February 12, 2014: Luke Chapter 1

The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 1

Friday, February 29, 2008 

General Comment:  The Gospel of Luke was written sometime within the range of 80 to 90 CE. The writer was most likely a Gentile, very fluent in Greek and the Greek style of historical arrangement. His knowledge and use of the Greek Old Testament is more than adequate and may reflect his attachment to a Synagogue as an unconverted "God Fearer" who was later converted to Christianity by Paul. The likely place of origin for the Gospel, and its second volume, Acts, is either Antioch or Ephesus. Both cities had large Jewish communities with Synagogues, as well as well established Christian churches. The affinity with some aspects of the Gospel of John favors Ephesus. The name "Luke" did not appear on manuscripts before 175-200 CE. as was the case with the other Gospels. It probably became important to apply names since that was the time period when the four Gospels were considered to be the only ones with Apostolic authority. When all four began to be circulated together there was a need to distinguish them. The names were derived from older traditions but the evidence is sketchy at best.

Luke Chapter 1:1-4 Dedication to Theophilus

Luke begins with a description of his work. He is aware of other accounts of the "events that have been fulfilled among us." These accounts would include Mark, of which he uses close to forty five percent; Q, a source he has in common with Matthew; the basic passion narrative that was widespread at an early date; other oral traditions; and his own independent material (L) not found in Mark or Matthew. It is evident that he is not satisfied with the clarity or completeness of these former accounts. Therefore he has set his hand to investigate the accounts he has received and to provide his own account of the "truth" of the life and teachings of Jesus.

We can surmise from this part of the introduction that Luke is an evangelist associated with a significant Christian community. His Gospel is ordered on the typical Jewish and Greek/Roman style of biography. As we scan through the Gospel we see these basic elements:

1. A birth story rooted in history and with omens of divine association

2. A childhood story that foretells future greatness

3. An extended section of deeds and teachings

4. A farewell address

5. A death narrative

6. Mysterious happenings following death

The result of his investigation has been dedicated to an individual, the most excellent Theophilus (friend of God). The title is one of importance. If we assume that Theophilus is a real person then we know he is one of rank (social and/or governmental) who has at least been apprised of some basic information about Jesus in particular or Christianity in general. The next question would be why Luke is writing to him. Is Theophilus a new convert who has received basic instruction in the faith? Is Luke writing his own account as a means of completing Theophilus' education? Or is he a Roman official who is charged with the responsibility of sorting out suspicions and rumors about the church that might lead to persecution? Unfortunately we cannot know from the evidence of the Gospel. Perhaps the best we can do is to appreciate the work of one more witness to the impact a peasant carpenter from Nazareth made on the hearts and minds of so many.

Luke Chapter 1:5-25 The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

The first two chapters of Luke contain the prophetic events foretelling the birth of John and Jesus as well as stories of their births. We become aware in both stories through the voice of an angel and other signs that these will not be ordinary births, that the two children will be destined for greatness. We notice that John's story comes first and is thoroughly rooted in the Old Testament model of Abraham and Sarah. Zechariah ("God has remembered") and Elizabeth ("My God's Oath") are righteous - blameless before God. They are advanced in age and Elizabeth knows the shame of barrenness (vs. 25). Both are of priestly descent. Zechariah has fulfilled his duty by marrying within the priestly class. The angel (Gabriel) informs Zechariah that Elizabeth will bear a son. He provides him with the son's name and a mission to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord (Mal. 4:5-6;Sir. 48:10). He will be filled with the Holy Spirit and be given the power and spirit of Elijah, the one expected as the forerunner and announcer of the Jewish Messiah.

For Luke, John represents the end of the old age of the prophets and priests. John is the last prophet, the one who makes ready the way of the Lord, the Messiah. His work is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies of the deliverance, the hope of Israel. In effect he serves as the bridge between the old Israel and the new. In announcing - bearing witness, to the one who is to come, he closes the door on the past and readies the people for the new day, the dawning Reign of God that will soon begin.

Luke Chapter 1:26-38 The Birth of Jesus Foretold

Here we notice the similarities between the annunciation of Jesus' coming birth and John's. The Archangel Gabriel, who had spoken to Daniel (Dan. 8:15-16), the one who will blow the trumpet at the final judgment and had announced to Zechariah the coming birth of John, now is sent not to Joseph as in Matthew but to Mary, a young maiden engaged to Joseph of the house of David. Here also Gabriel supplies a name - Jesus. But more than a name, a calling as the Son of the Most High, the inheritor of David's throne. As was Zechariah who questioned the possibility of his wife conceiving a child in her old age, Mary is perplexed. She questions how she could be the one to give birth to any child. She is, after all, a virgin. But this is God's doing, through the hovering Spirit, through the creative power of Genesis, God speaks and life comes forth where life was not. And this is a sign for you, Gabriel says, and he announces what God has done for Mary's kinswoman, Elizabeth, now six months pregnant in her old age. God speaks and where life should not be, life is. Mary now knows she has been in the presence of the Holy. What is she to do? What if she refused out of fear? She could, of course. She doesn't. She is God's servant. She will do God's will. On the dawn of Jesus' birth his mother will accept the will of God. At the dawn of Jesus' death he will accept the will of God.  "Let it be with me according to your word."

Luke Chapter 1:39-45 Marry Visits Elizabeth

There is another sign. Elizabeth is the bearer of the first witness to the presence of Jesus as Lord. The baby moves in her womb as Mary greets her. Again it is the Holy Spirit, through Elizabeth, who brings revelation in the joyous movement of life. John, who will be the one standing in the wilderness to proclaim the way straight for the coming of the Lord, now witnesses to the one who is to come before either of them is even born. The elderly mother of the end of the old age embraces the young mother of the beginning of the new. They are both servants of God standing on the stage as the curtain slowly opens on this great drama.

Luke Chapter 1:46-56 The Magnificat: Mary's Song of Praise

The words of Mary are a response to Elizabeth's blessing (the Roman Catholic "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus"). The Magnificat has been arranged by Luke using early church liturgical poetry. It also reminds us of Hannah's prayer in 1 Sam. 2:1-10 for both contain the idea of God's justice in the reversal of status, a theme of many of Jesus' teachings (the first shall be last, and the Beatitudes). Here God scatters the proud, brings down the powerful while lifting up the lowly, filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty. All of this song is in praise of the God of Israel, the same God who will bring forth a new Israel through the child of the one who sings praises of the Almighty.

Luke Chapter 1:57-66 The Birth of John the Baptist.

John is born. The neighbors and relatives who had thought Elizabeth to be cursed with barrenness by God gather to rejoice with her. On the eighth day John is circumcised according to the Law (Gen. 17:19;Lev. 12:3) and he is given his name as commanded by Gabriel. In the writing of the child's name the father regains his speech and uses his first breaths to praise God.

Luke Chapter 1:67-80 Zechariah's Prophecy - The Benedictus

Zechariah's words are in the form of a psalm, sung as part of the liturgy of the Church. The words bring together God's promise of the redeeming of Israel, a promise to rescue Israel from her enemies that Israel might serve God in holiness and righteousness. John will be called the Prophet of the most high. He will go before the Lord to prepare his ways. The content sings of the fulfillment of Israel's salvation history, now moved forward through John as the witness to and the announcer of the very one who Luke understands to be the promised redeemer. This is the Benediction upon the former age, the crossing of the bridge into the new. All that remains is to wait for the one who is to come.

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Much of what we read in this first chapter is part of the folklore surrounding the life and mission of John the Baptist. John is a pivotal figure for the early church's understanding of itself as rooted in the great saga of Israel. John is the connection with that saga in that he stands at the intersection of two ages. He is an instrument of transformation into something that is new yet is in continuity with God's ancient covenant with Abraham. The blessing that God gave to Abraham is now to be fulfilled through a child yet to be born. John is born ahead that he might make the way straight for the one to come, the one who will inherit the blessing and create out of it the emerging Kingdom of God.