Does Luke not have a theology of the atonement? Bart Ehrman, James Dunn, and others have made various claims about the lack of a theology of Jesus’ death atoning for our sins in Luke compared to, for example how Mark and Matthew both describe Jesus’ death as a “ransom for many.” I think it’s a valid observation, but only to a certain extent and one that would be easy to exaggerate.

For one, Luke seems to identify Jesus as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 53 in Luke 22:37, saying that he was “numbered with the transgressors” and the story in Acts chapter 8 shows that early believers understood Isaiah 53 in that way. Secondly, Luke records the Passover meal where Jesus says, “this is my body, which is given for you” and “this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” We also have Luke recording Paul’s words in Acts 20:28 where he says that God obtained the church “with his own blood.” The ending of the gospel of Luke also seems to connect Jesus’ suffering and rising from the dead with the forgiveness of sins. (Luke 24:46-47)

If Ehrman is right that in the gospel of Luke, God forgives sins and God doesn’t need a sacrifice for it, then why in that same gospel does Jesus speak of the necessity of his suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection? (Luke 9:22)