Please read Chapter 13-24 of the Gospel of Luke. Look at the list of passages "special" to Luke, i.e., passages that occur in Luke's gospel only (Section VI of the outline I passed out in class). Choose one or two of these passages and speculate on why Luke chose to include this material while Matthew did not. If others have commented on this passage before you, say whether you agree with their suggestions or not.If you do not have the outline I passed out, see the online version here.
22 comments:
I chose the parable of the rich fool (Lk 12:13-21). It talks of how having great riches on earth gets you nowhere if you "aren't rich towards God."
I believe that this would be particularly interesting towards gentiles because it shows them that God/Jesus has no real interest in your net worth. I could definitely see gentiles being apprehensive towards
conversion looking at both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They didn't live their lives according to their preachings. They would say that they have a good soul because they had a good crop year. But having Jesus state that indeed all of this materials and ideas of money making you righteous is not right could really help convert gentiles to the idea of Christianity, knowing that it is not bad to sin.
Jenna Doblar
Holly Jones
There are numerous meaasges in Luke that are not in Matthew. I could list then but their importance is what we are looking at.
In Luke 4:16-31 we learn of Jesus’ rejection in his hometown of Nazareth of Galilee and makes Capernaum in Galilee the headquarters for his great Galilean ministry. In Luke 9:51 we learn Jesus closes his Galilean ministry and conducts his later Judean and Perean ministry while enroute to Jerusalem to be crucified.
These events/miricles in this time period are significant because they are showing us he is the Messiah and fullfilled Old Testament prophecy.(Matthew's message Jesus is the promissed king)
In Luke 9:51- the message changes Jesus is the son of man, Jesus was God but was also fully human. The events/miracles were random. People came to him. Both groups Pharisees and Sadducees could not do that they could not seperate man from God.
Luke emphasized that Jesus was a real human being that helped helped people. He was concerned with their physical health as well as their souls.
I chose the parable of the Prodigal son (Luke 15:1-10). Undoubtedly, this is Jesus’ most well known parable. It is the story of a man and his two sons. While the older son remains faithful to his father, the younger son demands his inheritance early, leaves his father, and squanders his substance. The younger son, after reaching a pinnacle low point, returns to his father and is welcomed with open arms by his father. The older son is very displeased with his father’s attitude toward his brother. In rebuttal, the father says to the older son, “…be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”
To me, this passage was specifically written for a gentile audience, and maybe, it was written for an even broader audience. The story signifies Jesus’ acceptance of all people of all walks of life.
Including a teaching of Jesus towards humility and patience in my view meant that Luke wanted more people to accept this as part of the true faith that lives in alll of us.
People do not need to go to elite priests to ask for forgiveness every time their brother sins and needs a reminder to do better but as in 17:1-4 the direct forgiveness of those you love, or from prayers to God's love, are what people would accept better.
Hearing this from a sibling or parent would give a person a more sincere sense of responsibility, an idea that one is not worthy of the continual forgiveness of those who love him or her and therefore one will apply their efforts in a much more efficient and responsible fashion.
Brett Newton
Luke 12:13-21
Parable of the Rich Fool
The parable about the rich fool tells a story and carries a very important message that Jesus spread in his teachings; one of the unimportance and repercussions of greed, wealth, money, and possessions. Jesus does not care about all of those things, but cares about what each of us have on the inside and what we share with others. In this parable we learn Jesus’ view about these earthly possessions and views.
One of the reasons that Matthew maybe didn't include this teaching was because his audience was the Jews. They believed that deeds got one into heaven. This parable speaks of the people that build up deeds, money, and earthly qualities that they believe important. But through this parable we begin to understand that God doesn't care about any of these things. This view would undoubtedly offend the Jewish readers that were thinking about possibly converting. By leaving out this in Matthew, Jews would not be offended by the message. Since Luke's audience is believed to be much wider, he would not have worried about offending or turning off any Jews.
In Luke 9: 49-50 you have a man that is driving out demons in the name of Jesus, and John with a few others tried to stop him, but Jesus tells them to leave him a lone because if he is not against them he is for them.
This passage is probably in Luke and not matthew because in Luke he of course is writing to gentiles and in Matthew, you have Matthew writing to the Jews and in the case of Matthew you have different groups of Jews who on one side have the same god, but they of course are against each other, but here in Luke you would have gentile readers who for the most part if they were in the same belief they would probably help one another reather then be against one another because of a few ways in which they run their lives differently like the Jews in the book of Matthew.
Eric Bengs
I'm choosing the Prodical Son. I agree with the earlier post about the this story that it is in fact wrote for a gentile audience. There is a clear message in the story that all you have to do is repent and you will be forgiven.
Also this story in my version of the Bible comes right after the Lost Sheep Luke 15:1-7. Jesus states in this section that one repenting sinner celebrated in heaven more than ninety nine. I think Luke chose to write these paticular stories to let gentiles know it wouldn't be too late to repent and worship God.
That is might be why Matthew decided to leave the prodical son out of his book. This story wouldn't have had the impact on his selected audience as it did on the one Luke was writing to.
Jon Hepola
Annie Merkel
As I previously mentioned in my first blog on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 7:11-17 is an important passage in the book. This passage talks about the "healing of widow's son at Nain." My understanding of the Gospel of Luke is that it contains miracle after miracle, which is why Luke is so likeable.
Yet another passage that supports my argument that Luke is full of stories about miracles is Luke 17:11-18. This passage is about how Jesus had healed ten lepers - Jesus did not even have to touch them but merely tell them "Go and show yourselves to the priests."
My overall generalization about the Gospel of Luke is that it might as well be called the Gospel of Miracles. I did not feel that the Gospel of Matthew was full of miracles; therefore, Luke included many stories of miracles while Matthew chose not to.
Luke teaches about humility when Matthew does not because Luke is reassuring the Gentiles that Jesus came to save all people. My favorite verses in this reading were Luke 14:11-14. Here Luke reminds the Gentiles, and all people, that by humbling themselves they will be exalted. By giving of themselves without expecting or wanting anything in return, they will be rewarded in heaven.
Amanda Imberi
Brian Johnson
I chose the story of the ten lepers found in Luke 17: 11-18.
The reason I felt this was placed in Luke, but not in Matthew is that it specifically mentions that the only one of the lepers to return and thank Jesus was a Samaritan.
This is significant because as we have been learning in class, the Gospel of Luke is generally considered to have been written for the Gentiles, of which the Samaritans were a part.
So, by mentioning the Samaritans Luke is telling the people that Jesus loves and cares about Gentiles as well as Jews.
The healing of the ten lepers found in Luke 17:11-18 is not found in the book of Matthew. Why? This is mere speculation on my part but as was discussed in class the book of Matthew is written for the Jewish people. I doubt the audience would be receptive to the healing of the lepers because one of them,gasp, was a "dirty Samaritan." Not only that; He is the only one who returned to thank Jesus for healing him. It appears Luke tells this story because of its many messages for the Gentile. Notice how the lepers cry out to him as Master. I speculate this would imply that Jesus has absolute authority. He also heals them from a distance. This may mean that even after his ascension into Heaven He will still answer your calls for help or prayers. The act of the Samaritan returning to thank Jesus seems to have many different meanings for a Gentile. The first,and most obvious, would be that God's blessing can be appreciated by some and unappreciated by others. The second has deep meaning for Gentiles, the people who respond to God may not be the ones we expect to respond.
Sam Merkel
Luke 12:13-21
It mentions that being rich doesn't get you anywhere if you are not rich towards god. This makes a lot of sense since the gentiles thought Jesus loved them more since they had the most wealth. Even though they had more wealth it still didn't mean that Jesus favored them more than others. Thinking that since they had a good crop season that they are good in soul and that Jesus has favored them because of their good crop season. If you are very wealthy doesn't mean that Jesus favors you more than others being truly happy is more of a sign that Jesus favors you more than being wealthy.
Joe Adam
Luke 21:1-4
And looking on, he saw the rich men cast their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two brass mites. And he said: Verily I say to you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. For all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of GOD: but she of her want hath cast in all the living that she had.
This verse signifies that the woman gave all that she had in the offerings to god. After this Jesus then speaks about the end of times where “ there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down”.
I also choose the parable of the Prodigal son. I agree mostly with what the other students said about the book being geared to the different groups. More so I think that the specific groups needed those parables. The Jews probably feel that they are the chosen group and would not need to know that they are going to be accepted by a deliverer. The gentiles on the other hand needed to be included in all of Lukes stories because they need to know that Jesus came back to save everyone and it was not an exclusive club.
The story of the lost son shows how the father ie GOD is willing to take back even those who have fallen away from him.
Josh Jensen
I chose the healing of the 10 lepers.
I think Luke chose to put this miracle in his book because it shows that Christ came for more than just Jews. Many Jews believed that only Jews would go to heaven, and the only way Gentiles could go to heaven was to make themselves Jewish. This miracle directly contradicts this thought. When the 10 were healed only a non-Jew came back to thank Jesus. And not only was he a non-Jew, he was a Samaritan, which means he was hated by all Jews. Yet, Jesus still noticed his faith. This would help Gentiles realize that Jesus came for more people than just the Jews, and that if they believed in Jesus as their savior they would be saved.
John Rawerts
I chose the parable of the rich fool.
I think that Luke includes this in his book because it shows how that even you much be rich in material wealth that doesn't mean that you will be rich with God. Luke puts this in here to show people that even the richest people won't find favor with God.
Another one I chose was the healing of the Cirppled woman Lk 13:11-14
I think Luke puts this in here to show Gods mercy with people. Unlike Matthew who was trying to get the Pharisees and Saduccees to realize their wrongs, Luke just wants to show everyone Jesus's love
Zach Anderson
The Friend At Midnight
Luke 11:5-8
I think this passage follows the teaching in the Lords prayer very well. It does with a parable saying do not come to God and ask for things, just as you should not just go to your friend to ask for something. Even though your friend will give you what you need just like God, you need not beg for it.
God will give you what you need, but if you seek his kingdom you will not have to ask for it. I feel this is what Luke is trying to get across your friend will give you what you need, not because you ask, but because he is your friend and he knows when you are in need.
There were two particular passages that I found above the rest that reflect a different message from Matthew, both of which were listed on the blog already.
In these two sections, Jesus is telling a message that is most definitely for a gentile audience. The first I agreed with was Jade's argument for the parable of the Prodigal Son. This is by far one of the most famous parables, and does seem to stress that Jesus wants others to know that no matter where you come from, and no matter what you do, you are still able to achieve forgiveness.
The other parable I liked was the story of the ten lepers, which Brian had commented on. The fact that a samaratin is the leper that came back just further reflects Luke's commitment to write to a gentile audience, that they to can be saved by Jesus and the gospel.
Tim Baustian
I think there are several reasons for their being verses in Luke that do not appear in Matthew. I think that Matthew was written for Jews, with a focus on the Old Testament and OT prophesy coming true. Many scholars think that Luke who only has second hand knowledge of Jesus, followed Paul around. Paul is known as the apostle to the Gentiles. Because Luke rubs a lot more shoulders with Gentiles, I think he is gearing his writing to them and to be lessons and inspirations for them. Luke writes to Theophalus. Theophalus is definitely not a Jewish name. I would say it is Greek. I think that one of Luke's goals was to get the gospel to Rome.
I chose the Friend at Midnight Luke 11: 5-8. I think that this indicates a very good story as to what a good friend would act like, and a bad friend. Luke tells this story because he knows deep in his heart that in order to be a good friend you must give something in order to recieve happiness. He feels that in order to be a good samaritan, when a friend comes to you for something that he is in need of, that you should be willing to give that friend as much as you can give him. Even if you do not have much, to give him what you can. This passage is a good way to think of friendship, because when someone asks you for something, you must reach deep into your heart to find something to give them.
Jesse Peck
To me the story of healing the ten leapers indicates that Luke is writing for a different audience. The fact that only the Samaritan returned indicates that it does not matter who you are you can still follow Jesus. This is one of many stories to tell people that there is no precondition that can stop you from being ok with Jesus.
Another god example is the prodigal son. This story gives the indication that if you have messed up in the past it is ok. Jesus will only love you all the more for the amount of improvement.
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