is begin Luke (Luke 1- 4)

Luke begins his gospel with a short letter to someone called Theophilus in which he explains that there have been many stories told about Jesus, that he has studied them and that he will write an account of them so that Theophilus can know the certainty of the stories.

Luke first gives a more detailed story of John the Baptist.   Elizabeth and Zechariah were quite old and had no children.  The angel, Gabriel, tells Zechariah that he will be the father of a great man who will bring sinners to the Lord.  Zechariah doesn’t believe Gabriel so he is struck speechless.  Shortly after this, Elizabeth becomes pregnant. 

Six months later an angel informs Mary, Elizabeth’s cousin, that she will give birth to Jesus and that she will conceive through the Holy Spirit so that her son will be called the Son of God.  Mary goes to be with Elizabeth, and John, still in the womb, recognizes the Holy Spirit within Mary.  When Elizabeth gives birth and Zechariah names the baby, he regains his speech and he tells the people that John will prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.

And then we get another Christmas story of the birth of Jesus.  Luke who has told Theophilus that he wants to give him an accurate account of the stories has nothing of a star or wise men or Herod or babies being killed or an escape into Egypt that we found in Matthew.    But the story is familiar just the same.  Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem for a census.  There is no room at the inn so Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a manger.  Angels tell the shepherds in the field about the birth of Jesus and the shepherds head to Bethlehem to see for themselves.

Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke includes a couple of events from the childhood of Jesus.  First, Jesus is taken to the temple on the eighth day (circumcision) and a priest named Simeon tells Mary and Joseph that Jesus will bring salvation to the world.  Mary and Joseph are amazed at what Simeon tells them.  When Jesus is 12, he preaches in the temple and not only are the people amazed at this young boy’s teaching but so are Joseph and Mary.  In both cases, I am not sure why they are amazed considering both of them were well aware of the conception and birth of Jesus.

Like Matthew and Mark, Luke tells of John preaching in the desert.   But Luke also adds advice from John that is not in the first two gospels.  When asked how to be ready, John advises that those with two shirts give one away and those with food share.  He tells tax collectors to take only what is legal and he tells soldiers neither to take anything by force nor to make false accusations.   All good advice.

Luke gives a very different genealogy from the one written by Matthew and then Jesus is baptized and goes into the desert where he is tempted by Satan.  Like Matthew, Luke includes the line about not living by bread alone, that there needs to be a spiritual side to our lives.  Or, at least, our lives need more than just the material.