Luke is a gospel of joy, amazement, and warmth. From the jubilant birth narrative and Magnificat at the beginning to the wonder of the ascension at the end, Luke offers a matchless portrait of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and those who followed him. In the 36th volume in the Believers Church Bible Commentary series, New Testament scholar Mary H. Schertz helps readers inhabit the pages of the third gospel, replete with parables and paradoxes and ministries of mercy. In vibrant writing and with careful exegesis, Schertz invites readers to investigate for themselves the surprise, light, and awe of the kingdom of God, in which people find healing, the marginalized find welcome, and the poor find flourishing. Schertz traces the motifs of holy warrior and suffering servant that confronted every first-century Jew, including Jesus, and that still shape the church today. Through it all, Luke demonstrates both the cost of the kingdom and the exuberance of a life lived in loyalty to Jesus and the strength of the Spirit. About the Believers Church Bible Commentary series This readable commentary series is for all who seek more fully to understand the original message of Scripture and its meaning for today--Sunday school teachers, members of Bible study groups, students, pastors, and other seekers. --From the Series Forword