Luke - Book of
Summary of the Gospel of Luke
This summary of the
Gospel of Luke provides information about the title, author(s), date of
writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the
chapters of the Gospel of Luke.
The author's name does
not appear in the book, but much unmistakable evidence points to Luke. This
Gospel is a companion volume to the book of Acts, and the language and
structure of these two books indicate that both were written by the same
person. They are addressed to the same individual, Theophilus, and the second
volume refers to the first (Ac 1:1). Certain sections in Acts use the pronoun
"we" (Ac 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1 -- 28:16), indicating that the author was with Paul
when the events described in these passages took place. By process of
elimination, Paul's "dear friend Luke, the doctor" (Col 4:14) and "fellow worker" (Phm 24),
becomes the most likely candidate. His authorship is supported by the uniform
testimony of early Christian writings (e.g., the Muratorian Canon, a.d. 170,
and the works of Irenaeus, c. 180).
Luke was probably a
Gentile by birth, well educated in Greek culture, a physician by profession, a
companion of Paul at various times from his second missionary journey to his
final imprisonment in Rome, and a loyal friend who remained with the apostle
after others had deserted him (2Ti 4:11).
Antioch (of Syria) and
Philippi are among the places suggested as his hometown.
The Gospel is
specifically directed to Theophilus (1:3), whose name means
"one who loves God" and almost certainly refers to a particular
person rather than to lovers of God in general. The use of "most
excellent" with the name further indicates an individual, and supports the
idea that he was a Roman official or at least of high position and wealth. He
was possibly Luke's patron, responsible for seeing that the writings were
copied and distributed. Such a dedication to the publisher was common at that
time.
Theophilus, however,
was more than a publisher. The message of this Gospel was intended for his own
instruction (1:4) as well as the instruction of those among
whom the book would be circulated. The fact that the Gospel was initially
directed to Theophilus does not narrow or limit its purpose. It was written to
strengthen the faith of all believers and to answer the attacks of unbelievers.
It was presented to displace some disconnected and ill-founded reports about
Jesus (see 1:1-4 and note). Luke wanted to show that the
place of the Gentile Christian in God's kingdom is based on the teaching of
Jesus. He wanted to commend the preaching of the gospel to the whole world.
The two most commonly
suggested periods for dating the Gospel of Luke are: (1) a.d. 59-63, and (2)
the 70s or the 80s (see essay and chart, p. 1943).
The place of writing
was probably Rome, though Achaia, Ephesus and Caesarea have also been
suggested. The place to which it was sent would, of course, depend on the
residence of Theophilus. By its detailed designations of places in the Holy
Land, the Gospel seems to be intended for readers who were unfamiliar with that
land. Antioch, Achaia and Ephesus are possible destinations.
Luke had outstanding
command of the Greek language. His vocabulary is extensive and rich, and his
style at times approaches that of classical Greek (as in the preface, 1:1-4), while at other times it is quite Semitic (1:5 -- 2:52) -- often like the
Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT).
The third Gospel
presents the works and teachings of Jesus that are especially important for
understanding the way of salvation. Its scope is complete from the birth of
Christ to his ascension, its arrangement is orderly, and it appeals to both
Jews and Gentiles. The writing is characterized by literary excellence,
historical detail and warm, sensitive understanding of Jesus and those around
him.
Since the Synoptic
Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) report many of the same episodes in Jesus'
life, one would expect much similarity in their accounts. The dissimilarities
reveal the distinctive emphases of the separate writers. Luke's characteristic
themes include: (1) universality, recognition of Gentiles as well as Jews in
God's plan (see, e.g., 2:30-32 and notes on 2:31; 3:6); (2) emphasis on
prayer, especially Jesus' praying before important occasions (see note on 3:21); (3) joy at the announcement of the gospel
or "good news" (see note on 1:14); (4) special concern
for the role of women (see, e.g., 8:1-3 and notes); (5)
special interest in the poor (some of the rich were included among Jesus'
followers, but he seemed closest to the poor; see note on 12:33); (6) concern for sinners (Jesus was a friend
to those deep in sin); (7) stress on the family circle (Jesus' activity
included men, women and children, with the setting frequently in the home); (8)
repeated use of the Messianic title "Son of Man" (used 25 times;
see 19:10; Da 7:13 and notes); (9)
emphasis on the Holy Spirit (see note on 4:1); (10) inclusion of
more parables than any other Gospel; (11) emphasis on praising God (see 1:64; 24:53 and notes).
Although Luke
acknowledges that many others had written of Jesus' life (1:1), he does not indicate that he relied solely
on these reports for his own writing. He used personal investigation and
arrangement, based on testimony from "eyewitnesses and servants of the
word" (1:2) -- including the preaching and oral accounts
of the apostles. His language differences from the other Synoptics and his
blocks of distinctive material (e.g., 10:1 -- 18:14; 19:1 -- 28) indicate independent
work, though he obviously used some of the same sources (see essay, p. 1943).
Luke's account of
Jesus' ministry can be divided into three major parts: (1) the events that
occurred in and around Galilee (4:14 -- 9:50), (2) those that took place in Judea and
Perea (9:51 -- 19:27), and (3) those of
the final week in Jerusalem (19:28 -- 24:53). Luke's uniqueness
is especially seen in the amount of material devoted to Jesus' closing ministry
in Judea and Perea. This material is predominantly made up of accounts of
Jesus' discourses. Twenty-one of the 28 parables that occur in Luke are found
in 10:30 --19:27. Of the 20 miracles
recorded in Luke, only 5 appear in 9:51 -- 19:27. Already in the ninth chapter (see note
on 9:51), Jesus is seen anticipating his final
appearance in Jerusalem and his crucifixion (see note on13:22).
The main theme of the
Gospel is the nature of Jesus' Messiahship and mission, and a key verse
is 19:10.
- The Beginning of the Ministry
in Galilee (4:14-41)
- The First Tour of Galilee (4:42;5:39)
- A Sabbath Controversy (6:1-11)
- The Choice of the 12 Apostles
(6:12-16)
- The Sermon on the Plain (6:17-49)
- Miracles in Capernaum and Nain
(7:1-18)
- The Inquiry of John the
Baptist (7:19-29)
- Jesus and the Pharisees (7:30-50)
- The Second Tour of Galilee (8:1-3)
- The Parables of the Kingdom (8:4-21)
- The Trip across the Sea of
Galilee (8:22-39)
- The Third Tour of Galilee (8:40;9:9)
- The Narrow Door (13:22-30)
- Warning concerning Herod (13:31-35)
- At a Pharisee's House (14:1-23)
- The Cost of Discipleship (14:24-35)
- The Parables of the Lost
Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son (ch. 15)
- The Parable of the Shrewd
Manager (16:1-18)
- The Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19-31)
- Miscellaneous Teachings (17:1-10)
- Ten Healed of Leprosy (17:11-19)
- The Coming of the Kingdom (17:20-37)
- The Persistent Widow (18:1-8)
- The Pharisee and the Tax
Collector (18:9-14)
- Jesus and the Children (18:15-17)
- The Rich Young Ruler (18:18-30)
- Christ Foretells His Death (18:31-34)
- A Blind Beggar Given His Sight
(18:35-43)
- Jesus and Zacchaeus (19:1-10)
- The Parable of the Ten Minas (19:11-27)
- The Triumphal Entry (19:28-44)
- The Cleansing of the Temple (19:45-48)
- The Last Controversies with
the Jewish Leaders (ch. 20)
- The Olivet Discourse (ch. 21)
- The Last Supper (22:1-38)
- Jesus Praying in Gethsemane (22:39-46)
- Jesus' Arrest (22:47-65)
- Jesus on Trial (22:66;23:25)
- The Crucifixion (23:26-56)
- The Resurrection (24:1-12)
- The Post-Resurrection Ministry
(24:13-49)
- The Ascension (24:50-53)
From the NIV Study
Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, Luke
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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