Life History of Jesus and the Intended Audience for the Book of Luke

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Unit 3
Question 1: The four books of the gospel narrate the life history of Jesus. However, this does not mean that a thematic analysis of the book would reveal similar results given that the books were written by different authors. What are the major themes that the author of the Gospel of Luke emphasizes?
Several themes are given significant prominence in the Gospel of Luke. First, the theme of worship and prayer remains one of the most important themes covered in the Gospel of Luke. The author opens the book by detailing a scene where Zechariah was praying (Luke 1: 8-10) following the existing conventions. In the book of Luke, the writer makes twenty references to the act of worship and accompanies the references with an emphasis on the importance of prayers. In Luke 11: 1, Jesus teaches his disciples how they should pray after they found him praying. Overall, praying is encouraged in the Gospel of Luke. Second, the importance of ministering to the marginalized in society is emphasized. The Gospel of Luke opens up the ministry of Jesus to women and poor in the society. In Luke 8:2, his disciples as well as women accompany Jesus while he was preaching his gospel to various towns and villages. In the book, Jesus ministers to the poor and allows the physically oppressed to attain their freedom (Luke 4: 18). Third, Jerusalem is brought out as a focal point of Jesus' gospel in the book of Luke. The narrative as presented by the author starts in Jerusalem (Luke 1; 5-8) and is concluded in the same town (Luke 24; 52-53). Fourth, the Gospel of Luke places importance on present salvation. That is, the author emph...