LUKE Chapter 1 - Randy T

Verses 1-4: Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us.  Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning , I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Its clear from this opening statement, that there were many accounts or documentation regarding Jesus and the resurrection. Its great that Luke, a scientific mind, took on this responsibility to document the life and resurrection of Jesus. As he says, after carefully investigating everything from the beginning. So it appear, that Luke did not take a casual approach to this recording of things, but relied on discussion with people who had been there, or who had known firsthand people who had been there. He seems to have went beyond speculation and casual conversation to digging deeper into the facts.  It would be interesting  to see these other accounts (and I would not be surprised that additional documents are discovered in the future) and be able to compare them to the Gospels.  

One could argue that if we had more proof, more documents about Jesus, that were written at the time of his life, then more people would believe. I doubt this to be the case, there is ample proof now, people either choose to believe or not, its really down to someone's willingness to believe, based on the knowledge that we now have.

 

 

Verse 33: " and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end." 

Is this cool or what? Over 2000 years ago, as teenage girl tells that an angel spoke these words to her. In what scenario could anyone ever expect the words of a teenage girl (especially one that is pregnant under suspicious circumstances) would have not only survived, but thrived, against all odds, for 2000 years? You just can't make this stuff up. What other institution or organization has this type of beginning, has outlasted so many political institutions and still pursues the mission it started out on so long ago.   

 

 

Verse 66: Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking,"What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. 

Verse 80; And the child grew and became strong in spirit: and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

This is one of events that makes you laugh, because God definitely has a sense of humor. As I read this I think of my own children, the hopes I had for them when they were infants, "my plans" for their lives ,and somehow they chose different paths.   So where is the humor here, well, its a little twisted.

Lets start with Jewish society back at the time of Christ's birth. Until I started reading the Bible, I assumed people of Israel at the time of the first century were just one step above the caveman on the evolutionary scale. But they weren't, in fact when I read about life at that time; their concerns, their commitment to education, to social structure, to issues of character, one could easily argue that in many ways they were more advanced than we are today. Let's face it, 2000 years later we still struggle to grasp the depth of their stories, history, and writings. 

So, John the Baptist is born into this highly structured and highly disciplined environment. Everyone thinks he is going to be the next Billy Graham, or Joel Osteen (probably not the best analogies) of the day, they expect him to grow up following all the rules of convention and tradition, to become the model Jewish leader, wearing robes, attending to the needs of the temple, focused on strict interpretation of Jewish law, etc.  But, he goes off, lives in the wilderness, eats bugs and wears camel's hair clothing, he was quite the radical guy.  So, I imagine the folks in his hometown, probably wondered where his parents went wrong, what happened to the gifted infant that had been called by God, how did he go so far astray?  Well, he strayed away alright, away from what "they thought" and followed God's plan.  He paved the way for the Messiah, but so many (most) probably missed it all. And when he did reappear, boy! did he ever. He made a lot of powerful people very nervous, to the point that it cost him his life.

Later in Luke, we have Jesus saying:  

"I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; ....."      Can there be a higher statement made, by Jesus of all people. So, its just amazing how God can use the most unorthodox of people in the greatest of ways.