The Gospel of Luke has been called "the most beautiful book ever written," and it is, for many people, their favorite gospel.
Please read through my study questions on the Gospel of Luke (also attached to the syllabus for the sake of those who prefer hard copy). Then read through the first twelve chapters of Luke's Gospel.
For the blog entry here, please do *both* of the following:
1. Pick out a verse or passage that you think particularly well shows why people find this gospel attractive and explain your choice of this particular passage.
2. Choose one of the study guide questions and suggest an answer.
Please come to class ready to discuss in class the verse/passage you chose and to suggest an answer to at least one of the study guide questions.
Luke 3:16. "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." I think this passage shows why people find this gospel attractive. It gives them hope and the promise that the Jesus is coming and he will be the one to save them and give them the holy spirit.
ReplyDelete2. What reason does Luke give for writing his gospel? What sources does he claim for his information? To assure his readers of the truth of what they had been taught. And to emphasize that they don't need to fear any earthly power since God has all authority in heaven and on earth. Luke gets a lot of information from St. Mark.
- Eathen Erck
1. A passage that I think is interesting, is when young Jesus disappears from his parents and is later found in the temple. I think this passage would be interesting to others because it gives more insight into Jesus’ childhood. In Matthew’s there isn’t any passage about young Jesus. Matthew goes from discussing the events of Jesus‘s birth, to his baptism by John.
ReplyDelete2. I chose to discuss question two, why Luke spent so much time describing the birth of Jesus and how his account of the birth is different from that of Matthew’s. Luke seemed more focused on showing his readers how Jesus Christ entered the world as just another human being. That’s Luke also shared details about Elizabeth’s pregnancy too, after all she was a relative of Mary’s. Luke was showing how Jesus came from such humble beginnings, but he came to save the world. Matthew doesn’t include as much details about the birth of Jesus, but he does share more of the teachings of Jesus. I think Matthew was more focused on showing what Jesus came to teach the world.
I thought Luke 11:52 was interesting only because in todays time we believe in scenes by eyes alone. We reject those ideals unseen and are hard to accept. In other words, perception is reality, and by that reality if we choose to ignore we prevent actual good from happening. In that same note from this is a double-edged sword where fate leads many to believe otherwise.
ReplyDelete1. I thought that Luke 4:18 was particularly interesting out of the first twelve chapters of Luke. "The spirit of the lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." I just think that this sends a positive message and reflects that even today people still spread the word of this passage to preach the gospel and to help others in need.
ReplyDelete2. If I had to choose one study question to try and answer would be the second study question. I think Luke writes a fair amount on the birth of Jesus and its events around it because every story has a beginning. I think in order to understand other aspects of the New Testament you have to have a good background and context of where things started. Also looking at the differences between Luke and Matthew I would say that many people have different perspectives or different aspects of a story. I think it is important to value multiple different accords of such an important event in the New Testament.
-Dawson Pfister
1. Luke 15:32 "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found." I think the whole Gospel comes in full circle with the prodigal or lost son parable. It states that after we are in christ we are not lost anymore. But found within him. I know that this parable is used all the time. But i still think it is timeless.
ReplyDelete2 I believe that reason Luke Spent a large amount of time on birth of Jesus. Was the fact that most Gentiles were not aware or hadn't really known the old testament. Which is Opposite of Mathew which as we know was written for a Jewish Audience. There is major additions to the Christmas /Birth Story that are not in Matthew. As we said in Class Matthew was focused on the Genealogy and jealously of Herod. Which is Something that the Jewish Audience would understand better. Also Luke establishes the Virgin Birth thing more to give Context to the Gentile Audience.
-Austin Dreyer
1) Luke 12:22-34
ReplyDeleteI find this passage attractive and think that it resonates with people because it tells people to be neither anxious nor worry about their lives as everything is in God’s hands and He will provide.
2) I am choosing to answer the 2nd study question of why Luke spends so much time on the beginning of Jesus’s story. I think that Luke spends more time on the beginning of Jesus’s life and the life of John the Baptist because his gospel was written with a different audience in mind. Matthew’s gospel was a gospel that focused on the Jews so it focused on stories and tales that would be relatable for the Jews. The gospel that Luke wrote has more of a gentile orientated view to allow those who may not know the OT as well as the Jews a chance to get to know Jesus the same as any Jew.
Matthew 10:24 NIV
ReplyDeleteFor I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
I find that this verse would have been exceptionally well received by anyone of that time and should be by anyone of this time. This is because it is revealed from the words of christ that he is the one who destroyed kingdoms for Israel. This would make the kings think about this man named Jesus, as many Kingdoms were killed in the name of God. Then the first part, the prophets, would be important as many far and wide would either know the legends of the profits. If not that, then they would see the power of sight God granted the prophets. If you read the old prophets, many of them could see and predict significant events. Now why I feel this passage to be particularly well suited even today. This shows that Christ is the promise revealed by ancient Prophets and the one who destroyed old kingdoms. Knowing the context from other scriptures, it could also be understood that Christ promises great rewards who follow faithfully. Leading me to realize that we have been blessed with what people hoped and wished for, for thousands of years.
1. What reason does Luke give for writing his gospel? What sources does he claim for his information?
Luke would have been writing to the gentiles of this time. For this reason, he takes a different approach than other authors of the other gospels. In addition, Luke was believed to be of Greek descent, so he would have been using different customs than the customs of the Jews. For example, it is believed that Luke wrote his gospel by cross-examining witnesses of events. So his information can be different in spot than in other gospels. This gives the audience details we might not get if the bible was only written from a Jewish perspective.
Tanner Simon
I think the beginning of chapter eight is an attractive passage to read. Luke references the women in Jesus' ministry, so I think gentile women (and all women in general) would be comforted by this section in Luke because it emphasizes the idea that ALL people can follow Jesus--not just men and his disciples. My study Bible also comments on the fact that Luke references all types of women from all areas and roles of the world. There are multiple women from different backgrounds and families, so I think that is nice to hear and shows that people from all places no matter their history can follow Jesus.
ReplyDelete4. The gospel of Luke is a "Gospel for the Gentiles," so when compared to Matthew's "Gospel for those who don't think they need it," Luke is a lot easier to digest for those who have not really read the Bible (especially the Old Testament). Because Luke's audience is mainly gentiles, he cites the entire Old Testament passage when deciding to quote OT scripture. Gentiles would most likely not have been familiar with all the prophecies of Isiah that are quoted in the gospels, so, unlike Matthew, Luke quotes the complete verse of scripture to make it easier to understand. When someone is reading the Bible for the first time, they are a lot of times directed towards Luke to begin. It is known to be the "beginners gospel" to some, and I can clearly see why.
- Lauren Bland
1. Luke 2:8-21ESV
ReplyDeleteI think this passage really encompasses why this book is so attractive to the gentiles. Who are the first people to witness the messiah? Shepherds, a group ostracized from society. They were usually criminals, lowlives, untrustworthy, and not who you would want to hangout with. Why is it important that shepherds are the first to see the Messiah? Well, it shows people that no one is too unimportant to God. It connects with them, this isn't
1. Luke 2:8-21ESV
ReplyDeleteI think this passage really encompasses why this book is so attractive to the gentiles. Who are the first people to witness the messiah?Shepherds, a group ostracized from society. They were usually criminals, lowlives, untrustworthy, and not who you would want to hangout with. Why is it important that shepherds are the first to see the Messiah? Well, it shows people that no one is too unimportant to God. It connects with them, this isn't some exclusive message meant for the elite jews, it's meant for shepherds, sailors, soldiers, tax collectors, and anyone who was willing to listen. You don't need to be religious to get the book of Luke.
2.3. How does Luke treat the Pharisees and Sadducees? Is his portrayal of these groups any different than Matthew's?
Luke treats the Pharisees and Sadducees, not like religious leaders, but villains. He writes down Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees for it is hypocrisy. It feels like Luke is making it abundantly clear why the Pharisees are such bad people. In Mathew he lets the jews pick out the corruption and subtleness of it all, but in Luke he makes it very clear.
-Walker Larson
1) "And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"). Luke 2: 22-23 I think that this verse would be very attractive to the Jews because it shows that Mary and Joseph were following the laws of the Lord and taking Jesus to the temple to be presented to God.
ReplyDelete2) Why was Jesus taken to Jerusalem at age 12? The Study Bible gives a really good explanation, and I really agree with the fact that Jesus was taken there to prepare for manhood. I think he was taken to the temple to prepare for manhood and to see where he would be worshipping with his "father", Joseph.
First, I will begin with Luke's reason for writing his gospel account of his perspective on what happened, as he said in the first chapter that he wanted "Theophilus," maybe a person or the church, as Theophilus means "lover of God," so he wanted this lover of God to have certainty that what they were taught was in fact the truth. As Luke wrote in a different style than most other authors, being many believe he was Greek and much of the New Testament was written in Greek, his cultural approach would have been different, especially with cross cultural references and different styles, his account stood out, with the way he artfully and thoroughly relayed the accounts. It is also believed he went and spoke with many people to put his account together for his level of detail in his writings, so he had what ended being called the most beautiful writing in history.
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