Luke

Beth Kreitzer

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9780830864805
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Commentary

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Reflecting on this verse from the Gospel of Luke (2: 11), Martin Luther declared it to be a summary of the gospel: "See here what the gospel is, namely, a joyful sermon about Christ our Savior. Whoever preaches him rightly preaches the gospel and pure joy." Reformation commentators meditated upon the significance of the good news of Jesus Christ during a vibrant era in the history of the church that was characterized by spiritual renewal and reform, doctrinal controversy (especially over matters such as the presence of Christ in the Lord?s Supper) and the overriding desire to understand the meaning and implications of Scripture for Christian belief and practice. While in many ways similar to the other Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of Luke also testified to this good news through unique material, including the announcement of Jesus? birth to the shepherds in the fields, the parable of the prodigal son and Jesus? appearance to his disciples on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection. In this volume, Beth Kreitzer skillfully leads readers through the rich diversity of Reformation commentary on the Gospel of Luke. Readers will be able to listen to both well-known and lesser-known voices from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans and Roman Catholics, many of whose comments appear for the first time in English. By drawing from an array of Reformation resources - including commentaries, sermons, treatises and confessions - this volume will equip scholars to understand better the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and it will provide contemporary preachers with resources from those in the Reformation church who sought to understand the meaning of this "good news of great joy" (2: 10).

1:1-4 THE PROLOGUE

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

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Overview: The prologue to Luke’s Gospel brings up an issue over which Protestants fought among themselves. The question was through what means the Spirit would bring God’s message into people’s hearts. Because Paul stated that it is the Spirit rather than the letter that saves, the reformers argued over the relationship between the two, especially when approaching the literal words of Scripture. As Luke explains to his friend Theophilus, the lover of God, he is writing this text to set down an “orderly account” of things that Theophilus already knows and believes, in order to help with his certainty. So, does God work always or sometimes through the written word, or are these words really unnecessary, because it is the Spirit who brings life? While some reformers such as Thomas Müntzer and Kaspar von Schwenckfeld, often denigrated as “enthusiasts,” believed that God’s Spirit was not captive to a text, and that direct communion with the divine was a much higher religious experience, most of the reformers stressed the centrality of the written word—the Word comes through the word, and it is where God chooses to meet us. Thus, Word and Spirit are not to be divorced, let alone opposed against one another; they are harmonious and trustworthy witnesses to God’s acts.

Luke Asserts the Authority of His Gospel. The English Annotations: It seems that Matthew and Mark did not write before Luke, for if they had, he would have spoken more reverently concerning them. Whether he means by “many” those counterfeit pieces under the titles of the Gospel of Nicodemus, Thomas, according to the Egyptians or according to the Twelve is uncertain, because he names neither these nor others like them. But in affirming a full assurance of what he writes (along with the other holy Evangelists), he seems modestly to deny that others had such assurance. Annotations upon the Gospel According to Saint Luke 1:1.1

Dangers Facing the Gospel Writer. John Calvin: Luke is the only Evangelist who gives a preface to his Gospel, for the purpose of explaining briefly the motive which induced him to write. By addressing a single individual he may appear to be foolish, when it was his duty to sound the trumpet aloud and to call all people to faith. . . . But it is not less true that Paul’s teaching pertains to everyone, although some of his epistles were addressed to certain cities and others to certain people. On the contrary, we must acknowledge, if we take into account the state of those times, that Luke adopted a conscientious and prudent course. There were tyrants on all sides who, by terror and alarm, would hinder the progress of sound teaching. This gave occasion to Satan and his servants to spread abroad the clouds of error, by which the pure light would be obscured. Now, as most people cared little about maintaining the purity of the gospel, and few reflected attentively on the inventions of Satan or the amount of danger that lurked under such disguises, every one who excelled others by uncommon faith, or by extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, was the more strongly bound to do his utmost, by care and industry, to preserve the doctrine of piety pure and uncontaminated from every corruption. Such persons were chosen by God to be the sacred keepers of the law, to hand down to posterity in good faith this deposit of heavenly teaching. With this in view, Luke dedicates his Gospel to Theophilus, that he might undertake its faithful preservation; it is the same duty that Paul enjoins and recommends to Timothy. Commentary on a Harmony of the Gospels: Prolegomena to Luke.2

What Does “Most Excellent” Theophilus Mean? Desiderius Erasmus: I am bewildered as to why Lyra suspected Theophilus to be some great person or prince, because Luke added the epithet “most excellent.” So should we not call nobles “most excellent,” or is it then specific to only them to be “most excellent”? True, Lyra had read in some other gloss that it was possible to read it in this way, since, because of ignorance, he was not able to understand the Greek language. For among the Greeks kratos sounds like “strength” or “rule.” And kratein is “to conquer” or “to be in control”—thus, Paul in the Acts of the Apostles calls Festus kratiston, as if you would say “very powerful.” . . . Lyra rejects Origen’s homilies in Luke which note that kratistos means “most excellent” or “most powerful.”3

Theophilus sounds like “lover of God” or “pleasing to God”—whether it is a special name or an epithet to the pious reader others dispute. I myself think it is a person’s proper name. Annotations on Luke 1:3.4

What Luke Has Written Confirms What Was Taught Orally. Desiderius Erasmus: Now Theophylactus notes that it is not said hina gnōs, that is, “so you might discover” [cognoscas], but ipignōs, “so you might acknowledge” [agnoscas]. For we discover [cognoscimus] when we learn something earlier unknown to us; we acknowledge [agnoscimus] when we are already familiar with something, as when we recognize someone’s face we saw years ago. Long ago, those who were newly baptized were given the mysteries of the Christian faith by word of mouth without writing, according to the manner of the old priests among the Egyptians and the Druids among the French. To be newly instructed in the mysteries was called by Paul and Luke in Greek gatechein; for echein signifies to sound with the voice. From this word came catechein, which signifies to teach and instruct by word of mouth those things which one does not want to leave in writing. So those who were taught were called catechoumenoi, or catechetoi, this is, not yet entered into the church, and those who taught them were called catechetai, that is, teachers. Therefore this is the sense and meaning of Luke: “That you might more fully and certainly know now, by writing, those things which you learned earlier by word of mouth at your entry into the church.” And so we learn that we must read Luke to this end, that we might be without all fear and secure in his narration, not doubting whether or not he may be trusted but assuring ourselves that we have a true and most certain narration. An Ecclesiasticall Exposition upon Saint Luke 1:4.5

1:5-25 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF JOHN’S BIRTH

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,a of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

a Greek Zacharias

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Overview: This pericope introduces a new character to the story of salvation—John, the prophet and forerunner of Jesus. The story of his parentage, conception and birth makes clear that he has been especially chosen and appointed by God. John himself, the great preacher of repentence, serves as an excellent example and type for ministers—his role or office is to convert souls, spread the gospel and prepare the way for the Messiah. In a nod to criticisms that Protestants were teaching new ideas and new doctrine, Luther repeats the common refrain that in fact the reformers were only returning to the Bible and to the ancient teaching of the church; likewise, John was not preaching a new doctrine but rather the Messiah already foretold long ago by the prophets.

But John’s parents are the main characters of this selection: Luke tells us that they were both “upright in the sight of God” and followed the law “blamelessly” (Lk 1:6). Human righteousness and works were a major point of contention for Protestants, and many writers are quick to point out that while Elizabeth and Zechariah are wonderful examples for Christians in how to be good and law-abiding (especially in following God’s law rather than one they made up themselves), they still cannot achieve divine or salvific righteousness on their own; it is not their works but their faith in God’s grace that shows them to be saved. When challenged by the prophecy of the angel, Zechariah reveals his limitations—in following human reason, he questions God’s power. His punishment of having his power of speech removed leaves open the question of why Mary is not likewise punished later for asking a similar question. However, Zechariah’s example proves for these writers that God is both far greater and far more gracious than we can comprehend.

1:5-7 The Parents and Background of the Baptist

A Quick History of Herod. John Lightfoot: Herod the Great, an Edomite by descent, was placed by the Romans as the king of Judea (compare Gen 27:40). Among the many plagues of his uneven and rocky reign, he had slain the Sanhedrin, and to patch up the business again, by the counsel of Bava ben Bara he had repaired the temple and made it incomparably more sumptuous than it was before.1 He began this work in the eighteenth year of his reign, and it took him eight years to finish it. So this new building was but eight or nine years old at this year that we are upon. The Harmony of the New Testament, Section 3.2

John’s Good Parentage Lends Authority to His Witness to Christ. Johannes Brenz: Luke is preparing to describe the nativity of Christ, and because John the Baptist is his forerunner, sent before him to testify to all Israel that he was the promised Messiah; therefore Luke first of all describes the conception and birth of John. And because a witness has no credit, especially in matters of great weight, unless he is very honest and of good reputation, Luke first of all describes John by the honesty of his stock and parents. Then he describes the miracles which do not so much adorn John’s nativity as they give authority to and commend the testimony w...