Table of Contents

Lesson 1 Luke 1:1-25
Lesson 2 Luke 1:26-56
Lesson 3 Luke 1:57-80
Lesson 4 Luke 2:1-20
Lesson 5 Luke 2:21-39
Lesson 6 Luke 2:40-52
Lesson 7 Luke 3:1-20
Lesson 8 Luke 3:21-38
Lesson 9 Luke 4:1-15
Lesson 10 Luke 4:16-32
Lesson 11 Luke 4:33-44
Lesson 12 Luke 5:1-26
Lesson 13 Luke 5:27-39
Lesson 14 Luke 6:1-45
Lesson 15 Luke 7:1-30
Lesson 16 Luke 7:31-50
Lesson 17 Luke 8:1-18
Lesson 18 Luke 8:19-56
Lesson 19 Luke 9:1-62
Lesson 20 Luke 10:1-42
Lesson 21 Luke 11:1-54
Lesson 22 Luke 12:1-59
Lesson 23 Luke 13:1-35
Lesson 24 Luke 14:1-35
Lesson 25 Luke 15:1-32
Lesson 26 Luke 16:1-31
Lesson 27 Luke 17:1-37
Lesson 28 Luke 18:1-43
Lesson 29 Luke 19:1-48
Lesson 30 Luke 20:1-47
Lesson 31 Luke 21:1-38
Lesson32 Luke 22:1-38
Lesson 33 Luke 22:39-71
Lesson 34 Luke 23:1-26  
Lesson 35 Luke 23:27-56
Lesson 36 Luke 24:1-35
Lesson 37 Luke 24:36-53   

Book of Luke - Introduction

 Introduction: "The special emphasis of Luke is the Humanity of Jesus, Representing Jesus as the Son of God. Luke features His kindness toward the Weak, the Suffering, and the Outcast. While each of the gospels was intended ultimately for all Mankind, Matthew seems to have had in immediate view the Jew; Mark, the Roman; and Luke the Greeks. Jewish civilization had been built around their scriptures, Therefore Matthew appeals to their Scriptures. Roman civilization glories in the idea of Government, Power, Therefore, Mark calls particular attention to the Miracles of Jesus as exhibiting His Superhuman Power. Greek civilization represented Culture, Philosophy, Wisdom, Reason, Beauty, Education. Therefore, to appeal to the Thoughtful, Cultured, Philosophic Greek Mind, Luke, in a complete, orderly, and classical story, which has been called the "most Beautiful Book Ever Written," depicts the Glorious Beauty and Perfection of Jesus the Ideal, Universal Man."----(Halley's Bible Handbook, p.444)

As with Matthew and Mark, we wish to look at some distinctive features of this book!  

I. Orderliness

1. One aspect of this book is it's orderliness: Luke 1:1,3: "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,... It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,"

        a. We need to recognize that some books are more in sequences, time of        occurrences, etc., than others!

         b. Problems seem to develop at times, as one is looking at two different accounts of the same event, when one is observing order and the other is giving emphasis to some other aspect, with little or no attention to order.   Instead the writer may connect the same account with something else in accordance with his particular purpose in the presentation.

2. Notice the reference to time, in the early part: Luke 1:5,6 "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

        a. Time of Herod; certain individuals--Zacharias and Elizabeth--being without children; their character; being without child; he a priest, she a descendent of Aaron; how God caused them to be able to produce a child, John, who is related to Jesus, and finally how Jesus was conceived, etc.

        b. See the setting for the orderly development Luke 2:1,2:"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)” 3:1-3: “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judean, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene. “ 3:23:”And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,"

NOTE: "The genealogy as given in Luke is somewhat different than that given by Matthew.  Matthew goes back to Abraham; Luke starts with Adam. One is descending, 'begat'; the other is ascending, 'was son of'. From David they separate lines, touching in Shealtiel and Zerubbabel. The commonly accepted view is that Matthew gives Joseph's line, showing Jesus to be the Legal Heir to the Promises given Abraham and David; and that Luke gives Mary's line, showing Jesus' blood descent, 'son of David according to the flesh', Rom. 1:3 Mary's genealogy, in accord with Jewish usage, was in her husband's name. Joseph was the 'son of Heli', Lk 3:23, that is, 'son- in-law' of Heli. Jacob was Joseph's father, Matthew. 1:16. These genealogies, given more fully in I Chron 1-9, form the backbone of O T annals. Carefully guarded through long centuries of epochal vicissitudes, they contain a 'family line through which a Promise was transmitted 4000 years, a fact unexplained in history'." (Halley's Bible Handbook p.380 )

3. Jesus being baptized, after many people 3:21-23--"..being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan..."4:1ff, returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee,.."4:14

II. The Ideal Man!

        A. Key phrase, "Son of Man." ( found 25 time )

             1. To Seek and SAVE: Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek      and to save that which was lost."

             2. Offering salvation to all nations: Luke 24:46-47 "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

        B. Passages:

              1. Lk 5:24: "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house."

              2. Lk 6:5  "And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath."

             3.Lk  6:22  "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake."

             4. Lk 7:34  "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!"

            5. Lk 9:22  "Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day."

             6. Lk 9:26  "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."

              7. Lk 9:44  "Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men."

             8.  Lk 9:56  "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."

              9. Lk 9:58  "And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

             10. Lk 12:8  "Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:"

             11. Lk 12:10  "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven."

             12. Lk 12:40  "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

              13. Lk 17:22  "And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it."       

             14. Lk 17:24  "For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day."

              15. Lk 17:26  "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man."

              16. Lk 17:30  "Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

             17. Lk 18:8  "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

              18. Lk 18:31  "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished."

              19. Lk 21:27  "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

             20. Lk 21:36  "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

             21. Lk 22:22  "And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!"

              22. Lk 22:48  "But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?"

              23. Lk 22:69 "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God."

               24. Lk 24:7  "Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Wisdom: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

                25. Lk 21:12-18  “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.”

Conclusion: The book of Luke--written to appeal to the Greek mind that had been  educated in culture, wisdom, beauty.  Now Jesus, the "Son of Man" came preaching  compassion and with a mission to save all. He is truly a man for all seasons, or for every situation and time, if man will just accept Him.

        1. Repentance and remission of sins began to be presented in  Jerusalem and continued throughout the whole world.

        a. Believers were told to "repent and be baptized for the  remission of sins." (Acts 2:38)  In Acts 2:41 we are told: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

        b. This corresponds with every other passage relative to the  great commission and its practice by the apostles!

        2. Today, regardless of our background and or needs, Jesus  is the one who understands, feels, and holds forth His hand to us, saying: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mt. 11:28 - 30)

         3. Therefore, we need to examine ourselves to see if we have availed ourselves of the salvation that is IN CHRIST! God has given us a simple formula for our salvation:  Hear the gospel and Believe in Christ, (Rom. 10:17; +  Repent of our sinful ways  Acts 17:30-3) + Confess that Jesus is the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10) + be Baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 22:16) == Salvation!

             a. If we have done so then  we can be assured of an eternal home provided that we are living, working, and worshiping in accordance with  His word,  recorded in the NT Scriptures.

             b. If we haven't, then  we need to act immediately! (2 Cor. 6:2)  We need to correct our life if we wish to have another life in eternity.  Hear Jesus in the book of Revelation: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:16-17)
 

QUESTIONS:

1. To whom was the book of Luke address (1:1-3)?

2. What had “many” others “taken in hand” (1:1)?

3. What was the writer’s stated purpose in writing (1:4)?

4. What does the writer promise and his purpose to write unto him “in order” suggest to you (1:3)?

5. Where does the writer of the Gospel according to Luke begin his presentation, time wise (1:5)?

6. Who are the first persons mentioned other than the king (1 4)?

7. How are the two persons mentioned in (v.5) characterized in (1. 6)?

8. How many children did Zacharias and Elisabeth have, and what was their age (v. 7)?

9. How do you perceive Luke’s writings differed from the other gospels -- as to his audience? 

10. What is a Key Phrase we find in Luke, describing Jesus (Cf. Lk. 24:7)?

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