Table Of ContentLORD oj
the BANQUET
The Literary and Theological
Significance of the Lukan Travel Narrative
DAVID P. MOESSNER
FORTRESS PRESS MINNEAPOLIS
LORD oj
the BANQUET
LORD OF THE BANQUET
The Literary and Theological Significance of the Lukan Travel Narrative
Copyright © 1989 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Except for brief
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moessner, David P., date
Lord of the banquet: The literary and theological significance
of the Lukan travel narrative.
Bibliography: p.
Includes indexes.
1. Bible. N.T. Luke IX, 51-XIX, 44-Criticism,
interpretation, etc. 2. Jesus Christ-Journeys.
I. Title.
BS2595.2.M62 1989 226.4'06 88-45245
ISBN 0-8006-0893-3
The paper used in this publication meets the mIDlmum requirements of
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Contents
Preface xi
Abbreviations xv
INTRODUCTION: THE ENIGMA OF THE CENTRAL SECTION OF LUKE
(9:51-19:44) 1
The Problem and Purpose o/the Investigation 1
Method and Scope o/this Work 3
The Procedure 7
Notes 8
PART I: THE PROBLEM EXPANDED: DISSONANCE OF FORM FROM
CONTENT (Luke 9:51-19:44) 13
The Dissonance 0/F orm from Content 14
1. Discrepancy Between the Journey Indicators and a Journey to
Jerusalem 14
2. Discrepancy Between the Traditions and the Journey Motif 17
3. Discrepancy Between Provenance and Setting of the Journey
Motif 18
Characterizations o/the Dissonance o/the Central Section 21
The Central Section in Critical Light 21
Luke's Purpose in the Light of the Dissonance 23
Approach 1: Theological-Christological 24
Approach 2: Ecclesiastical-Functional 24
Approach 3: Literary-Aesthetical 24
Approach 4: Traditional-Logical 24
The}ourney Motifin the Light of Luke's Purpose 26
viii Contents
Approach 1: Theologica1-Christological 26
The Journey Motif as External Framework 26
The Journey Motif as an Intrinsic Principle of Unity 27
Approach 2: Ecclesiastical-Functional 28
The Journey Motifas External Framework 28
The Journey Motifas an Intrinsic Principle of Unity 28
Approach 4: Traditional-Logical 30
The Journey Motif as External Framework 30
Conclusions 30
Notes 33
PART II: THE PREVIEW OF THE JOURNEY OF THE PROPHET LIKE
MOSES OF DEUTERONOMY (Luke 9:1-50) 45
Luke's Language and Lineage oft he Prophets 47
Jesus as Prophet in Luke-Acts 47
Prophets in Acts 50
Conclusions: Prophecy and Fulfillment in Luke-Acts 55
The Prophetic Career ofM oses According to Deuteronomy 56
The Prophetic Parallels ofM oses in Deuteronomy to Jesus in Luke 9:1-50 60
Conclusions 69
Notes 71
PART III: THE DEUTERONOMISTIC VIEW OF ISRAEL'S PROPHETIC
HISTORY AND THE CENTRAL SECTION OF LUKE 81
Josephus, the Qumran Covenanters, and the Deuteronomistic Perspective 85
Conclusions 90
t The Central Section and the Deuteronomistic Historicai View 91
A. The Present Generation Is an Evil, Crooked One and as Such
Demonstrates Its Solidarity with Their "Fathers" 92
Conclusions 114
B. God Has Sent Jesus as a Prophet to Israel, like All the Prophets Before
Him 114
Sent to Mediate the Divine Will 114
Sent to Instruct and Admonish the People in God's Will 120
Sent to Call the People to Repentance Lest They Be Destroyed by the
Judgment of God 127
Conclusions 130
t For a list of passages treated, see Index I.
Contents ix
C. Nevertheless, This Generation Rejected Jesus the Prophet, Even Killing
Him out of Their Stiff-necked Resistance 131
Retrospect 131
Jesus the Journeying Guest Is Not Received (Luke 9:52-19:44) 132
Conclusions 173
The Journeying Guest Is Rejected in Jerusalem (Luke 19:45-
23:49) 176
The Passion Meal ofthe Journeying Guest (Luke 22:7-38) 176
The Journeying Guest Is Received (Luke 24:13-53) 182
The Journeying Guest Is Lord of the Banquet (Luke 24: 13-53) 183
D. Therefore God Will "Rain" Destruction Upon Israel as in 722 and
587 B.C.E. Because They Did Not Hearken to Him 186
Consolidation of Tenets A-C~D 186
The Leaven of the Pharisees-Scribes 187
1. The Pharisees in Luke-Acts 187
2. The Leaven of Hypocrisy of the Pharisees-Scribes 197
Conclusion: The Story oft he Deuteronomistic Journeying-Guest Prophet 207
Table of Contents ofthe Central Section and its Deuteronomistic
Prophet 211
Excursus 1: Audience Criticism of the Central Section 212
Excursus 2: A Gallery of the Characters of "This
Generation" 216
Excursus 3: The Literary Design of "Eating and Drinking" 221
Notes 222
PART IV: JESUS THE DEUTERONOMISTIC REJECTED PROPHET AS
THE PROPHET LIKE MOSES OF DEUTERONOMY 259
The Fourfold Moses-Exodus-Deuteronomy Typology as the Literary-Theological
Framework for the Central Section 260
The Journeying Guest, Lord o/the Banquet as the Prophet like Moses 0/
Deuteronomy 264
The Description of the Land 264
The Central Section of Deuteronomy 265
Moses and the Journey of Eating and Rejoicing 268
The Relation 0/F orm to Content in Deuteronomy and in the Central Section of
Luke 277
Form-Critical Considerations 277
The Relation of the Sayings of Moses/Jesus to a Journey 279
ConcluSions 284
Notes 285
x Contents
PART V: CONCLUSIONS: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TRAVEL
NARRATIVE IN LUKE-ACTS 289
The Nature o/the Travel Na"ative 290
1. The Journey Indicators 290
2. The Traditions and the Journey Motif 292
3. Provenance and the Setting of the Journey Motif 292
The Literary Function o/the 1,'ravel Narrative in Luke-Acts 294
The Gospel of Luke 294
The Acts of the Apostles 296
Reflections on the Theological Implications o/the New Exodus Travel Na"ative
for Interpreting Luke-Acts 307
Eschatology and Luke's Sitz im Leben 307
Israel in the History of Salvation and the Imminent Expectation 308
Clues to Certain Tradents of the New Exodus Travel Narrative 315
Luke's Theology of the Cross 322
Conclusion 325
Notes 325
INDEXES 339
Preface
The problems concerning form and content in the central "travel"
section of the Gospel of Luke appear insoluble. The journeying and
teaching of Jesus seem hopelessly confused. But as the title suggests, this
study finds a decisive clue to solving this puzzle in the many references to
Jesus' eating and drinking. And as the subtitle indicates, the following
pages purport to set the longest narrative portion (nearly 40 percent) of
the Third Gospel within its even larger frame in order to illuminate its
significance for the overall story and theology of Luke-Acts.
Such an objective is obviously daunting. We shall have to sift and
analyze and align the many tradition units in Luke 9:51-19:44 from
different angles and perspectives; repetition of insights and conclusions
will be unavoidable. Those less eager to descend into the crooks and
crevasses of the tortuous terrain of Luke's "journey" are urged to proceed
immediately from Part II to the Conclusion of Part III where the move
ments and words of Jesus have been charted into a coherent and dynamic
plot. But it is only as we approach the difficulties from as many divergent
vantage points as possible that we minimalize unwarranted interpreta
tions and superficial solutions.
This study was first accepted as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor
of Theology by the Theology Faculty of the University of Basel on August
2, 1983. I have shortened the present format considerably, especially the
notes, while leaving the structure and substance of the argument intact.
No attempt has been made to include all the important Lukan studies
that have appeared in the meantime, though I have continued the dia
logue with certain of the more recent contributions to the Central Section
of Luke, particularly those from the fruitful discussions of the Luke-Acts
Seminar and the Acts Group of the Society of Biblical Literature. Wher
ever possible I have tried to use inclusive language, though in some
instances I have retained a literal rendering (e.g., "fathers") for "echo
