Bible Commentaries: October 21-27, 2024

About the Gospel of Luke - (Luke 1:1-4)

• Luke was a companion of Paul and wrote the gospel that bears his name, and he is also credited with writing the book of Acts of the Apostles. He was a physician and, probably because he was an educated man and skilled in writing, his writings are meticulous, as he writes in the opening verses of his gospel: “after careful investigation.” His gospel is the richest in detail, and we point out differences in the genealogical description of the Lord Jesus in the books of Luke and Matthew.

a) Matthew says that his gospel is “the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). To demonstrate that Jesus was of royal descent (son of David) and the heir of the promise (son of Abraham). In this way, he presents the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus (Matthew 1:2-16). Luke presents the genealogy in reverse order, starting with Jesus and returning to Adam (Luke 3:23-38).

b) Matthew gives the genealogy going through Solomon, son of David (Mt 1:6), while Luke follows the root from Nathan, son of David (Lk 3:31). This difference arises from the fact that Matthew describes the genealogy of Joseph, and Luke that of Mary, since both were from the tribe of Judah and both descended from David.

c) A precious detail in Luke’s description is found in chapter 3, verse 23 when he says: “…being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph,…” making it clear that Jesus is truly the son of God, but is considered the son of Joseph. We also find this characteristic in the book of Acts of the Apostles, when he narrates the voyage and shipwreck of the ship that Paul was on in Acts 27 and does so in great detail. He was not among the apostles and was probably not their disciple either. In verse 2 from chapter 1, he himself says that the narration is based on the facts: “Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word;” As a reminder, the gospels were designated as follows:

1. Matthew was written to the Jews and presents Jesus as the King;
2. Mark was written to the Romans and presents Jesus as a servant;
3. Luke was written for the Greeks and presents Jesus as a man;
4. John was written to the Gentiles and presents Jesus as the Son of God.

• Apparently, Luke joined Paul at Troas (Acts 16:11), and went with him to Macedonia, then traveled together to Philippi, where they stayed for a time (Acts 17:1). About seven years later when Paul visited Philippi on his way to Jerusalem, Luke joined him again (Acts 20:5). If Luke was the brother spoken of in 2 Corinthians 8:18-19 (“18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which we administer to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:…”), the interval must have been filled with the active ministry. Luke accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 21:18) and traveled with him to Rome (Acts 21:1). Ind in this city, he was with the apostle during his first imprisonment (Col 4:14 and Phil 24). He was also there during his second imprisonment, just before Paul's death (2 Tim 4:11). Christian tradition reports that Luke preached the gospel in southern Europe, meeting with a martyr's death in Greece.

The manager

• The word manger in the text of Luke 2:7 is common knowledge. Upon hearing it, who doesn’t immediately think back to the birth of Jesus approximately two thousand years ago? However, few people know what a manager is. The Lord says in Isaiah 1:3: “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” A manger is where food is placed for animals in the stable. It is expected to see troughs in pastures where salt is placed for the animals to eat; this is also a type of manger. Generally, a stable is not a pleasant place for a person to stay. Those unfamiliar with its smell will be eager to leave quickly. It is, therefore, a dirty, smelly, cold, and unbearable place. When Jesus was born, there was no decent place for Him. The only place His parents could find to spend the night was in a stable, and the baby was laid in a manger, which they took for a crib.

• What happened was that the word manger, related to the corral, became linked to the name Jesus. This remains the case today; when we say “manger,” no one thinks of a corral but rather immediately thinks of Jesus. This is precisely what happens in the heart of the person who receives the Lord Jesus as his Savior. Before, it was a bad place, from where all sorts of filth came (Mt 15:19). When Jesus entered, everything was transformed: He changed history, erased the past, And changed the name. That person’s name became linked to Jesus: Do you know so-and-so? The believer? The pastor? That person from such-and-such a church? He is a manger; Jesus was born in that heart, and the joy of the Spirit is in his life.

The Lord's Council

• The text of Luke 2:25-29 is a counsel from the Holy Spirit to the church. The word speaks about Simeon; this name means he who hears. The Lord's counsels are for those who hear. This is the expression used by the Lord at the end of each of the seven letters of Revelation that represent the world's prophetic times of the church. In all times of the church, the Lord wanted an obedient people who were willing to hear his voice:

1 – To Ephesus – Revelation 2:7

2 – To Smyrna – Revelation 2:11

3 – To Pergamum – Revelation 2:17

4 – To Thyatira – Revelation 2:29

5 – To Sardis – Revelation 3:6

6 – To Philadelphia – Revelation 3:13

7 – To Laodicea – Revelation 3:22

• Simeon is the faithful servant of God's work, justified in the blood of Jesus, God-fearing, and waiting for the rapture. The detail we want to emphasize in this text is that he was led to the temple by the Holy Spirit, and the promise was fulfilled that day. Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord wants to reveal himself so that his entire church may be in communion with him, so that the chosen ones may be ready at the moment of the rapture. It is important that we always be involved and live the guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit and is passed on by the presbytery and the entire pastoral body. Those with ears to hear and obey will achieve the long-awaited blessing, just as Simeon achieved it that day when he allowed himself to be led by the Holy Spirit to the temple and saw salvation.