1He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. 3He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—no staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money. Don’t have two tunics each. 4Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. 5As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
6They departed and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News and healing everywhere.
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9Herod said, “I beheaded John, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him.
10The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done.
He took them and withdrew apart to a desert region of a city called Bethsaida. 11But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing. 12The day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms and lodge and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.”
13But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.” 14For they were about five thousand men.
He said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15They did so, and made them all sit down. 16He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17They ate and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
18As he was praying alone, the disciples were near him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”
19They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
21But he warned them and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”
23He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it. 25For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? 26For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here who will in no way taste of death until they see God’s Kingdom.”
28About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling. 30Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. 33As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.
34While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. 35A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” 36When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.
37On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him. 38Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only born child. 39Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams; and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.”
41Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
42While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43They were all astonished at the majesty of God.
But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44“Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.” 45But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
46An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest. 47Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side, 48and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”
49John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”
50Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”
51It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem 52and sent messengers before his face. They went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. 53They didn’t receive him, because he was traveling with his face set toward Jerusalem. 54When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”
55But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. 56For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
They went to another village. 57As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, “I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord.”
58Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59He said to another, “Follow me!”
But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”
60But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.”
61Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.”
62But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”
The Gospel of Luke is written by the only Gentile writer in the Bible. The physician Luke traveled with Paul the apostle, beginning at the meeting at Troas, during Paul’s second missionary journey. Unlike the other Gospels, Luke has enjoyed virtually universal acceptance from conservative and liberal scholars as having been written by the man Luke.
The exactitude of the writing of this story of Jesus is evidenced in the prologue to the book, in which the writer tells the recipient, Theophilus, that he took in hand to provide to him a carefully investigated and orderly account of the life and death of Jesus. He did so by consulting eyewitnesses of the words and works of Jesus the Messiah.
Luke desired to present Jesus as the compassionate and universal Savior of all humanity. He traces Jesus back to Adam, unlike Matthew, who traces Jesus to David and Abraham, indicating that Jesus is one with all humans in having Adam as our ultimate human father. In his book, Luke reveals special concern for women, the poor, and others who would be outcasts, including Gentiles.
The birth narrative of Jesus is important, because in these early verses of the book, Luke records Mary’s perspective of the birth and early life of Jesus. Unlike the noble wise men found in Matthew who visited Jesus several months after His birth, Luke has shepherds coming from their fields, after the angelic announcement, to worship Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke make clear that the conception of Jesus was from God and not Joseph, but the account of Luke provides a wonderful account of the interaction of Mary with Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, and a detailed story of the events that transpired from being informed of the birth of the Son of God through her. The account continues with the circumcision of Jesus at the temple, and then fast-forwards to Jesus in the temple reasoning with the scholars of the Law.
Luke provides special insight into the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, different from the other Gospels, though certainly not in contradiction to them. He emphasizes the innocence of Jesus to the charges brought against Him by the Jewish leadership. We find in Luke that the governor Pontius Pilate found no fault in Jesus, and even the innocence of Jesus is inferred from His encounter with Herod Antipas. Moreover, at the cross, one of the thieves declares that Jesus was not guilty of any crime. Last of all, the Roman centurion overseeing the crucifixion declares that surely “this man is innocent,” whereas Matthew and Mark have the remarks of the centurion that “Truly this man is the Son of God.”
Only Luke records the encounter that Jesus had with disciples who were walking on the road to Emmaus, in which He instructs them, albeit in disguise, in all that the Law, Prophets, and Writings had to say about the Messiah regarding His passion and resurrection.
Luke was not only a historian who recorded accurately the eyewitness account of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection. He was also a theologian. He gave the historical information about Jesus within the framework of teaching theology. Only Luke refers to Jesus as the Savior, of Israel and all people. He weaves His account of Messiah Jesus’ ministry so that it is plain that the Savior had concern for all levels of society, men and women, and Jews and Gentiles. He also demonstrates the “cost of discipleship,” in which personal sacrifice was necessary to follow Jesus. One might need to leave home and family, and that “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).