Gospel of Luke—God’s Gospel of Luke—God’s ProphetProphet

I. I. The infancy account in Luke’s Gospel prepares The infancy account in Luke’s Gospel prepares readers to perceive Jesus as a prophet and readers to perceive Jesus as a prophet and king.king.

A.A. Luke’s infancy account (chs. 1-2) has a Luke’s infancy account (chs. 1-2) has a completely different character than Matthew’s.completely different character than Matthew’s.

1.1. Luke places Jesus’s genealogy Luke places Jesus’s genealogy immediately after his baptism (3 :23-38).immediately after his baptism (3 :23-38).

2.2. Mary, rather than Joseph, is the main Mary, rather than Joseph, is the main character and is given the task of interpreting character and is given the task of interpreting events.events.

3.3. Rather than use formula citations, Luke Rather than use formula citations, Luke writes in a manner that imitates Scripture.writes in a manner that imitates Scripture.

B.B. Jesus is raised along prophets; his mother, Jesus is raised along prophets; his mother, cousin, uncle and aunt, and even strangers who cousin, uncle and aunt, and even strangers who encounter him all utter prophetic speech encounter him all utter prophetic speech concerning God’s work or concerning God’s work or Israel though John Israel though John and Jesus.and Jesus.C.C. Readers know from the beginning that the Readers know from the beginning that the Holy Spirit is at work in Jesus (1:35, 41, 67; 2:26 Holy Spirit is at work in Jesus (1:35, 41, 67; 2:26 27).27).D.D. Luke’s distinctive account of the finding of Luke’s distinctive account of the finding of Jesus in the temple (2:41-52) reveals Jesus’s Jesus in the temple (2:41-52) reveals Jesus’s commitment to his Father’s business.commitment to his Father’s business.E.E. Luke’s Gospel has a more biographical feel to Luke’s Gospel has a more biographical feel to it.it.

II.II. After his baptism and temptation, Jesus After his baptism and temptation, Jesus announces his prophetic vision of a restored announces his prophetic vision of a restored people.people.A.A. The most striking feature of Luke’s account of The most striking feature of Luke’s account of Jesus’s baptism is the way in which he reveals Jesus’s baptism is the way in which he reveals his historical consciousness. Luke connects his his historical consciousness. Luke connects his story of Jesus to larger world history.story of Jesus to larger world history.B.B. John is a genuine prophetic predecessor, John is a genuine prophetic predecessor, “proclaiming the good news” and demanding the “proclaiming the good news” and demanding the fruits of repentance (3:1-18) Luke has John fruits of repentance (3:1-18) Luke has John teach people about the use of possessions. This teach people about the use of possessions. This is one of Luke’s major themes. For Luke, the is one of Luke’s major themes. For Luke, the response to God is measured by the way in response to God is measured by the way in which one uses one’s possessions.which one uses one’s possessions.

C.C. Jesus’s baptism is shaped to show him as Jesus’s baptism is shaped to show him as directly and bodily receiving the directly and bodily receiving the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit while in prayer (3:21-22), and the genealogy while in prayer (3:21-22), and the genealogy (which goes back to Adam and God) repeats the (which goes back to Adam and God) repeats the point that Jesus is the “Son of God” (3:23-38).point that Jesus is the “Son of God” (3:23-38).D.D. Luke emphasizes the guiding role of the Holy Luke emphasizes the guiding role of the Holy Spirit through the temptation and his first Spirit through the temptation and his first teaching in Galilee (4:1-14).teaching in Galilee (4:1-14).E.E. Luke uses Jesus’s preaching in the Luke uses Jesus’s preaching in the synagogue of Nazareth (4:16-30) to identify synagogue of Nazareth (4:16-30) to identify him as a prophetic messiah whose mission is to him as a prophetic messiah whose mission is to restore the outcast to the people, announcing a restore the outcast to the people, announcing a “favorable year to the Lord.”“favorable year to the Lord.”

1.1. Luke’s account of Jesus’ s first sermon Luke’s account of Jesus’ s first sermon in in his hometown of Nazareth is one of the his hometown of Nazareth is one of the most dramatic scenes in Luke’s Gospelmost dramatic scenes in Luke’s Gospel

2.2. In Mark’s and Matthew’s Gospels, the In Mark’s and Matthew’s Gospels, the parallel account is bare.parallel account is bare.3.3. In his first sermon, Jesus announces a In his first sermon, Jesus announces a concept that Luke has already abundantly concept that Luke has already abundantly developed—that he is anointed with the developed—that he is anointed with the

Holy Holy Spirit and, therefore, is the Messiah.Spirit and, therefore, is the Messiah.4.4. Luke uses the event of Jesus’s first Luke uses the event of Jesus’s first

sermon to show that Jesus is fulfilling the sermon to show that Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah- he is the Messiah come prophecy of Isaiah- he is the Messiah come to to proclaim good news to the poor.proclaim good news to the poor.

5.5. But, in Luke, Jesus also suffers the But, in Luke, Jesus also suffers the proverbial fate of a prophet in his own proverbial fate of a prophet in his own land—land—he taunts his audience by he taunts his audience by announcing that the announcing that the good news is not only good news is not only for the Jews but for for the Jews but for Gentiles, as well. On Gentiles, as well. On hearing this, his audience hearing this, his audience becomes enraged becomes enraged and rejects him.and rejects him.

6.6. Luke’s version of the beatitudes and Luke’s version of the beatitudes and woes woes in his “sermon on the plain” enacts in his “sermon on the plain” enacts the the programmatic statement in Nazareth.programmatic statement in Nazareth.

7.7. The summary of Jesus’s ministry in 7:22 The summary of Jesus’s ministry in 7:22 reaffirms the nature of the prophet’s work. reaffirms the nature of the prophet’s work. The “good news” means the sick are The “good news” means the sick are

healed, healed, the dead are raised, and the poor the dead are raised, and the poor have had have had the good news preached to them.the good news preached to them.

III.III. Luke portrays Jesus’s ministry as a Luke portrays Jesus’s ministry as a prophetic call to inclusion in God’s people.prophetic call to inclusion in God’s people.A.A. Luke’s language about possessions Luke’s language about possessions has two aspects:has two aspects:

1.1. At one level it symbolizes the At one level it symbolizes the marginalized of society who are called marginalized of society who are called into God’s favor.into God’s favor.

2.2. At another level, the response to At another level, the response to that that call must be enacted by the use of call must be enacted by the use of possessions that is, possessions are possessions that is, possessions are shared with others.shared with others.

B.B. Physical and spiritual “healing” is at the Physical and spiritual “healing” is at the same time a ‘salvation” that is social same time a ‘salvation” that is social in in character. Thus, in Luke, Jesus’s ministry character. Thus, in Luke, Jesus’s ministry is more political than it is in Mark is more political than it is in Mark and and Matthew; it is remarkable for the way in Matthew; it is remarkable for the way in which Jesus reaches out to the which Jesus reaches out to the stigmatized of society.stigmatized of society.C.C. Luke uses table-fellowship as a way of Luke uses table-fellowship as a way of symbolizing Jesus’s program of healing symbolizing Jesus’s program of healing the people. For eating with tax collectors the people. For eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus is rebuked by the and sinners, Jesus is rebuked by the Pharisees (7:34).Pharisees (7:34).

D.D. In Luke’s narrative, sinners, the outcast, In Luke’s narrative, sinners, the outcast, and the poor are the new righteous, while and the poor are the new righteous, while the righteous and the powerful are being the righteous and the powerful are being excluded. The Pharisees stand as the excluded. The Pharisees stand as the model of those who are being excluded model of those who are being excluded from the people.from the people.

E.E. Luke’s distinctive parables serve to Luke’s distinctive parables serve to interpret this prophetic ministry of healing interpret this prophetic ministry of healing and restoration (see the Samaritan [10:29-and restoration (see the Samaritan [10:29-37] and the Prodigal Son [15:11-32]).37] and the Prodigal Son [15:11-32]).

IV.IV. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is himself a In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is himself a charismatic figure whose radical manner of life charismatic figure whose radical manner of life exemplifies his program.exemplifies his program.A.A. Jesus is led by the Spirit and obedient to Jesus is led by the Spirit and obedient to God, as shown by his constant prayer.God, as shown by his constant prayer.B.B. Jesus is poor and a wanderer who depends Jesus is poor and a wanderer who depends on the hospitality of others.on the hospitality of others.C.C. Jesus exercises a form of leadership based Jesus exercises a form of leadership based on the service of others.on the service of others.

V.V. The Lukan Jesus calls followers to a radical The Lukan Jesus calls followers to a radical discipleship that imitates the prophetic life of discipleship that imitates the prophetic life of Jesus (see 14:26-33).Jesus (see 14:26-33).