The Gospel of Luke is the third book of the New Testament. Like all the first four books of the New Testament Luke records his account about the life of Jesus on earth.
The Gospel of Luke opens with this statement - Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
If we take a moment to read the opening verse of the fifth book of the New Testament the Book of Acts it says - In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. By the mention of Theophilus and the writers reference to his former book this tells us that Luke wrote both of these books, Acts of the Apostles and the book of Luke.
Luke was a doctor and in his writings he highlights the humanity of Jesus, His love and compassion for the people. Colossians 4 verse 14 says - Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings The book starts with His birth and is the only one of the four Gospels which records his childhood.
Luke continues in Luke 1:6 - to tell of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary announcing to her the birth of Jesus. Mary realises that she has the priveledge and responsibility by which the long a waited Messiah would come into the world. Mary’s joy overflows with her singing that great song beginning in Luke 1: 46 – “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, known as the Magnificat. Mary full of joy and anticipation hastily visited her relative Elizabeth who also was soon to give birth to Jesus’s cousin John the Baptist. He would prepare the way for Jesus to commence His ministry on earth. Elizabeth’s husband after some misgivings about Johns name, when his wife gave birth to their son John, also broke into song Luke 1:68 - 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them...
Luke 2 we read how while Mary and Joseph were at a census in Bethlehem Jesus was born, and how the shepherds came to visit them in a stable. Later when Jesus was brought to the temple for the purification ceremony of consecration as required by the law (Luke 2:22), He and His parents were met by Simeon, who God promised would see Jesus the Messiah before he died. We read in Luke 2:25 - 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Luke records in Luke 2:41 of Jesus at twelve years of age going to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. Jesus’s parents on their return, after a day’s journey realise He is missing, found Him in the Temple in deep dialogue with the leaders of the Temple. We read in Luke 2:44 - 44 Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
In Luke 3 we read of John the Baptists ministry of preparation with Jesus being baptised. This is followed by the genealogy of Jesus Luke 3:23 - recorded in reverse order from His parents back to Adam, then with Him being been the son of God.
In Lue 4 as recorded in some of the other Gospels we read of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, followed by Jesus’s first recorded sermon in the Temple, which reads Luke 4:14 - 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
In Luke 5 Jesus having appointed some of His disciples begins His ministry by healing the sick. He continues His ministry of teaching (Luke 6 to Luke 20) using many parables. In Mark 13:1 - Jesus and His disciples experience a woman with an alabaster box of ointment coming and anointing Jesus’s HEAD. Here in Luke 7:36 another lady also came to anoint Jesus, but this time the lady anoints His FEET, not His HEAD. This lady was known as a sinful lady, but through giving of this expensive perfume, it was like an act of worship and hanks giving illustrating her full commitment to following Jesus.
In Luke 9 Jesus sends out the twelve disciples giving them power to heal, to experience the ministry of Jesus, which reads: - When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Then Jesus sends out another 72 to minister, we read in Luke 10: - After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
In Luke 11:37 Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s home, but soon they were disputing with Him, we read - When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Also in Luke 14:1 Again He was invited to eat with one of the Pharisee’s, it was not long before they sought to trip him up as we read - One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” 6 And they had nothing to say.
Luke 17 and Luke 18 Jesus continued to work miracles, teaching with the aid of Parables. In Luke 19:28 as recorded in Mark 11: Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey with the people proclaiming Him as King. Jesus is then questioned about who they should pay their duties to, Jesus answered in Luke 20: 25 - 25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Jesus is then questioned about marriage in Heaven, we read in Luke 20:34 - Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
In Luke 21:5 Jesus talks about the destruction of the Temple by saying - 5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”He then went on to talk about what will take place in The End Times, and continues to say in Luke 21:25 - . 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Luke 22 describes the last few hours before Jesus went to the cross to be crucified, the chapter opens concerning Judas Iscariot - Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. Luke 22:7 Jesus meets with His disciples at the last supper, his agony of soul in the Garden of Gethsemane followed by His arrest, with Peter disowning Him and His trial before Herod. In Luke 23 Jesus is brought before Pilot where He is further tried, then finally led away to be crucified. In Luke 23:50 we read - 50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
In the last chapter Luke 24: we read how Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead, it reads - On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”8 Then they remembered his words.
Later on in the day Luke 24:13, while three of His followers were walking back from Emmaus, Jesus appears to them, bringing them great Joy to know He had risen from the dead. Later Jesus appears to all the disciples before He returns back to His father in Heaven. Then in Luke 24:50 we read 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Further studies will be added at a later date
