Scripture WorkshopEpiscopal Church of the Resurrection

The Gospel According to LukeIntroduction

September 16, 2010

Who was Luke?• Tradition says Luke was a physician who

accompanied Paul, that he was a Syrian from Antioch

• But there’s no textual evidence for this tradition. It dates from late 2nd century

• Academically familiar with Judaism. Familiar with Septuagint. Highly educated, aware of geography outside of Palestine, familiar with early church

• Writes from urban perspective, not the rural background of Jesus

• Tradition says Luke wrote in Antioch or Rome

When was Luke written?• Jesus: 3-33• Paul’s Letters: 51-58• Roman/Jewish War: 66-70• Gospel of Mark: 68-73• Rome destroys Jerusalem temple: 70• Gospel of Matthew: 80-90• Luke/Acts: 80-90• Gospel of John: 80-110• Revelation: 92-96• Other Epistles: 70-130 • Didache: 100-150• Justin Martyr: Mid 2nd Century• Gospel of Thomas: Mid 3rd Century

(earliest manuscript dates from 175-225 A.D.)

Is it Historically Accurate?• Gospels were “…not composed to record

historical remembrances about Jesus”• “History” as objective discipline did not exist

until 19th century.• Luke’s goal is to write a gospel, “evangelion”,

which is a message of salvation.• Goal: Preaching for conversion, identity claims

for Jesus, interpreting Jesus stories to Christian community

Writing Style

• Of the four Gospels, Luke uses the smoothest Greek prose

• Luke is well-versed in Greco-Roman literary style

Social Context of Text• Tradition of being oppressed by foreign

powers, in this case Roman Empire, which collude with Jewish hierarchy

• Honor/Shame Society: Pivotal social value was public reputation. Disputes have challenge/riposte dynamic. In-group /out-group behavior

• Collectivistic: Individuals defined by communal identity. Non-individualistic

• Kinship defines a person

Social Context of Text

• Spirit world: Good and evil spirits everywhere considered normal. Most human issues had spiritual corollaries

• Patron/Client structure: “socially fixed relations of reciprocity between social unequals”

• Purity: System of meaning that determines behavior as good or deviant. Elaborate rules

Social Context of Text

• Hellenistic world• Growing apocalypticism in face of Roman

occupation• Meals very ceremonial and microcosm of life• Poor• Agrarian

Levels Within the Text

• When reading, remember that Jesus lived in Palestine in the early 1st C, whereas Luke’s community probably lived elsewhere, so we’re dealing with different social contexts

• Luke is interpreting the Jesus events for a later audience in a different place

• The connection between the two communities is the oral tradition

Women in Luke• Property of fathers or husbands• Extremely ritually unclean when menstruating• Lived private lives in family, no social lives or

power outside kinship circle• Double standards• Jesus treats them in egalitarian way• Few are named or speak

Relationship to Imperial Rome• Rome dominated Mediterranean world• Enforced peace through violence• Roman soldiers throughout Palestine• Heavily taxed Jewish commerce, especially

agriculture, reducing people to virtual slaves• Used powerful Jews in patron/client structure:

appointed Jewish governors and the high priest. Used Jewish men to collect taxes

• Jews hated the Romans

Relationship to Imperial Rome

• Persecuted some early Christian communities• Rome is focus of apocalyptic projection• Romans considered emperor to be a God• Emperor’s image on all Roman coins, which

Jews had to use• Before the temple fell, Rome placed statue of

emperor in holy of holies• ROME DESTROYED HOLIEST JEWISH SITE

Relationship to Imperial Rome• Rome allowed many religions to thrive in

empire. Greco-Roman context was multi-religious, but Rome required subjects to recognize emperor as God

• Jews did not do this and Rome was suspicious• Caesar Augustus was believed to be the son of

God who brought peace to the world• Christians used many of the titles reserved for

Caesar for Jesus. Very inflammatory.

Theological Context of the Audience• Religion inseparable from social, political,

economic and psychological life• Jesus does not match Messianic expectations• Growing apocalyptic expectations• Expected Jesus to return very soon• Community of Jews, God-Fearers and Gentiles

Relationship to Judaism

• Christianity not distinct from Judaism when Luke was written

• Luke not creating a new religion. Fulfilling OT with Kingdom of God

• Jesus portrayed in prophetic tradition, challenging oppression

• Jesus challenges Jewish establishment• Jesus reaches out to Jews and gentiles

Luke’s Jesus

• Continuous with history of Israel, fulfilling the nation’s hopes

• Holy Spirit, which moved throughout Jewish history also present in JBap and Jesus

• Emphasizes God’s compassion, reaching out to margins of society, especially women, impious, sinners, poor, sick, oppressed

• Leaves door open to Pharisees as well

Luke’s Christology• Son of God: Rarely used, by angels, God or Satan.

Privileged knowledge for reader• Prophet: Comparisons to Elijah, John and David• Lord: Refers to other characters, God and Jesus• Messiah/Christ: Inside information, “anointed

one”• Son of Man: Most common self-reference,

meaning unclear• Savior: Only Luke uses this term,

Theology of Luke

• Jesus takes his message from the margins (Galilee) to the center of the Jewish world (Jerusalem) in the Gospel

• Then Paul takes Jesus’ message from the center of the Jewish world/edge of the Roman Empire (Jerusalem) to the center of the known world (Rome)

• Deals with: Jesus’ identity, discipleship, nature of salvation, character of Kingdom of God, repentance

Theological Themes• God’s redemptive purpose: God’s sovereignty,

fulfill scripture, scope of Jesus’ redemptive work• Salvation for all alike: Jesus came for ALL people,

Jews, gentiles, margins, etc• Blessings of poverty/dangers of wealth: Contrary

to popular theology• Table fellowship: Inclusivity, joy• Role of disciple:• Importance of accurate witness

Relationship to Other GospelsMark

Luke Oral TraditionQ TraditionMark Oral

TraditionMatthew Oral

TraditionJohn Oral Tradition

John

Luke

Matthew

Luke’s Sources

• 1:1-2:52 - Luke• 3:1-6:9 – Mark and some Q• 6:20-8:3 – Q and Luke• 8:4-9:50 – Mark • 9:51-18:14 – Q and Luke• 18:15-24:11 – Mark and Luke• 24:12-24:53 - Luke

Conflation and Amalgamation

• Each of the Gospels is very different and tells a different story

• We have to work hard to avoid conflating the four individual Gospel stories into a single, amalgamated narrative

• We have to work hard to avoid projecting our expectation of what a Gospel ought to say onto Luke

Who is Jesus• Mark: Enigmatic, tragic, misunderstood,

abandoned. Following means taking up his cross and suffering too

• Matthew: New Moses who fulfills scripture. Following Jesus keeping his teachings and making disciples

• John: Word incarnate, heavenly revealer sent from another world. Following means belief, rebirth.

• Luke: Compassionate friend to outcasts, relates to Israel and contemporary issues and unfolds God’s redemptive purpose

Outline of Luke

• Prologue, 1:1-4• Infancy narrative, 1:5-2:52• Preparation for public ministry, 3:1-4:13• Ministry in Galilee, 4:14-9:50• Journey to Jerusalem, 9:51-19:27• Ministry in Jerusalem, 19:28-21:38• Passion, 22:1-23:56• Resurrection, 24:1-53

Calendar

• 9/16 – Intro, full gospel• 9/23 – Infancy, prep for ministry, 1:1-4:13• 9/30 – Ministry in Galilee, 4:14-9:50• 10/7 – Journey to Jerusalem, 9:51-19:27• 10/14 – Ministry in Jerusalem, 19:28-21:38• 10/21 – Passion and resurrection, 22:1-24:53