The Emperor’s Deification, Ezekiel’s Vision, and Luke’s Flesh and Bones (Lk 24:39) March 2, 2015 By Event Details Date: Wednesday, Mar 25th, 2015, 3:00 pm Venue: Emmaus South Lounge, School of Theology and Seminary Categories: Lecture, Scholar Presentation Tags: Apostle Luke, resurrection, Roman Empire Presented by Shelly Matthews Collegeville Institute Resident Scholar, Ordained Minister, and Professor of New Testament, Brite Divinity School, Forth Worth, TX Early Jesus believers hoped for a general resurrection at which the righteous would be recompensed for the lives stolen from them. This lecture addresses the somewhat puzzling fact that the narrative of the resurrected Jesus in Luke 24 has little to say about this general resurrection. Instead, it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus as a “stand alone” event, which compares quite closely to ancient narratives of Roman emperors who are understood to be divinized at their deaths. This presentation looks at the distinctly Lukan assertion that Jesus is resurrected in flesh and bone, and asks whether this allusion to Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones reflects Luke’s knowledge of “more populist” understandings of resurrection in which justice for the suffering righteous are central. Co-sponsored by the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. Watch a video of the lecture:
