Windows on Paradise

The publisher’s preface informs us that this is a new edition of a book originally published in 1976. It provides a commentary on the lovely Gospel of Luke, written in a refreshingly lively style, and containing many challenging observations that are bound to generate much thought, promote discussion and encourage further research. David Gooding makes his way through the gospel in unconventional fashion, for as he deals with people and events that occur, he takes them out of their order of presentation in the Gospel in a series of studies.

In the main these concentrate on the case histories of a selection of people who came into contact with Christ. The first twelve of the studies (there are fourteen in total) have accompanying study and discussion questions; these are most helpful for the general reader, as are suggested guidelines for leaders of study groups.

To regard this book as only a useful introduction to Luke’s Gospel is to underestimate its value. Not only does it provide a great deal of background information based on scholarly research, but it concentrates upon issues that were much on the mind of the author and upon which he concentrates in his writing.