Book Study: Luke
Book Overview
The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as the compassionate Savior who came to seek and save the lost. Written by Luke the physician, it offers the most detailed account of Jesus’ birth and childhood. Luke emphasizes God’s mercy toward outsiders: Gentiles, women, the poor, and sinners. This difference emphasizes that the gospel is for all people. Through parables unique to this Gospel, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, Luke highlights God’s grace, forgiveness, and joy in redemption. Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem dominates the narrative, culminating in His death, resurrection, and ascension. Luke portrays Jesus as both fully human and fully divine, filled with the Spirit and committed to God’s mission.
Brief Chapter Summaries
Luke 1
Luke introduces his orderly account and describes the miraculous announcements of John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ births. Mary visits Elizabeth, praises God in a magnificent prayer, and John is born. Zechariah prophesies that God is fulfilling His promises.
Luke 2
Jesus is born in Bethlehem and visited by shepherds. He is presented at the temple, where Simeon and Anna testify to His identity. At age twelve, Jesus amazes the teachers in the temple, showing early signs of His divine mission.
Luke 3
John the Baptist calls Israel to repentance and prepares the way for the Messiah. Jesus is baptized, and the Spirit descends on Him. Luke records Jesus’ genealogy, tracing His lineage back to Adam to emphasize His connection to all humanity.
Luke 4
Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness and begins His ministry in Galilee. He announces His mission in Nazareth but is rejected. He performs miracles in Capernaum, demonstrating His authority over demons, disease, and teaching.
Luke 5
Jesus calls His first disciples after a miraculous catch of fish. He heals a leper and a paralytic and calls Levi (Matthew). He teaches about new wine and new wineskins, revealing the newness of His ministry.
Luke 6
Jesus teaches about true discipleship, including love for enemies, mercy, and integrity. He delivers the Sermon on the Plain, emphasizing blessings, warnings, and the importance of building one’s life on His words.
Luke 7
Jesus heals a centurion’s servant, raises a widow’s son, and affirms John the Baptist’s ministry. He forgives a sinful woman who anoints His feet, highlighting the connection between forgiveness and love.
Luke 8
Jesus teaches the parable of the sower and reveals the power of faith. He calms a storm, delivers a demon possessed man, heals a woman with a long illness, and raises Jairus’s daughter.
Luke 9
Jesus sends out the twelve, feeds five thousand, and is transfigured. He teaches about humility, discipleship, and the cost of following Him. He begins His determined journey toward Jerusalem.
Luke 10
Jesus sends out seventy disciples and teaches the parable of the Good Samaritan. He visits Mary and Martha, commending Mary for choosing to sit at His feet and learn.
Luke 11
Jesus teaches the Lord’s Prayer and warns against hypocrisy. He confronts religious leaders for their spiritual blindness and emphasizes the importance of hearing and obeying God’s word.
Luke 12
Jesus warns against greed, fear, and unfaithfulness. He teaches about God’s care, the need for readiness, and the division His message brings.
Luke 13
Jesus calls for repentance, heals on the Sabbath, and teaches parables about the kingdom’s growth. He laments over Jerusalem’s refusal to receive Him.
Luke 14
Jesus teaches about humility, hospitality, and the cost of discipleship. He warns that following Him requires wholehearted commitment.
Luke 15
Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son, revealing God’s joy in restoring sinners and His compassion toward the repentant.
Luke 16
Jesus teaches about stewardship, faithfulness, and the danger of loving money. He tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus to warn about eternal consequences.
Luke 17
Jesus teaches about forgiveness, faith, gratitude, and the coming kingdom. He heals ten lepers, but only one returns to give thanks.
Luke 18
Jesus teaches about persistent prayer, humility, and childlike faith. He challenges the rich ruler and predicts His death. He heals a blind beggar near Jericho.
Luke 19
Jesus visits Zacchaeus and declares His mission to seek and save the lost. He teaches the parable of the minas and enters Jerusalem as King. He weeps over the city and cleanses the temple.
Luke 20
Jesus confronts religious leaders who question His authority. He teaches about taxes, resurrection, and the Messiah’s identity, exposing their hypocrisy.
Luke 21
Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple and teaches about future tribulation and His return. He urges His followers to stay alert and faithful.
Luke 22
Jesus celebrates the Last Supper, prays in Gethsemane, and is betrayed and arrested. Peter denies Him, and Jesus is mocked and tried.
Luke 23
Jesus is condemned, crucified, and buried. He forgives His executioners, promises paradise to the repentant thief, and dies with trust in the Father. A centurion declares His innocence.
Luke 24
Jesus rises from the dead, appears to His followers, and explains the Scriptures. He reveals Himself on the road to Emmaus and commissions His disciples before ascending to heaven.
Key Verses
Luke 1:37
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Luke 2:11
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 5:32
“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 9:23
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Luke 10:27
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
Luke 15:7
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 19:10
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 24:6
“He is not here, but is risen.”
