When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” We gather now around the climax of Luke’s narrative. And as is typical of this moment in grand stories, each sentence, each detail, has meaning. So also here. For immediately after...

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of...