The bull of St Luke

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

Chapter 2: Overview

Whereas the Gospel story began in 1,5 with a reference to Herod the Great, so now chapter 2 opens by mentioning the Roman Caesar Augustus. The first verse indicates both continuity with the previous chapter ("in those days") while providing a separation from it. Naming the Caesar also indicates the world wide significance of what is to be told.

Reading through the chapter shows us that there are three major episodes: the birth of Jesus, his presentation in the Temple and his visit as a boy to the Temple.
There are also verses which form linking passages, notably the circumcision in verse 21 and the two returns to Nazareth in verses 39 and 51.

The birth scene, 2,1-20, takes place in Bethlehem.
The circumcision in verse 21 is given a specific time reference (eight days) which links it to the birth. It therefore completes the birth with the naming of the child.
Our first page for reading is therefore 2,1-21.

Our second page for reading will be 2,22-39, which tells of the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is an episode complete in itself, with a bracket formed by the reference to Jerusalem at the beginning and end (2,22.38). There is also the emphasis on the Law of the Lord at the beginning, 2,22-24 with a concluding reference to the Law at the end, 2,39.

Finally, verses 40 and 52 are almost the same in speaking of Jesus growing in wisdom and the favour of God. These two verses therefore bracket the final episode of the chapter, the pilgrimage to the Temple. Therefore the third page for our reading will be 2,40-52.

However, many translations read verses 39-40 as the conclusion of the scene of the presentation. This has the unfortunate effect of missing the bracket around the third scene.

In summary, we now have these pages for our reading:

Having established our three page reading for this chapter, we can now return to the main page.