Luke, Parables,

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Luke, Parables, Songs
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Luke

• Written for a Greco-Roman Audience
• Luke emphasizes that Jesus and his disciples,
  working under the Holy Spirit, are innocent of
  any crime against Rome and that their religion is
  a universal faith intended for all people
• Enlarged nativity account (Luke 1-2)
• Enlarged journey to Jerusalem (951-1814)
• Enlarged post resurrection (ch 24)

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Lukes Historical Vision

• Author of Luke-Acts brings the larges historical
  vision to the NT.
• Like other Hellenist historians, Luke preserved
  facts and interpreted their significance.
• Traces the religious origins in Bethlehem, to its
  ongoing status at the end of Acts and a
  legitimate faith in the Roman world.
• Luke views John the Baptist as both the last of
  Israels prophets and the forerunner of the
  Messiah. He intertwines Johns birth with Jesus.
• Luke Makes Jesus life the center of a three-part
  drama
• Israel --- Jesus --- Christian Church
• No apocalyptic end (no talking about the end of
  the world as imminent)
• Instead, Luke shows a new beginning.
• Jesus ministry represents a new beginning that
  establishes a heightened awareness of Gods
  intentions for humanity.
• Thus, Jesus resurrection is tied to the
  disciples job of evangelizing the worlds
  (2444-53, Acts 11-8)
• Shows the world entering a new historical epoch,
  the age of the church.

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Authorship

• Possibly a physician that accompanied Paul (Col
  414, Philemon 24, 2 Tim 411)
• Luke did not know Jesus
• He is very interested in the mission to the
  Gentiles
• His Greek is very fluent. He has the largest
  vocabulary and most polished style. Possible a
  Gentile, which would make him the only non-Jewish
  writer in the Bible.
• Composes between 73-95
• Possibly in Ephesus
• Written to a Greek-speaking Gentile audience.

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Context of Luke

• Preface Luke begins with a formal statement of
  purpose
• Luke is very aware of other gospels written
  before his, but he apparently wasnt satisfied.
• He uses about 50 of Mark
• He edits Mark more than Matthew
• His arrangements emphasize particular themes
• In Mark, Jesus rejection at Nazareth comes
  halfway through Jesus time in Galilee,
• But Luke puts it at the beginning and adds that
  the residents of Nazareth attempted to kill Jesus
  (foreshadowing Jesus later death).

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Special to Luke

• Parables
• Prodigal Son (1511-32)
• Good Samaritan
• Lost Coin (158-10)
• The persistent widow (1029-32)
• Lazarus and the Rich man (1619-31)
• Teachings
• These and other parables typically stress lifes
  unexpected reversals and/or Gods gracious
  forgiveness of wrongdoers.
• Includes some of Jesus hard sayings about the
  cost of discipleship.
• The Good shepherd Luke has been accused of
  sentimentalizing Jesus message, but the
  author's concern for oppressed peoplethe poor,
  the socially outcast, and womengenuinely gives
  his gospel a distinctively humane and gracious
  ambience.
• Typical Themes in Luke
• Emphasis on prayer, forgiveness, compassion,
  interest in the poor, concern for women, the
  active role of the Holy Spirit, Gods direction
  of human history, the universality of Jesus
  messiahship and the new religions positive
  relationship with the Greco-Roman world.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd from the early
Christian catacomb of Domitilla (Crypt of Lucina
- 200 CE).
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Lukes Arrangement

• Two major insertions of material into Marks
  account (besides different birth and
  Postresurrection accounts)
• 1. (620-83)
• Lukes Sermon on the plain (620-49)
• Unlike Matthew, Luke scatters Jesus Q saying
  throughout his account
• 2. (951-1814) Jesus teaching on the road to
  Jerusalem. This is all Q source and L source
  material.
• Many of Jesus miracles echo those of the
  prophets Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17-19, 2
  Kings 1-6)
• Luke introduces the Elijah-Elisha theme earlier
  (423-28) indicating that for him these ancient
  men of God were prototypes of the Messiah.

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• The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
• 14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the
  Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about
  him spread through all the surrounding country.
  15He began to teach in their synagogues and was
  praised by everyone.
• The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
• 16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been
  brought up, he went to the synagogue on the
  Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to
  read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was
  given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found
  the place where it was written 18The Spirit of
  the Lord is upon me,   because he has anointed
  me     to bring good news to the poor.He has
  sent me to proclaim release to the
  captives   and recovery of sight to the
  blind,     to let the oppressed go free, 19to
  proclaim the year of the Lords favour. 20And
  he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the
  attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the
  synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to
  say to them, Today this scripture has been
  fulfilled in your hearing. 22All spoke well of
  him and were amazed at the gracious words that
  came from his mouth. They said, Is not this
  Josephs son? 23He said to them, Doubtless you
  will quote to me this proverb, Doctor, cure
  yourself! And you will say, Do here also in
  your home town the things that we have heard you
  did at Capernaum. 24And he said, Truly I tell
  you, no prophet is accepted in the prophets home
  town. 25But the truth is, there were many widows
  in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven
  was shut up for three years and six months, and
  there was a severe famine over all the land
  26yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a
  widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also
  many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet
  Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except
  Naaman the Syrian. 28When they heard this, all
  in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29They
  got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to
  the brow of the hill on which their town was
  built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
  30But he passed through the midst of them and
  went on his way.

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Parables

• Two of Jesus most well-known parables are found
  only in Luke
• The Good Samaritan (Luke 1025-37)
• The Prodigal Son (Luke 1511-32)
• What do these stories tell us about what the
  author believes Jesus wants to tell or how people
  should act or think?

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The Good Samaritan

• Luke 1025-28 introduces the parable
• A Torah expert defines the essence of the Mosaic
  Law in the twin commandments to Love God (Deut
  65) and Love neighbor (Lev 1918)
• In Mark, this dialogue is in the Temple, In Luke,
  it is on the road to Jerusalem.
• Luke uses this dialogue to introduce this parable
  by having the Torah expert ask Jesus about the
  question of who is my neighbor?

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The Subversive Samaritan Story

• A Samaritan is a moral hero
• Listeners are asked to find nobility in a group
  of people they despise.
• Both the priest and the Levite who did not help
  the victim, did so in observance of Torah rules.
  (If the victim was dead, they would have become
  unclean and would be unable to perform their
  duties.
• This story is typically Lukan because of the
  reversal.
• The person regarded as an unclean foreigner and
  heretic becomes the model to emulate.
• The Samaritan ignores religious and racial
  barriers, recognizing the Jew as his neighbor,
  thereby fulfilling the Torah commands that the
  legal expert had cited.

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(No Transcript)
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See the robbers escaping. Notice the two men
walking away in the distance. The Samaritan
barely touches the man. And the man doesnt look
too bad. Maybe hes just napping?
The Good Samaritan  Julius Schnorr von
CAROLSFELD  1851-60 engraving from  Bibel in
Bildern 
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This Samaritan puts his whole body into helping
the man get to his feet. The lighting makes the
scene ominous. The victim looks quite
helpless. What do you think of the red shirt?
The Good Samaritan  Julius Schnorr von
CAROLSFELD  1851-60 engraving from  Bibel in
Bildern 
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Van Gogh creates his own version of DeLaCroix
famous painting. The victim is like a child.
The Good Samaritan Eugène DELACROIX 1849 oil
on canvas private collection.
The Good Samaritan Vincent van GOGH after Eugène
DELACROIX 1890 oil on canvas Kröller-Müller
Museum, Otterlo, Holland
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This wounded man does not look too good. Is it
too late? The Samaritan takes time tending to his
wounds before loading him on his horse.
The Good Samaritan Lucas GIORDANO 1685 oil on
canvas Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rouen, France
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Some Modern interpretations
An African design. Was the wounded man attacked,
or is he starving?
An emergency medical worker.
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The familiar story is used ironically to
criticize some Americans views toward Latin
Americans and foreigners in general.
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How can you be a good Samaritan?

• The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the
  most famous in the Gospels and now the term good
  Samaritan corresponds to a person who
  spontaneously comes to help another person in
  difficulty yet the word sometimes takes a
  slightly pejorative value as if a person overdid
  it.
• You will love your neighbour as yourself (Luke
  1027). Whereas the adjective indicates only
  proximity, the noun is restricted to the moral
  domain. The neighbour is the one who is regarded
  as so close that he is like a fellow being.
• Does this mean to love people, simply because
  they are physically near to you?

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The Prodigal Son (Lk 1511-32)

• The forgiving father is, perhaps, the real focus.
• The younger son violates the most basic laws of
  Judaism, squandering his inheritance and finally
  living with pigs, the lowest animal. (consider
  pig keepers in folk stories)
• This kid is as undeserving as possible. Even his
  desire to return home is for eating better food
• The father is the real focus because of his
  unlimited love for both sons.
• Older son is acknowledged but asked to understand
  that the father loves the deserving and
  undeserving equally.
• The conclusion is unresolved. Will the older son
  overcome his natural resentment and join the
  celebration?

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What You Can See in These Pictures?

• A young, ill-clad man kneels down before an old
  man, his father.
• the father's face and gesture indicate the he
  receives him with joy, without any reproach.
• The father is very old and his clothes show his
  wealth. Filled with happiness by the return of
  his son, the father has a banquet prepared. One
  can sometimes see the preparations of the feast,
  in particular a fatted calf ready to be killed.
• The son is generally in rags or a poor mans
  shirt.
• Servants are often seen bringing clean clothes
• The elder son is often seen, jealous of the
  welcome given his brother. He can bring to mind
  Esaus return after Isaac blesses Jacob.
• The parable is rich in images and other moments
  can also be depicted the happy son spending his
  money in the company of prostitutes the unhappy
  son repenting while keeping pigs the father
  waiting for his son coming back in the distance

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Note the meal walking in on the left. The older
son is talking with a servant. What is his
attitude? What is he saying or asking? White clad
figure in the back is vaguely angelic.
The Return of the Prodigal Son Bartolomeo
MURILLO 1670 oil on canvas National Gallery of
Art, Washington
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Notice how much the father looks like many
traditional images of God. We can also see that
heaven is blessing this reunion. How is the older
brother reacting?
The Prodigal Son Julius Schnorr van CAROLSFELD
1851-60 engraving from  Bibel in Bildern .
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Rebrandt makes the father blind which gives more
depth to the meeting.
The focus here is on the joy which servants and
dogs also share. The father is thanking God.
The Return of the Prodigal Son Gustave DORÉ
1865 engraving from the Holy Bible.
The Return of the Prodigal Son REMBRANDT 1662
oil on canvas The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
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The setting fits 19th century England. Background
elements represent different parts of the story
and show the who cycle.
The Return Jacques TISSOT 1882 oil on canvas
National Gallery of Art, Washington
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An interesting combination of the old and new.
Again, heaven is blessing the reunion.
Ron DiCianni 1982
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The Rebel Jesus Jackson Brown
Do you think the theme of this song fits more
with Matthews or Lukes ideas of Jesus? Why?
http//www.youtube.com/watch?voCsLtsn_Z70

• All the streets are filled with laughter and
  lightAnd the music of the seasonAnd the
  merchants' windows are all brightWith the faces
  of the childrenAnd the families hurrying to
  their homesWhile the sky darkens and
  freezesWill be gathering around the hearths and
  tablesGiving thanks for God's gracesAnd the
  birth of the rebel Jesus

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The Rebel Jesus Jackson Brown

• Well they call him by 'the Prince of Peace'And
  they call him by 'the Savior'And they pray to
  him upon the seasAnd in every bold endeavorAnd
  they fill his churches with their pride and
  goldAs their faith in him increasesBut they've
  turned the nature that I worship inFrom a temple
  to a robber's denIn the words of the rebel Jesus

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The Rebel Jesus Jackson Brown

• Well we guard our world with locks and gunsAnd
  we guard our fine possessionsAnd once a year
  when Christmas comesWe give to our relationsAnd
  perhaps we give a little to the poorIf the
  generosity should seize usBut if any one of us
  should interfereIn the business of why there are
  poorThey get the same as the rebel Jesus

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The Rebel Jesus Jackson Brown

• Now pardon me if I have seemedTo take the tone
  of judgementFor I've no wish to come
  betweenThis day and your enjoymentIn a life of
  hardship and of earthly toilThere's a need for
  anything that frees usSo I bid you pleasureAnd
  I bid you cheerFrom a heathen and a paganOn the
  side of the rebel Jesus

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Jesus Walks Kanye Westhttp//www.youtube.com/wat
ch?vb8AyHupByuU

• Yo, We at warWe at war with terrorism, racism,
  and most of all we at war with ourselves(Jesus
  Walks)God show me the way because the Devil
  trying to break me down(Jesus Walks with me)
  with me, with me, with me fades
• You know what the Midwest is?Young
  RestlessWhere restless (Niggas) might snatch
  your necklaceAnd next these (Niggas) might jack
  your LexusSomebody tell these (Niggas) who Kanye
  West isI walk through the valley of the shadow
  of death isTop floor the view alone will leave
  you breathless Uhhhh!Try to catch it Uhhhh! It's
  kinda hard hardGetting choked by the detectives
  yeah yeah now check the methodThey be asking us
  questions, harass and arrest usSaying "we eat
  pieces of shit like you for breakfast"Huh? Yall
  eat pieces of shit? What's the basis?We ain't
  going nowhere but got suits and casesA trunk
  full of coke rental car from AvisMy momma used
  to say only Jesus can save usWell momma I know I
  act a foolBut I'll be gone 'til November I got
  packs to move I Hope

How does this rap artist interpret Jesus? Why
does he say that he needs Jesus? What does he
think Jesus can do for him?
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• Hook x2(Jesus Walks)God show me the way
  because the Devil trying to break me down(Jesus
  Walks with me)The only thing that that I pray is
  that my feet don't fail me now(Jesus Walks)And
  I don't think there is nothing I can do now to
  right my wrongs(Jesus Walks with me)I want to
  talk to God but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke
  in so long

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• To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers
  even the strippers(Jesus walks with them)To the
  victims of Welfare for we living in hell here
  hell yeah(Jesus walks with them)Now hear ye
  hear ye want to see Thee more clearlyI know he
  hear me when my feet get wearyCause we're the
  almost nearly extinctWe rappers are role models
  we rap we don't thinkI ain't here to argue about
  his facial featuresOr here to convert atheists
  into believersI'm just trying to say the way
  school need teachersThe way Kathie Lee needed
  Regis that's the way I need JesusSo here go my
  single dog radio needs thisThey say you can rap
  about anything except for JesusThat means guns,
  sex, lies, video tapesBut if I talk about God my
  record won't get played Huh?Well let this take
  away from my spinsWhich will probably take away
  from my endsThen I hope this take away from my
  sinsAnd bring the day that I'm dreaming
  aboutNext time I'm in the club everybody
  screaming out
• (Jesus Walks)God show me the way because the
  devil trying to break me down(Jesus Walks)The
  only thing that that I pray is that my feet don't
  fail me now(Jesus Walks)And I don't thing
  there's nothing I can do now to right my
  wrongs(Jesus walks with me... fades)I want to
  talk to God but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke
  in so long

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Jesus Was a Capricorn Kris Kristofferson
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vofzCZiQ9vjAfeature
related This song is sometimes said to be
talking about a hippie Jesus Certainly, it
emphasizes Jesus radical way of life while it
doesnt focus on his words or specific teachings.
Part of Jesus messiahship or meant allowing
people to look down on him and mock him.

• Jesus was a Capricorn, he ate organic foods.He
  believed in love and peace and never wore no
  shoes.Long hair, beard and sandals and a funky
  bunch of friends.Reckon they'd just nail him up
  if He come down again.

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• 'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look
  down on.Who they can feel better than at anytime
  they please.Someone doin' somethin' dirty,
  decent folks can frown on.If you can't find
  nobody else, then help yourself to me.
• Get back, John!
• Egg Head's cousin Red Neck's cussin' hippies for
  their hair.Others laugh at straights who laugh
  at freaks who laugh at squares.Some folks hate
  the whites who hate the blacks who hate the
  clan.Most of us hate anything that we don't
  understand.
• 'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look
  down on.Who they can feel better than at anytime
  they please.Someone doin' somethin' dirty,
  decent folks can frown on.If you can't find
  nobody else, then help yourself to me.
• Help yourself, brother. Help yourself,
  Gentlemen. Help yourself Reverend.