EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries
Luke 1:1-80
Luke’s Good News
Luke
Hilda Bright
The author
Luke wrote two books of the *New Testament (NT). Luke’s *Gospel tells the story of the life and work of Jesus. Luke’s second book, Acts, continues the story after Jesus went back to heaven. The two books amount to a quarter of the NT. This is even more than Paul wrote.Luke was a doctor (Colossians 4:14). He was often Paul’s companion in his travels. The book of Acts contains passages in which the author includes himself as a companion of Paul (‘we’ in Acts 16:10-17; Acts 20:5-21; Acts 27:1-28). Luke shared Paul’s work (Philemon, verse 24). He was a loyal friend. In prison, Paul says, ‘only Luke is with me’ (2 Timothy 4:11).
Luke was a *Gentile. He came from Antioch, which was an important town in Syria.
Luke’s special interests
Luke was a skilled writer. He wrote to show that the *gospel is good news for all people:1 *Gentiles (people who were not *Jews)
Luke tells us how Jesus emphasised the *faith of the *Gentiles. Jesus did this when he spoke in the *synagogue at Nazareth (4:16-30). Luke also records that Jesus praised the *faith of a *Roman officer (7:1–9).2 *Samaritans (enemies of the *Jews; they came from *Samaria)
The *parable of the Good *Samaritan is only in Luke’s *Gospel (10:30-37). Jesus praised a grateful *Samaritan whom he *healed (17:11-19).3 *Sinners
Luke describes Jesus’ meeting with Zacchaeus (19:1-10). And he includes three of Jesus’ *parables about God’s love for people who are ‘lost’, that is people who have wandered away from God (chapter 15).4 Women
The stories of the widow of Nain (7:11-16) and of Martha and Mary (10:38-42) are two examples of Luke’s sympathy for women.5 Poor people
Luke knew the dangers of wealth and he sympathised with the poor. Only Luke mentions the *parables of the rich fool (12:13-21) and the *parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (16:19-31). Only Luke tells us about the poor *shepherds who visited Jesus after his birth.6 People who were ill
Luke shows how Jesus, through the power of God, *healed people who were ill.Luke, as a doctor, mentions some medical details that are not in the other *Gospels. Peter’s wife has a ‘high’ (bad) *fever (4:38). The man in the *synagogue could not use his ‘right’ hand (6:6).
7 Prayer and praise
There are many references to Jesus’ prayers. There are three *parables about prayer in this *Gospel:1. The ‘friend at midnight’ (11:5-10)
2. The ‘unfair judge’ (18:1-8)
3. The ‘*Pharisee and the *tax-collector’ (18:9-14)
Luke includes the songs in which Zechariah (1:68-79), Mary (1:46-55) and Simeon (2:29-32) praised God, because the *Messiah had arrived.
The *angels appeared to the *shepherds (2:14). They sang ‘*Glory to God’.
Chapter 1
Luke 1:1 - 9:50 (First Section)
The reason why Luke wrote the *Gospel 1:1-4
v1 Many people have tried to write about the things that God has done among us. v2 They obtained their information from witnesses. They saw what happened and *preached the *gospel. v3 I have studied all these facts with great care from their beginning. So, I decided, most noble Theophilus, to give you an exact account of events, in their proper order. v4 This is so that you may know the truth about what you have heard.
Verse 1 The ‘things that God has done’ refers to the life, death and *resurrection of Jesus, and the news of his work. ‘Us’ means Luke and people of his time.
Verse 2 Luke was not one of the original witnesses who had seen and heard Jesus. But Luke had met some of these witnesses and heard their stories. He spent two years in Caesarea while Paul was in prison there (Acts 24:27). Luke would have found it easy to travel from there to collect information.
Verse 3 ‘Most noble’ are words of respect. They mean that Theophilus was an important official. ‘Theophilus’ means ‘friend of God’. It was a common name. Luke wants to give him clear and accurate information about Jesus. Luke had paid attention to every detail that he collected. Now he is going to describe the events in their proper order. This can mean in order of time. It also means that Luke will give a clear and careful account of the facts.
Verse 4 Theophilus had heard something about the Christian *faith. Luke wants to be sure that his friend has the right information. So, he has decided to write a full and accurate account. He wants Theophilus to understand more completely what Jesus did and taught.
An *angel promises the birth of John the *Baptist 1:5-24
v5 During the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest whose name was Zechariah. He belonged to the Abijah group of priests. His wife’s name was Elizabeth. She was a *descendant of Aaron the priest. v6 God knew that they were both good people. They obeyed God’s laws completely. v7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth could not have children. Moreover, both Elizabeth and Zechariah were now very old. They were beyond the normal age when people have a child.
Verse 5 This member of the Herod family was Herod the Great. He was king of all the land of *Israel for 33 years. Herod the Great was great as a builder, but not great in character. He was jealous and cruel (see Matthew 2:1-18).
The event that Luke is going to describe happened about one year before Herod died.
Zechariah belonged to one of the 24 groups of priests (1 Chronicles 24:10). Each group worked in the *Temple in Jerusalem. Twice a year they were on duty for a week.
Verse 7 If a wife had no children, *Jews thought that God was punishing her and her husband. The woman would feel both sad and ashamed. Other women, who had children, would think of her as a wife of no value.
v8 One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest. He was in the *Temple because his group was on duty. v9 The priests used *lots to choose which one of them would burn *incense on the *altar. This time Zechariah had the opportunity. So he went into the *Temple. v10 The crowd of people were outside. They prayed while he burned the *incense.
Verse 9 Each group had so many priests that they had to choose their duties by *lot. The opportunity to burn *incense on the *altar was a special honour. A priest could do this only once during his life. The *altar was inside the Holy Place.
v11 An *angel of the *Lord appeared to Zechariah. The *angel stood on the right side of the *altar of *incense. v12 Zechariah was very frightened when he saw him.
v13 But the *angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer and your wife Elizabeth will give you a son. You must name him John. v14 You will have joy and happiness. Many other people will be happy because of his birth. v15 He will be great in the *Lord’s sight. He must not drink any *wine or strong drink. He will be full of the Holy Spirit even before he is born’.
Verse 13 Zechariah would have prayed for *Israel. But, for many years, he and Elizabeth also must have prayed for a child. Now they were too old. But God has not forgotten what they prayed earlier.
The name John means ‘God is showing kindness’.
Verse 15 ‘He will be great in the *Lord’s sight’ means that God has very important work for him to do.
The order not to drink any *wine or strong drink was evidence. It meant that John was to serve God in a special way. Some people made a special promise to serve God (see Numbers 6:1-6). This order was part of the rule for them.
The words ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ mean that John will have the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide him and help him in all that he does.
v16 ‘He will cause many of the people of *Israel to turn back to God to *worship and praise him. v17 He will prepare people for the time when the *Lord comes. He will have the strength of character and the power of bold speech of Elijah the *prophet. He will bring fathers and children together again. He will change people who do not obey God. They will then think in the same way as good people think. He will prepare the *Lord’s people to receive him’.
Verse 17 The *Jews believed that the great *prophet Elijah would return to earth. He would announce the arrival of the *Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6). There had been no *prophet for several hundred years. Like Elijah, John would be a *prophet who urged people to turn back to God. This would mean that they must put God first in their lives. This would also help to unite families. John’s work was to prepare the way for the *Lord. That is, he told people to expect the *Messiah to come very soon. *Messiah is the word for ‘Christ’ in *Hebrew (the *Jews’ language).
v18 Zechariah said to the *angel, ‘How shall I know that this is true? Because I am an old man and my wife is old as well’. v19 The *angel answered, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in front of God. He sent me to speak to you and to bring you this good news. v20 And now, because you did not believe me, you will be silent. You will be unable to speak until Elizabeth has the child. My words will come true at the right time’.
Verse 19 Gabriel was one of the most important *angels. His name appears twice in the *Old Testament (Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21).
Verse 20 The ‘right time’ means nine months after Elizabeth has begun to expect a child. It also means the time that God has chosen.
v21 The people were waiting for Zechariah. They wondered why he stayed so long in the *Temple. v22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realised that he had received a message from God in the *Temple. Zechariah signalled with his hands, but he remained dumb.
Verse 22 It was usual for the priest to *bless the people. He spoke the blessing in Numbers 6:24-26.
v23 When his time of service ended, Zechariah went home. v24 After this, his wife Elizabeth was expecting child. For five months, she did not go out in public. v25 She said, ‘Now at last the *Lord has taken notice of me. People will no longer think that I am wicked’.
Verse 23 Zechariah’s home was in the hills, south of Jerusalem (1:39-40).
Verse 25 People would stop thinking that God was punishing her.
The message to Mary about the birth of Jesus 1:26-38
v26 When Elizabeth had been expecting a child for six months, God sent the *angel Gabriel to Nazareth. This was a town in the region of Galilee. v27 Gabriel went with a message for a girl named Mary. She was going to marry a man whose name was Joseph. He came from the family of King David.
Verse 27 Nazareth was a small town, a few miles from the south of the Lake of Galilee. It was very serious when a man and woman agreed to marry. Such an agreement could only end in an act of divorce. If the man died before the marriage, the woman considered herself as a widow.
v28 The *angel went to Mary and greeted her. ‘The *Lord is with you’, he said, ‘and has given you a great honour’. v29 The *angel’s message worried Mary. She wondered what this greeting meant. v30 The *angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary. God is pleased with you. v31 You will soon expect child and have a son. You shall call him ‘Jesus’. v32 He will be great, and he will have the name ‘son of the Most High’. God will make him a king, as his *ancestor David was. v33 He will rule over the *descendants of Jacob for ever. His *kingdom will never end’.
Verse 28 The usual *Jewish greeting was ‘Peace be with you’.
Verse 31 ‘Jesus’ is the *Greek form of the *Hebrew name ‘Joshua’. The name means ‘The *Lord is *Saviour’.
Verse 32 ‘son of the Most High’ was a way to say ‘son of God’. This was a name of the *Messiah. ‘The Most High’ was a name for God in the *Old Testament.
Verse 33 ‘The *descendants of Jacob’ means the *Israelites. These included King David. God promised David that his throne (rule) would never end (2 Samuel 7:16).
v34 Mary asked the *angel, ‘How can this happen? I am not married’. v35 The *angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of God will rest upon you. Therefore, the child that you will have will be holy. He will be the *Son of God. v36 Look! Your relative Elizabeth has been expecting a child for 6 months although she is old. People said that she could not have a child. v37 Because there is nothing that God cannot do’. v38 Mary said, ‘I am the *Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me as you have said’. And the *angel left her.
Verse 34 Mary wondered how she could have a son before she and Joseph had married.
Verse 35 The words ‘will rest upon’ mean that God’s *glory comes down on a place or person. God’s power, through the Holy Spirit, would make it possible for Mary to have the son.
Verse 35 ‘holy, the *Son of God’ means that the child would be God’s son. He would be without *sin.
Verse 38 When Mary accepted what God wanted, she was taking a great risk. Perhaps Joseph would be angry. She would probably have public shame. People in the village would certainly gossip about her. A girl who promised to marry should be loyal to her future husband. If she was not loyal, she broke God’s law. Yet Mary did not doubt the *angel’s message. Luke, with his sympathy for women, may have received this story from Mary herself.
Mary visits Elizabeth 1:39-56
v39 Soon afterwards, Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. This was in the south of the country. v40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. v41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby moved inside her. Then the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth. v42 She gave a loud cry, ‘God has *blessed you more than any other woman! And he has *blessed the child that you are expecting! v43 The mother of my *Lord is visiting me. Why do I have this honour? v44 As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby inside me jumped for joy. v45 You are happy because you trust that the *Lord’s message to you will come true!’
Verse 44 A six-month baby moves in the mother’s body. However, Elizabeth knew that her baby made a sudden movement. This showed that her baby was full of joy. John had not been born yet, but he knew that Mary’s child was very special.
Verse 45 Elizabeth was much older than Mary was. But she was not jealous that Mary had the greater honour. Mary’s baby was to be the *Messiah.
Mary praises God with a song 1:46-55
When Mary heard what Elizabeth said, Mary burst into a song of joy to praise God. Christians still sing that song today.The song has four parts.
1. God’s goodness to Mary 1:46-49
v46-47 ‘My spirit praises the *Lord. I am full of joy because God is my *Saviour.
v48 Although I am not important, he has remembered me, his servant. From now on, people of all times will call me *blessed’.
2. God’s character 1:49-50
v49 ‘The God of power has done great things for me. His name is holy. v50 He shows his love and goodness in every age to those people who honour and respect him’.
Verse 49 The ‘name’ of God describes what he is like. He is pure and perfect. He is powerful over everything and everyone. He is *eternal. He is ‘holy’.
3. The way that God changes society 1:51-53
v51 ‘God, with his great power, has scattered people with proud plans. v52 He has brought down rulers from their rank of power. He has given more honour to humble people. v53 He has fed hungry people with good things. But he has sent rich people away with nothing’.
Verses 51-53 Mary speaks of how God has disturbed the plans of proud people (Genesis 11:4-8). He has dragged down strong rulers (Daniel 5). He has put humble people in ranks of power (Genesis 41:40). Mary was certain that God would act like this in the future. He had already acted like this in the past (Psalms 98:1).
The hungry people are poor people. God will provide for them (Psalms 107:9). Also, this means people who are ‘hungry’ to know God. He will satisfy their *spiritual hunger (Matthew 5:6). Some people are rich and feel that they do not need God. They will receive nothing (Luke 12:16-21).
4. God’s promise 1:54-55
v54 ‘He has kept the promise that he made to our *ancestors. He has come to help his servant *Israel. v55 He has remembered to show his love and goodness to Abraham. And to all his *descendants at all times’.
Verse 54 ‘his servant *Israel’ means the people of *Israel. God had rescued them many times in the past from their enemies. God was now sending the *Messiah who would rescue them from *sin. God had promised this to their *ancestors.
Verse 55 God promised Abraham that he would *bless all the families of the earth. This would happen by one of Abraham’s *descendants (Genesis 12:3). Mary realised that God’s promise was coming true. The love and goodness that God showed to Abraham would continue in the *Messiah’s work. The *Messiah would bring *blessing to all Abraham’s *descendants.
v56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. She then returned to her home.
Verse 56 Mary returned to Nazareth just before Elizabeth had her baby, John.
The birth and *circumcision of John 1:57-66
v57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she had a son. v58 Her neighbours and relatives heard how the *Lord had been kind to her. They shared her joy. v59 When the baby was eight days old, all the neighbours and relatives came for the *circumcision ceremony. He would receive his name then. They wanted to give him the same name as his father, Zechariah. v60 But his mother said, ‘Certainly not! His name is to be John’. v61 They said to her, ‘You do not have any relative with that name’. v62 Then they signalled to his father. They asked him what name he would like his son to have. v63 Zechariah asked for a writing board. He wrote, ‘John is his name’. That surprised everybody. v64 At once Zechariah was able to speak again. He began to praise God. v65 He astonished all his neighbours. People lived in the hills in the country of Judea. And they kept talking about the events of John’s birth. v66 And they wondered. They asked, ‘What is this child going to be like when he grows up?’ For it was plain that the *Lord had *blessed the child.
Verse 59 The law of Moses required the *circumcision of a boy, a week after his birth (Leviticus 12:3). *Circumcision was the evidence of God’s special agreement with the people of *Israel (Genesis 17:9-14). At the same time, they had a ceremony to name the child.
Verse 62 ‘They signalled to Zechariah’. Perhaps Zechariah was deaf as well as dumb. Or perhaps the people just thought that he was deaf. They knew that deaf people often could not speak.
Verse 63 ‘a writing board’. This was a small wooden board with soft polish on it. People scratched words on the board. They used a small stick with a point at the end.
Zechariah wrote the words, ‘John is his name’. The boy already had his name. God had given it to him.
The song of Zechariah 1:67-79
Verses 67-75 are a song of praise to God. God rescues his people and keeps his promises. Verses 76-79 describe the work of John. The song is a message of hope for the future.v67 The Holy Spirit came upon John’s father Zechariah. Like a *prophet, he gave a message from God to his people:
v68 ‘Praise the *Lord, the God of *Israel! He has come to rescue his people.
v69 He has given us a powerful *Saviour from the royal family of his servant David.
v70 Long ago God made promises by his holy *prophets.
v71 He promised that he would rescue us from our enemies and from those who hate us.
v72 God said that he would show the love and goodness that he had promised to our *ancestors. He would keep the holy agreement that he had made with them. v73 God made a serious promise to Abraham to rescue us from our enemies. v74 The promise means that we shall be able to serve God without fear. v75 We shall belong to God and live in the right way with him all our lives.
v76 You, my child, will be a *prophet of the Most High God. You will be a *herald of the *Lord to make the way ready for him. v77 You will tell his people that God will forgive their *sins. So he will *save them. v78 For our God is loving and kind. He will send a *Saviour. He will be like the sun that rises at dawn. v79 He will shine on all the people who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. He will make us calm and quiet in our spirits’.
Verse 71 The *Jews had many enemies. In the past, powerful foreign nations attacked and ruled them. Therefore, most *Jews would describe ‘enemies’ in political ways. This was especially true at that time because the *Roman soldiers were in their country. However, the rest of the song suggests that ‘enemies’ means all people who oppose God.
Verse 73 The promise that God gave to Abraham is in Genesis 22:16-17.
Verse 76 Zechariah begins to speak to his son and describes him as a *prophet. There had been no *prophet in *Israel for hundreds of years. God sent John to prepare the way for the *Messiah (Malachi 3:1).
Verses 78-79 In the dark, people cannot see what is real. They cannot see where they are going. The words ‘the shadow of death’ suggest that they have no hope. When the sun rises at dawn, the darkness disappears. Like the sun, the *Messiah would bring light into the world (John 8:12). People would then really understand what is right and what is wrong. Light makes people able to see where they are going. Jesus is the light of the world. So, he will guide people into the way of peace. This peace does not mean freedom from trouble. It means that we feel quiet in our spirits. It means that we have peace with God, because he has *forgiven us. It means that we can be confident of God’s love in all circumstances. We shall not fear death. Christians are certain that they will live with God for ever.
John grows up 1:80
v80 As John grew up, his *spiritual life became strong. He was in the desert until he began his public service for God.
Verse 80 This desert was probably west of the river Jordan, near the Dead Sea.
This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words)
gospel ~ good news about Jesus.Gentiles ~ people who are not Jews.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
gospel ~ good news about Jesus.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
faith ~ trust.
synagogue ~ a building where Jews gather to pray and to study the *Old Testament.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Roman ~ person or thing that belongs to Rome.
Rome ~ capital of a great empire in *New Testament times.
empire ~ group of nations under one ruler (emperor).
emperor ~ king who rules over many countries.
Samaritan ~ a person who comes from Samaria.
Samaria ~ country on north border of Judah; its capital has the same name.
Samaria ~ country on north border of Judah; its capital has the same name.
parable ~ a story with a moral meaning.
heal ~ cure; make completely well.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
shepherd ~ one who cares for sheep.
fever ~ illness that makes the body very hot.
Pharisees ~ group of Jews who were very strict about the law of Moses.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.'tax-collector ~ man who received taxes for the government.
tax ~ money that people must pay to the government.'Christ/Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Messiah/Christ ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
angel ~ God’s servant and messenger in heaven.
messenger ~ person who gives a message.
glory ~ everything that makes God beautiful and great; like a great light from God.
preach ~ to tell people about Jesus, and how to live for Jesus.
resurrection ~ to come back to life after death.
Baptist ~ a person who baptises people (John the Baptist).
baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water to show that he wants to obey God.
descendants ~ future members of a family or nation.'Israel, Israelites ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Temple ~ special building in Jerusalem where Jews worshipped God.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
worship ~ show honour and respect to God and praise him.
lot ~ means of reaching a fair decision.
incense ~ substance that people burn for its sweet smell, especially in religious ceremonies.
religious ~ leaders belonging to a religion.
altar ~ a table in the temple on which people make offerings to God.
Temple ~ special building in Jerusalem where Jews worshipped God.
offering ~ a gift to please God.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
worship ~ show honour and respect to God and praise him.
Lord ~ name for God in the Bible; name that we use for Jesus when we obey him.
wine ~ a drink made from grapes.
grape ~ fruit of vine.
vine ~ plant that produces grapes.
worship ~ show honour and respect to God and praise him.
prophet ~ one who tells God’s messages.
Hebrew ~ language of the Jews and of the *Old Testament.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
ancestors ~ any persons from whom the families of your father or mother come.
kingdom ~ land that a king rules.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything to do with a Jew.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Greek ~ language of the *New Testament. Many people spoke Greek in *New Testament times.
Saviour ~ the one (Jesus) who rescues from sin.
sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
'Israel, Israelites ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'Son of God ~ a title of Messiah.Christ/Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Messiah/Christ ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
glory ~ everything that makes God beautiful and great; like a great light from God.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
eternal ~ without beginning or end.
spiritual ~ belonging to the spirit.
spirit ~ the part of a person which is alive, which we cannot see. It can speak to other spirits and the soul.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see, that is in us during our life on earth. It continues to live after the body dies.
Israel, Israelites ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
'circumcise, circumcision ~ act of removing end part of skin from the male sex part; a sign of God’s special agreement with Israel.Israel, Israelites ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
herald ~ one who announces the arrival of an important person.'save/salvation ~ rescue from the power and result of sin.
sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
forgive ~ when someone stops being angry with another person who has done bad things.
Luke: The Man Christ Jesus
The Birth of Jesus and the Beginning of his Work
Ian Mackervoy
About the *Gospel of Luke
The writer
The *Gospel of Luke does not mention Luke’s name as the author. But few people doubt that Luke did write this book. Also, he wrote the Book of Acts. He sent both books to the same person called Theophilus (Luke 1:3 and Acts 1:1).Luke was not a *Jew. We know this from Colossians 4:11-14. Paul names the three *Jews who were with him in Rome. Luke was not one of them but he was with Paul there. All the other writers of the *New Testament were *Jews.
Luke travelled with Paul on some of his journeys. The evidence for this is that, in several places in Acts, Luke uses the words, ‘we’ or ‘us’. Luke was a medical doctor by profession (Colossians 4:14). There is a tradition that he was born in the city called Antioch in Syria.
Luke was not one of the original *disciples of Christ. But he studied the accounts of Christ’s life that were available to him. And he talked with those people who had been with Jesus. Some of the detail shows that probably Luke spoke with Mary the mother of Jesus.
We do not know whether Luke wrote this book in Israel, Rome, or somewhere else. And we do not know where he sent it. He probably wrote it some time between 59 *AD and 63 *AD.
Purpose
Luke’s purpose was to write a good and true account of the life of Jesus. This *Gospel tells the story of Jesus from the time before he was born. And it ends when Jesus went back to heaven. Luke wanted Theophilus and all people to know the truth about Jesus.The *Gospel of Luke tells us about the things that Jesus said. And it tells us about the things that he did. This helps us to understand how God saves people from *sin. Luke shows us that Jesus is the *Saviour of the world. *Sin ruins people’s lives. And after they die, punishment is certain. People cannot save themselves. But Jesus came to look for and to save those people.
Luke shows that Jesus was a real man. In addition, he shows that Jesus was the Son of God.
Contents
| Part 1 | The birth of Jesus and the beginning of his work | 1:1-4:13 |
| | The reason why Luke wrote this book | 1:1-4 |
| | The birth of John the *Baptist | 1:5-80 |
| | The birth and childhood of Jesus | 2:1-52 |
| | John the *Baptist *preaches | 3:1-20 |
| | John *baptises Jesus | 3:21-22 |
| | The family history of Jesus | 3:23-38 |
| | The devil tests Jesus | 4:1-4:13 |
| Part 2 | Jesus in Galilee | 4:14-9:50 |
| | The good news of the *kingdom | 4:14-5:16 |
| | The *Pharisees begin to oppose Jesus | 5:17-6:11 |
| | Jesus teaches the crowd | 6:12-49 |
| | Examples of Jesus’ good deeds | 7:1-50 |
| | Jesus teaches by means of stories | 8:1-21 |
| | Jesus does *miracles | 8:22-56 |
| | Jesus and the 12 *disciples | 9:1-50 |
| Part 3 | Jesus on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem | 9:51-19:44 |
| | No welcome in a *Samaritan village | 9:51-56 |
| | The cost to become a *disciple | 9:57-62 |
| | Jesus sends 72 *disciples ahead of him | 10:1-24 |
| | The good *Samaritan | 10:25-37 |
| | Martha and Mary | 10:38-42 |
| | Jesus teaches us how to pray | 11:1-13 |
| | Jesus and the prince of *demons | 11:14-28 |
| | A lesson from Jonah | 11:29-32 |
| | The eye is like the lamp of the body | 11:33-36 |
| | With the *Pharisees and experts in the law | 11:37-54 |
| | Jesus teaches the people | 12:1-59 |
| | *Repentance | 13:1-9 |
| | Jesus cures a woman on the *Sabbath | 13:10-17 |
| | The *kingdom of God | 13:18-30 |
| | *Prophets die in Jerusalem | 13:31-35 |
| | Dinner with a *Pharisee | 14:1-24 |
| | It costs to be a *disciple | 14:25-35 |
| | Three stories about things that people had lost | 15:1-32 |
| | The wise manager | 16:1-13 |
| | Divorce | 16:14-18 |
| | Rich man and poor man | 16:19-31 |
| | *Sin, *faith and duty | 17:1-10 |
| | 10 *lepers | 17:11-19 |
| | The *kingdom of God comes | 17:20-37 |
| | Two stories about prayer | 18:1-14 |
| | Jesus and the children | 18:15-17 |
| | The rich young ruler | 18:18-30 |
| | Jesus speaks about his death | 18:31-34 |
| | Jesus cures a blind man | 18:35-43 |
| | Zacchaeus | 19:1-10 |
| | Story about the servants | 19:11-27 |
| | Jesus enters Jerusalem | 19:28-44 |
| Part 4 | Jesus completes his work in Jerusalem | 19:45-21:38 |
| | Jesus at the *temple | 19:45-48 |
| | Questions about authority | 20:1-8 |
| | Story about the farmers | 20:9-19 |
| | Questions to test Jesus | 20:20-47 |
| | The widow’s gift | 21:1-4 |
| | The end of the age | 21:5-38 |
| Part 5 | Jesus suffers death and he lives again | 22:1-24:53 |
| | Judas goes to the chief priests | 22:1-6 |
| | The last supper | 22:7-38 |
| | In the garden | 22:39-45 |
| | The arrest of Jesus | 22:46-53 |
| | Peter denies that he knows Christ | 22:54-62 |
| | Soldiers, Pilate and Herod | 22:63-23:25 |
| | Jesus on the cross | 23:26-49 |
| | Jesus in the grave | 23:50-56 |
| | Jesus is alive again | 24:1-12 |
| | Jesus and his *disciples | 24:13-49 |
| | Jesus goes back to heaven | 24:50-53 |
Chapter 1
The beginning of the life and work of Jesus – Luke 1:1-4
The reason why Luke wrote this book – Luke 1:1-4
v1 Many people have tried to give an account of the things that have happened among us. v2 We got our information from those people who saw these things. And we got our information from those people who have passed on the message from the beginning. v3 So it seemed good to me to write down these things in order for you, most excellent Theophilus. I have studied all these things carefully to make sure that I can write accurately about them. v4 By this account, you can be certain about the truth of the things that you have learned.
Verses 1-4 Luke was not among the first *disciples of the *Lord. He did not see the *Lord while he was alive on the earth. But many people had recorded what they knew about Jesus’ life. They got their information from those people who were with Jesus. One of these earlier records was probably Mark’s *Gospel. Luke studied what these people wrote. He probably spoke to many people who were with Jesus. And he listened to what they said. Then he made sure that the information was correct.
Luke calls the message that they passed on: ‘the word’. ‘The word’ means the *gospel and especially what Jesus taught. So, many Bible translations say that these people were ‘servants of the word’. They were probably the *apostles and teachers in the first Christian churches.
We do not know who Theophilus was. His name means ‘friend of God’. Theophilus was a proper name. Luke calls him ‘most excellent Theophilus’. This seems to show that Theophilus was a real person. And he was an important man, like Festus (Acts 26:25). Theophilus may have been the person who would publish this book. That is, he would arrange for other people to make copies of it. He could have been a *Greek or *Roman government official.
Luke wrote this book for Theophilus but he intended other people to read it as well. He wanted Theophilus and other people to have a true record. By this means, they could be sure of what they had learned. They could understand the *gospel and they could believe in the *Lord Jesus.
The birth of John the *Baptist – Luke 1:5-80
The *angel comes to Zechariah – Luke 1:5-25
v5 When King Herod ruled in Judea, there was a priest called Zechariah. He belonged to the Abijah group of priests. His wife Elizabeth was also a *descendant of Aaron. v6 Zechariah and Elizabeth did what pleased God. They were without blame as they obeyed completely all the *Lord’s laws and commands. v7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth could not have a baby. And they were both getting old.
v8 One day Zechariah was serving as a priest in front of God’s *altar, because his group was on duty. v9 By the method that the priests used, they chose Zechariah to burn *incense in the *Lord’s *temple. v10 A large crowd of people was outside. At the time when the priest burned the *incense, the people prayed.
v11 Then an *angel of the *Lord appeared to Zechariah. The *angel stood on the right side of the *incense *altar. v12 It was a shock to Zechariah when he saw the *angel. Zechariah felt sudden fear. v13 But the *angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid. God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son. And you must give to this son the name John. v14 You will have joy and delight. And many people will be glad because of his birth. v15 John will be a great man for the *Lord. He must never drink wine or other strong drinks. The power of the *Holy Spirit will fill him, even from his birth. v16 He will turn many of the people in *Israel to the *Lord their God. v17 He will go before the *Lord. He will be strong and powerful like the *prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again. He will turn back those people who do not obey God to the right way to live. He will prepare people for when the *Lord comes.’
v18 Zechariah asked the *angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting old.’
v19 The *angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand close to God. God sent me to speak to you and to tell you this good news. v20 You have not believed what I have said. Therefore, you will be silent. You will not be able to speak until the day when these things happen. But what I said will happen at the proper time.’
v21 The people waited for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the *temple. v22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. He could only make signs to them and he remained unable to speak. Then they understood that he had seen a *vision in the *temple.
v23 When he had finished his time of service in the *temple, he went home. v24 After this, his wife Elizabeth became *pregnant and she hid herself for 5 months. v25 She said, ‘The *Lord has done this for me. He has looked upon me and he has helped me. The people can see that he has removed my shame from me.’
Verses 5-7 Herod the Great was a son of a man called Antipater. Herod was not a *Jew by birth. He was the first king of Judah who was not a *Jew by birth. He became king in 37 *BC and he died in 4 *BC. So, the births of John the *Baptist and Jesus were in 4 *BC or earlier.
The name Zechariah means ‘God remembers’. Zechariah was a priest. The priests were all *descendants of Aaron but they could marry women from other families. But Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, was a *descendant of Aaron. So, John the *Baptist was a *descendant of Aaron by both his father and mother.
There were 24 groups of priests. Each group served in turn for one week in the *temple. So one of the groups was on duty at all times. Zechariah belonged to the group of Abijah. The group of Abijah was the 8th group out of the 24 (1 Chronicles 24:10). After the *exile in Babylon, only 4 families of priests came back to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:36-39). Some Bible teachers think that those 4 families became 24 new groups. And they took the names of the previous groups. The family of Abijah did not return from Babylon at that time.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were good people. They loved God and they obeyed his law. They were not able to have children and now they were too old. It was impossible for them to have a child. This caused them to be sad. And Elizabeth felt ashamed that she could not have a child.
Verses 8-10 Every morning and evening, the priests made an animal *sacrifice. This was in the area outside the *temple. Many priests helped in this. At the same time, just one priest went into the room in the *temple called the holy place. Here he burnt *incense on an *altar. There were so many priests that they had to choose one for this task. Because of the number of them, a priest would burn *incense just once in his life. On this day, Zechariah was the priest that they chose. He went into the holy place to burn *incense. A large crowd of people were in front of the *temple. And there they prayed at the time when Zechariah burned the *incense. We do not know whether this was at the morning or the evening *sacrifice.
Verses 11-12 To burn *incense, Zechariah stood in front of the *altar of *incense. The *altar of *incense was near the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place. On the north side, there was the table for the special bread. On the south side was the gold lamp holder. The *angel, who was called the *angel of the *Lord, appeared on the right or south side of the *altar. He stood between the *altar and the gold lamp holder.
The sudden appearance of an *angel was a shock to Zechariah.
Verses 13-15 Zechariah wanted to have a child. He and Elizabeth had probably prayed often to God about it. The *angel came with the news that God had heard those prayers. And Elizabeth would give birth to a son. But Zechariah must give the name John to that child.
John in the *Hebrew language combines the name of God with the word for kindness. Therefore, John means ‘the *Lord has been kind’.
Zechariah and Elizabeth had been so sad that they could not have a child. Now the *angel said that the birth of John would bring much joy to them. The *Lord would answer their prayers. John would be a special son to them. Many people would be glad at John’s birth and because of his life.
John must never drink wine or strong drink. Strong drink probably means any drink with alcohol in it. (See the rules for the Nazirites in Numbers chapter 6. The Nazirites were people who made a special promise to God.) This showed that John had a special task from God.
God had a special task for John to do. God sent the power of the *Holy Spirit to be in John even before his birth. John would be a great servant of the *Lord. He would be a *prophet; in fact, he was more than a *prophet (Matthew 11:9).
Verses 16-17 The work that John would do was to prepare the people for the *Lord (Malachi 3:1). John would cause many *Jews to *repent of their *sins. They would turn again to the *Lord their God. Because of this, families would come together again.
In Malachi 4:5 we read that Elijah will come before the *Christ comes. The *Christ means the king that God would appoint to save his people. The promise that *Christ would come is in many parts of the *Old Testament. Here, ‘Elijah’ means a *prophet who is like the *prophet Elijah in the *Old Testament. This new ‘Elijah’ would come with the power that the Holy Spirit gives to him. So, John the *Baptist came in that power before Jesus came. John would announce to the *Jews that Jesus the *Christ had come.
Verses 18-20 Zechariah asked what seemed to be a reasonable question. He and his wife were too old to have children. But the question showed that he did not believe the *angel (verse 20). Mary asked a similar question (verse 34). But she did believe the *angel. She asked how God would give her a child.
The *angel told Zechariah that his name was Gabriel. Gabriel means ‘God’s soldier’. This was a direct message from God. So Zechariah did not believe God. But God would do what he said. Because of this, Zechariah would not be able to speak until after John was born.
There was a tradition of the *Jews that there were 4 chief *angels round the *throne of God. Their names were Michael, Uriel, Raphael and Gabriel.
Verses 21-22 It was not usual for the priest to be such a long time in the holy place. The priest would usually take less than half an hour to burn the *incense. So, the people wondered what had happened. They waited for Zechariah to come out from the holy place. When he did come out, he was both dumb and deaf (1:62).
The people understood that Zechariah had seen a *vision. But he had actually met with the *angel Gabriel.
Verses 23-25 Zechariah did not go home immediately. He continued to perform his duties until the end of the week. Then the group of Abijah had completed their time in the *temple. After this, Zechariah went home to his wife Elizabeth.
Some time later Elizabeth became *pregnant. This means that she would have a baby. She stayed at home for 5 months. Then there could be no doubt that she was expecting a child.
Elizabeth knew that she could not have a child in the normal way. The *Lord had made it possible. The *Lord gave to her the strength. And he made her able to have a baby although she was so old.
At that time, many people thought that it was a shame for a wife to have no children. The *Lord had removed that shame from Elizabeth.
The *angel announces the birth of Jesus – Luke 1:26-38
v26 In the 6th month, God sent the *angel Gabriel to Nazareth. Nazareth was a town in the region called Galilee. v27 God sent the *angel to a young woman who had never had sex with a man. Her name was Mary. She was engaged to a man called Joseph. He was a *descendant of David. v28 The *angel came to Mary and he greeted her. He said, ‘The *Lord gives you great honour. The *Lord is with you.’
v29 Mary was very worried by what the *angel said. And she wondered what his words could mean. v30 The *angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary. God is pleased with you and he has decided to *bless you. v31 You will become *pregnant. A son will be born to you and you must call his name Jesus.v32 He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the *Most High. The *Lord God will give to him the *throne of King David, his *ancestor. v33 He will rule over Jacob’s people for all time and his *kingdom will never end.’
v34 Mary asked the *angel, ‘How will this happen? I have not had sex with a man.’
v35 The *angel answered her, ‘The *Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of the *Most High will cover you. Therefore, the baby will be called holy, and he will be the Son of God. v36 Now also Elizabeth, your relative, will have a son although she is very old. People said that she could not have a child. But this is the 6th month since she became *pregnant. v37 Nothing is impossible with God.’
v38 Mary said, ‘Look! I am the *Lord’s servant. Let this happen to me as you have said.’ Then the *angel went away from her.
Verses 26-28 Nazareth was a small town or village. It was not on a main road. The *Jews did not consider Nazareth to be important (see John 1:46).
God sent the same *angel to Mary as he had sent to Zechariah. The *angel Gabriel came to Mary in Nazareth. It was the 6th month since Elizabeth became *pregnant.
Mary was engaged to Joseph. In that society, the agreement to marry bound the man and the woman together. In other words, they had to marry each other. If they broke off (ended) the agreement, by their law it would be a divorce. But they must not have sex before the marriage.
Verses 29-31 The appearance of the *angel surprised Mary. What he said made her feel uneasy. She did not know what to expect. But the *angel told her not to be afraid. He had come from God. He told her that she pleased God. So, she had nothing of which to be afraid.
Gabriel told Mary that God had chosen her for the human birth of his son, Jesus. She had never had sex, but she would have a baby. No man would be the father of Jesus. His birth would be a *miracle of the *Holy Spirit. The *prophet Isaiah had said that this would happen (Isaiah 7:14).
Mary must call the baby ‘Jesus’. The name Jesus was a common name in *Israel. It is the same name as Joshua, with a different English spelling. The mean