Need to Repent
  • The God Who Forgives

The Apocalyptic Message of Mark

• Jesus’ Opening Words: The Time Has Been Fulfilled (1:15)
• The Coming Kingdom of God (1:15)
• The Arrival of the Son of Man (8:38)
• “Some of you standing here will not taste death before you see the kingdom of God come in power” (9:1)
• “This Generation will not pass away” (13:30)
• “You Yourself Will See the Son of Man Coming” (14:62)

The Apocalyptic Message in The Gospel of Luke

Luke’s End-Time Redactions

• Omissions
  • Mark “The Time Has Been Fulfilled” (Mark 1:15)
    • Luke: omitted
  • “Will not taste death” (Mark 9:1):
    • Luke: “in power” omitted
    • And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. [Mar 9:1 KJV]
• Changes
  • Mark: “You will see the Son of Man coming in Power” (Mark 14:62)
    • Luke: “From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand…” (Luke 22:69)
• Additions
  • Parable of the Talents (“because they suppose the kingdom of God was to arrive immediately”) Luke 19:11-27 “
  • Will you now restore the kingdom?” “It is not for you to know the times or seasons (Acts 1:6-7)
  • “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs… it is among you” (Luke 17:20-21)
  • “Today you will be with me in paradise” (23:43)
• One Exception?
  • This Generation will not pass away… (21:32)
  • Luke’s Perspective: The generation is the one during the fall of Jerusalem

Luke’s End-Time Logic and Its Implications

• Luke’s Logic
  • Empirical Reality: The end had not come
  • Divine Planning: It was not yet supposed to come
  • Christian Mission: First salvation had to go to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)
  • That takes time
  • It will not be next Thursday
• The Implications
  • We are here for a longer haul
  • The kingdom is here among us
  • We need to implement its ideals
  • Luke’s social agenda

Luke’s Social Agenda

• Poverty and Hunger:
  • Luke’s Beatitudes (6:20-21)
  • And Woes (6:24-25)
  • The Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19-31)
• Enemies and Outsiders: The Good Samaritan (10:25-37)
• Women:
  • Jesus’ supporters (8:1-3)
  • Mary and Martha (10:38-42)

In Sum: Luke and Apocalyptic Perspectives

• Some Upsides of Apocalyptic Views
  • The ultimate sovereignty of God
  • The assurance of a glorious outcome
  • Hope in the midst of despair
• Some Downsides of Apocalyptic Views
  • False hope
  • Disinterest in the present
  • Potential apathy to those in need
• Where Luke Sits on the Spectrum
  • The end may well be coming soon
  • But more important is the meantime