THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: Luke and Acts
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel begins and ends in Jerusalem, specifically in the Temple (1,9; 2,41; then 19,45; 21,37). The central place of Jerusalem in Luke's story is clear and we will see how this continues into the Acts of the Apostles.
As with all the other Gospels, Jesus first has a ministry in Galilee: Lk 4,14 is equivalent to Mk 1,14-15. However, Mark has Jesus making a journey to Tyre and Sidon (Mk 7,31). Leaving out this whole section of Mark (Mk 6,45-8,26), often known as Luke's great omission, has the result that that Luke keeps Jesus in Galilee. Jesus is in Jewish territory throughout the Gospel. Unlike the other evangelists, Luke will have a whole second volume to tell of the way the mission spreads out from Jewish lands.
As with Mark and Matthew so Luke too has a hinge in his story which is formed by Peter's confession, Jesus' prediction of his fate and his Transfiguration (9,18-36). This begins the journey to Jerusalem in the other two Synoptic Gospels but Luke delays the departure for a few more verses.
There is then a strong emphasis on this departure in 9,51 which is also emphasised by the reference to Jesus' exodus or departure in the Transfiguration scene a little earlier (9,31). The notable addition of Luke to Mark's story is this journey to Jerusalem which takes all of ten chapters (Lk 10-19) and on the way presents much of Jesus' teaching.
I hope you will have discovered that there are frequent references during these chapters to Jesus being on the way or going to Jerusalem. I would just mention 13,31-35 as highlighting the central role of Jerusalem.
Finally Jesus arrives in Jerusalem and goes to teach in the Temple (19,45). Jesus remains in Jerusalem until his passion (chapters 22-23) and there he is buried (24,53).
Chapter 24 tells of the resurrection of Jesus. Whereas both Mark and Matthew announce that Jesus is going before his disciples to Galilee (Mk 16,7), Luke has Jesus telling his disciples firmly to remain in Jerusalem (24,48).
Thus the Gospel story of Luke is centred on Jerusalem. In Jerusalem it begins, in Jerusalem it ends and the long journey from Galilee constantly points towards Jerusalem.
The Acts of the Apostles
The central place of Jerusalem in the story continues for most of the Acts of the Apostles, all the way to 23,11. There the Lord tells Paul that, having witnessed to him in Jerusalem, he must now do so in Rome.
The end of the story therefore is the arrival in Rome (28,14): thus the centre of the Jewish world finally gives way to the centre of the known world. That at least is the perspective of Acts. It is as well for us to recognise that there is sound evidence telling us the Gospel also went east and south as well as north and west.
Luke neatly allows an overlap between his two volumes with the risen Jesus confirming his order to the disciples to remain in Jerusalem (Acts 1,4 & Lk 24,48).
The risen Jesus also outlines the programme of Acts (1,8): Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth. Luke's message as we will discover is always missionary.
At the same time, Luke makes it clear that there will be many hardships and much suffering involved in following Jesus (Lk 9,23-27). This begins with Stephen and we have seen how Luke described his martyrdom in a way which recalls the Passion (Acts 7,59 and Lk 23,46).
Persecution is therefore the impetus behind the break away from Jerusalem (Acts 8,1).
The story of Acts finally ends in Rome with Paul freely teaching about Jesus (Acts 28,31). This ending is a remarkably open-ended. The whole story must be open-ended because Luke like Matthew (Mt 28,19) knows that the mission of the Church will always continue until the end of time.
Return now to the main page.