Gospel Of Luke Essay, Research Paper
The Gospel of Luke, Gentile Physician and companion of Paul wrote
this Gospel in the mid 60’s A.D. Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and
Acts making him the largest contributor to the New Testament. These
writings both begin with dedications to Theophilus, perhaps a potential or
recent convert or patron who sponsored the circulation of Luke and Acts.
The third Gospel presents Jesus as the Son of Man. The first three chapters
and the beginning of the fourth give us the entrance of the Lord into the race,
beginning with his genealogy; how he was born and made one of us. Then
chapters four through nineteen trace for us the first part of his ministry among
men, and especially, his journey toward Jerusalem, with the final chapters
dedicated to the last days of sacrifice and triumph. Luke’s historical narrative
begins as follows: With the birth of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child, John.
Elizabeth was barren, she and Zechariah were well along in years but Gabriel,
an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah saying, “Your wife Elizabeth will
bear you a son and you are to give him the name John and he will be filled
with the Holy Spirit.” Zechariah questioned the angel, “How can I be sure of
this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Gabriel said, “I
stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to
tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak
until the day this happens.” And this was so. A virgin named Mary was
pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David when
the angel, Gabriel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly
favored! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor
with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most
High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” When
Jesus made his virginal entrance into the world, the shepherds were visited by
an angel telling them the Savior had been born and they could find him
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger in the town of David. The shepherds
hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby. The second item Luke
gives us is the story of Jesus’ presentation in the temple at the age of 12, and
the way he surprised everyone with his ability to answer questions — his great
mental capacity. Some years later, John son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, was
preparing the way by preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness
of sins. While John was baptizing people, Jesus was baptized too. The
heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him and a voice said, “You
are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” It was here that Luke
gave a detailed account of Jesus’ genealogy, tracing it back to Adam. Now
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. Temptations
were great. The Spirit led him to the desert, where for forty days he was
tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of
them he was hungry. The devil tested him in many ways but Jesus did not
waiver. As you continue through Luke, you see Jesus teaching and preaching,
At one time he was rejected by the people of Nazareth where he had been
brought up. Jesus drove out evil spirits from a man possessed by demons. He
healed a women suffering from a high fever. People brought to Jesus all who
had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hand on each one, he healed
them. It was at this time Jesus called his first disciples-Peter (Simon), James,
and John. Jesus’ teaching and healing continued. He was questioned about his
behavior on the Sabbath, concerning fasting and healing. The Pharisees and
the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they
watched him closely. Jesus knew what they were doing. The Pharisees were
furious and began to discuss with each other what they might do to Jesus.
After praying one night the next morning Jesus called his disciples to him and
chose twelve-Peter (Simon), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the
Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Jesus
kept teaching with the disciples at his side. He taught that blessed are the
poor for the kingdom of God is yours. He taught that if your hungry your
hunger will be satisfied. If you weep, you will laugh. Jesus spoke in parables.
He taught to love thy enemies. Jesus reminded his followers about judging
others. He spoke about good trees not bearing bad fruit. He spoke of
building a foundation of faith. During this time Jesus was invited to a
Pharisees’ house for dinner. A women who had lead a sinful life anointed his
feet with her tears wiping them away with her hair. He forgave her for her
sins. Jesus told the parable of the sower. He calmed the storm. He healed the
demon-possessed man, He healed the sick woman and the dead girl. He
gave his Twelve disciples the power and authority to drive out all demons and
cure disease and then sent them out to preach the kingdom of God. When the
disciples returned they told him what they had done. He and the disciples
went by themselves to a town call Bethsaida but the crowds followed. The
crowd numbered around five thousand and He fed them with two fish and
five loaves of bread. This is truly a miracle. He taught his disciples how to
pray just as John had taught his disciples. He spoke of the woes of the
Pharisees. He gave his disciples encouragement as well warnings. He told his
disciples not to worry but to be watchful. He asked them to interpret the
time, to judge what is right. Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath day when a
crippled women appeared, He then healed her. The rulers of the synagogue
were upset and told the people to come back on one of the six days of work
to be healed. Jesus called them hypocrites! Jesus spoke of many parables
including the mustard seed (The Kingdom starts humbly but has an impact far
out of proportion to its beginning), the Great Banquet (not everyone would
enter the kingdom of God), the Lost S
the exclusiveness of the Pharisees), the Lost Coin (to search and reach
everyone with his teaching), the Lost Son (perished and saved, lost and is
found), the Shrewd Manager (faithfulness is not determined by the amount
entrusted but by the character of the person who uses it), the Persistent
Widow (God will not delay his support of the chosen ones when they are
right), the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (he who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted), the Ten Minas (those
who seek spiritual gain in the gospel, for themselves and others, will become
richer, and those who neglect or squander what is given them will become
impoverished), and the Tenants (the servants who were sent to the tenants
represent the prophets God sent in former times who were rejected). During
this time Pharisees came to Jesus and told him to leave Jerusalem because
Herod wanted to kill him. He described the cost of being a disciple. He said that one must love Jesus even more than his immediate family, to give up everything, the cost is complete surrender to him. The ministry of Jesus was a fulfillment of law. He taught adultery was still adultery. “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries
another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced
woman commits adultery.” He concluded one exception-marital
unfaithfulness. Jesus taught of repentance, forgiveness, and duty. He told the
Pharisees that, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful
observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the
kingdom of God is within you.” Then he said to his disciples, “The time is
coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you
will not see it. Men will tell you, ‘There his is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go
running off after them.” Jesus taught that, “anyone who will not receive the
kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” He told the rich man, “It
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus again predicted his death by saying, “We
are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets
about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.” At the hill called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples to retrieve a colt. In doing so he made his
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Every day he was teaching at the temple, the
chief priests were trying to find a way to kill him but it was impossible
because the people hung on his every word. The chief priest questioned his
authority, they sent spies. The Passover was approaching, Jesus sent Peter
and John to prepare. When the hour came Jesus and his apostles reclined at
the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover
with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the
vine until the kingdom of God comes.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks.
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it. After the supper questions
arose from the disciples who would be the one to betray Jesus. Which
disciple was considered to be the greatest. The disciple, Simon Peter, said,
“Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I
tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that
you know me.” While speaking to a crowd Jesus was arrested and lead away
to the high priest. Peter followed at a distance, denying that he knew Jesus.
Peter wept because he realized that what Jesus had said about him denying
him had come true. While imprisoned the guards mocked and beat Jesus.
When they presented Jesus to Pilate he could find no basis for the charges
brought against him. But the crowd insisted that Jesus was causing trouble so
on finding out that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction Pilate sent him there
to be prosecuted. But Jesus gave Herod no answers and they ridiculed and
mocked him. Herod then sent him back to Pilate. Pilate explained I can find
no fault with this man, neither can Herod. As you can see he has done nothing
to deserve death, I will punish and release him. But the crowd shouted,
“Away with this man release Barabbas.” Pilate appealed to the crowd but
they cried, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” For the third and final time he pleaded
with them but they demanded crucifixion. Pilate fearing for his safety,
surrendered Jesus to them. As they led him away, Simon carried the cross
behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed. Jesus consoled the women
that cried for him. When they came to the place called the Skull, he was then
crucified with one criminal on the right and one criminal on the left. Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” The people
sneered at Jesus, the soldiers mocked him by offering him wine vinegar. In
the sixth hour darkness came over the land, the curtain of the temple was torn
in two, Jesus spoke, “Father, into your hand I commit my spirit.” It was done.
A man named Joseph, a member of the Council, took down the body,
wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb, one in which no one had yet
been laid. The Sabbath was about to begin. The people rested, prepared
spices and perfumes. On the first day of the week the women returned to the
tomb to find the stone rolled away, they did not find the body of Jesus. But
two men appeared and said, “Why do you look for the living among the
dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was
with you in Galilee.” On that same day two of Jesus’ disciples were traveling
from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Jesus himself came up and walked along with
them but they did not recognize him. At the village Jesus stopped and ate with
them. While eating, Jesus broke the bread, immediately they recognized him.
He showed them the scares on his hands and feet. He said to them, “This is
what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is
written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” When
he lead them to Bethany he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he
was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. They
worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Staying at the
temple, praising God. .