P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

Within this pericope e~~oyerv
is very
significant, being used by Luke quite specifically
at both beginning (1:28,42,64, 2:28,34) and end
.
(24:30,50,51,53) of his gospel. In Sir 50:20-22
the imagery is of a blessing priest and a responding
congregation.
The same basic imagery is present in
both beginning and end of Luke, but in Lk 24 a
necessary part of the response of the disciples is
the knowledge that the promised redemption of Israel
has been accomplished:
the Messianic community, the
new 'temple' of God, has been established.
This is
in stark and deliberate contrast to the beginning of
the gospel where Zechariah goes to the temple and
prays for the redemption of the nation. 69
The fact
that Luke here, if not exactly dependent on Sir 50:
20-22, has modelled his own pericope on this tradition,
coupled with his deliberate and significant use of
, points to Luke's understanding of the
ascension event as it is portrayed here.
The
70
emphasis is not on the 'going' of Jesus as such
but on the continuity between Christ and the Church.
In Lk 24 the most important verse for Luke is v.49,
the commissioning of the disciples; vv. 50-53 then
serve, with words and concepts already familiar to
his readers, both to conclude the gospel and to introduce
his account of the mission of the Church. 71
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