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Gospel of Luke - Introduction
- The author has wide command of Greek, not only standard Greek but also the elegant Greek of the first
sentence (Vv 1-4) and Septuagint Greek. Appears to be written for the communities of Achaia (Greece), who
may now be questioning their support by the God who appears to have let Israel down in the destruction of the
Temple.
- Luke is probably the companion of Paul’s early travels (Paul’s later theology absent here). He was not an eye-witness, but probably 3rd generation (writing about 85 AD) looking back, and not very familiar with Palestine
or with Jewish customs (eg confuses presentation of Jesus with purification of his mother).
- His aim is to show that the Good News is well founded in OT, hence three journeys: Israel from Moses to
Jesus; Jesus from Nazareth to Jerusalem; the Church - the new Israel - from Jerusalem to Rome - ie the world.
Hence Jerusalem is central, and adherence to the Temple is integral. Note that Luke’s aim is to set down
events in a logical order, to reassure and encourage believers - it is not primarily historical or geographical, and
not intended for evangelisation. The hearers are familiar with the stories, so not all are repeated. Luke is more
theological than Mark/Matthew, but less than John.
- The infancy narratives show God’s promises being fulfilled in Jesus. Luke-Acts show that the Spirit of God
has guided the whole process from OT times through Jesus and into the development of the early Church. This
is accuracy Luke has sought, rather than historical, etc.
- Chapters 1 and 2
- The so-called infancy narratives contain only short sections on Jesus’ infancy. Rather they can be seen as
linking OT Israel to Jesus, both through the OT figures (Zechariah and Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna - some of
the remnant), and also the clear OT references to Isaac, Samuel and especially to David - the shepherd-king.
Many of Daniel’s prophecies are also fulfilled, eg 70 weeks = 490 days fulfilled: 180 days of Elizabeth’s
pregnancy, followed by 270 days for Mary’s, and Jesus’ 40 days before he enters the temple (2:22).
Zechariah’s silencing is not so much a punishment as parallel to Daniel’s silencing (Dan 10:15).
- The Canticles - probably early Christian hymns in Jewish style of quoting OT - interrupt the narrative to praise
God for this wonderful intervention into creation, complementing the promise/fulfilment theme of the infancy
narrative.
- Mary’s journey “in haste” emphasises her beginning discipleship, taking the word to her cousin (a somewhat
unlikely journey alone for a 14 year old girl), where John also recognises his Messiah. Note that of the 6
figures concerned with the infancy, only Mary survives until Jesus’ ministry and the foundation of the Church.
- The historical links to governors, high priest and emperor are a loose way of contrasting the complete peace
Jesus brings with the Emperor’s ‘peace’, and introduce the theme of taking the Good News to the whole world.
Similarly the census enables the birth in Bethlehem to be combined with residence in Nazareth, both strong
traditions.
- Jesus’ genealogy is taken back further by Luke (than by Mark) to Adam and God Himself, to emphasise that
Jesus’ message is for all mankind. Similarly the quotation from Isaiah in 3:6 is extended to include “all flesh”.
- The finding in the Temple appears to be from a different tradition - an alternative to the angel’s statement that
Jesus is Son of God. It also enables Luke to complete the statements about Jesus as Son of God by using Jesus’
own words - his first. And this in turn lays a foundation for God’s own statement at the start of Jesus’ ministry
(3:22-23).