Gospel of Luke

Published on: Author: hbraun@uoregon.edu

One aspect of the gospel of Luke that sets it apart from the other gospels is the motif of inclusivity of any and everyone willing to listen to the good news of Jesus. This differs from Matthew because Matthew was written for the Jews. Luke wants to make it clear that Jesus is a wise teacher, and his message and teachings are an open invitation to all. He brings this to light in the uniquely Lukan parable of the Good Samaritan. In this parable, a Samaritan, who was an enemy of the Jews, proves his faithfulness to God when he helps an injured Jewish man who is suffering, despite the strong tension between the Jews and the Samaritans. This would’ve been astonishing to Luke’s audience at the time. This parable shows that Jews are not the only people who could keep God’s commandments and be saved; anyone could. The parable of the prodigal son, another Lukan parable, gives another example of this motif. In this parable, a son strays from the path of God, but God rejoices when he eventually returns to him. This shows that you don’t have to be a perfect and sinless follower of God, and he loves you and welcomes you into his kingdom no matter what mistakes you make or how far you stray. Other passages show Jesus spending time with “outsiders,” and he invites them to follow him as well. In fact, he focuses on outsiders more than anyone else. For example, he heals a Roman slave who would’ve been considered an outsider. Luke’s Jesus is a kind teacher and divine man who invites everyone to be a part of his story.