Sinners and Sinfulness in Luke: A Study of Direct and Indirect References in the Initial Episodes of Jesus' Activity

205 Pages·2017·1.51 MB·English

by  Slawomir Szkredka

Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen
zum Neuen Testament · 2.Reihe
Herausgeber / Editor
Jörg Frey (Zürich)
Mitherausgeber / Associate Editors
Markus Bockmuehl (Oxford)· James A. Kelhoffer (Uppsala)
Hans-Josef Klauck (Chicago, IL)· Tobias Nicklas (Regensburg)
J.Ross Wagner (Durham, NC)
434

Sławomir Szkredka
Sinners and Sinfulness
in Luke
A Study of Direct and Indirect References in
the Initial Episodes of Jesus’ Activity
Mohr Siebeck
Sławomir Szkredka, born 1974; 2001 MDiv and MA in Theology; 2005 MA in Philosophy;
2008 PhD in Comparative Religions (Buddhism); 2012 Licentiate in Sacred Scripture; in 2016
defended a doctoral dissertation at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome; since 2015
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Saint John’s Seminary, Camarillo, CA, USA.
ISBN 978-3-16-155057-7
ISSN 0340-9570 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 2.Reihe)
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie;
detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.
© 2017 Mohr Siebeck Tübingen, Germany. www.mohr.de
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by
copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particularly to reproduc-
tions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems.
The book was printed by Laupp & Göbel in Gomaringen on non-aging paper and bound by
Buchbinderei Nädele in Nehren.
Printed in Germany.
Preface
This study is a revised version of my doctoral thesis presented to the Pontifi-
cal Biblical Institute in Rome. The thesis was submitted in October 2015 and
defended in January 2016.
It is appropriate that I take the opportunity here to express my gratitude to
some of the many people without whose support this study would not have
been possible. In the first place, I wish to thank my doctoral supervisor, Pro-
fessor Dean Béchard, SJ. With scholarly diligence as well as personal gener-
osity and patience he both guided and inspired this work from its inception.
The second reader, Professor Luca Pedroli, offered his careful and critical
feedback. To them and to all at the Biblicum I remain deeply grateful.
Among my friends and fellow students of Saint Luke in Rome, I wish to
acknowledge the Reverends Luke Macnamara, OSB and Piotr Kot. Their
friendship and love for Scripture have nurtured my work. At Saint John’s
Seminary in Camarillo, CA, I had the good fortune of having Fr. Patrick Mul-
len as my mentor. He knows, I hope, how much I have valued his support and
wise counsel. Finally, I cannot forget Mary Jane Bartee who graciously
proofed the text at its various stages.
In preparing the thesis for publication I have profited from comments of-
fered by Professor James Kelhoffer. He has helped me to clarify my argument
as well as to avoid some errors. My gratitude goes to him and to the editorial
staff at Mohr Siebeck.
The roots of this project lie in Los Angeles. It was Cardinal Roger Mahony
and then Archbishop José Gómez who directed me to the study of Scripture
and offered constant encouragement during the years of doctoral work. In
thanking them, I wish to thank the entire Church of Los Angeles without
whose assistance this thesis would not have been written.

Camarillo, October 18, 2016 Sławomir Szkredka
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Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations .................................................................................. XI

1. Introducing the Study and Its Presuppositions ........................ 1
1.1. A Brief Presentation of the Nature of This Study ............................ 1
1.2. A Sinner in Luke and in Lukan Scholarship .................................... 2

1.3. Methodological Assumptions Governing This Study ...................... 6

1.3.1. The Reader as Produced by the Text ..................................... 6

1.3.2. The Reader as Assumed by the Text ..................................... 7
1.3.3. Temporal Ordering and a First-Time Reading ...................... 8
1.3.4. Literary Form and Narrative Function ................................... 8

1.4. The Implied Reader’s Pre-existing Beliefs about Sin and

Sinners ............................................................................................ 9
1.5. Lk 5:1–6:11 as a Narrative Section ................................................. 13

1.6. The Task Ahead .............................................................................. 18

2. Sin and Sinners in Luke 1–4 .......................................................... 20
2.1. References to Sin and Sinners in the Infancy Narrative of
Luke 1–2 ......................................................................................... 21
2.1.1. John’s Birth Announced (1:5–25) ......................................... 21

2.1.2. Jesus’ Birth Announced (1:26–38) ........................................ 24
2.1.3. Meeting of the Mothers (1:39–56) ........................................ 24
2.1.4. Birth of John and Praise of Zachariah (1:57–80) ................... 26
2.1.5. Birth of Jesus and Jesus in the Temple (2:1–50) ................... 28

2.2. References to Sin and Sinners in the Beginnings of the

Ministries of John and Jesus in Luke 3–4 ....................................... 30

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VIII Table of Contents
2.2.1. Ministry of John the Baptist (3:1–20) ................................... 31
2.2.2. Jesus’ Commission, Genealogy, and Testing
(3:21–4:13) ............................................................................ 36
2.2.3. Jesus’ Ministry (4:14–44) ...................................................... 37

2.3. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of Luke 1–4 ....... 40

3. The Calling of Simon Peter (5:1–11) .......................................... 46
3.1. The Initial Situation (5:1–3) ............................................................ 48
3.2. The Miraculous Catch (5:4–7) ........................................................ 50

3.3. The Reactions (5:8–11) ................................................................... 54

3.4. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of Lk 5:1–11 ....... 61

4. The Healing of a Leper (5:12–16) ............................................... 66
4.1. The Setting (5:12a) .......................................................................... 67
4.2. The Healing (5:12b–13) .................................................................. 67

4.3. Jesus’ Command and Reactions (5:14–16) ...................................... 74

4.4. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of

Lk 5:12–16 ...................................................................................... 77

5. The Healing of the Paralytic (5:17–26) ..................................... 79
5.1. The Setting (5:17) ........................................................................... 79
5.2. The Obstacle of the Crowd (5:18–19) ............................................. 82

5.3. Jesus’ Dispute with the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law

(5:20–24) ......................................................................................... 83
5.4. Reactions to the Miracle (5:25–26) ................................................. 89

5.5. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of

Lk 5:17–26 ...................................................................................... 90

6. The Call of Levi (5:27–39) ............................................................ 94

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Table of Contents IX

6.1. Call and Response (5:27–28) .......................................................... 95
6.2. Meal – First Objection – Response (5:29–32) ................................. 97

6.3. The Second Objection and the Response Followed by a

Parable (5:33–39) ............................................................................ 100
6.4. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of

Lk 5:27–39 ...................................................................................... 103

7. The Sabbath Disputes (6:1–11) .................................................... 108
7.1. The Initial Situation (6:1) ................................................................ 109
7.2. The Critique of the Pharisees (6:2) .................................................. 110

7.3. Jesus’ Response (6:3–5) .................................................................. 112

7.4. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of Lk 6:1–5 ......... 114

7.5. The Initial Situation (6:6–7) ............................................................ 116

7.6. Jesus’ Triple Response (6:8–10) ..................................................... 118

7.7. Reactions of the Pharisees and the Scribes (6:11) ........................... 123

7.8. The Theme of Sinfulness and the Likely Effects of Lk 6:6–11 ....... 125

7.9. Concluding Remarks on Luke’s Portrayal of Sinners in

5:1–6:11 .......................................................................................... 127

8. Sin and Sinners in Lk 6:12–9:50 .................................................. 132
8.1. Choice and Preparation of the Twelve (6:12–8:56) ......................... 134
8.1.1. Choice of the Twelve and the Sermon on the Plain

(6:12–49) ............................................................................... 134
8.1.2. John the Baptist’s Question and Jesus’ Response
(7:18–35) ............................................................................... 141
8.1.3. Jesus and the Sinful Woman (7:36–50) ................................. 145
8.1.4. Teaching in Parables and the Miracles of Jesus
(8:1–56) ................................................................................. 150
8.2. The Twelve Entrusted with a Mission and with the Prediction

of Jesus’ Destiny (9:1–50) .............................................................. 154

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X Table of Contents
8.2.1. The Sending of the Twelve, Herod’s Questions, and the
Challenge to Feed the Crowds (9:1–17) ................................ 155
8.2.2. Peter’s Confession, Transfiguration, and the Failures of
the Disciples (9:18–50) ......................................................... 156
8.3. Concluding Remarks on the Interpretive Potential of

Lk 5:1–6:11 for the “Sinner Texts” in Lk 6:12–9:50 ....................... 160

Conclusions ............................................................................................ 162

Bibliography ............................................................................................... 171
Ancient Sources .............................................................................. 171
Modern Authors .............................................................................. 173

Index of Ancient Sources ........................................................................... 187
Index of Modern Authors ........................................................................... 193

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