We will begin reading on weekdays from the Gospel of Luke.
The
Gospel of Luke is generally regarded as the third of the four canonical
Gospels. Almost all scholars agree that the author of Luke is also the author
of the Acts of the Apostles.
The
Gospel is known by many names. Some see it along with Acts as narrating the
history of salvation, which is divided into three parts. This first is the time
before Jesus where everything is old. This is possibly why Luke has changed
Mark 8,28 which has “one of the prophets” as one of the answers of the people
regarding Jesus’ identity to “one of the old prophets” (9,19). The second is
the time of Jesus who inaugurates the kingdom (4,16-30) and the third is the
time of the Church (The Acts of the Apostles), which continues the work of
Jesus.
Others
see it as a Gospel of Prayer because when compared with Matthew and Mark, the
Lucan Jesus prays oftener. There are seven accounts of Jesus praying that are
exclusive to Luke. (3,21; 5,16; 6,12; 9,18; 9,29; 11,1; 22,32).
Still
others see it as a Gospel of Women since Luke gives special importance to women
in his Gospel. In Luke’s Infancy narrative, Mary rather than Joseph is an
important figure. Only in Luke do we find the miracles of the raising of the
widow’s son (7,11-15) and the healing of the woman with a spirit of infirmity (13,10-17).
Luke alone tells us that Jesus had women disciples who provided for him out of
their means (8,1-3).
Some
also see Luke as the Gospel of Great Mercy or Pardon. This is because the
Parables of the Good Samaritan (10,30-35) and the Prodigal Son (15,11-32) are
found only in Luke. While hanging on the Cross, it is in Luke’s Gospel alone
that Jesus forgives those who crucified him (23,34).
The
Gospel of Luke begins with the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist to
Zechariah followed by the announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary.
Immediately after this announcement Mary goes to meet Elizabeth who will be the
mother of John the Baptist in order to share the good news with her. Luke alone
of all the Evangelists narrates an incident in the early life of Jesus after
his birth where he is found in the Temple. Jesus begins his public ministry
immediately after his Baptism and in the Synagogue at Nazareth where he reads
from Isaiah what may term as his own manifesto and plan of action. He chooses
disciples to help in his mission, which he continues in Galilee.
A
large part of the Gospel (9,51-19,27) has been termed as the Journey to
Jerusalem during which Jesus both preaches and heals. After his triumphant
entry into Jerusalem, he cleanses the Temple but continues to teach in it even
after this incident. During this time he is questioned about his authority and
other matters of the law and most of the questions are with a view to trap
Jesus. It is one of the Twelve, Judas who betrays Jesus to the Jewish leaders.
He is tried, and condemned to death on a cross where he dies forgiving those
responsible for crucifying him.
The
last part of the Gospel begins with an episode of the empty tomb in which the
women who go to the tomb are asked why they look for the living among the dead.
Jesus then appears to two disciples when they are on their way to Emmaus and
chides them for their lack of faith. Finally Jesus appears to the eleven, gives
them a commission and then is then taken up to heaven. The disciples return to
the Temple in Jerusalem with great joy.
Some
of the characteristics unique to Luke’s Gospel are as under:
1. The Gospel of Luke is the only Gospel,
which narrates the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist, and his
birth. The birth of Jesus is announced to Mary (not Joseph as in Matthew). Luke
alone narrates the ascension of Jesus into heaven.
2. Only Luke narrates the incident of Jesus
being found in the temple (2,41-52). This is the only incident from Jesus’
childhood that any evangelist narrates.
3. Luke’s genealogy of Jesus goes back to Adam
the first human being (3,38) unlike Matthew’s, which begins with Abraham. Luke
alone gives us the age of Jesus when he began his ministry (3,23).
4. In Luke alone we find the parables of the
Good Samaritan, the Publican and the Pharisee who went to the Temple to pray,
the rich man and Lazarus, the lost coin, the prodigal son, the unjust steward,
the rich fool who would tear down his barns and build greater barns in order
that he might store his goods, and the story of Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree
in order that he might see Jesus. Each of these parables and stories
illustrates what Luke regards as an essential characteristic of Jesus’ work.
5. Compared to the other canonical gospels,
Luke devotes significantly more attention to women. The Gospel of Luke features
more female characters, features a female prophet (2,36), and details the
experience of pregnancy (1,41-42). Prominent discussion is given to the lives
of Elizabeth and of Mary, the mother of Jesus (Ch. 2).
6. Luke portrays Jesus as extremely concerned
about the poor and those who were considered social outcasts. Already in the
Sermon on the Plain, the Lucan Jesus pronounces a blessing on “the poor"
(6,20) unlike the Matthean Jesus whose blessing is pronounced on the “poor in
spirit” (Mt 5,3). Three parables in Chapter 15 (the Lost sheep, the Lost coin
and the Lost Son) are told one after another because the Pharisees and scribes
complained about Jesus’ table fellowship with tax collectors and sinners.
7. Luke mentions the Holy Spirit more than the
other two synoptic gospels, Matthew and Mark. John the Baptist is filled with
the Holy Spirit even before he is born (1,15); next, John's mother Elizabeth is
filled with the Holy Spirit (1:41); before long, John's dumbstruck father
Zechariah is also filled with the Holy Spirit (1,67). Jesus is conceived by the
power of the Holy Spirit (1,35). The Holy Spirit reveals to the aged Simeon
that he will see the Messiah (Christ) before he dies (2,26-27). John the
Baptist announces that the powerful one coming after him will baptize with the
Holy Spirit and with fire (3,16). When Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit
descends on Him in bodily form as a dove (3,22), as God the Father confirms
from heaven that Jesus is "My Son, whom I love". At this point Jesus
is "full of the Holy Spirit" (4,1), and is "led out by the
Spirit into the wilderness" (4:1), where the Devil tempted Him for forty
days. Having successfully resisted the Devil as a man (4,4.8.12), Jesus returns
to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit" (4,14). Luke uses all these
references as a build-up to Jesus reading the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me"
(4,18-19). 'The Anointed One' is 'the Messiah' in Hebrew, 'the Christ' in
Greek. The total involvement of the Holy anointing Spirit at every step of the
way (conception, babyhood, childhood, extended family, baptism, temptation and
inauguration to ministry) proves that He, Jesus, is the Anointed One, the Messiah,
and the Christ.
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