Gospel of Luke

 Author  Attributed to Luke, doctor and companion of Paul (Col 4:14)  A Greek, Gentile convert  He is the only non-Jewish evangelist  Accompanied Paul from Troas to Philippi  Rejoined Paul in Miletus and went back to Caesarea and then to Rome  Excellent command of Greek, well educated  Did not know Jesus personally  Author of two-volume work, Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles  Date  C.E.

Gospel of Luke  Location  Greece

Gospel of Luke  Audience  Christians of Greek, Gentile background  Image of Jesus  Compassionate savior  Lover of the poor, sick and outcast  The Good Shepherd

Gospel of Luke  Genealogy  Traced back to Adam  Jesus is savior of everyone (universal)  Theological Themes  Prayer is central to faith  Holy Spirit is real and powerful  Must show concern for and bring good news to the Anawim – the poor, outcasts, the sick, slaves, tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans, women, and sinners  Role of women is stressed  Tries to be more historical, but has poor knowledge of Palestine  The second coming, Parousia, is coming soon

Gospel of Luke  Symbol of Luke  Ox with wings

Gospel of Luke  Luke uses the term Savior to explain the term Christ/Messiah  Very aware of the Greek problems in the text and corrects them  E.G. Transfiguration  Mt and Mk– metemorjwqh = Metamorphosis or Transfigure  Lk – eteron =Changed  Luke changes the word transfigured because it was used often with the Greek gods for when they shape-shifted into humans and animals and seemed rather Pagan.

Gospel of Luke  Jesus is very Tender in this Gospel  Shows pity and care  Many proclaim him innocent in the Gospel  Women at the cross  The people there  Thief on the cross  Roman centurion  Pilate 3 times  Luke calls his community to enter into Christ’s passion and carry our own cross  Like Jesus, Mary, Apostles, Martha/Mary, the 72 disciples, and Mary Magdalene, we can choose to follow God or not

Gospel of Luke  This is the only Gospel to declare Jesus as “Lord”  Jesus is a prophet charged to reveal God  Jesus is the new Elijah  Friend to sinners  God’s visit  Model of perfect man  Luke is passionate about showing proper behavior  Disciples should model proper behavior to each others and those who are not Christian

Gospel of Luke  Luke’s Gospel is full of parables  Jesus is seen as the master of parables and allegory  Parables are comparisons developed in the form of a story  They are not meant to teach but to make the audience reflect on behavior  Lets the audience pass judgment on themselves to lead to a change of behavior  It is disguised enough to make it easier to pass judgment on the self

Gospel of Luke  Allegory  Story aimed at teaching  One component stand for another  “I am the vine; you are the branches.”  Occasionally Jesus blends Parable and allegory, but normally not  Blending would be to teach and change behavior in the same story  Normally not done because it can be too confusing and too pregnant with meaning  Very Rare  When reading parables, one must always look at the audience of the parable for it can change context and meaning  Pharisees, apostles, wealthy, poor, etc.

Gospel of Luke  Parables provide us with a religious or moral context about the kingdom of God  Parables were taken from the circumstances in the everyday lives of Jesus’ audience  Parables reveal truths to believers and conceal truths from nonbelievers  Parables have surprise endings  Parables present listeners with a a challenge to respond to the word of God

Gospel of Luke  Metaphor  a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.”  Simile  A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in “The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.”  Both similes and metaphors are used in the Gospel to illustrate difficult concepts in everyday examples

Gospel of Luke  Prayer is central to the gospel, like the Shema recited at least twice daily.  Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign upon your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Dt 6:4- 9)

Gospel of Luke  Phylactery  Mezzuzah