the role of the lukan parables in terms of the purpose of luke's gospel

the church through the activity of the witnesses. Moreover, the continuity between the
ministry of Jesus and the witness of the church can be seen in various common themes:
“Teaching about salvation, Christology, eschatology and mission.” 21
With legitimation and apologetic as the genre of Luke’s writing, and salvation as the
narrative unity of Luke-Acts, J.B. Green suggests that the purpose of Luke-Acts is to
reinforce the Christian movement in the face of opposition. That is, by grounding them firmly
in their interpretation and experience of the redemptive purpose and faithfulness of God, and
22
by calling them to remain constantly faithful witnesses in God’s salvific plan. In his view,
the purpose of Luke-Acts is concerned with the practices that represent the standard for
legitimating the community of God’s people, and the invitation to participate in God’s design.
In this regard, it can be said that the purpose of Luke-Acts is chiefly ecclesiological. Luke
manifests, Green claims, the overall purpose of strengthening the church within “salvation”
as the main theme of Luke-Acts. Luke strains to answer the question of the identity of the
Christian community by showing the coherence between God’s ancient plan and the ministry
of Jesus. That is to say, the advent of Jesus is grounded on the ancient covenant, and still
more his mission is fully in line with God’s agenda. For Luke the call to discipleship aligns
and conforms itself to the teaching of Jesus and God’s intent. To put it differently, they must
embody the beneficence of God especially in their lives, and express their mercy, in particular,
toward those in need. On the other hand, the divine purpose at times surfaces in the narrative
in several ways, such as during Jesus’ baptism, “by means of heavenly messengers, through a
constellation of terms expressive of God’s design, and through instances of divine
choreography of events.” 23 The Holy Spirit powerfully puts the divine plan into practice.
Moreover, Jesus is identified as Savior in his miracles of healing and table fellowship. All
things considered, throughout the Lukan writings the narrative centers on salvation which
“embraces life in the present, restoring the integrity of human life, revitalizing human
communities, setting the cosmos in order, and commissioning the community of God’s
people to put God’s grace into practice among themselves and toward ever-widening circles
of others.” 24
1-4. A polemic against heresy
21. Ibid., 307.
22. Green, Luke, 21-22. See also idem, The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, 22-49.
23. Ibid., 22.
24. Ibid., 24-25.
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