The book of Luke

Main theme

Jesus is the Savior of all people, Jews and Gentiles, who came in the power of the Spirit “to seek and to save that which was lost,” especially the poor, women, sinners and outcasts.

Outline

1. Luke 1-2 — Births and childhood

   Gabriel’s announcements, the birth of John the Baptist, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the presentation in the temple, Jesus at age twelve.

2. Luke 3-4 — Preparation and the program of the ministry

   John the Baptist, the baptism, the genealogy back to Adam, the temptation and the programmatic address at Nazareth.

3. Luke 5-9 — The ministry in Galilee

   Calls, healings, teaching on the plain, a sinful woman forgiven, Peter’s confession and the transfiguration (4:14–9:50).

4. Luke 9-19 — The great journey to Jerusalem

   A section largely unique to Luke: parables of grace, teaching on prayer, money and discipleship (9:51–19:27).

5. Luke 19-24 — Jerusalem: cross, resurrection, ascension

   The entry into Jerusalem, the last Passover, the trials before Pilate and Herod, the crucifixion, Emmaus and the ascension (19:28–24:53).

Key points

• Luke is the only evangelist to dedicate his book and to describe his method as a historian: investigation, eyewitnesses, orderly account (1:1-4).
• His infancy narratives, told from Mary’s point of view, contain four songs: those of Mary, Zechariah, the angels and Simeon (1:46-55, 68-79; 2:14, 29-32).
• The genealogy goes back to Adam: Jesus is the Savior of all humanity (3:38).
• The address at Nazareth serves as a program: good news to the poor, deliverance to the captives, sight to the blind (4:18-19).
• Luke highlights Jesus’ prayer: at the baptism, before the choosing of the Twelve, at the transfiguration and in Gethsemane (3:21; 6:12; 9:29; 22:44).
• Women have a remarkable place: Elizabeth, Mary, Anna, the sinful woman, Martha and Mary, those who support Jesus out of their means (8:2-3).
• Parables unique to Luke: the good Samaritan, the rich fool, the lost coin, the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus, the unjust judge, the Pharisee and the tax collector (10:30-37; 12:16-21; 15:8-32; 16:19-31; 18:1-14).
• On the cross, Jesus forgives his executioners and opens paradise to a repentant criminal (23:34, 43).

Jesus in Luke

Luke presents Jesus as the perfect Savior, fully human and fully Son of God: he is born in a manger, grows, prays, weeps, yet he is conceived by the Holy Spirit and called Son of the Most High (1:35; 2:7, 52). Son of Adam as much as son of David, he is “a light to lighten the Gentiles” (2:32; 3:38). The risen Lord shows that all Scripture, from Moses to the prophets, announced his sufferings and resurrection, and he sends his followers to preach forgiveness of sins to all nations (24:27, 46-47).

Did you know?

• With 1,151 verses, Luke is the longest book of the New Testament; together with Acts, Luke wrote more than a quarter of the New Testament.
• Luke and Acts are dedicated to the same recipient, Theophilus, whose name means “friend of God” (1:3; Acts 1:1).
• Luke is the only evangelist to report an episode from Jesus’ youth between his infancy and his baptism: his stay in the temple at age twelve (2:41-52).