Luke: 4
Like the other Gospels, the final section of Luke is Jesus’ Passion (suffering) and Resurrection (22:1-24:53).
Like the others, the final section begins with the final Passover meal with the disciples (22:1-38). And like the others, Luke shows how Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate fulfilment of the Jewish Passover (Luke 22:19-20). Unlike the other Gospels, however, a “fight” breaks out during the Passover meal amongst his disciples about who’s the greatest disciple (22:24-30). Luke’s version of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane is unique in that Luke describes how Jesus is in such agony that as he prayed he sweated drops of blood (Luke 22:44).
The rest of the narrative follows Matthew and Mark fairly closely: Jesus is betrayed by Judas (22:47-48); he is arrested (22:49-65); he is charged, falsely accused and sentenced to death (22:66-23:56) . . . but he rises from the dead (24:1-8). Luke differentiates his Gospel from Matthew and Mark in that he describes more numerous and sometimes more detailed resurrection appearances: Jesus appeared to the 2 disciples who were headed to the town of Emmaus (24:13-35), he had appeared (previously) to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34), and he reappears to the “Emmaus” disciples along with the 11 disciples (24:36-53).
Thus, there seems to be an even more triumphalistic tone in the ending of Luke than the other Gospels. In Mark (i.e., in the shorter ending), Jesus actually makes no resurrection appearance and the women at the tomb say nothing to anyone. In Matthew Jesus appears to the Mary’s and then to the 11 disciples. But in Luke Jesus makes more resurrection appearances, he blesses his followers (Luke 24:50)—reminiscent of the way the high priest would bless the members of Israel in the OT, while he is in their presence—in the middle of his blessing—Jesus ascends to heaven (Luke 24:51), the disciples returned to Jerusalem—the place where Jesus was rejected and killed—filled with great joy (Luke 24:52), and they continually praised God in the Jewish temple (Luke 24:53). Clearly then, Luke’s story of Jesus concludes with a more triumphalistic tone than do Matthew and Mark.
Let me end our survey of Luke with an overview of some significant themes. Important to Luke is the idea of God’s promises and their fulfilment in Jesus. The ancient hopes for God’s long-promised salvation for Israel are fulfilled in Jesus, as evidenced by Mary’s declaration (1:46-55), Zechariah’s prophesy (1:67-79), Simeon’s prophesy (Luke 2:29-32), Luke’s citation of Isaiah 40 (Luke 3:4-6), and Jesus’ inaugural sermon (Luke 4:18-21; cf. Luke 19:9-10).
Luke carefully shows how salvation is from the Jews but is available to Gentiles (see, e.g., Rom 1:16): the revelation of Christ extends to the Gentiles (Luke 2:32), Luke’s genealogy goes back to Adam—the father of all of humanity (3:38), God’s glory in Christ is for all of humanity (Luke 3:6); and, of course, the gospel moves in Luke’s 2nd volume, i.e., the book of Acts, from the Jews to the Gentiles.
Luke has concern for the poor. There are more references to the poor in Luke than the other Gospels. Luke notes how Jesus came from a poor family (Luke 2:22-24; cf. Lev 12:8). Jesus’ identified the purpose of his mission as “[preaching] good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18; cf. 7:22). And, of course, numerous parables (e.g., the Rich Man and Lazarus) focused on the use of wealth.
Luke is very interested in the Holy Spirit. Again, there are more references to the Spirit in Luke than in the other Gospels combined! Luke describes how the Spirit filled John the Baptist right from the womb (Luke 1:15); the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary at her conception (Luke 1:35); John the Baptist’s parents prophesied by the Spirit (Luke 1:41-42; Luke 1:67); the Holy Spirit directed Simeon the prophet (Luke 2:25-27); Jesus ministered in the “power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14); and he admonished his disciples to wait to receive the Spirit (Luke 24:49).
Luke also has a keen interest in prayer. Once more, there are more references to prayer in Luke than in the other Gospels combined! The Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus while he is praying (Luke 3:21-22); Jesus chooses his 12 apostles only after praying all night (Luke 6:12-16); Jesus is transfigured while he is praying (Luke 9:28-29); and he offers parables about prayer (Luke 18:1-8).
Now, while Matthew, Mark, and Luke read quite similarly (hence, they are called the “Synoptic”—1-view—Gospels, the next Gospel in the NT canon, as we’ll see, reads very differently . . .