Ralph Porter

© 2003

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

    Those who trusted Christ have been persecuted for years by zealous Jews.

        Now persecution was beginning to be felt by the Romans as well.

        Those who were suffering for their faith needed to understand the basis for their faith to be

            able to stand firm in the midst of such affliction.

    Luke is interested in the major events which led to the foundation of the church.

        His second book is dedicated to explaining HOW that church was formed.

        His gospel leads into that story by telling us WHY the church was formed.

PURPOSE AND THEME

    The stated purpose of the gospel is to confirm the things which Theophilus, as well as other later

        readers, had been taught.

    He wrote an orderly, historical account of the life of Christ to document what they had been

        told.

    No reason is given in Acts to explain why God has begun the new program.

        Luke wrote the gospel to describe this initial phase of the transition.

    As he describes the transition from the arrival of Messiah through His rejection, death and

        resurrection, Luke demonstrates why the new program was necessary.

    The distinctive characteristics of Luke's gospel correspond to his distinctive purpose.

DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS

    1.    The evidence that Jesus was the "Son of man", that is, the Messiah.

    2.    Hearing is the primary distinctive of those who believe.

    3.    The religious leaders did not want to hear the truth.

           They had vested interests.

    4.    Those who were less than full citizens heard Him with enthusiasm:

                tax collectors, women, Samaritans, children, lepers, sick, demon-possessed,

                poor, and the masses.

    5.    Rejection of Messiah by the masses.

    6.    The cost of following Him tempts many to abandon Him.

Why did God form a new "called out" group?

    Israel's leaders did not want to hear the good news concerning Messiah.

         They were trying to protect their own privileges and interests, not learn truth.

         With a few exceptions, they rejected Jesus.

            Therefore, God set the leaders aside.

    To form a new people, God had to move outside the nation, which they controlled.

         He began with a few "outcasts" of society.

    They would pay a high price for their faith.

         Many would be tempted to abandon Him.

    Nevertheless, God's people would grow into a mighty church no one would be able to destroy.

    Luke encourages them in their affliction by reminding them of why and how God has brought

        them where they are.

Why God established the church                                                                              Ralph Porter

Ralph Porter

AUTHOR AND DATE

    Tradition clearly supports Lucan authorship of the book which bears his name.

         Testimony is found in the Muratorian Fragment, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen.

        No objective evidence has been presented to disprove this testimony.

    While Luke itself presents little evidence, when combined with Acts the evidence is strengthened considerably.

        Careful study of the "we" references in Acts, where the author includes himself as present with Paul

            (16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; and, 27:1-28:16), compared with the greetings sent in the letters to the churches

            indicates the strong probability that Luke wrote Luke and Acts.

    The date assigned to Luke depends in part on its relationship to the other gospels.

         It is commonly dated last among the synoptics.

         As noted previously, the purpose of Matthew argues for its priority among the synoptics.

        The order of Mark and Luke is not as clear.

    Luke was written before Acts which is defined by the conclusion of the book in about A.D. 63.

         Other accounts were circulating at the time which Luke consulted.

         Therefore, the date is probably around A.D. 60.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

    The most significant events which affect Luke are the same as those mentioned in the introduction to Matthew's

        gospel.

             However, in the light of Luke's distinctive purpose, it should be noted that by the time he writes the

                    gospel,

                    Paul has completed the initial three missionary journeys.

            The message of the gospel and the church have spread throughout the Roman world.

    Those who have trusted Christ have been persecuted for years by zealous Jews.

    Now persecution was beginning to be felt by the Romans as well.

    Those who were suffering for their faith needed to understand the basis for their faith to be able to stand firm in

        the midst of such affliction.

    Luke is interested in the major events which led to the foundation of the church.

         His second book is dedicated to explaining HOW that church was formed.

         The gospel of Luke leads into that story by telling us WHY the church was formed.

    His introductory explanations relating the two books point to that fact.

         Although Theophilus is otherwise unknown to church history, his common name immediately attracts

             attention.

             The name means "friend of God."

             It stands in contrast to those who love other things, such as money or self.

             This name refers to one who loves God.

        While the other descriptive phrases in the introduction indicate that the book was sent to a specific

            individual named Theophilus, the significance of the name and the content of the book demonstrate that it

            is directed to all those who truly love God.

PURPOSE AND THEME

    The stated purpose of the gospel is TO CONFIRM the things which Theophilus, as well as other later readers,

        had been taught.

    Luke wrote an orderly, historical account of the life of Christ TO DOCUMENT what they had been told.

    Acts is frequently referred to as a transitional book.

         It describes the transition from God's program with Israel to the formation of a new

              people of God, the church.

         However, the transition does not begin in Acts.

         No reason is given in Acts to explain why God has begun the new program.

    Luke wrote the gospel to describe this initial phase of the transition.

         As he describes the transition from the arrival of Messiah through His rejection, death

              and resurrection, Luke demonstrates why the new program was necessary.

         The distinctive characteristics of Luke's gospel correspond to his distinctive purpose.

DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS:

    1.    The evidence that Jesus was the "Son of man", that is, the Messiah.

    2.    Hearing is the primary distinctive of those who believe.

                   Pay attention to who wants to "hear"!

    3.    The religious leaders did not want to hear the truth.

                        They had vested interests.

    4.    Those who were less than full citizens of society heard Him with enthusiasm: 

                tax collectors, women, Samaritans, children, lepers, the sick, the demon-possessed,

                the poor, and the masses.

    5.    Rejection of Messiah by the masses.

    6.    The cost of following Him tempts many to abandon Him.

Why did God form a new "called out" group?

    Israel's leaders did not want to hear the good news concerning the arrival of the Messiah.

         They were trying to protect their own privileges and interests, not learn the truth.

         With a few notable exceptions, the leaders rejected Jesus. God, therefore, set the leaders

              aside.

    To form a new people, God had to move outside the nation, which those leaders

         controlled.

         He began with a few of those "outcasts" of society.

         They would pay a high price for their faith.

         Many would be tempted to abandon Him.

         Nevertheless, God's people would grow into a mighty church which no one would be

              able to destroy.

         Luke writes to encourage them in their affliction by reminding them of why and how

            God has brought them where they are.

ORGANIZATION

    The gospel divides into five major parts:

         First Luke presents evidence from Jesus' birth and presentation which demonstrates that

              He is the Messiah (1:1-4:13).

         Second, Jesus' ministry is described with special attention given to the distinct

              responses to it (4:14-9:50).

         Third, Israel's formal rejection of their Messiah and its implications are presented as

              Jesus travels toward Jerusalem (9:51-19:27).

         Fourth, Luke describes Jesus' suffering and death (19:28-23:56).

         The climax is based on Jesus' triumph at the resurrection (24:1-53).

              The commission Jesus gives His followers is possible because of His victory over His

                   enemies and death.

ARGUMENT

PROLOGUE   1:1-4

    Luke introduces his account with an explanation of his method and purpose.

    He has taken information from all the sources available to him, investigated the facts

         discovered, and written an orderly account of the life of Christ.

    He did this to document the facts which Theophilus, and other readers, had already been

         taught.

First, Luke presents evidence from Jesus' birth and presentation which demonstrates that

    He is the Messiah.

    The account of the life of Christ begins with a description of His birth and presentation to

         Israel.

    The events recorded demonstrate that Jesus was the Messiah.

EVIDENCE RELATED TO HIS BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD   1:5-2:52

    Jesus' birth and childhood provide clear evidence of His supernatural origin

EVIDENCE RELATED TO HIS PRESENTATION TO ISRAEL   3:1-4:13

    The forerunner of Messiah   3:1-20

    The baptism of Messiah   3:21-22

    The genealogy of Messiah   3:23-38

    The temptation of Messiah   4:1-13

         Satan Himself, using his most powerful temptations and best possible justifications,

              could not convince Jesus to deviate from God's will).

         As an additional evidence, Satan's temptation of Christ in the wilderness demonstrates

              that He is Messiah.

         Specific proof includes his personal involvement and dedication to cause Jesus to

              fail, his confession stating the fact, and Jesus' ability to resist these powerful

              temptations to glory and self-satisfaction.

Second, Jesus' ministry is described with special attention given to the distinct responses

    to it.

    After the temptation by Satan, Jesus begins His initial teaching ministry in Galilee.

    His ministry finds various responses.

    Luke traces that ministry, describing the responses and those demonstrating each.

INITIAL PRESENTATION AND REJECTION   4:14-30

    Jesus first presents Himself as the Messiah in the synagogue in Nazareth.

         He has been teaching with the power of the Spirit in such a unique way that His

              reputation has spread through the entire region (4:14-15).

         All His listeners were receiving His message as a word from God and were praising

              Him.

    When He arrived in Nazareth, He read the scroll in the synagogue.

         He used a portion concerning Messiah from Isaiah to announce His arrival (4:16-21).

         When the people of Nazareth were unable to overcome their familiarity with Jesus'

              family to accept His message and ministry on its own merit, Jesus warned them

              concerning the danger of rejection (4:22-27).

    The rejection of Jesus' Messianic message and ministry, and the reminder of the past

         acceptance by Gentiles of God's grace, prefigured the rejection by many in Israel and the

         grace God would extend to Gentiles in the future.

    Jesus' listeners became angry and tried to kill Him when they heard this severe warning

         (4:28-30).

DEMONSTRATION OF AUTHORITY AND CONFRONTATION   4:31-6:11

         As Jesus demonstrates His authority the opposition to His ministry increases.

    Evidence of Jesus' authority   4:31-5:16

              God gives Him power to perform many miraculous works which demonstrate His

                   claim to be Messiah.

         Authority over demons   4:31-37

         Authority over sickness and demons   4:38-41

         Authority to preach about the kingdom   4:42-44

         Authority over nature   5:1-11

         Authority over leprosy   5:12-16

    Opposition to Jesus' authority   5:17-6:11

         Authority over sin challenged   5:17-26

         Authority over men challenged   5:27-32

         Authority over tradition challenged   5:33-39

         Authority over the Sabbath challenged   6:1-11

SEPARATION OF FOLLOWERS   6:12-49

         As the nation demonstrates its rejection of Jesus, He begins to concentrate His efforts on

              His followers.

         He selects twelve from among the many disciples to become specially commissioned

              co-workers, called apostles.

    The call of the twelve   6:12-16

    The instruction of the twelve   6:17-49

DEFINITION OF ALTERNATIVES   7:1-9:50

         After introducing the two representative groups, those rejecting Jesus and those

              following Him, Luke defines the two alternatives and identifies the adherents of each.

    Acceptance by outcasts of society   7:1-8:3

              The outcasts of society, or those considered second class citizens, accept Jesus and

                   receive the benefits of His ministry which the leaders rejected.

              The beneficiaries of Christ's ministry included:

                        Gentiles (7:1-10),

                        Widow (7:11-17),

                        Many sick, lepers, poor and tax collectors (7:18-35)

                        Sinful woman of bad reputation (7:36-50)

                        Formerly demon-possessed women (8:1-3).

         John's doubt   7:18-23

              John, as God's appointed forerunner, was expected to accept as evidence that Jesus

                    was Messiah His miraculous deliverance of the suffering and oppressed, whom the

                   religious leaders rejected (7:18-35).

              John's question interrupts the list of outsiders who received Jesus.

              His question demonstrates what Israel's leaders should have investigated for

                   themselves, but chose not to.

              Jesus had certainly not fulfilled the popular expectation of what Messiah was

                   supposed to be!

                        Was He really the one?

                                 Or, should they keep looking?

              John was expected to receive the evidence.

              If he would be faithful to Jesus, in spite of contrary appearances, he would be

                   satisfied in the end with the results of God's plan.

         John's witness   7:24-29

              Jesus takes advantage of John's inquiry to instruct the crowds.

                    The masses of the people recognize John as a prophet from God (20:6).

                    Jesus identifies Himself with John by calling their attention to his prophetic role in

                         God's plan (7:24-28).

                    John was the greatest of the prophets.

                    He was the one chosen to prepare the way for Messiah.

              The logical conclusion of what Jesus is saying is that if John is the forerunner and he is

                   witnessing concerning Jesus, then Jesus must be the Messiah.

                   Those who recognize this and accept Him will become participants in His

                        kingdom.

                   They will thus occupy an even better position than John himself.

                   He has prepared the way for it but has not entered the experiential realization of

                        that kingdom.

                   They will enjoy that privilege.

         Leaders' rejection   7:30-35

              Once Jesus has explained the significance of the events they are witnessing, and

                    traced the contemporary Messianic framework, He must deal with the issue of

                    rejection (7:29-35).

                   In spite of clear and sufficient evidence of the Messianic significance of these

                        events, only the common people are willing to receive Him.

                   The religious leaders have rejected God's plan.

              Jesus' explanation of their rejection centers in John's ministry, rather than His own

                   (7:29-30).

                   They are not really in conflict with John nor Jesus.

                   They have rejected God's plan for His people.

          &nbs