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Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in lukeActs Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Although recently questioned there has been a general consensus that Luke 4:1630 is of programmic significance in LukeActs. This pericope has attracted a large amount of attention, because of the major themes Luke encapsulates in the story and repeats elsewhere. Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Among the stories in Acts which parallel the Lukan story at Nazareth are the beginning of Paul's ministry at Damascus (Acts 9:19b-25); the start of the first missionary journey to Cyprus in the power of the Spirit (Acts13:1-12) and Paul's first missionary speech in the synagogue of Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:14-52). The themes of Luke 4:16-30 are also reflected in the speeches of Peter at Pentecost (2:17-40); in the Temple (3:11-26) and at Cornelius' house (10:34-33). Finally, Luke seems to bind the beginning of the ministry of Jesus with the end of Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Luke 4:16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Major themes in Luke’s Commission: Release of the captives The word “release” grounded in Jubilee Jesus’ ministry to the excluded/women Mary Magdalene, Prodigal, Zacchaeus Peter proclaims “forgiveness” in Acts 2:38 The rejection of Jesus and the apostles. Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts “All this material demonstrates the fulfillment of the commission which Jesus announced in Nazareth, the commission to preach good news to the poor and proclaim release to the captives and oppressed” (Tannehill 1986:139). Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts “More strikingly, Paul summarizes his mission in words that seem to paraphrase Jesus' description of his mission in Luke 4:18. In Acts 26:17-18 Paul presents his commission from the risen Christ in these terms: ". . . the people and the nations, to whom I send you [cf. Luke 4:18: "He has sent me"] to open their eyes, [cf. Luke 4:18: "to proclaim . . . to the blind new sight"] so as to turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan [cf. the "prisoners" who need "release" in Luke 4:18] to God so that they might receive release of sins" (cf. "release" in Luke 4:18)” (Tannehill 1986:67). Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Gen. 2:1-3 7 Days Weekly Lev. 25:1-7 7 Years Sabbatical Lev. 25:8-17 7 x 7 Years Jubilee Daniel 9:1-2 70 Years Desolation 2Chron. 36:21 70 Years Land Rests Daniel 9:24 70 weeks Jews Blessed Daniel 9:25 7(7) and 62(7) Restoration Daniel 9:27 1 week Messiah/Release Mission Seminar in Acts Luke’s Commission in Luke-Acts Sabbath as “Release”