An examination of the literary device of narrative asides, including parenthetical remarks addressed directly to the reader which interrupt the logical progression of the story and establish a relationship between the narrator and the narratee. Narrative asides in Luke-Acts are located, categorized according to their function, and examined within their literary context. With this discussion in mind, the book offers a narrative-critical exploration of the relationship of asides to the plot, narrator, and audience of Luke-Acts.

"An examination of the literary device of narrative asides, including parenthetical remarks addressed directly to the reader which interrupt the logical progression of the story and establish a relationship between the narrator and the narratee. Narrative asides in Luke-Acts are located, categorized according to their function, and examined within their literary context. With this discussion in mind, the book offers a narrative-critical exploration of the relationship of asides to the plot, narrator, and audience of Luke-Acts."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Tannehill shows how the narrative contributes to the impact of Luke's literary whole. The study further shows that Luke's use of recurring words, patterns of repetition and contrast, irony, pathos, and many other features of this narrative contribute to the total fabric of Luke's masterpiece.

Because of Luke's unique literary achievement in the Gospel of Luke and Acts, these two works raise a variety of interesting and important issues for the exegete. In this important collection of essays, Tannehill demonstrates why he is has been in the forefront of Luke-Acts research for more than three decades. His nuanced approach to the intersection of literary, theological, and social features in the texts marks these as required reading for any interpreter of the gospels. Contents Part I: Theology, Poetry, Rhetoric 1 The Mission of Jesus according to Luke 4:16-30 2 The Magnificat as Poem 3 What Kind of King? What Kind of Kingdom? 4 The Lukan Discourse on Invitations 5 The Story of Zacchaeus as Rhetoric 6 Repentance in the Context of Lukan Soteriology Part II: Luke and the Jews 7 Israel in Luke-Acts: A Tragic Story 8 The Story of Israel within the Lukan Narrative 9 Rejection by Jews and Turning to Gentiles: The Pattern of Paul's Mission in Acts Part III: Acts as Narrative 10 The Functions of Peter's Mission Speeches in the Narrative of Acts 11 The Composition of Acts 3Ð5: Narrative Development and Echo Effect 12 Paul outside the Christian Ghetto: Intercultural Conflict and Cooperation in Acts 13 The Narrator's Strategy in the Scenes of Paul's Defense Part IV: Hermeneutical Experiments 14 Should We Love Simon the Pharisee? Reflections on the Pharisees in Luke 15 Freedom and Responsibility in Scripture Interpretation 16 ÒCorneliusÓ and ÒTabithaÓ Encounter Luke's Jesus

This excellent book shows how literary criticism illuminates the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, reclaiming them as Biblical narrative. Kurz explores literary aspects such as implied authors or readers, plot, and assumed information, or gaps. Finally, he traces the implications of reading Luke-Acts as canonical Scripture and the merits of literary methods.