A Journey Through Luke
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A Journey Through Luke: As we continue our Journey through the Bible, we currently are traveling through this portion of the New Testament known as the Gospels. For this week, I invite you to explore my favorite Gospel a little more thoroughly. The Gospel of Luke has a special flair. With a sharpened scholarship and clearly crafted message, this author provides a most excellent telling of God’s intervention in world affairs with Jesus. He also offers clear windows into Jesus’ world and the emerging culture of the first Christian communities. His continued story of the early church in the book of Acts reveals further the world’s deep need for Jesus, along with God’s great gift in Jesus to meet that need.
For the next few weeks, I invite you to join with me in moving through Luke step by step, with daily readings. These scripture suggestions in Luke are accompanied by a brief commentary I’ve written to assist your journey through this portion of our scripture. I also make suggestions on how you might interact with the scriptures for the day.
See what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts and to get your feedback. Now I hope you will enjoy this more focused journey through Luke’s story about Jesus. We will be picking up on the section following this past Sunday’s Service introduction on the first four chapters (please see our Livestream video from February 12th for those details).
Getting Acquainted with The Gospel of Luke
Chapters 4-6
SUGGESTED METHOD: Read the assigned passage from your Bible first. Meditate on it. Ask what it meant. Ask what it means. Refer to the “commentary” we are sharing here. I hope you will still investigate more deeply. Our Church Media Center contains an abundance of excellent resources to assist you. I recommend both Fred Craddock’s (Interpretation) and William Barclay’s commentaries on Luke.
Today, TUESDAY: Luke 4:1-30. The Temptation (4:1-15). Luke gives us “summary accounts,” or subtle windows into either what was or what is to be. Here, Jesus’ ministry is introduced with this temptation event. Luke’s careful telling has a clear purpose that contains several levels and important background. One emphasis is upon the humanity of Jesus. The temptation presented is not to be pulled down, but to be lifted up. Here is one of the keys with this summary account. Jesus is tempted as we are: the desire to be invulnerable, famous, powerful, wealthy and bathed in the glory of adoring crowds. Stones to bread (4:3); kingdoms of the world (4:5-7); a dramatic public display of power (4:9-11)… What else is Luke saying?
1. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. The role of the Christian is to be as the role of Jesus: involved with and accessible to all people; seeing through the temporal, fickle and ultimately unsatisfying traps of fame, fortune and the fantastic. As you read on through these three chapters for this week, notice the occasions of potential popularity and power (4:38-44; 5:12-16). Especially 5:16, Luke’s wording projects the image of an ongoing pattern. Jesus’ ministry was service and the proclamation of “good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind…” (4:18 quoting Isaiah 61), not the cultivation of power.
2. Jesus knew scripture and understood its power in combating temptation. Jesus quotes scripture to ward off temptation: Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:13; 6:16. The entire experience echoes Moses and Elijah’s forty days in the wilderness (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 9:9; I Kings 19:4-8) along with Israel’s forty years (Deut. 8:2-6). The general background of the experience lies with the Garden of Eden temptation (Gen. 3:1-7). Even the devil quotes scripture (Ps. 91:11-12), emphasizing the value of wise application of scripture beyond memorization!
The Synagogue at Nazareth (4:16-30). A passage that begins with Jesus’ homecoming (“Is this Joseph’s son?” [4:22]) devolves into a disturbing effort to kill him. Jesus was aware of profound prejudice among his Nazareth home folks. Capernaum (4:23) was known as a town with a very mixed population of non-Jews, poor, sick and generally outcast type folks. Jesus’ ministry is to be focused upon the inclusion of the excluded and the uplifting of the downcast...not a popular position in any era. The scriptural stories that Jesus references cut to the heart, tell the truth, and precipitate a sadly hostile reaction. Can we hear the truth about us?
Luke 4:31-44. An emphasis is given to the authority of Jesus through his spoken word (4:32) both in teaching and “rebuking” demonic powers. The names of the powers have changed in some circles, but evil still exists. Jesus is teaching the word of God and that word has power even over those things we do not understand. Here is power Jesus claims.
WEDNESDAY: Luke 5:1-16. A fisherman would seem more interested in this remarkable catch of fish, how it was done and how it could be done again! But it becomes clear this is not about occupation but “vocation” or calling, the difference between what we do and who we are called to be! As always “Do not be afraid” (5:10).
THURSDAY: Luke 5:17-39. Here is a story of friendship and faith (four men and a risky caregiving plan for their buddy). But the focus remains with Jesus: a) Jesus has the power to heal and to forgive; b) Jesus commissions his followers to a ministry of healing (9:1-2; Acts 3:1-16) and c) in his ministry, there is a strong relationship between forgiveness, healing, and ministry to the needs of the whole person (Craddock, p. 76). Also in this section is the joyful experience of a wealthy man named Levi, vs. 27 (we know him as Matthew). Like Peter, he is called to a new vocation. The difference here is Levi’s status: tax collector; wealthy but outcast, powerful but excluded from the synagogue that formed the core of his community. Jesus includes him and his response is telling: “he got up, left everything, and followed him” (5:28). Levi follows with a banquet (a fine one) at his house (a big one) in Jesus’ honor with the inclusion of many of his “sinful” colleagues. Again Luke sets the tone for what lies ahead (Luke 15 and 19). What do you suppose this says to us today?
FRIDAY: Luke 6:1-19. Consider who is Lord of your Sabbath. And notice the additional concern (6:6-9): “it is never the wrong day to help another” (Craddock, p. 82).
SATURDAY: Luke 6:20-49. “The Sermon on the ‘Level Place.’” As you read carefully and thoughtfully, consider the radical nature of these words. Similar to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount,” imagine what the world would be like had we not been given these instructions. Imagine what the world would be like if we actually followed them. What might you do today differently because of what Jesus says here? May our Lord bless your reading, learning and living.
SUNDAY: Pray; give thanks; worship; relax and be grateful for the goodness of God.
John Dominic Crossan in his Jesus, a Revolutionary Biography (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994) pages 96-98 is very helpful in understanding the Luke’s perspective and Jesus’ intentional focus here.
“There is no error so gross but that some sober brow will bless it with a proper text” Shakespeare as quoted by Fred Craddock, Interpretation: Luke. (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990) p. 56.
Harper’s Bible Dictionary is a highly recommended resource for articles on demons and exorcisms.
The catch of fish recalls the Elijah-Elisha stories of I Kings 17; II Kings 4 (Craddock, p. 70).
David Jordan
Senior Pastor