Week 3: Luke 1 Part 1

Readings:

• Luke 1:1-38

Resources:

• HG Bishop Youssef
  • Luke 1:1-25 - https://castbox.fm/vb/265860698
  • Luke 1:26-38 - https://castbox.fm/vb/269110090
• Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
  • Interpretations on the Gospel of Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0
• Dr. Eugenia Constantinou
  • Annunciation of Birth of John - https://castbox.fm/vb/203419796
  • Annunciation of Birth of Christ - https://castbox.fm/vb/205217179

Quiz:

• https://forms.gle/hdUso6fs7WEexDn57

Material

• Exposition
  • St Luke is sending this gospel to a person named Theophilus and telling him that many people wrote narratives about the life of Christ, but this narrative is very known to me, personally. 
  • It is known to him personally because he received it from eyewitnesses. Luke took upon himself the responsibility to understand perfectly the things that had happened since the very beginning and to write them accurately, so that Theophilus would know what was instructed
• Prologue
  • Gospel of Luke is the only gospel to start with a prologue, and he followed the style of prologue that was common in the literature at the time
• "Many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative"
  • St Luke seems to attest that other gospels exist in his time, which are not as accurate.
  • Some scholars estimate 30 or more gospels from the first two centuries.
  • The Church only ever accepted four gospels.
  • Origen testifies that from the very beginning, the Church only acknowledged four Gospels as being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
• The beginning
  • "just as those who from the beginning were..."
  • The life of Christ started by the Annunciation of the Birth of John to Zacharias
• Eyewitnesses and ministers of the word
  • Those who delivered these things to Luke and his contemporaries were eyewitnesses
  • Ministers of the word are the apostles
• Perfect understanding of all things
  • St Luke is saying that he has traced the traditions to their very sources and will write them in their consecutive order, that Theophilus may be fully convinced in the truth he was instructed in.
• Most Excellent Theophilus
  • "most excellent Felix" (Acts 24:3) - so "most excellent" must imply a high rank or public figure
  • Theophilus means "Lover of God"
  • Theophilus is a common name in Greek - no reason to assume that Theophilus wasn't the name of someone that Luke knew
    • Some theorize that Theophilus was a sponsor of St Luke who sponsored him to author Luke and Acts
    • Some theorize that Theophilus is a benefactor who wanted to stay anonymous, and so Luke called him "lover of God"
    • Some say that Theophilus is a noble of Antioch
    • Some suggest that Theophilus refers to all believers of Christ

 

• Luke 1b: HG Bishop Youssef