THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
Chapters 1-2: Overview
In verse 56 of chapter 1 we are told that Mary leaves Elizabeth just before the birth of John. This may seem strange because it would have been the time of Elizabeth's greatest need. However, Mary is carrying Jesus and the evangelist does not want Jesus present when John is born.
In the scene of the visitation (1,39-56), the two babies are in their mother's wombs, this is their first encounter. This scene therefore we can take as the hinge of the infancy narratives. Two announcements of births come beforehand and then the account of the two births follows afterwards. Thus we have an alternating pattern running through the two chapters:
- Announcement of John's birth: 1,5-25
- Announcement of Jesus's birth: 1,26-38
- The Visitation (two women and two unborn children meet): 1,39-56
- The birth of John: 1,57-80
- The birth of Jesus: chapter 2
Also to be highlighted are the two canticles, that of Mary, 1,46-55, and that of Zechariah, 1,67-79.
We will look more closely at chapter 2 in due course. For chapter 1, the different scenes will be the guide for our reading.
Chapter 1: Reading Plan
From this we can draw up our reading plan for the chapter. The two canticles, Mary's song of praise (the Magnificat) and Zechariah's blessing of God (the Benedictus), are important and will need close attention. Therefore it will be best to read them on their own pages. This gives us (using traditional titles):
- 1,1-4: Prologue
- 1,5-25: Annunciation of John
- 1,26-38: The Annunciation of Jesus
- 1,39-56: The Visitation
- 1,46-55: The Magnificat
- 1,57-80: Birth and circumcision of John
- 1,67-79: The Benedictus
We can now return to the main page.