The Jerusalem Ministry Narrative
I. Divide and Title
A. Segmental Divisions
19.28-21.4 Jesus enters and claims the Kingdom
21:5-38 Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem
B. Paragraph Divisions
19:28-44 The Entry
19:45-48 Jesus clears the Temple
20:1-8 Religious leaders question Jesus’ authority
20:9-19 Parable of the wicked tenants
20:20-26 Questions about taxes
20:27-40 Questions about the resurrection
20:41-47 Jesus confronts religious leaders
21:1-4 The poor widow
21:5-24 Jesus tells about the future
21:25-33 Jesus tells about the return
21:34-38 Jesus teaches about being watchful
II. Structural Analysis
A. Recurrences
1. Warnings: Jesus gives many strong warnings that show how the people are not entirely righteous but rather are fooling themselves. The basis of faith is found in the person of God and those who choose to find their won basis of faith are foolish and unwise.
Evidence: 4.14-30, 11.29-32, 12.22-34,35-48,49-53, 21.5-24,25-33,34-38
c. Parables: Jesus makes use of many colorful and illustrative stories that bring the truth of God’s message to bear on the lives of His people.
Evidence: 6.46-49, 8.1-15, 10.25-37, 12.13-21, 14.15-24, 15.1-7,8-10,11-31, 16.1-15, 18.1-8,9-14, 19.4-27
3. Messiah Terms: The hope of Israel was the coming of the great king from God and this messiah would set the people free from their bondage. However, the hope was for a political and social freedom from the Roman authority.
a. Christ: This is the Greek for messiah and it is used regularly by the author and by a select few individuals. It is important to note that Jesus does not use this term to describe Himself.
Evidence: 2.11,26, 3.15, 4.41, 9.20, 22.67, 23.2,35,39, 24.26,46
b. Son of Man: This is a specific term that Jesus uses to describe Himself and His role as the Messiah. It is not directly linked to the messiah by the religious leaders.
Evidence: 5.24, 6.5,22, 7.34, 9.22,26,44,58, 11.30, 12.10,40, 17.22,24,30, 18.8,31, 19.10,21.27,36, 22.22,48,69, 24.7
4. God Terms: Luke makes a great deal of effort to present the person of God and the various roles that He has for the working of His will on behalf of His people.
a. Father: The author deals with the Trinity in some unique ways but always keeps the persons of the Godhead in separated in form and function. This is all too clear in the divine relationship that is found between the Father and Jesus Christ.
Evidence: 6.36, 9.26, 10.21,22, 11.2,13, 12.30,32, 22.29,42, 23.34,46, 24.49
b. Spirit: The Spirit seems to play a very unique role in the book by helping to bridge the fundamental gap that exists between the divine and human realms. The Spirit acts as a divine change agent in the lives of the people that the Father has chosen to use and the author sees this link clearly. This role is brought to refinement and clarity in the author’s theological and methodological treatment of the text.
Evidence: 1.32,33, 3.5,6,8,34, 6.63, 7.39, 14.17,26, 16.13,15,20,22
5. Death: The book seems to focus on this concept with extreme attention. It is this dynamic that makes the book look to the eternal realities of life and see how this life and the next will come to be for each and every person.
Evidence: 7.11-17, 8.40-56, 9.21-27,44-45, 16.19-31, 20.9-19, 22.1-6, 23.26-43,44-49
6. Ministry to the Outcasts: The author seems to give special attention to the social and economic identity to those whom Jesus was among. These social outcasts were the recipients of Jesus’ love, attention and mercy. It is with these people that Jesus spent much of His time and He gave them a sense of belonging and worth. This was a key part of the ministry of Jesus.
Evidence: 4.31-37,38-44, 5.12-16,17-26,27-31, 7.1-10,11-17,36-50, 8.26-39, 9.37-43, 10.25-37, 13.10-17, 14.1-14, 15.1-7,8-10,11-31, 16.19-31, 18.1-8,9-14,35-43, 19.1-10, 21.1-4
7. Faith and Doubt: The author deals with the aspect of belief and unbelief in the ministry of Jesus and this faith or the lack of faith seems to set the stage for both ministry and confrontation. The faith that is shown in the person of Jesus is given remarkable power to heal the sick and raise the dead. The power of faith is not and can not be dismissed from the ministry of Jesus.
a. Faith: The author shows the benefits that come to those who show faith in the person and work of Jesus. It is through faith that people are healed and made whole. It is also the key to having eternal life.
Evidence: 1.26-38,46-56,67-80, 2.8-20,21-38, 4.31-37,38-44,5.1-11,7.1-10,36-50, 8.40-56, 9.18-20, 14.25-35, 17.1-10,11-19, 18.9-14, 19.1-10, 21.34-38, 23.26-43, 24.13-35
b. Unbelief/ Doubt: The book reveals the consequences of a person not believing in the power of Jesus and those who do not believe will not reap the benefits found in Christ but rather will in turn be cursed by their lack of faith.
Evidence: 1.5-25, 4.14-30, 7.18-35, 11.29-32, 12.22-34,35-48,49-53,54-59, 16.19-31, 18.18-30, 22.54-62, 22.66-23.55
8. Geographic Change: The author sites the frequent and noticeable change of geography that takes place throughout the ministry of Jesus and this plays an important role in the way that the reader understands the events and teachings of Jesus. This change makes it possible for the ministry of Jesus to take place and it reveals that He was not contained within any area for His whole ministry.
a. In Galilee: The early part of the ministry of Jesus takes place in the general region of Galilee and this area becomes the point where He calls His disciples, starts His preaching and begins His outreach to a lost and dying people. Thus the movement in the region occurs because of the need to reach people and to launch His ministry.
b. Out of Galilee: In the latter part of His ministry, Jesus moves out of Galilee into other parts of Israel and other areas of Palestine. It is here that the resistance and threats come to Jesus. It is also the time of the greatest success in His ministry.
B: Relationships
1. Orientation: The preface to the book prepares the reader for the coming material by stating that in is a testament to Christ. The purpose is revealed in the fact that this work is to teach Theophilus about the nature of Christian faith and to help him mature in the faith. It is interesting to note that the book of Acts opens with the same type of preface addressed to the same person.
Evidence: 1.1-4
2. Pivot: The book is focused on the life and ministry of Jesus and the first section of this ministry is in the region of Galilee but there is a dramatic shift in the material at 9:51 because Jesus begins His journey towards Jerusalem. This becomes a major section of the book and takes up close to ten chapters of the entire body of material.
Evidence: 9.51
3. Climax: The main climax of the book is found in the action of the resurrection. It is this event that has been promised by Jesus and it brought to completion. This is the key linking theme that seems to tie the various periods of Jesus’ ministry together and the act of the resurrection provides the needed basis for salvation of humanity. This is not only the climax of this book but also of the entire Bible!
Evidence: 24.1-12
4. Completion
a. Salvation: The death and resurrection brought the message and work of salvation to its proper point of completion. All that we must do is to have faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin and the restoration with God.
Evidence: 24.1-12
b. Ministry: The ascension of Jesus into heaven has made His work of ministry complete, at this time, and His work will set the church into motion. It is at the ascension that the disciples are fully reunited and from there they return to Jerusalem and await the coming of a comforter. This is the central work that begins the church in the book of Acts.
Evidence: 24.50-53
5. Preparation: The author shows several key areas where Jesus tells His disciples about His coming death and resurrection. These preparations are designed to clarify the mission of Christ to the disciples and the author makes use of this structure to prepare the reader for the coming message of Christ’s death and resurrection. This is an important aspect of the book because it also sheds light into the character and person of Jesus.
Evidence: 9.21-27,44-45, 22.1-6
6. Purpose: The author shows that Jesus Himself reveals the purpose and mission of His work during a visit with Zacchaeus. Jesus shares that when Zacchaeus has the change of heart, salvation has entered his house. This was the true purpose of Christ and His ministry; to seek and to save the lost.
Evidence: 19.1-10
III. Identify Strategic Area
A. Window Passage: The key passage for the book seems to be found in 19.1-10 as Jesus ministers to Zaccheaus and shares the reason for His work and the purpose of His ministry. This area of Luke’s gospel seems to be filled either the message that Jesus had indeed come for all people and that none would be turned away from the grace of God through Christ.
B. Reasons for Selection: This passage seems to mark one of the high points of Jesus’ compassionate ministry and reveals to everyone that there is no such thing as a soul too lost for the love of God. Jesus did not come to condemn those who were sinful but rather to offer those same people a chance at new life. He ransomed them away from the consequences of sin and death and assured them into a place of new life.
IV. Uniqueness of the Book
A. Special Features of the Book
1. Birth Narrative: The author creates a unique picture of the birth of Jesus by weaving the stories of both Jesus and John together. This creates an even larger scope to the birth of Jesus by showing how God had prepared for the entire ministry of Jesus and John before they were even born. This narrative tells us many facts that would not have been known without this account. The majority of this narrative is unique in the witness of scripture.
One of the most puzzling differences found in this section is the genealogy of Jesus being different from the account found in Matthew’s gospel. There are many possible explanations about the reasons for the differences in the genealogy but the largest reason for the difference is audience. Luke and Matthew were writing to two separate audiences with two different purposes. Matthew was attempting to link Jesus with the divine kingship of David and Luke was more interested in linking Jesus with the human race.
2. Early Ministry and Travel Narrative Unique Points: The author uses a series of stories and accounts that reveal a new side to the ministry of Jesus by showing His deep compassion for the outcasts of society and examples of love in action.
A large part of the interpretation problems of the Travel Narrative may be from the massive amount of unique material that exists within the narrative section. It is this aspect of this section that tends to make things difficult my own personal examination of this book.
Evidence: 4.14-30, 5.1-11, 7.11-17,36-50, 8.1-3, 10.1-24,25-37,38-42, 11.37-54, 12.1-59, 13.1-9,10-17,18-21,22-30,31-35, 14.1-14,15-24, 15.1-7,8-10,11-31, 16.1-15,16-18,19-31, 17.1-10,11-19,20-37,18.1-8,9-14, 19.1-10,11-27,
3. Resurrection Narrative: The author has little other unique points in the narrative but there are some points within the death and resurrection sections of the book with a few minor points of unique narrative. This narrative adds to the message of Luke by making a special contribution to the Christian message.
Evidence: 23.39-43, 24.13-35, 24.50-53 (Note: This part of the gospel narrative is also contained in the long ending of the gospel of Mark.)
B. Special Significance of the Book
1. Research based: It is evident from the preface of the book that the information found in this book comes from the authors personal research about the life of Jesus. This research is done to communicate the truth that exists in the Christian witness and reveal narrative from those who were eyewitnesses to these events. It can then be assumed that the author was not a part of the days of Jesus and was converted to Christianity some time later.
2. Direct Address: The author has written this work for the benefit of one person or group of persons that they might come to a deeper knowledge of the truth that is found in the life of Jesus Christ. This is the only gospel account that is specifically addressed to a person or persons and it seems that the purpose of this work is to educate and instruct.
3. Terminology: The author seems to use a language that is not typical of the other gospels with special attention in describing the various aspects of the narrative. There are very clear descriptions of illnesses and accounts of healings. There also seems to be a lack of Old Testament Scripture references and Jewish terms. The author quotes almost no scripture and uses no Hebrew terms. This strikes a strong difference between Luke and the other synoptics because they tend to use a great deal of scripture and Hebrew allegories.
V. Historical Context
A. Authority: The author shows their purpose in the opening preface of the book by stating their reasons for compiling the book for Theophilus. Furthermore, the author continues to describe the method that they came to find the information that will be presented in the book. This is the use of eyewitnesses and other sources of testimony to the life of Jesus Christ. It seems that the whole book is to be a unique written account of the life of Christ that is set apart from all other accounts of Jesus’ life. This still does not answer the question of deeper motive by the author and why they would go to such lengths to instruct this person. It would seem that there is a deeper reason that is not stated within the text.
B. Audience: This book is addressed to only one person, or so it appears, and this book is meant to be a point of instruction to the readers in addition to the knowledge and access that they already have to other gospel accounts of the life of Christ. This book is written because it has a distinct purpose of educating this person in ways that the other accounts do not or can not. This is an important fact to see because it reveals to us the reason that this book would be read and the general occasion on which it might be read. This written gospel is one of several accounts of the life of Jesus and seems to be a non-eyewitness account. This is due to the fact that the language found in the book that seems to be in the third person. The narrative reads almost like an account being told as a story more than a personal experience.
The person or persons being addressed is more than likely not Jewish because of two key reasons. First, the title of most excellent would not have been given to any Jew under Roman occupation. This leads us to assume the person is ,in some way, a part of the Roman government. Second, the name Theophilus is not a typical Jewish name or even a Hellenized Jewish name but rather is based in the Greek language.
C. Author/Reader Relationship: It is clear that the author knows the reader and is attempting to communicate the message of this account to them but we know little about the reader of this gospel other than they were a person of some importance with some type authority due to the address of most excellent to the reader. The reader has been taught the gospel message but we do not know by whom or for how long this person has been instructed in the teachings of the Christian faith. The author has gone to great lengths to investigate and gather information together in this account.
D. Purpose of the Book: The purpose is obviously to teach Theophilus about the Christian faith and to complete the process of discipleship. This seems to play a very significant role in the process of gathering the data for the book and compiling the narrative in the manner that it appears. The author was writing this book for the benefit of others and went to great lengths to communicate the truth of Jesus Christ for other believers. It is important to see that the purpose of this book is to instruct in a way that the other gospel accounts could not and that the unique message of Luke is a treasure that has richly blessed God’s people for centuries.
VI. Assess Progress
A. Significant Insights: This book deals with some very important areas of the Christian faith that seem to separate its witness from the rest of the synoptic gospels. It is this work that makes this book so vital to the cannon and for the church. Without this book there would be some crucial and critical aspects of the ministry of Jesus that would be lost and cause a significant loss in the spiritual growth of the church and of individual Christians.
1. Parables: This author has some unique parable teachings of Jesus that do not appear in the other gospels and these teachings seem to be pointed to the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation.
2. Narrative: The author communicates some information that is only found within this gospel and reveals a deeper picture of who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish in this world. It is this aspect of the book that shows us the most significant differences between Luke’s account and the other synoptic gospels.
3. The gospel of Luke keys on some of the themes of Jesus’ life and ministry that reveal unique aspects of His character and mission. These events show us that Jesus has a quality of compassion and love that gives His message meaning and reality. It shows that Jesus’ love was more than just mere words but rather reveals a specific love in action that communicates a depth of power and sincerity. This gospel communicates a genuine love for people and a compassion that brings life into ministry. This is a book of love for the unloved, life for the lifeless, health for the sick and hope for the hopeless. This is God’s love in action to save a dying people.
B. Significant Questions:
1. The author has a very specific purpose in writing this account of the life of Jesus. This account is written for Theophilus. Why were the other gospel accounts unsatisfactory for this person and why did the author go to such great lengths to write a new account for this person? Was there a deeper un-stated purpose in the writing of this book and if so what was it?
2. The author has focused on some specific themes to communicate the life of Jesus and to give a new account. Why did the author make their selection of themes and what purpose did it have to communicate to the reader? What makes this aspect of the book significant for the writer and the reader? How do these themes add to the ministry of Jesus and is this significant enough for a new account to be written?
3. The author seems to write themselves out of the action in the narrative, which leads to the general idea that they were not an actual eyewitness to the events that they have recorded. How did the author get their information about Jesus and what manner of gathering did they use to record the account? Where did the author get their information and what kind of testimonies were given to the author? How did the author gather accounts that were of a personal nature to the disciples and was there a personal relationship between the author and the Apostles? How did this information come together for the author?
4. The author completes the book with the resurrection of Jesus and provides a fairly complete narrative of those resurrection events. What is the overall significance of these events to the book as a whole and how does the author communicate this to their readers? Why are these accounts included and are they needed for accounting the life of Jesus? What was the purpose of including these accounts and does this change the picture that we get of the person of Jesus?
C. Contribution to Christian Truth: The gospel of Luke is n expansion upon the Biblical account of Jesus Christ and it adds a new dimension to Jesus that is not otherwise recorded. It is this witness that leads us to a deeper knowledge of Jesus and a deeper appreciation of His ministry and sacrifice for our salvation.
