Analysis of Luke's Gospel

Luke’s Gospel can be described as a living portrait. It is the individual, down-to-earth characters who bring the whole account to life. Salvation is not just a possibility but a reality as we watch how Luke deals with the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can easily relate to the people that cross Jesus’ path. For this reason Jesus is presented to us as the “Son of man” (19:10) who came to bring salvation to the lost.

Written around 63-68 AD by a Gentile physician, we are presented with a Saviour for all men not just for the Jews. Luke’s version of the genealogy of Christ is traced right back to Adam and touches upon the important characters of the Old Testament. This must be because Luke wants to reveal the true humanity of the Son of God. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour for the whole human race we see in this Gospel that no one is beyond the reach of God’s hand of salvation. From the hated Samaritans to lepers, from little children to women, from the poor to the rich, Jesus refuses none. All sections of society must have the Word of God preached to them and Jesus came for that very reason according to Luke.

This Gospel tells us more about the prayer life of the Lord Jesus Christ. On seven occasions we see Jesus praying (3:21, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 11:1, 23:46), it is Luke that recounts the parables that Jesus used to teach about prayer, ‘the friend that calls at midnight’ (11:5-8) and ‘the unjust judge’ (18:1-8).

So in the best possible way Luke brings Jesus down to earth for all to see, so we can feel His humanity and compassion. We see a Christ who really does love and care for people. No wonder Luke writes that He is the “light to the Gentiles” and the “glory of Israel” (2:32). No matter how lost the person is, Jesus can save them, the parables of the Prodigal son, the lost sheep, and the lost coin reflect this. As a Gentile, Luke realised that the Greeks (who were in search of perfect manhood) loved national heroes with godlike strength, so in his work we find Jesus as Perfect man yet Perfect God and Perfect Saviour, appointed and anointed by the Holy Spirit of God. In this Gospel Jesus is the God who can be touched.