 |
| LUKE |
| Explanatory Footnotes |
| 2:1 Dating by Emperors Among biblical writers, only Luke dated the events he wrote about by referring to Roman emperors. He had determined (1:1-4) to write a thorough, factual account of Jesus's life, which included setting the events in hisorical context. Because of the Roman census mentioned here, Mary had to travel from her hometown in a very advanced state of pregnancy. As a result, the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. 2:41 Jesus' Childhood Most Christmas pageants rely heavily on Luke because of his thoroughness in reporting the facts of Jesus' birth. And only Luke recorded the brief glimpses of Jesus' early years given in this chapter. For this reason, many scholars believe Luke must have interviewed Mary, mother of Jesus, during his investigations into Jesus' life. 3:38 A Gospel for the Gentiles Matthew's Gospel traced Jesus' roots back to Abraham, father of the Jewish race. But Luke, probably the only Gentile writer of the New Testament, emphasize that Jesus' good news was for all people, not just the Jews. In keeping with that purpose, he carried Jesus' lineage all the way back to the first man, Adam. 4:26 Hard Words for the Jews Luke's book stresses the universal appeal of the gospel. In both of these Old Testament stories (the Zarepath widow and Naaman), God sent a prophet to perform a miracle for foreigners (non-Jews). Such an emphasis scandalized the Jews, who saw themselves as God's uniquely chosen people. Jesus' words proved so inflammatory that a mob attempted to kill him. As far as is known, Jesus never returned to his home territory of Nazareth. |