Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Study

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Brooklyn NY 11234

Gospel According to Luke

Chapter 1

Luke begins his proclamation with his methodology in writing this account. Luke was not an eye witness. His date and time are well past the living presence of Jesus. His sources are the accounts of those who were eye witnesses to the events. Mark’s gospel account would have been present at the time of Luke’s writing. Remember from the introduction that Luke was a companion and friend of Paul’s. Even Paul was not an eye witness. His encounter with the risen Christ was the vision on the road to Damascus. Luke’s gospel account is written from the sources available including some of the apostles who were eye witnesses, including Peter.

Luke traces the beginning of his story to the priestly origins of Israel. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were both of the priestly families of the Levites. Zechariah was engaged in his priestly duty of offering incense in the sanctuary when the angel Gabriel appears to him. Gabriel appears in the multiple announcements of the birth of the Messiah. He appears first to Zechariah in the sanctuary, then to Mary to announce the birth of the savior. In Matthew’s gospel it is also Gabriel that appears to Joseph in the dream. Gabriel is the proclaimer of the coming kingdom of God. His final role in the proclamation is to blow the trumpet (Revelation) that announces the final coming of the eternal kingdom. Gabriel’s announcement to Zechariah is that of the coming of a prophet who precedes the messianic arrival. This coming son, John is to announce the messiah’s arrival in the world. He is to have the “spirit of Elijah” and his job is to “turn the hearts of parents toward their children,” and “the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous,” and to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Elijah (the prophet of the Lord who was taken up into heaven by the fiery chariot in 1 Kings) is the prophet whose second coming is foretold by the prophet Malachi at the end of all time. Elijah is the one assigned the job of preparing the way for the coming Messiah. Zechariah did not believe. He questioned and in this case the net result is that Zechariah will not be able to speak until the baby is born. The child is to be called John as Gabriel announced.

For Elizabeth, this divine intervention is an act of salvation in and of itself. She had been “barren,” and she counted that a mark of shame in her life. This pregnancy reversed the shame and brought honor in its place.

The Second Visit of Gabriel

The second visit was to a young girl, Mary who was engaged to a carpenter, Joseph. Luke is certain to let the reader know that Joseph is in the lineage of King David. This marks an important distinction. David was once given a promise by the mouth of Nathan the prophet who delivered God’s word that David’s kingdom would always see a king on the throne. The messianic reference develops the theme that David’s lineage would produce the messiah. This link is vital in any understanding that Jesus was in the lineage of David – the Messiah. Mary is called upon to become the theotakas, the Mother of God. She is asked to bear a child for God through divine intervention. The angel marks her off as someone who has found favor with God. The messianic connections are made by Gabriel. “He will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.” This son is to be the fulfillment of the promise made to David so long ago.

“How can this be?” This is an important discourse in the telling of the story. Mary is to bear the fruit of the mysterious between the human and the divine. This is context for the discussion of the “virgin birth.” This child is conceived by God in the human womb of Mary. Thing human and things divine are joined in this event.

A Note about Mary: This is one of the greatest places where Lutherans and Roman Catholics separate. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic theology about the sinless conception of Mary, not Jesus. The teaching behind the Immaculate Conception is about the fact that conception of the divine needed to find a suitable home. Sinful humanity was not found to be suitable. Our Lutheran theology of the incarnation of Christ stands in complete contrast to this thinking. The power of the incarnation of Christ in human flesh is that God did not need to create a “special” individual to come to dwell within her womb. God’s love abounded to accept humanity on its frailest terms. God did not have to clean house in order to dwell with us. Instead, it was God’s dwelling with us that cleans house for us. The potency of the incarnation of Christ is that God chooses to dwell with sinful humanity. Even Gabriel called her blessed among women and favored by God. The hope of humanity that lies within the incarnation is that God blesses and favors humanity even in our fallen state. It is God’s intervention into the lives of individuals that makes then blessed and favored. Mary’s hope of being the mother of God is the same hope that resides with all of humanity that God can come to dwell among us also.

The sheer beauty of the call to Mary to be the mother of our Lord is that she found it within herself to say yes by the power of God. This also is a vital part of the account. She could have said no. She could have turned from the course as any other human can and frequently does in the course of our life with God. Mary could have said, but she didn’t. She accepted the role that God gave even though it could have meant her shame and even her death. A young woman, engaged to someone who becomes pregnant by a source other than her intended could have been stoned for prostitution. Even in the face of possible shame and even death, she said yes.

The Visit to Elizabeth

The story marks the meeting of the twin miracles of God. Mary and her cousin Elizabeth meet in the course of their pregnancies. Elizabeth experiences the greatness of the presence conceived in Mary’s womb. The fetes in her womb leaps in the presence of Mary and her baby. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit proclaimed the blessedness of Mary among women. In the power of the Spirit she recognizes that she has been brought into the presence of her Lord.

Mary sings her Song

This canticle, known as the Magnificat from the Latin serves to show Mary’s response to the greatness of God in her life and in the fulfilling of the promises that God had long given the world. The song of Mary also serves to underscore Luke’s emphasis in telling the story of Jesus the messiah. Look at some of the key elements:

· God’s favor is demonstrated on the lowly. Mary is counted as lowly and yet blessed by God in such a way that all subsequent generations will call her blessed

· It is the Mighty One who does great things

· God shows mercy to those who “fear him” in every generation

· God’s strength is demonstrated in scattering the proud “in the thoughts of their hearts.”

· God brings down the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly

· God fills the hungry with good things while sending the rich away empty

· God remembers the promises that he made to Abraham and the children of Israel

God is counted as the “great equalizer.”

Birth of John

The time comes for Elizabeth to have the baby. At the naming of the child, Zechariah is still unable to speak and Elizabeth tells those gathered that the child’s name will be John. She is dismissed by the officials until Zechariah takes a tablet and writes, “his name is John.” This is an important step in Luke’s telling of the story. Women are given places of prominence in the story. Zechariah backs up his wife. In the first place, the salvation of the world as it proceeds from God is through the women.

Zechariah’s voice is returned to him. He sings a song called in the traditions of the church Benedictus. The first part of the canticle blesses God for fulfilling the promises that go back to the beginnings of Israel. Zechariah sings of the salvation of Israel and all people.

· Raised up a d savior in the house of David

· He fulfilled what was professed by the prophets of the Old Testament

· He fulfilled the promises made to the ancestors through all of their generations

· The promises to Abraham and his children are being fulfilled

Zechariah turns his attention to John.

· This child is to take his place among the prophets (such as Elijah)

· He is the one who will prepare the way of the Messiah

· He will bring knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins (recall John’s baptism for the forgiveness of sin)

Luke has laid the foundation in this first chapter by grounding Jesus in the promises made, and fulfillment of the covenants that were made with Israel, while also laying the foundation of openness of God’s promises to the gentiles, the lowly, and those who hope in him.