Finger of God and Pneumatology in Luke-Acts

Luke's interest in the Holy Spirit is well-known, so when instead of having Jesus say, ' If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God...', as Matthew has it, he writes, 'If I by the finger of God..', Luke poses a question that has puzzled many commentators since. Woods argues that in fact the phrase 'finger of God' holds the key to understanding the role of the Spirit in Luke-Acts. Taking into account the background to the phrase, Luke's larger theological interests within the Beelzebub section itself, the Travel Narrative, and the programme of Luke-Acts as a whole, he offers a new solution to an old exegetical question.