BIBLE STUDY -- NEW TESTAMENT GOSPELS

GOSPEL OF LUKE – PART 1

Third book of the New Testament; also, the third of the synoptic Gospels {Matthew, Mark, Luke}.

AUTHOR

Tradition attributes the authorship of the Gospel to the esteemed companion of Paul, Luke the physician {Colossians 4:14}. The Gospel does not identify its author by name, but he is apparently well known in the company of early believers. He had obviously been gathering information for his project for some time. In both Luke and Acts the recipient is identified as Theophilus. The internal testimony of Acts for Lucan authorship must also be weighed, since there is a close relationship between the two books. In three extensive “we” passages the author reports his presence {Acts 16:10-17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16}. These appear to be excerpts from a travel diary; the last of them places the author in Rome with the apostle Paul. We can by the process of elimination, virtually establish Luke as the author.

DATE, ORIGIN, AND DESTINATION

The dating of Luke is debatable. Some argue for a date after AD 70, but this robs Luke 21:20 of its predictive value. Others suggest a date prior to the death of Paul {AD 64}. The latter would readily account for Acts concluding with his ministry in Rome while in prison. The Gospel may have been written in Rome, but this is by no means certain. Asia Minor and Greece have also been suggested as possibilities. The Monarchian Prologue to Luke promotes the latter option, but its reliability is suspect. It was at Rome that Luke could have used the time profitably to put the finishing touches on the third Gospel. Luke wrote to Theophilus. Theophilus {“beloved of YHVH”} is probably not, as some suggest, a generic term for all believers. He was a person apparently unfamiliar with the geography of Palestine, for Luke takes care to detail it from time to time. He has a much better grasp of the Greco-Roman world as a whole, for Luke predictably assumes his reader’s familiarity with it. Luke also avoids terms that might prove puzzling to gentile readers, such as “hosanna” in connection with Yeshua’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In all probability the third Gospel was composed in Rome while Paul awaited trial, on or before AD 64. It was dedicated to the “most excellent Theophilus” {Luke 1:3}, as an appropriate custom of the time. He was a prominent Gentile who had become a believer. Luke wanted to instruct him {and others} more carefully in the faith.

BACKGROUND

Yeshua lived out His life within an area roughly 50 miles {80.5 kilometres} wide and 150 miles {241.4 kilometres} long, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. Apart from Jerusalem, the places He is reported to have visited are not important to the secular history of the region. He was raised in the humble village of Nazareth and lived there until about 30 years of age. Capernaum became the centre for His Galilean ministry. He passed through Samaria on occasion, and He ministered in Perea. He was betrayed and crucified in Jerusalem. He was raised in triumph on the third day. Luke writes in retrospect. His perspective had shifted during the interim -- geographically from Palestine to the Roman Empire, politically from Israel to Rome, socially from Jewish society to pagan, and religiously from the temple to the horizon of the believer’s mission. It is as if one era were superimposed on the other, so that the significance of the life and ministry of Yeshua can be seen for the early church.

PURPOSE AND THEOLOGICAL TEACHING

Simeon beautifully expressed the redemptive theme of Luke’s Gospel when he held Yeshua in his arms and exclaimed: “I have seen the Saviour You have given to all people. He is a Light to reveal YHVH to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!” {Luke 2:30-32}. He pointed to Yeshua as the long-anticipated Saviour, the Hope of Gentiles and Jews alike. Luke wove the work of the Holy Spirit into the life and ministry of Yeshua. Yeshua was conceived by the Holy Spirit {Luke 1:35}; the Spirit descended on Him at His baptism {3:22}; He was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted {4:2}; He was anointed by the Spirit for His ministry {verse 18}. The Spirit is as it were, in the background with regard to Yeshua’ subsequent labours, but the relationship is understood even when it is not repeated. Luke accented the experience of messianic joy. The angelic host announced Yeshua’ birth with the words, “Glory to YHVH in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom YHVH favours” {2:14}. Then, as he was approaching Jerusalem, the multitude that accompanied him began to praise YHVH, saying, “Bless the King who comes in the Name of Adonai! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!” {19:38}. All this suggests that the redemptive theme in Luke is complex in character. It points to Yeshua as the Moshiach. It invites the favourable response of Gentiles no less than Jews. It blends in the empowering of the Holy Spirit for Yeshua’ ministry and that of His disciples. It emphasizes the joy that accompanies the publication of the gospel. These are simply variations on the one redemptive design of Luke. Other concerns surface incidentally. Luke’s interest in historical accuracy is one of these. His apologetic burden is another. The critical place he gives to prayer is a third. The list could be extended.

CONTENT

PROLOGUE {1:1-4}

The Gospel begins with a formal prologue. Luke sought to record in orderly fashion what others had handed down as a legacy of faith. He did so in order to establish the historical credentials of the faith and to assure his readers of their validity.

NATIVITY AND CHILDHOOD OF YESHUA {1:5–2:52}

None of the Gospels is a thoroughgoing biography of Yeshua. But Luke took a special interest in historical incidents, first with regard to the nativity and childhood narratives. He recounted 10 episodes in all: the annunciation of John the Baptist’s birth as the forerunner of the Moshiach; the announcement of Yeshua’ birth to Mary; the visit of Mary to Elizabeth; the birth of John the Baptist; John the Baptist’s time in the wilderness; the birth of Yeshua; the visit of the shepherds; the circumcision of Yeshua; Yeshua’ presentation in the temple; and the visit to the temple as a youth. John the Baptist received considerable attention from the outset. Luke recorded that it was during the reign of Herod {Herod the Great, 37–4 BC} that Zechariah the priest was ministering in the temple. {Twenty-four platoons of priests served in this capacity for two separate weeks out of the year. The privilege of burning incense was determined by casting lots, and once the priest had done so, he was disqualified from repeating the act.} An angel of Adonai appeared to Zechariah as he was about to burn incense, announcing that he and his wife Elizabeth, would have a son, whose name should be John. He was to live as a Nazirite {see Numbers 6:1-4} and prepare the way for the Moshiach. When Zechariah was reluctant to believe {he and Elizabeth were of advanced age}, the angel struck him dumb until the time of the promised birth. We next hear of John in connection with Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. The baby leaped within Elizabeth’s womb as she heard Mary’s greeting {Luke 1:41}. Luke immediately followed this account with the birth of John the Baptist. Zechariah named the child as he had been directed, received back his speech, and proceeded to prophesy concerning the coming Moshiach and the preparatory role his son would play. The child grew and became “strong in spirit,” abiding in the wilderness until his public ministry began. Luke told the nativity story from the perspective of Mary. The angel Gabriel visited her and announced that she would give birth to the Moshiach {1:26-38}. She would conceive miraculously by the Holy Spirit. Mary is portrayed as being devoutly submissive to the purposes of YHVH. The birth is said to have taken place when Quirinius was governor of Syria, and persons had to travel to their ancestral towns to register for a census. Mary gave birth in a Bethlehem stable. Angels announced the birth to shepherds, who left their flocks to observe the child. Mary treasured these events and continued to ponder their significance. After Mary had observed her 40 days of ritual purification, she went with Joseph to the temple to present Yeshua to Adonai {2:21-40}. There Simeon and Anna, two elderly and devout persons, recognized the infant as the promised Moshiach. Simeon concluded that Yeshua would cause many in Israel to fall and rise, and would bring deep sorrow to the heart of Mary. The nativity and childhood narratives close with Yeshua’ visit to the temple at age 12 to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. Joseph and Mary left Yeshua behind in the temple, supposing that He was among relatives or friends. They retraced their steps and found Him in the temple conversing with the rabbis -- listening to them and amazing them with His own understanding. Luke concluded by saying that “Yeshua grew both in height and in wisdom, and He was loved by YHVH and by all who knew Him” {2:52}.

BEGINNING OF THE PUBLIC MINISTRY {3:1–4:30}

Luke then recorded those events related to the inauguration of Yeshua’ ministry. These include the ministry of John the Baptist, the baptism of Yeshua, His genealogy, His temptation, and the public announcement in Nazareth. Luke dated the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry in no fewer than six ways: with the terms of office of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, Philip, Lysanias, and Annas and Caiaphas. John came preaching a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Moshiach. Multitudes came out into the wilderness to hear him and to be baptized by him. Yeshua also came to be baptized. {Luke does not record John’s protest that Yeshua ought rather to baptize Him, or Yeshua’ insistence that it had to be done -- apparently to identify with the people and anticipate His vicarious death on their behalf.} The baptism Marked Yeshua’ entry into public ministry. Luke inserted what may be the genealogical record through Mary, consistent with his earlier efforts to narrate the events from her perspective. The temptation of Yeshua was a probationary test of His messianic ministry. The introduction to two of the temptations, “If you are the Son of YHVH,” was calculated to make Him doubt the words heard at His baptism, “You are My Son” {3:22; 4:3, 9}. Satan hoped to persuade Yeshua to seek to fulfil His calling and yet avoid the cross. Each time Yeshua parried the temptation with a quotation from Scripture. Yeshua returned to Galilee and to the synagogue in Nazareth. Here He announced His public ministry in words borrowed from the jubilee observance and associated with the messianic age {4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2}. They reflected both the religious focus and broad social implications of the ministry to come. The announcement especially held out hope to those who were downtrodden and ostracized by society. When those in attendance challenged His credentials, Yeshua replied, “No prophet is accepted in his own hometown” {Luke 4:24}. And when they would have cast Him from the brow of a hill, He passed through their midst and went on His way.

THE GALILEAN MINISTRY {4:31–9:50}

Yeshua moved the centre of His activity to Capernaum. Luke records a variety of episodes associated with the Galilean ministry that follows. Approximately 30 instances are mentioned. About a third involve some extraordinary occurrence, such as healing, exorcism, raising from the dead, or feeding a multitude. These were events associated with the messianic age. However, it was Yeshua’ teaching that first seems to have caught the people’s attention. He did not teach as the rabbis, by drawing upon traditional precedent, but He taught in the authority of His messianic office. Luke interlaced his narrative with a considerable amount of Yeshua’ teaching. There is a fairly extended section on the observance of the Shabbat {6:1-11}. But it is less prominent than Yeshua’ sermon “on the plain,” with its extended comments concerning blessings and woes, love for enemies, judging others, knowing one by his fruit, and wise and foolish builders {6:12-49}. Yeshua taught by way of parables, and Luke recorded those of the sower and lamp {8:1-18}. In the former instance, the seed represents the word of YHVH, and the soil the varying preparation to receive the Word. Thereby the disciples might better understand the mixed results of Yeshua’ ministry and their own. Others would be perplexed by the parables. Luke described the calling of select disciples. He mentioned Peter, James, and John, and at a later point Levi {5:1-11, 27-32}. The former were called from their fishing boats and the latter from his tax booth. All were summoned to follow Moshiach in his messianic ministry through the Galilean countryside. Later on, when there were 12 disciples, Yeshua sent them out to preach the Kingdom and heal the sick {9:1-11}. No doubt many contributed to the extended ministry. Luke recorded certain women who travelled with them and “were contributing from their own resources to support Yeshua and His disciples” {8:3}. One senses a rising tide of enthusiasm with regard to the Galilean enterprise. It begins with Yeshua alone, working in obscurity; it terminates with a faithful band of followers, multitudes hanging on His words, and His Name circulated throughout the region. The section peaks with Peter’s confession of Yeshua as the Moshiach and the transfiguration of Yeshua {9:10-36}. The presence of Moses and Elijah represents the Law and Prophets as subordinate to the Moshiach. The scene shifts abruptly to the foot of the mount, where the disciples have been ineffective in delivering a demon-possessed boy. Here Yeshua pointed out the need for spiritual resources to accomplish Kingdom needs, and thereafter {in response to the disciples’ argument over who would be greatest} an appeal to humility.