16. I.e., the same hour as the Emmaus meal, which took place in the late afternoon, when it was “nearly evening” (Luke 24:29). Therefore, there is still time to return to Jerusalem that same night.
17. Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, 126–27.
18. See Catechism 1329.
19. Augustine, Sermon 235.3, in Sermons, trans. Edmund Hill, 11 vols., WSA III/7 (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 1990–97), 7:41.
20. Acts 1:3: “He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered.”
21. Ignatius of Antioch, Smyrnaeans 3.1–2, in The Apostolic Fathers, trans. Kirsopp Lake, LCL (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1912), 255.
22. Augustine, Sermon 116.3, in Sermons, trans. Edmund Hill, 11 vols., WSA III/4 (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 1990–97), 4:204.
23. For the ideas in this paragraph, see John Paul Heil, The Meal Scenes in Luke-Acts: An Audience-Oriented Approach (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 1999), 221–26.
24. For the verb “must” (dei) in reference to Jesus’ life, see Luke 2:49; 4:43; 9:22; 13:33; 17:25; 19:5; 22:37; 24:7, 26. For verbs indicating that Jesus has come to “fulfill” (e.g., plēroō, teleō), see Luke 1:1; 4:21; 9:31, 51; 12:50; 18:31; 22:16, 37.
25. The Jewish Bible is similarly divided into three parts: the law of Moses (Torah), the Prophets, and the Writings (which include the Psalms). Such a division is already suggested in the prologue or foreword to Sirach.
26. Acts 2:38; 3:19–20; 5:31; 10:43; 11:18; 13:38; 17:30; 20:21; 26:18, 20.
27. Thus fulfilling Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2:32) and Jesus’ own words (4:24–27).
28. Acts 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 10:39, 41; 13:31; 22:15; 26:16.
29. See John T. Carroll, Luke: A Commentary, New Testament Library (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2012), 495; and James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, PNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015), 740.
30. Exod 3:8; 12:17, 42; 13:3 LXX; Acts 7:36, 40; 13:17.
31. Mikeal C. Parsons, The Departure of Jesus in Luke-Acts: The Ascension Narratives in Context (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1987), 104, 112.
Suggested Resources
From the Christian Tradition
Bonaventure. Commentary on the Gospel of Luke. Edited and translated by Robert J. Karris. 3 vols. St. Bonaventure, NY: The Franciscan Institute, 2001–4. Bonaventure draws on earlier works, such as the commentaries of Ambrose and Bede and the homilies of Gregory the Great.
Just, Arthur A., ed. Luke. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament 3. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2003. Excerpts of interpretations from patristic writers.
Scholarly Commentaries
Bovon, François. Luke. Translated by Christine M. Thomas, Donald S. Deer, and James Crouch. 3 vols. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002–13. This massive commentary in the Reformed tradition includes discussion of the history of interpretation of passages.
Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Luke. PNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015. Insightful, recent commentary by a Presbyterian scholar.
Fitzmyer, Joseph A. The Gospel according to Luke. 2 vols. AB. New York: Doubleday, 1981–85. A wealth of information by a noted Jesuit scholar. The lengthy introduction also covers Luke’s theology.
Garland, David E. Luke. ZECNT. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011. Thorough treatment with extensive pastoral applications by a Baptist scholar.
Popular Commentaries
Gray, Tim. Mission of the Messiah: On the Gospel of Luke. Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road, 1998. An engaging overview of Luke’s main sections and major themes by a well-known Catholic author.
Martin, George. Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life: Insight and Inspiration. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2011. Lengthy, easy-to-read commentary intended to aid personal lectio divina, by a veteran Catholic writer on Scripture. It provides helpful background information and reflection questions.
For Special Study
Snodgrass, Klyne R. Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008. In-depth treatment of Gospel parables, useful for preaching and teaching, by an evangelical scholar.
Glossary
anawim: Hebrew word meaning those who are poor, lowly, humble, meek, and afflicted (Pss 10:17; 25:9; 37:11; 69:33; Zeph 2:3), who thus depend on God and put their trust in him.
Dead Sea Scrolls: a collection of ancient manuscripts dating from around 250 BC to AD 70, discovered beginning in 1947 in the caves near Qumran, close to the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. Besides biblical texts, they include many other texts that shed light on Jewish belief and practice of the time.
eschatological (Greek eschatos, “last”): having to do with the last things accompanying God’s decisive intervention in history. The last times have already begun with Jesus’ first coming, but during the time before his second coming they have not yet reached their definitive fulfillment.
Hasmoneans: the family of Jewish priests who led the Maccabean revolt (167–164 BC) and eventually ruled Judea from 135 to 63 BC, when it came under Roman control. After various power struggles, the last Hasmonean king was defeated by Herod the Great in 37 BC.
incarnation: “the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it” (Catechism 461). Thus, “Jesus Christ is true God and true man” (Catechism 464).
Mishnah: a collection of Jewish teaching compiled at the end of the second century AD, giving written expression to the oral traditions of the rabbis.
nazirite: an Israelite man or woman consecrated to God for a set time or for a lifetime. The vow involved abstaining from alcohol and not cutting one’s hair (Num 6:1–21).
Sanhedrin: the Jewish people’s supreme judicial council in Jerusalem, made up of the high priest and seventy other members, drawn from the leading priests, elders, and scribes.
Septuagint: Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was begun in the third century BC. The name means “seventy” in Latin (thus the designation LXX), from the tradition that there were seventy translators. Old Testament quotations in the New Testament often follow the Septuagint, since it was used by Greek-speaking Jews and Christians.
servant of the Lord: the figure portrayed in four passages of Isaiah that are identified by scholars as servant songs (Isa 42:1–9; 49:1–7; 50:4–11; 52:13–53:12). In particular, the third and fourth passages describe a suffering servant. These passages are applied to Jesus in the New Testament (Luke 3:22; 9:35; 22:37; Acts 8:32–35).
servant songs: See servant of the Lord
Shema (Hebrew for “Hear!”): Israel’s confession of faith in one God, which begins with Deut 6:4: “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!”
suffering servant: See servant of the Lord
synoptic (Greek: “seeing together”): term applied to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, because they can be viewed in parallel since they contain much common material that at times even uses the same wording and appears in the same order.
type: a person, place, thing, institution, or event in an earlier stage of God’s plan that prefigures a greater reality (called an antitype) at a later stage. “Typology” refers to the use or study of such type-antitype pairs (e.g., Adam-Christ).
typology: See type
Vulgate (Latin: “common”): the fourth- and early fifth-century Latin translation of the Bible by St. Jerome, used widely and declared to be the official Latin text at the Council of Trent.
YHWH: transliteration of the four Hebrew consonants of God’s holy name revealed to Moses (Exod 3:14–15). Out of reverence, Jews do not pronounce the name when reading Scripture aloud, substituting instead the title “Lord” (Hebrew Adonai, Greek Kyrios).
Index of Pastoral Topics
This index indicates the location in Luke of topics that may be useful for evangelization, catechesis, apologetics, or other forms of pastoral ministry.
almsgiving, 11:41; 12:33
angels,
1:11–38; 2:9–15; 9:26; 12:8–9; 15:10; 16:22; 22:43; 24:4–7, 23
anxiety, 8:14; 10:41; 12:11, 22–31; 21:34
apostles, the twelve, 6:13–16; 8:1; 9:1, 10, 12; 18:31; 22:3, 14, 28–30, 47; 24:10
baptism, 3:3, 16, 21–22; 18:15–16
brothers of Jesus, 8:19–21
celibacy, 18:29–30
certainty of Christian teachings, 1:1–4
children, 9:47–48; 18:15–17
children of God, 6:35; 20:36
commandments, 1:6; 10:27; 18:20; 23:56
compassion, 7:13; 10:33; 15:20
devil, Satan, 4:1–13; 8:12; 10:18; 11:18; 13:16; 22:3, 31
discipleship, 5:11, 27–28; 6:40; 9:23, 57–62; 14:26–27, 33; 18:22, 28–30
divorce, 16:18
eternal life, 10:25; 18:18, 30
Eucharist, 9:16; 22:19–20; 24:30, 35
evangelization, mission, 2:10; 4:18–19, 43–44; 7:22; 8:1, 39; 9:2, 6; 16:16; 20:1; 24:47
faith, 1:45; 5:20; 7:9, 50; 8:12–13, 25, 48, 50; 17:5–6, 19; 18:8, 42; 22:32
fasting, 2:37; 5:33–35; 18:12
fearfulness, 8:50; 12:4, 7, 32
fear of God, 1:50; 12:5; 18:2, 4; 23:40
forgiveness, 1:77; 3:3; 4:18; 5:20–24; 6:37; 7:47–49; 11:4; 17:3–4; 23:34; 24:47
fulfillment of Old Testament, 3:4–6; 4:21; 7:27; 18:31; 20:17; 21:22; 22:37; 24:27, 44
Golden Rule, 6:31
greed, 12:15; 16:13
heaven, 6:23; 10:20–21; 11:13; 12:33; 15:7; 18:22; 24:51
hell (Gehenna), 12:5
Holy Spirit, 1:15, 35, 41, 67; 2:25–27; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 14, 18; 10:21; 11:13; 12:10, 12; 24:49
humility, 1:48, 52; 14:11; 18:14
hypocrisy, 12:1
Jesus, divinity of, 1:32, 35; 5:20–21; 10:22; 22:69; 24:51–52
Jesus, humanity of, 1:42; 2:5–7; 4:2; 8:23; 20:41; 22:42–44; 23:46
Jesus, passion predictions, 9:22, 44; 17:25; 18:31–33
Jesus, titles of, 1:35; 2:11; 5:24; 9:20; 18:38–39; 20:41–44; 21:27; 22:67, 69–70; 23:2–3; 24:26, 46
joy, 1:14, 28; 2:10; 6:23; 8:13; 10:17, 20; 13:17; 15:5, 7, 10, 32; 19:6, 37; 24:41, 52
judgment, 10:11–14; 11:31–32
kingdom of God, 1:33; 4:43; 6:20; 7:28; 8:1, 10; 9:2, 11, 27, 60, 62; 10:9, 11; 11:2, 20; 12:31–32; 13:18–21, 28–29; 14:15; 16:16; 17:20–21; 18:16–17, 24–25, 29–30; 19:11; 21:31; 22:16, 18, 29–30; 23:42, 51
love, 6:27, 32, 35; 7:42, 47; 10:27; 11:42; 16:13
Mary, mother of Jesus, 1:26–56; 2:1–52; 8:19–21; 11:27–28
mercy, 1:50, 54, 58, 72, 78; 6:36; 10:37; 16:24; 17:13; 18:38–39
miracles, exorcisms, 4:31–37, 41; 6:18; 7:21; 8:26–39; 9:1, 37–43, 49; 10:17–19; 11:14; 13:10–17
miracles, healings, 4:38–40; 5:12–26; 6:6–11, 18–19; 7:1–10, 21–22; 8:43–48; 9:1–2, 6; 10:9; 14:1–6; 17:11–19; 18:35–43; 22:51
miracles, nature, 8:22–25; 9:12–17
miracles, resuscitations from the dead, 7:11–17; 8:40–42, 49–56
obedience, 2:51
persecution, 6:22–23; 11:49; 12:4, 11; 21:12–19
Peter, 4:38; 5:1–11; 6:14; 8:45, 51; 9:20, 28, 32–33; 12:41; 18:28; 22:8, 31–34, 54–62; 24:12, 34
poverty, the poor, 4:18; 6:20; 7:22; 14:13, 21; 16:19–31; 18:22; 19:8; 21:2–4
praising or blessing God, 1:64; 2:13, 20, 28; 18:43; 19:37; 24:53
prayer, Jesus at, 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28–29; 10:21; 11:1; 22:41–45
prayer, teaching on, 6:28; 11:1–13; 18:1–14; 21:36; 22:40, 46
priesthood, institution of Christian, 22:19
repentance, 3:3, 8; 5:32; 10:13; 11:32; 13:3, 5; 15:7, 10; 16:30–31; 17:3–4; 24:47
resurrection of the dead, 20:27–40
riches, the rich, 1:53; 6:24; 8:14; 12:15–21; 14:12; 16:9, 11, 13–14, 19–31; 18:22–25; 19:1–10; 21:1–4
second coming, 9:26; 12:40; 17:24; 18:8; 21:27
servant leadership, 12:41–44; 22:26–27
sinners, Jesus’ care for, 5:29–32; 7:34, 36–50; 15:1–2; 19:1–10
taxes, 20:22–25
unbelief, 1:20; 22:67; 24:11, 25
unity among Christians, 9:50
vigilance, 12:37; 21:36
will of God, 12:47; 22:42
witness, bearing, 21:13; 24:48
women disciples, 8:2–3; 10:38–42; 23:49, 55–56; 24:1–10
word of God, response to, 1:38; 5:1; 6:47; 8:4–8, 11–15, 18, 21; 11:28
Index of Sidebars
Abraham and the Rich Man (St. John Chrysostom), 289
Almsgiving and Treasure in Heaven, 241
Angels, 40
Apostolic Tradition (St. Irenaeus), 205
The Assumption into Heaven of Mary, the Ark of the Covenant (St. John Damascene), 51
The Birth of Jesus, 65
Blessed Poverty (St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Benedict XVI), 130
Caesar Augustus, 61
Daily Bread (Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Jerome, St. Augustine), 220
Duc in Altum! “Put Out into the Deep!” (St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI), 111
The Duration of Jesus’ Public Ministry, 261
Elijah and Elisha Prefigure John, Jesus, and the Apostles, 143
The Eucharistic Real Presence (St. Justin Martyr), 358
Fishing on the Lake of Gennesaret, 112
Giving Jesus Good Hospitality (St. Teresa of Ávila), 152
The Great Dinner in Heaven (St. Gregory the Great), 267
The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts, 223
The Immaculate Conception (St. Thomas Aquinas, Bl. John Duns Scotus), 43
Infant Baptism (Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Innocent I), 306
Isaiah’s New Exodus Fulfilled in Luke-Acts, 84
Jesus’ Human Will and Divine Will (Third Council of Constantinople, St. Maximus the Confessor, Pope Benedict XVI), 365
Jesus Is Himself the Kingdom (Origen, Joseph Ratzinger, St. John Paul II), 298
Jesus the Good Samaritan (St. Irenaeus, Origen, St. Augustine), 213
Jesus the Lord, 115
Jewish Groups and Leaders, 82
The Joyful Mysteries (St. John Paul II), 76
Jubilee Year, 101
Justification in Luke, 305
The Kingdom of God, 203
King Herod and Herod the Tetrarch, 36
Liturgical Coming of the Lord (St. Caesarius of Arles, Pope Benedict XVI), 325
The Lord’s “New Exodus” Prayer, 222
Luke the Historian and the Historicity of the Gospels (St. Bonaventure, Vatican II, St. John Paul II), 32
Mary’s Yes and the Incarnation (St. Bernard), 47
Messianic Expectations, 179
Old Testament Background of Luke’s Central Section, 285
Old Testament Fathers and Sons, 278
Pairing of Men and Women in Luke, 255
Parables in Luke, 157
Parables Revisited, 322
Parallels between Luke and Acts, 376
The Priesthood of Jesus (Origen, St. Bonaventure), 117
Psalm 110 and Jesus’ Priestly Authority, 342
Samaritans, 212
The Son of Man, 181
The Suffering and Death of Jesus (Bl. John Henry Newman), 385
Synagogues, 106
Taking Up the Cross (Thomas à Kempis), 182
The Tears of a Mother (St. Ambrose, St. Augustine), 142
The Temple, 332
The Thorns of Riches (St. John of the Cross), 158
Two Natures United in One Person (St. Leo the Great, St. Bede), 164
Two Peoples (St. Augustine), 275
The Word and the Eucharist (Pope Benedict XVI), 398
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The Gospel of Luke Page 56