Luke and the Jewish Religion

Abstract

After delineating the difficulties of defining “religion” and “Judaism/Jewish/Jews,” this article traces Luke’s presentation of Jewish religious markers: circumcision, temple worship, sacred space (Jerusalem, synagogues) and sacred time (Sabbath), Scripture, and myth. It argues that Luke renders Jewish practice and belief, outside of Jesus’ interpretation, as relegated to the past, insignificant, corrupt, or co-opted by Jesus and his followers.