by Dmitry Shironosov
The Gospel According to Saint Luke
With the first Sunday of Advent, the Revised Common Lectionary segues into Year C, Luke's year. Luke is a synoptic gospel that views Jesus' life and ministry in a similar manner to Matthew and Mark. Luke is the only Gentile, non-Jewish writer in the entire New Testament. Luke was a highly educated physician, but think "bronze age" in terms of sophistication. Luke wrote a two-volume account consisting of this gospel and the Acts of the Apostles; we sometimes refer to "Luke-Acts" because in many ways they are an inseparable unit.
Most likely Luke substantially compiled both Luke and Acts, though he drew upon sources other than memories of his own experiences and his own imagination. Both Matthew and Luke copied a lot from Mark, the earliest gospel. Matthew contains around 90%, Luke contains about 50% of the verses in Mark. In addition, Matthew and Mark both contain parallel, sometimes identical, passages not found in Mark. Luke also may – or may not – have had a separate "L" source.
Luke's distinctives include:
• world history and Jewish history. Luke opens his gospel with a political, geographical, social, historical introduction, and with [biblical number] seven witnesses—in plain language, this really happened!
• Jesus' genealogy that ends with "Adam, son of God." Luke's human Jesus and divine Christ both minister to each one's body and spirit.
• the Holy Spirit has been prominent throughout scripture's witness, but Luke-Acts brings a fulfillment of God's reign in the Spirit
• prayer
• women
• marginalized people of every class and description—the underclass; great reversals, a.k.a. "The Upside Down Kingdom!"
• table fellowship
• neighborology: the word about the neighbor! During Year C the lectionary includes several readings from Jeremiah and Deuteronomy that also emphasize the neighbor, the other, living together faithfully in covenantal community despite differences.
• Starting with John the Baptist down by the riverside counseling people to share what they have with others in order to prepare for the arrival of God in their midst, we find a lot of "social gospel" in Luke. However, this isn't about how many good works we humans can accomplish on our own; it's always about the indwelling and outgoing power of the Holy Spirit.
Canticles
Luke includes three psalm-like songs or canticles:
• Mary's Magnificat, "My soul magnifies the Lord; he has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly…" –Luke 1:46-55
• Zechariah's Benedictus, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; he has visited his people." This is John the Baptist's father Zechariah—not Zechariah from the OT Book of the Twelve or Minor Prophets. –Luke 1:67-79
• Simeon's Nunc Dimittis: "Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace; mine eyes have seen they salvation, which thou hast prepared…" –Luke 2:29-32
Uniquely in Luke
• Joseph and Mary journey to Bethlehem for the census –Luke 2:1-7
• Shepherds abiding in the fields—and angels! –Luke 2:8-20
• Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17-49, which emphasizes re-distributive justice and material well-being. Matthew's parallel Sermon on the Mount is more about spiritual well-being.
• Good Samaritan –Luke 10:25-37
• Prodigal Son –Luke 15: 11-32
• Stones cry out Luke –Luke 19:37-40
• Emmaus Road in Luke's post-resurrection account takes us back to the Maundy Thursday Upper Room and to Luke's many accounts of Jesus' table fellowship with all comers, but now as a meal with the risen Christ, it is the first Eucharist! –Luke 24:13-35
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