David H. Wenkel – författare

This study takes a Christian perspective on the entire Bible, rather than simply the New Testament. David Wenkel asks: Why did Jesus have to be beaten before his death on the cross? Christian theology has largely focused on Jesus’ death but has given relatively little attention to his sufferings. Wenkel’s answer contextualizes Jesus’ crucifixion sufferings as informed by the language of Proverbs. He explains that Jesus’ sufferings demonstrate the wisdom of God’s plan to provide a substitute for foolish sinners. Jesus was beaten as a fool – even though he was no fool, in order to fulfill God’s loving plan of salvation. This analysis is then placed within the larger storyline of the whole bible – from the Garden of Eden to the story of Israel and beyond. 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus promised his disciples kingship and thrones of judgment at the Last Supper. Many commentators have long seen this as a totally futuristic promise that is unrelated to the book of Acts. David H. Wenkel argues that the Twelve inaugurated their co-regency with Christ in the events surrounding Pentecost. This study begins by situating the material of Luke-Acts within the framework of Jewish inaugurated eschatology. It then argues that the kingship promised to the disciples has begun to be fulfilled in the book of Acts. This explains why it was so critically important to replace Judas with Matthias and re-establish the Twelve. It is a step toward re-framing the whole relationship between Luke and Acts within inaugurated eschatology.