The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (64 page)

D. Bock contended that the emphases of the Gospel pointed to Gentile Christians who struggled with the success of the Gentile mission and the apparent failure of the church's outreach to the Jews. Luke and Acts answered the doubts of a Gentile who found himself worshipping a Jewish Messiah that the Jews are largely rejecting.
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The following Lukan themes validate these emphases: texts pertaining to faithfulness, Jewish-Gentile relations (especially in Acts), the hope of Jesus' return, and the plan of God.
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The primary purpose of Luke's Gospel, then, is the edification of Gentile Christians in need of instruction.

LITERATURE

Literary Plan

Overall, Luke followed a geographical pattern in his presentation of Jesus' ministry similar to that of Mark and Matthew. Similar to Matthew (but not Mark), Luke began his Gospel with a birth narrative—though Luke's Gospel reflects Mary's and Elizabeth's perspectives rather than Joseph's, who is primary in Matthew's Gospel—and provided a genealogy of Jesus. Unlike Matthew, however, Luke placed Jesus' genealogy not at the beginning of his Gospel but just prior to the beginning of Jesus' ministry (3:23—38). Luke opened his Gospel with a polished literary preface in which he acknowledged his
indebtedness to other accounts about Jesus and stressed the accuracy of the information he provided.

After this Luke (again similar to Matthew) provided an account of Jesus' temptation by the devil, though the order of the second and third temptations is reversed in Matthew (Luke 4:1–13). Luke's functional substitute for Matthew's Sermon on the Mount (5–7) is Jesus' inaugural sermon at his hometown synagogue of Nazareth. Matthew revealed Jesus as the new Moses who gave to his followers a new law, but Luke presented Jesus as Isaiah's Servant of the Lord who was endowed with the Spirit and anointed to preach good news to the poor (4:18–19, citing Isa 61:1–2). This sounds a major Lukan emphasis throughout his Gospel, namely, Jesus' coming first and foremost to the disenfranchised in society, including women, children, Gentiles, tax collectors and “sinners,” the sick and disabled, and the poor.

Subsequently Luke mainly followed the familiar pattern (especially from Mark) of tracing the various stages of Jesus' initial ministry in Galilee, including major teachings (though some of Matthew's larger body of Jesus' teaching material is most likely broken up, such as the contents of the Sermon on the Mount) and healings. Some of these healings, such as that of a widow's son in the town of Nain, are unique to Luke (7:11–17). Luke also documented Jesus' calling of his disciples and, in another Lukan emphasis, his support by a number of devoted women (8:1–3) who followed Jesus all the way to the cross (23:49). As in Matthew and Mark, Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah is a watershed moment (9:18–20) and is followed by predictions of Jesus' passion with important implications for discipleship (9:21–27).

But as noted in greater detail below, it is in Luke's lengthy “Travel Narrative” (9:51–19:27) that he truly broke new ground in his presentation of Jesus. This section is introduced by a curious reference to Jesus' ascension only a third of the way into the Gospel (9:51), and it records Jesus' approach to Jerusalem, the place where he would be tried and rejected by the Jewish people, in considerable detail. Luke recorded a considerable amount of teaching material, particular parables of Jesus, which causes suspense to mount. Many of these parables are unique to Luke, including the parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25–37) and the parable of the Prodigal Son (15:11–32). A beloved character also unique to Luke's Gospel is Zacchaeus, the tax collector who converted to Jesus and restored the money he had defrauded, which prompted Jesus' programmatic declaration that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost” (19:10).

Luke's passion narrative follows largely familiar lines in keeping with the presentations by Mark and Matthew. But Luke again broke new ground in his account of several resurrection appearances not found in any of the other Gospels, most notably Jesus' appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (one of whose names was Cleopas, the possible source of this narrative, 24:13–35). Luke's Gospel, similar to Matthew's, concludes with a commissioning narrative (24:46–49). References to the giving of the Spirit and the disciples'
witness to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem, and to Jesus' ascension prepare the reader for Luke's second volume, the book of Acts.

OUTLINE

Preface: Luke's Purpose (1:1–4)

1. INTRODUCTION TO JESUS AND HIS MISSION (1:5—4:13)
   
   1. John the Baptist and Jesus (1:5-2:52)
      
      1. Prediction of the Births of John and Jesus (1:5-38)
         
      2. Mary's Visit to Elizabeth and Mary's Song (1:39-56)
         
      3. Birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah's Song (1:57-80)
         
      4. Jesus' Birth and Boyhood (2:1-52)
         
   2. Preliminaries to Jesus' Ministry (3:1-4:13)
      
      1. John the Baptist and Jesus' Baptism (3:1-22)
         
      2. Jesus' Genealogy (3:23-38)
         
      3. Satan's Temptation of Jesus (4:1-13)
         
2. JESUS' GALILEAN MINISTRY (4:14-9:50)
   
   1. First Part of Galilean Ministry (4:14–7:50)
      
      1. Initial Ministry: Nazareth Sermon, Exorcism, Healings (4:14-5:39)
         
      2. Sabbath Controversy (6:1-11)
         
      3. Choosing of the Twelve (6:12-16)
         
      4. Sermon on the Plain (6:17-49)
         
      5. Major Healings: Centurion's Servant, Widow's Son (7:1-17)
         
      6. John the Baptist: Doubts and His Role (7:18-35)
         
      7. Anointing of Jesus by Sinful Woman (7:36-50)
         
   2. Second Part of Galilean Ministry (8:1-39)
      
      1. Women Supporters of Jesus (8:1-3)
         
      2. Parables of the Kingdom and Related Teaching (8:4–21)
         
      3. Trip Across Galilee: Stilling of Storm, Gerasene Demoniac (8:22-39)
         
   3. Third Part of Galilean Ministry and Withdrawal (8:40-9:50)
      
      1. Miracles and Ministry, Raising of Jairus's Daughter (8:40-9:9)
         
      2. Feeding of 5,000 (9:10-17)
         
      3. Caesarea Philippi: Peter's Confession, Transfiguration (9:18-50)
         
3. JESUS' JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND HIS PASSION (9:51-24:53)
   
   1. The Journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27)
      
      1. Following Jesus (9:51-62)
         
      2. Mission of the Seventy (10:1-24)
         
      3. Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37)
         
      4. Mary and Martha (10:38-42)
         
      5. Teachings on Prayer, Beelzebub, Sign of Jonah (11:1-13:21)
         
      6. The Narrow Door, Warning (13:22-35)
         
      7. At a Pharisee's House (14:1-23)
         
      8. Teachings and Parables of Jesus: Prodigal Son, Rich Man and Lazarus (14:24– 16:31)
         
      9. Additional Teachings, Healing of Ten Lepers (17:1-18:17)
         
      10. Rich Young Ruler (18:18-30)
          
      11. Jesus Foretells His Death (18:31-34)
          
      12. Healing of a Blind Man (18:35-43)
          
      13. Zacchaeus (19:1-10)
          
      14. Parable of Ten Minas (19:11-27)
          
   2. Final Ministry in Jerusalem (19:28-22:38)
      
      1. Triumphal Entry (19:28-44)
         
      2. Cleansing of the Temple (19:45-48)
         
      3. Final Controversies with Jewish Leaders (20:1-47)
         
      4. Olivet Discourse (21:1-38)
         
      5. Last Supper (22:1-38)
         
   3. Jesus' Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension (22:39-24:51)
      
      1. Gethsemane (22:39-46)
         
      2. Arrest (22:47-65)
         
      3. Trial (22:66-23:25)
         
      4. Crucifixion (23:26-56)
         
      5. Resurrection (24:1-12)
         
      6. Postresurrection Ministry (24:13-49)
         
      7. Ascension (24:50-51)
         

Epilogue: The Disciples Return to Jerusalem (24:52–53)

UNIT-BY-UNIT DISCUSSION

Preface: Luke's Purpose (1: 1–4)

In his elegantly worded preface, Luke set the ministry of Jesus in the scope of God's plan of salvation and stated his reason and purpose for taking up his narrative. He announced the continuity of what happened in and through Jesus with God's past dealings with his people, the thoroughness of his research, and his plan to write an orderly account in order to give assurance to Theophilus regarding the truthfulness of Christianity.

I. INTRODUCTION TO JESUS AND HIS MISSION (1:5—4: 13)

A. John the Baptist and Jesus (1:5–2:52)

This portion of the Gospel provides the foundation for Jesus and his messianic mission. Luke described Jesus' supernatural birth and sets forth its significance through repeated pronouncements by God's messengers. Gabriel told Zechariah that his son John would come in the power of Elijah and that “he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God” (1:16). The same angel announced to Mary that her virgin-born child is the Son of the Most High God (1:32). Zechariah prophesied that the Lord would bring salvation to his people and that John would proclaim the forgiveness of sins (1:77).

At Jesus' birth the angelic hosts proclaimed to the shepherds that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem (2:11). When Jesus was circumcised at the temple on the eighth day, Simeon identified him as the Messiah who would bring salvation and revelation to both Jews and Gentiles (2:30–32). Anna the prophetess declared the redemption of Israel (2:36–38). Finally, Jesus at age 12 was already fully aware of his true identity and calling: he had to be in his Father's house, the temple, and be about his Father's business (2:49).

B. Preliminaries to Jesus' Ministry (3:1– 4:13)

The first steps of the narrative—the baptism, the genealogy, and the temptation account—identify Jesus as the Coming One who would save his people from their sins.

This section presents Jesus as an adult about to enter his ministry and includes references to the ministry of John the Baptist, the genealogy of Jesus, and an account of Jesus' temptation by Satan. Luke began this new section by fast-forwarding from Jesus at age 12 to the presentation of John in the wilderness. Although Luke included information on John's teaching, his primary emphasis is on John's declaration about Jesus. After this transition in the Gospel, Luke's emphasis shifted from John to Jesus.

Luke chose to place Jesus' genealogy (3:23–38) at the onset of Jesus' ministry rather than at the beginning of his book as Matthew did (see Matt 1:1–17). Also, Luke followed a different line of ancestry than Matthew, which reflects a different purpose on Luke's part. Moreover, by tracing Jesus' genealogy back to Adam, the “son of God” (3:38), Luke endeavored to be inclusive by beginning with the progenitor of the entire human race.
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The final preliminary to Jesus' ministry is his temptation by the devil (4:1–13). Luke presented a different sequence for the three temptations than Matthew did (4:1–11): (1) turning stones into bread; (2) worshipping Satan in exchange for all the world's kingdoms; and (3) jumping off the pinnacle of the temple to be protected by angels. Most assume that Matthew followed the chronological order
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and that Luke inverted the last two temptations.
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Starting at 4:14, Jesus' ministry began in earnest.

II. JESUS' GALILEAN MINISTRY (4:14—9:50)

A. First Part of Galilean Ministry (4:14–7:50)

Jesus' Galilean ministry began with his inaugural sermon in the synagogue at Nazareth (4:14–30) where Jesus presented himself as Isaiah's Servant of the Lord (see Isa 61:1–2) and publicly announced the commencement of his mission to a hostile and unbelieving
congregation in his hometown. Then Jesus cast out demons and healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others (4:31–41). After this Luke provided a summary of the results of Jesus' preaching and a statement of his purpose, echoing the Isaiah quote in 4:18 (4:43).

Another series of events during the first stage of Jesus' Galilean ministry is the calling of Jesus' first disciples: Simon Peter and his partners, the sons of Zebedee (5:1–11), and Levi, the tax collector (5:27–32). After the narration of a controversy ensuing from Jesus' healing of an invalid on the Sabbath (6:1–11), the selection of Jesus' 12 apostles (6:12–16) ensues. Luke also documented a series of instructions that Jesus gave his disciples that culminates in the Sermon on the Plain (6:17–49), the shortened Lukan equivalent to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7), in which Jesus advocated a rejection of worldly pleasures and goods, a love for others, and radically following him.

Another set of major healings ensues: the centurion's servant is restored to health (7:1–10) and a widow's son is raised from the dead (7:11–17). At this John the Baptist expressed doubts, so Jesus pointed to the fulfillment of OT messianic prophecy in his ministry to reassure the Baptist (7:18–35), who apparently was unsettled by the popular understanding of Jesus as a mere prophet. The unit concludes with Jesus' anointing by a sinful woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee (7:36–50).

B. Second Part of Galilean Ministry (8:1–39)

The second part of Jesus' Galilean ministry begins with a reference to a group of faithful women who sacrificed to minister to Jesus out of their own means (8:1–3).
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This is followed by the parable of the soils, which highlights the proper reception of Jesus by those who, “having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it” (8:15). The parable of the soils is followed by another brief parable on “the light on a lampstand” (8:16–18). Continuing on the theme of proper response to Jesus, he identified “those who hear and do the word of God” as his true family (8:21).

After this Luke shows Jesus journeying across Galilee (8:22–39), highlighting his authority. The first vignette is known as the “Stilling of the Storm,” where Jesus calmed a strong wind on the Lake of Tiberias (8:22–25). The climactic pronouncement set the stage for the pericopes to follow: “Who can this be? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him!” (8:25). Jesus also had authority over demons, as the encounter with the infested Gadarene demoniac makes clear (8:26–39).

C. Third Part of Galilean Ministry and Withdrawal (8:40–9:50)

The account of the third part of Jesus' Galilean ministry continues to emphasize Jesus' authority over disease and death. The pericope of the woman with the issue of blood (8:43–48) interrupts the raising of the daughter of Jairus where Jesus showed his authority over death (8:40–42,49–56). Jesus granted authority over demons and disease (but not
nature or death) to the Twelve (9:1–6), and their mission is so successful it even perturbed Herod Antipas (9:7–9).