The Gospel of Luke
Page 1
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Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture
SERIES EDITORS
Peter S. Williamson
Mary Healy
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Kevin Perrotta
CONSULTING EDITORS
Scott Hahn, Franciscan University of Steubenville
†Daniel J. Harrington, SJ, Weston Jesuit School of Theology
William S. Kurz, SJ, Marquette University
†Francis Martin, Dominican House of Studies
Frank J. Matera, Catholic University of America
George Montague, SM, St. Mary’s University
Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Archbishop of Ottawa
© 2018 by Pablo T. Gadenz
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com
Ebook edition created 2018
Ebook corrections 09.20.2018
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ISBN 978-1-4934-1548-9
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Censor Librorum
January 16, 2018
Imprimatur:
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Archbishop of Newark
January 24, 2018
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Except as otherwise specified, Scripture versification and quotations are from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
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Scripture quotations labeled NETS are from A New English Translation of the Septuagint, © 2007 by the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Inc. Used by permission of Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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Scripture quotations labeled NJB are from THE NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright © 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. Reprinted by permission.
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Edit
rice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Figure 1 is courtesy of the Israel Museum, collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority, exhibited at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Figure 21 is courtesy of the Israel Museum, collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority, exhibited at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Contents
Cover 1
Endorsemente 2
Series Page 4
Title Page 5
Copyright Page 6
Illustrations 9
Editors’ Preface 10
Abbreviations 13
Introduction 15
Outline of the Gospel of Luke 24
Luke States His Purpose (1:1–4) 29
God Visits His People (1:5–80) 33
A Savior Is Born (2:1–52) 59
The Precursor and the Son of God (3:1–4:13) 78
Jesus’ Mission as Messiah (4:14–44) 97
Calling Disciples and Answering Pharisees (5:1–6:11) 109
The Twelve and the Sermon on the Plain (6:12–49) 126
Jesus the Great Prophet (7:1–50) 138
Jesus’ Parables and Power (8:1–56) 154
The Messiah and Suffering Son of Man (9:1–50) 171
The Journey to Jerusalem Begins (9:51–10:42) 192
Prayer and Almsgiving (11:1–54) 217
Genuine Disciples in a Growing Kingdom (12:1–13:21) 234
The Last Are First at God’s Kingdom Banquet (13:22–14:35) 257
Parables about Repentance and Riches (15:1–17:10) 271
The Son of Man and the Kingdom of God (17:11–18:30) 293
The King Goes Up to Jerusalem (18:31–19:44) 311
Ministry in the Temple (19:45–21:38) 329
The Passover of the Messiah (22:1–71) 352
Trial, Crucifixion, and Death (23:1–56) 371
Fulfillment in Jesus’ Resurrection (24:1–53) 389
Suggested Resources 405
Glossary 407
Index of Pastoral Topics 409
Index of Sidebars 411
Map 413
Back Cover 414
Illustrations
Figure 1. Model of the temple sanctuary 37
Figure 2. Annunciation of Cortona by Fra Angelico 46
Figure 3. Traditional birth site of Jesus under the Church of the Nativity 63
Figure 4. The baptismal site Qasr al-Yahud on the Jordan River 81
Figure 5. Magdala boat mosaic 113
Figure 6. Galilee boat 114
Figure 7. Synagogue in Capernaum 140
Figure 8. Coin with reed of Herod Antipas 147
Figure 9. Carved lampstand (temple menorah) 160
Figure 10. Mount Arbel and the Sea of Galilee 163
Figure 11. Mosaic of loaves and fish 175
Figure 12. Fig tree 251
Figure 13. Return of the Prodigal Son by Murillo 277
Figure 14. Millstone at Capernaum 291
Figure 15. Temple inscription prohibiting further entry to foreigners 295
Figure 16. Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives 327
Figure 17. Diagram of the temple 331
Figure 18. Denarius of Tiberius Caesar 338
Figure 19. Temple ruins (southwest corner) 347
Figure 20. Olive trees in Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives 364
Figure 21. Pilate inscription at Caesarea Maritima 373
Figure 22. Church of the Holy Sepulchre 388
Figure 23. Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio 396
Editors’ Preface
The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord. . . . All the preaching of the Church should be nourished and governed by Sacred Scripture. For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the power and goodness in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her sons and daughters, the food of the soul, a pure and perennial fountain of spiritual life.
Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum 21
Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?
Luke 24:32
The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture aims to serve the ministry of the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church. Since Vatican Council II, there has been an increasing hunger among Catholics to study Scripture in depth and in a way that reveals its relationship to liturgy, evangelization, catechesis, theology, and personal and communal life. This series responds to that desire by providing accessible yet substantive commentary on each book of the New Testament, drawn from the best of contemporary biblical scholarship as well as the rich treasury of the Church’s tradition. These volumes seek to offer scholarship illumined by faith, in the conviction that the ultimate aim of biblical interpretation is to discover what God has revealed and is still speaking through the sacred text. Central to our approach are the principles taught by Vatican II: first, the use of historical and literary methods to discern what the biblical authors intended to express; second, prayerful theological reflection to understand the sacred text “in accord with the same Spirit by whom it was written”—that is, in light of the content and unity of the whole Scripture, the living tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith (Dei Verbum 12).
The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture is written for those engaged in or training for pastoral ministry and others interested in studying Scripture to understand their faith more deeply, to nourish their spiritual life, or to share the good news with others. With this in mind, the authors focus on the meaning of the text for faith and life rather than on the technical questions that occupy scholars, and they explain the Bible in ordinary language that does not require translation for preaching and catechesis. Although this series is written from the perspective of Catholic faith, its authors draw on the interpretation of Protestant and Orthodox scholars and hope these volumes will serve Christians of other traditions as well.
A variety of features are designed to make the commentary as useful as possible. Each volume includes the biblical text of the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), the translation approved for liturgical use in the United States. In order to serve readers who use other translations, the commentary notes and explains the most important differences between the NABRE and other widely used translations (e.g., RSV, NRSV, JB, NJB, and NIV). Each unit of the biblical text is followed by a list of references to relevant Scripture passages, Catechism sections, and uses in the Roman Lectionary. The exegesis that follows aims to explain in a clear and engaging way the meaning of the text in its original historical context as well as its perennial meaning for Christians. Reflection and Application sections help readers apply Scripture to Christian life today by responding to questions that the text raises, offering spiritual interpretations drawn from Christian tradition or providing suggestions for the use of the biblical text in catechesis, preaching, or other forms of pastoral ministry.
Interspersed throughout the commentary are Biblical Background sidebars that present historical, literary, or theological information, and Living Tradition sidebars that offer pertinent material from the postbiblical Christian tradition, including quotations from Church documents and from the writings of saints and Church Fathers. The Biblical Background sidebars are indicated by a photo of urns that were excavated in Jerusalem, signifying the importance of historical study in understanding the sacred text. The Living Tradition sidebars are indicated by an image of Eadwine, a twelfth-century monk and scribe, signifying the growth in the Church’s understanding that comes by the grace of the Holy Spirit as believers study and ponder the Word of God in their hearts (see Dei Verbum 8).
Maps and a glo
ssary are included in each volume for easy reference. The glossary explains key terms from the biblical text as well as theological or exegetical terms, which are marked in the commentary with a cross (†). A list of suggested resources, an index of pastoral topics, and an index of sidebars are included to enhance the usefulness of these volumes. Further resources, including questions for reflection or discussion, can be found at the series website, www.CatholicScriptureCommentary.com.
It is our desire and prayer that these volumes be of service so that more and more “the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified” (2 Thess 3:1) in the Church and throughout the world.
Peter S. Williamson
Mary Healy
Kevin Perrotta
Note to Readers
The New American Bible, Revised Edition differs slightly from most English translations in its verse numbering of Psalms and certain other parts of the Old Testament. For instance, Ps 51:4 in the NABRE is Ps 51:2 in other translations; Mal 3:19 in the NABRE is Mal 4:1 in other translations. Readers who use different translations are advised to keep this in mind when looking up Old Testament references given in the commentary.
Abbreviations
† Indicates that a definition of a term appears in the glossary
// Indicates where a parallel account can be found in other Gospels
AB Anchor Bible
ACW Ancient Christian Writers
Catechism Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (New York: Doubleday, 2003)
CCSL Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina (Turnhout: Brepols, 1953–)
ch(s). chapter(s)
Denzinger H. Denzinger, Compendium of Creeds, Definitions, and Declarations on Matters of Faith and Morals, 43rd ed. Edited by Peter Hünermann. Latin-English (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2012)
ESV English Standard Version
FC Fathers of the Church
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
KJV King James Version
LCL Loeb Classical Library
Lectionary The Lectionary for Mass (1998/2002 USA edition)
LXX Septuagint