"Luke 1-13:The Year of the Lord's Favor" By Dale Ralph Davis. A Review


 

Luke 1-13: The Year of the Lord’s Favior

Dale Ralph Davis

Christian Focus Publications

Christianfocus.com

ISBN: 9781527106383; January 2021; $19.99

 

I tell you no one is safe when Dale Ralph Davis – pastor, writer, and seminary professor – has gotten loose! And his newest erudite adventure, the 264-page paperback, “Luke 1-13: The Year of the Lord’s Favor” is proof positive! Davis expounds on the first thirteen chapters of Luke in this volume and draws out loads of friends to help him make his point. His sons, wife, Civil War generals, theologians, crows eating roadkill, presidents, father, mother, his own brothers, and many more, are all gathered around, given their place and handed their mission. He even recounts a story I told some twenty years ago and threw me into the fray! No one is safe, I tell you! And it’s all deliciously fun, attention-grabbing, and illustrative of what our Lord did and does, and of what he said and what he signified. Davis is a masterful writer who disarms his readers, ropes them into his endeavor, and gives them Jesus.

 

Dr. Davis guides readers through each scene in Luke, working out the details and didactics with an eye to scope and sequence. The material is learned but not laborious. Though he will not allow himself to get bogged down in academic wranglings and minutia, he will acknowledge it where it has some importance, but stays on task, which makes the flow of the book easy on studiers. But he also does not shy away from cutting his own trail, such as when he makes a solid case that the parables Jesus told were not cute tales to help listeners, but actually used to cloud meanings for those outside the fold as a sign of judgment on the unbelieving (135-6). Though it is a commentary, it makes for a great devotional work. I read through it in my morning devotions, finding myself often laughing, pondering, worshiping, and praying.

 

“Luke 1-13: The Year of the Lord’s Favor” will enrich any who pick it up. Not only will preachers and ministers find aid in sermon prep, and Bible study teachers in lesson research, but they will have their hearts grabbed up, shaken down, and handed over to Jesus. Anyone interested in the Luke needs this volume, and ought to read it with pens and notepads close by, and a place to kneel! I highly recommend the work.

 

My thanks to Christian Focus Publications for graciously answering my request and sending me the copy of the book used for this review. They made no demands on me, offered no bribes, and took no hostages. Therefore, my analysis is freely made and freely given. Now off to imbibe in the second volume, “Luke 14-24: On the Road to Jerusalem”.

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