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The Gospelof Luke
Reading Lukein the Year of Faith
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SequenceIntroduction
What is a gospel?
What’s special in Luke?
Overview of the Gospel
Luke in the Sunday Lectionary
A Prayer
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IntroductionThe same writer wrote Luke and Acts
Together, Luke-Acts = 25% of the NT
It was written c. AD 85, after Mark’s Gospel
Written by a Gentile (non-Jew) for Gentiles
The place of writing is unknown
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The word “gospel”Old Testament (Isaiah)New Testament (throughout)
What Jesus preached
What early Christians said about JesusThe “Gospels” in the New Testament
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The word “gospel”Old Testament (Isaiah)New Testament (throughout)
What Jesus preached
What early Christians said about JesusThe “Gospels” in the New Testament
Euagge/lionEuangelionEvangelium
Good Newsgōd spellGospel
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The word “gospel”
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The word “gospel”
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The word “gospel”
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Since providence, which has divinely disposed our lives, having employed zeal and ardour, has arranged the most perfect culmination for life by producing Augustus, whom for the benefit of mankind she has filled with excellence, as if she had granted him as a saviour for us and our descendants, a saviour who brought war to an end and set all things in peaceful order
and since with his appearance Caesar exceeded the hopes of all those who had received good news before us, not only surpassing those who had been benefactors before him, but not even leaving any hope of surpassing him for those who are to come in the future, and since the beginning of the good news on his account for the world was the birthday of a god…
The word “gospel”
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The start of Luke
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The start of LukeLuke 1:1 Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I too decided, after
investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
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What is a Gospel?Luke was not the first to write a Gospel
Luke was not an eye-witness
Luke used eye-witnesses and documents
Luke wrote to persuade and deepen faith
Two volumes: Luke-Acts
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What is a gospel?
A biography
Not in the modern sense
Not quite in the ancient sense
Written to persuade and change
Written because Jesus is raised
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What is a Gospel?
Matthew (28) Mark (16) Luke (24) John (21)
90% of Mark is in Matthew
55% of Mark is in Luke
Matthew and Luke share 252 vv.
Almost 50% of Luke is unique to him
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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What is a Gospel?MarkSower
QLord’s Prayer
MMagi
LProdigal Son
Matthew Luke
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Time line70 years 30 years
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Time line
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Mark69-70Mark69-70
Matthew85-90
Luke85-90
John95-100
Galilee, JudeaGalilee, Judea Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, ItalySyria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy
Syria?Rome?Syria?Rome? Syria Greece?
Syria, Asia Minor
Augustus Tiberius CaligulaClaudius Nero Vespasian Titus DomitianDomitian Nerva, Trajan
31-14 14-37 37-4141-54 54-68 69-79 79-81 81-96 81-96 96+
70 years 30 years
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Time line
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Mark69-70Mark69-70
Matthew85-90
Luke85-90
John95-100
Galilee, JudeaGalilee, Judea Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, ItalySyria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy
Syria?Rome?Syria?Rome? Syria Greece?
Syria, Asia Minor
Augustus Tiberius CaligulaClaudius Nero Vespasian Titus DomitianDomitian Nerva, Trajan
31-14 14-37 37-4141-54 54-68 69-79 79-81 81-96 81-96 96+
70 years 30 years
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Time line
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Mark69-70Mark69-70
Matthew85-90
Luke85-90
John95-100
Galilee, JudeaGalilee, Judea Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, ItalySyria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy
Syria?Rome?Syria?Rome? Syria Greece?
Syria, Asia Minor
Augustus Tiberius CaligulaClaudius Nero Vespasian Titus DomitianDomitian Nerva, Trajan
31-14 14-37 37-4141-54 54-68 69-79 79-81 81-96 81-96 96+
70 years 30 years
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Time line
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Jesus6 BC – 30 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Paul6 BC / 35, 64 AD
Mark69-70Mark69-70
Matthew85-90
Luke85-90
John95-100
Galilee, JudeaGalilee, Judea Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, ItalySyria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy
Syria?Rome?Syria?Rome? Syria Greece?
Syria, Asia Minor
Augustus Tiberius CaligulaClaudius Nero Vespasian Titus DomitianDomitian Nerva, Trajan
31-14 14-37 37-4141-54 54-68 69-79 79-81 81-96 81-96 96+
70 years 30 years
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Overview
Every Gospel has a chosen sequence
Luke 1-4" " " Preparation
Luke 5-9" " " Ministry in Galilee
Luke 10-19" " Road to Jerusalem
Luke 20-24" " Saving events in the Holy City
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Special in LukeLuke is a great story-teller and some of the best-loved stories in the Gospels are his
The birth stories
Prodigal Father/Son
Road to Emmaus
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Special in Luke
Luke highlights the role of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer
Mary
Jesus in Nazareth
Pentecost
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Special in Luke
Luke gives prominence to forgiveness and joy
Joy - chapters 1-2, 15
Zacchaeus - chapter 19
The Gospel ends on a joy-filled note
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The Role of the Spirit in Luke
Mary, conceiving by the power of the Holy Spirit becomes the model for all believers (1:34-38, 2:19, 51)
Her greatness lies in her openness to the word (1:48, 8:18-21, 11:27-28)
The Holy Spirit is present in Jesus and is the source of his power (3:22, 4:1, 4:14, 10:21)
This is the power that the disciple receives (24:49, Acts 3:1-10, 4:31)
In Luke 11:13 the Holy Spirit is the answer to all prayer (contrast Matthew 7:11)
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Influence
Christian imagination and memory
Luke-Acts = 25% of the NT
The Christian year
The year of Luke in the lectionary
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Sunday Lectionary
Chs / vv 1962 Vatican II
Matthew 28 (1071) 34.8% 55.5%
Mark 16 (678) 3.4% 61.1%
Luke 24 (1141) 16.3% 56.5%
John 21 (879) 30% 59.8%
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And so...
Luke is a distinctive voice
Portrait of Jesus - prophet
Response of the believer - faith
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PrayerMerciful God, anoint me with your Holy Spirit.
And as I read your word, let me hear your voice speaking to me from within.
Give me wisdom to understand your message to me.Let your word be the joy of my heart and the lamp to my feet.
Give me strength to build my life on your word.Let it be done unto me according to your word.
May I rejoice in the blessedness of hearing your word and keeping it.Speak Lord, your servant is listening…
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