The Lukan Jesus is a humanitarian, concerned with social justice and inclusion of marginalized groups in the coming kingdom of God. This is explicitly stated by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 where he states his mission, “to bring good news to the poor…to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.”
A passage that shows Jesus’ commitment to this mission can be found in Luke 13:10-17 where, in the middle of teaching, he heals a disabled woman on the sabbath. He is faced with opposition, but his response puts into perspective how technicalities should not be important when it comes to helping someone in need. In the story, the woman had been bent over, unable to stand up straight for eighteen years and he heals and frees her from that burden. I would imagine this resonated with many in the Lukan author’s community because it was commonplace to believe that any ailment or disability was divine punishment, that God hated you. Luke’s Jesus is reassuring these people that they will not be looked down upon or rejected so long as they remain faithful and grateful as has the woman for 18 years. As far as the opposition, they are primarily against Jesus doing any type of work because it is the sabbath, but Jesus says to them that they are hypocrites for saying this. They help their thirsty animals on the sabbath day but will deny aid to a more needy and worthy human being.
Along with the poor, the new kingdom would welcome the Gentiles which we learn in the parable of the great dinner. In the parable (Luke 14:13-15, 16-24), a man was going to have a banquet but many of those invited gave excuses as to why they could not attend. In response, the master sent his slave out to bring in the “poor, crippled, blind, and lame” off the streets so as to fill the empty spots at the table. However, there were still empty seats so the slave was sent out once again to bring more people off the street. Here, the master symbolizes God, the banquet symbolizes his kingdom, and the invitations symbolize the new people welcome to join in the faith. White states that the first invitation is to the “marginal people within society” and the second is for the Gentiles (334). This further solidifies Luke’s view of Jesus as a figure that is welcoming to all, not giving priority only to Jews as the chosen people, but still aware of those that gave excuses to not attend by stating that it is their choice but they will not “taste [his] dinner” (heaven).
The theme of social justice that Luke carries is again brought up in the parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow. The story goes just as it sounds, there is a judge who is selfish and unconcerned with others’ well-being and there is a widow who continually returns in hopes to be given justice. The judge eventually grants her that justice but only because she is wearing him out. Luke’s Jesus uses this parable to tell his listeners that God is not like this judge. He will listen to those that pray to him for justice and when he grants it it will be quick, but his followers must have faith in that. The widow, again a person normally rejected in society, ties into Luke’s overall interest in social justice. All of these stories must have resonated well with those in the first century who were suffering, but also maybe with those not. The stories may have been instrumental to changing the perception of who was welcome into the kingdom of God (Gentiles) and society in general (disabled, poor. etc).