Please read through Chapters 1-12 or the Gospel of Luke. This book has been called "the most beautiful book ever written," and it is, for many people, their favorite gospel. Pick out a verse or passage that you think particularly well shows why people find this gospel attractive, and explain why you think this verse/passage helps explain the extension of the gospel message to the gentiles.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Luke I
Please read through Chapters 1-12 or the Gospel of Luke. This book has been called "the most beautiful book ever written," and it is, for many people, their favorite gospel. Pick out a verse or passage that you think particularly well shows why people find this gospel attractive, and explain why you think this verse/passage helps explain the extension of the gospel message to the gentiles.
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This Gospel is much easier reading than Matthew. It does not rely on knowledge of the Old Testament as much as Matthew did. Instead, this gospel takes on a story telling tone and shows the readers what great things Jesus as done for those who believed.
Chapter 6 starting with verse 27, to me is why this book is attractive. It lays out what God wants us to do, what we need to do, and the forgiveness that God will grant us. Matthew uses references to daily life and makes the Sermon on the Mount longer than what Luke was able to summarize for his audience.
What Luke has written, Love your enemies, is still a tough idea to believe in. We would rather see an enemy perish than have to deal with them, let alone love them. However, it reflects what needs to be done to have the different sects on the region to come together instead of constantly bickering and fighting amongst one another. At this time, the sects of society were fighting against one another and ethics were at an all time low. This message was radical, because it blatantly pointed out what needed to be done to fix the problem. It appealed to all sects of life, because it was something they could understand and work to follow.
Luke was a physician and a historian. He wrote with such detail about the birth of Jesus Christ; it seems as though he was there. Luke seems to have high regard for details and dates.
Starting in Luke 7: 36, Luke tells of the night that one of the Pharisees invites Jesus to share a meal with him. A sinful woman comes in and cries on his feet and wipes them with her hair before pouring perfume on them. The Pharisees thought that if this man were really a prophet, he would know that she is a sinner. Jesus compares the Pharisees to the sinful woman and then forgives her sins. I believe that he was showing us that no matter how terrible our sins are we will be forgiven if we just come and repent. I think that this is a major part of the book, because their are so many who believe that they have sinned so many times that there is no way that they can be forgiven.
Another section that really stood out to me in Chapter 8, verses 40-48, a man comes to Jesus and pleads to Him trying to get him to come save his daughter. On the way there, a woman who suffers from a blood related disease for the past 12 years touches the edge of his cloak and is instantly healed. Jesus makes a big deal about "who's touching me?" Knowing that she couldn't go unnoticed, she comes forward and explains to Him and the crowd that she touched his cloak. He tells her that her faith has healed her. This is huge because he thought that just by touching his cloak that she would be healed. In a way this is a situation that is similar to today's society. There are those who just follow him around in curiosity and there are a few that will fight to get through the crowd to reach out and touch Him.
Finally, in Luke 11:9-10, Jesus is telling us to press in. That all we have to do is press in and be persistant. He's telling us to keep knocking, to keep seeking, to keep coming after him. I want to do that and I think that maybe everyone else out there does to: just to persistently follow and press in without a second thought or any doubts. Those of us in society that are pressing in or at least are attempting to, are also trying to live how we are told to in the Sermon on the Mount. It's hard in today's society today though. The normal expectation when someone asks you to help them move or something would be to ask what they're gonna get for helping out. Jesus told us to help without expecting something back.
-- Amanda Blood
I think this book is perhaps some peoples favortie because it shows that anyone can be forgiven as in the book of matthew as well but this is amid expecially for those who perhaps are not part of the jewish faith. Where the other religious sects where concerned about the outside and only the very righteous were worthy of being saved. This book shows that this new religion was a very forgiving religion. In particular i like the passage at the end of chapter 5 begining at verse 30
"The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying 'why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' Jesus said to them in reply, 'Thise who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."
I think that this kind of speech would tend to attract those that had been left out of other religions and looked down upon. I know that it appealed to me.
Luke 1:37 : " For with God, nothing is impossible"
1:53-54
"He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty."
Both of these verses stood out while I was reading. The first verse is important because without belief in God, the words, the bible, everything is meaningless.I think that it is important because there are times when a higher power is needed, when there is nothing else that one can do.
The second verse is powerful to me because it emphasizes that although rich people might have the power to buy more things, which they think will somehow make them happy,unfortunately thats not realistic . The people with nothing, who live simple lives, are the happiest. People with little belongings put more effort into their family and close relationships because that is how they have made it through tough times.
I think that God challenges rich and poor to have faith and believe. If they can do that then everyone can "walk away full". Full of life, love, and energy.
-Maggie Madrid
Luke puts great emphasis on Mary and Elisabeth in chapters one and two. This is significant because the writers before barely mentioned women or their role in society. Elisabeth, formerly thought barren, gave birth to John the Baptist. Chapter four discusses the early life of Jesus and how he defied the teachings of the priests.
Luke Ch. 9: 23-24, “And he said unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save him.” Jesus is telling the people not to suffer the little things in life. You take nothing with you after death. Follow me and you will be granted eternal glory in the kingdom of heaven. This is emphasized in Luke Ch. 12 from verse 22, “And he said unto his disciples, therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on,” onward.
The Gospel of Luke appears to be guidelines and readings for all. Matthew seemed to be writing to specific groups, Pharisees, attacking their way of thinking.
I picked Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain,” Luke 6, 20 – 26. I would imagine that anyone who has ever felt oppressed would like this passage, since it promises good things for the sufferers and bad things for the sufferees. This passage should have made the message of God’s saving of His faithfull in the “good news” clear to a gentile.
The gospel of Luke, people argue, is the gospel that directs its attention toward the Gentiles and those that were not Jewish. In contrast to Matthew, who made the connection between Jesus and Abraham and the Jews, Luke wanted his gospel to appeal to everybody, so he used examples to show that God's Word is for all that believe, even Gentiles.
The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 is a perfect illustration of Luke's intent. He wanted to show that the Samaritan, who helped out the person that was almost killed, was a better servant of God than the priest or the Levite (both Jewish). An example from a group despied by the Jews was a way that Jesus through Luke expressed his desire to bring the Good News of God's promise of eternal life to everybody.
The part that really intrigued me about the Gospel of Luke came at the beginning of chapter four. It was the story of Jesus being tested by stan himself. The devil offered Jesus immense wealth and power during the 40 day trial in the desert, and Jesus was able to turn away that great tempation due to his commitment to God.
This part really struck home because it shows the powerful and perfect faith of Jesus. Most people, especially ppl. like me, give in to much smaller temptations during each and every day, but Jesus was able to actively live out his faith to God. This example is only one of several instances throughout the book of Luke where Jesus demonstrates living the perfect faith.
Kyle
I find this gospel to be much more enjoyable to read than the gospel of Matthew, simply because of the way it is written. I find the events and stories of the birth of Jesus to be enjoyable to read, and I think they show the attractiveness of this gospel, especially to the gentiles.
The gospel of Luke starts off differently than Matthew does. Luke does not begin his gospel with genealogy, or information that requires much knowledge from the Old Testament, which is why it is more attractive to gentiles.
I particularly like the way the passage about Mary visiting Elizabeth is written. "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.'" The way this is written is not simply to spread the message of Christianity, but also to tell the story. I think this is written to do both of those things in an interesting, attractive way.
Alyson Guthrie
A particular passage that I find attractive is 4:10-11. "For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
I think that this passages is attractive to readers and helps to spread the word to the gentiles because although it was said to pertain to Jesus, it can be true for all people. The idea that God will send his angels to help us when we are in need or tempted by the devil is very comforting. This idea would be appealing to anyone.
The Gospel of Luke is written in a much different way than the Gospel of Matthew was written. I first observed that Luke just lays it out there plain and simple. It seemed to me that Luke presented his Gospel in a text book type of writting. He relys on what he sees and tries to appeal to people by simply presenting the facts. Luke is also more eloquent in his writting. His Gospel is most often used in churches and is the one that reads the nicest.
A passage that stands out to me is Luke 10: 27. It says, "And he answering said, Though shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strengh, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." This passage is particularly interesting because Jesus is not saying these words. A lawyer was asking what it takes to get into heaven and the lawyer answered his own question by what was stated above. This means Jesus is getting through to the people or people are realizing the problems in the world.
We have all heard this passage before in one form or another.
It all goes back to the golden rule, "do unto others that which you would have others do unto you." This world would be a better place if we all showed everyone a little love and compassion.
This is important because everything that Jesus is teaching can go back to love. This would appeal to the majority of people in the past and today as well.
-Matthew Scott
Luke 12:33-34
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
It is a rare entity to come across people that would be willing to sell all possessions. Humans are innately greedy and this blemish in character takes us further from pure and uninhibited fulfillment. We should live simply and give more. This is a simple equation, yet the rewards are exceedingly greater than any material possession. This verse is so attractive, because Jesus talks about money numerous times throughout the Bible, however there are various implications. For example, is Jesus saying that money in general is corrupt or does he want to show how the effect of money is the true evil? Similarly, money leads you away from a more virtuous life, but what if you give generously? Interestingly enough, we can infer that Jesus condemns the use of money in excess and the effect it has on the human character. Ultimately, money will not save us and it cannot save us from death. If we invest wisely in God’s kingdom and invest our riches in spirit and faith our body rests fulfilled. This passage is challenge or dare. In such a material and greed corrupted society overcoming such nature would be a great accomplishment. Removing such corrupted inhibitions and replacing them with God’s riches signifies a fulfilled and proper life. Furthermore, these riches cannot be taken away for only you can know your faith. Such attractiveness lies within his advice. We will have security in God’s kingdom and this is the beautiful thing that we could hope for.
Kirsten Saunders
wow is this alot easier to read than matthew! in reading luke, a single verse jumped out at me right away in Luke 1, it was verse 37...'For with God nothing shall be impossible'...it's a really simple message here, it just goes out and says what will happen when you accept the Lord. Luke tells us the stories of the birth of John, birth and childhood of Jesus, he spends time on Jesus' message, including miracles, and then the crucifixion. Luke is telling us a story, a story of how Jesus lived his life as the son of God would, and the fact that he did is a reason to believe.
-Landon (Jeffrey) Lawson
I feel Luke 4:1-13 is a great example of why people are attracted to the Gospel according to Luke. In this passage it shows everyone, including Jesus himself, is tempted by the devil.
The verses with in this chapter that I feel would really stick out to the gentiles of that era are verses 9-12. While many of the Jews would know that it was written "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test" Many gentiles were probably wondering the same thing that Satan was saying about if this Jesus really is the son of God why can't he do this, or why can't he do that.
Eric Saathoff
Luke 5.30-32
I chose this verse because it is points out what Jesus was here to do. It says he is not here to call the righteous, but sinners... To me, this is directed at gentiles. I find it interesting that a tax collector is used to emphasize this. It shows that Jesus picked one of person who is most likely to be greedy and a cheat and is likely to be despised by the people he collects from, specifically the Jews.
Other than the fact that this Gospel is definately easier to read than Matthew, there are a few passages that could be directed towards non-jews.
One in particular is Luke 5: 29-32. In this passage, Jesus is eating at a banquet put on by Levi. The Pharisees then complain because they are eating with the tax collectors and sinners. Jeses says, "those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance." To me, this shows that if even the tax collectors and sinners, the bottom of the barrel, deserve saving, so do the Gentiles.
Another passage that stood out was Luke 6: 43-45. In it, Jesus compares people to trees. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. Jesus is saying that your actions or "fruit" reflects what kind of "tree" you are. This could be directed towards anyone, the gentiles in particular. It doesn't matter what faith you are, what matters is how good you are in your heart.
Kevin Dahlberg
I first liked Luke 1:3-4 when he pretty much told Theophilus that he was taking the gospel and putting it in a way that he could understand it. Gives the rest of us hope!
Throughout the book, Luke brings the characters to life. He gives names, faces, and emotions to people when Matthew did not. Instead of an angel, Luke calls him "Gabriel" (1:19,26); instead of Mary having a son in a manger- she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger (2:7) and the story goes on and on in this manner. Luke makes it personal which is what the masses want. Something personal.
One of my favorite verses comes from Luke 5:16. It is usually passed up for a great miracle or parable, but I believe that it shows a personal side of Jesus that no miracle or parable could show.
"But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray."
In this one verse, we learn an abundance of information about Jesus, the man. You could speculate that he liked to keep his personal life personal. Maybe he was a natural introvert even though his calling to this world was for something greater. He did not prefer to be around others, but chose to be near God. He walked with God. Even before Luke shows us Jesus suffering for our sins, he shows us that Jesus was a man of God. Not flashy, not looking for opportunities to show off, not a televangelist shouting out... this is the Man who is God.
Luke 2:29-32 – ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you not dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’
I picked this section for a few reasons. First, it is written beautifully. Granted, it is not Luke’s speech but lines coming from Simeon. However, many pieces of the same dialogue differ slightly in words between the four gospels, making me think that these verses came from Simeon but were given even more beautiful phrasing with the help of Luke.
Second, these verses clearly show the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles. In verses 30 and 31, Simeon claims that this small baby will one day bring salvation to all people, not just some certain types. Most importantly, he states in verse 32 that Jesus will not only be ‘glory’ to the people of Israel but also a ‘light for revelation’ to the Gentiles.
Any Gentile reading this must have had instilled in them some sense of hope by the words of Luke, making me think that the book is written very attractively and proved to be especially attractive and uplifting to the Gentiles who were many times not thought of being capable of receiving the gospel at all.
Rachelle Rasmussen
” Luk 1:32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
“Luk 2:30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
The reader learns that Jesus’ salvation is for all people, not just the Jews.
-Nate Mills
What i find to be really interesting is that Luke puts the geneology of Christ in his book also. He puts the names of lineage though starting with Jesus and going down to Adam leaving out the names of women like Matthew had put in. Matthew had only gone to Abraham whereas Luke goes all the way to Adam. Luke chapter 3:21-38.
Jessica Hinners
The birth of Jesus is a passage that I have heard many times. I remember my parents reading that passage to me when I was a toddler. Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Mary ends up giving birth to Jesus in a manger because there is no room at the inn. Joseph went to Bethlehem to register himself in the census Caesar Augustus ordered. The reason why Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census was because he belonged to the house of David that was in Bethlehem. This passage is a familiar, important, and interesting story.
The Gospel of Luke has great salvation promises even for the gentiles. One example can be found in Luke 3:4-6 "As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
This is an important verse because it promises the salvation not just of the Isrealites but everyone shall see the salvation of God.
Margaret Schiley
I would like to comment on Luke 8
The woman in the story that touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed says a few things to me.
I can imagine that this woman probably prayed for years for her healing. At the same time she exhausted all of her resources and available avenues to acquire relief from her condition. She was a desperate person.
She was also considered unclean. She couldn't be in public or touch things that would thereby contaminate other people with her impurity. She was in a desperate situation.
So, when all else failed, she did the unconventional, she broke the rules, norms, values, and customs of her day. She ventured into public, and into a crowd nonethless and touched someone. She didn't just touch anybody, she touched a man, and that man was Jesus. Her faith, conceived in her desperation, created the results that she sough. This is a wonderful lesson.
Donna Baskins
I would like to post a comment in advance for the next class:
I would like to comment on Luke 13
Jesus said that it was perfectly lawful for him to heal on the Sabbath and then he said that the person that he healed was deserving of the promises of Abraham.
What makes this story so fascinating is the fact that this person was a woman.
Jesus said that a woman was a daughter of Abraham.
God's daughters are not second class citizens. We are benefactors of the covenant of promise and not discriminated against on the basis of gender.
God is an equal opportunity blesser!
Donna Baskins
Update for comment posted in advance of next class.
Luke 13
One possible reason that Luke uses this story in his gospel is to emphasize to the Gentile world that God doesn't discriminate between men and women.
The common culture and religious views of Jews kept women in a certain place and as viewed from the Gentile world, could be very distasteful to women.
Donna Baskins
Jin-Seop Lee said...
I choose chapter 6:27~36. It is very attractive to me and should be to others.
Loving for enemies is very difficult to us and also very important to manage in our relationship. We usually concern that poeple might repay for us when we do good to them. That situation occur in frineds, co-workers, and so on (even family!!)
And then, we make our enemies who might do not reapy for us in our relationship. Yes, I made my enemies!!.
To solve this proble, no, to preare not to occur this problem, we have to take Jesus saying, "Loving for enemies". Love for everyone regardless of repaying to us.
Thus, I choose these verse are the most beautiful and attactive. when we follow these verseand do good for everybody, our world should be fulled with loveness and happiness without jealous. That is the world what we want to and we go forward to.
"the angel asnwered, "The Holy sprit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the son of god. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossilbe with God." I think this passage gives the reader the magnatude of faith that you can place in god, and with that can become very attractive to the reader.
Ka'Nova Williams
In Luke Chapter 2:49 which says, "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my father's house?" it deals with Jesus as young boy at a temple having discussions with the teacher and showing understanding of the scriptures. when his parents came looking for him and foud him his mother told him that they have been worried searching for him, Jesus replied with dat comment, show even at an young age that jesus new God through faith and his place in his kindom.
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