Church News THE HUMAN TOUCH
James Denney was the professor of New Testament at the Free Church College in Edinburgh.
One day, a student asked him to recommend a good book about the life of Jesus. Denney replied,‘Have you read the account that St Luke wrote?’
Luke’s gospel is so attractive.
For instance, it sets the major events in Jesus’life in the context of prayer (Luke 11.1).
Again, Luke’s gospel emphasises the importance of women.
Finally, Luke was a doctor, the beloved physician (Colossians 4.14) and his doctor’s professional insights are often seen.
The other gospels report that Peter’s mother -in -law suffered from a fever.
Luke calls her illness by its proper medical terminology a‘high fever’. (Luke 4.38-39).
Again, Jesus once told his disciples,‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’(Luke 18.2-27) .
For‘needle’, Matthew and Mark use the ordinary word‘raphidos’.
Luke uses the word‘belone’, which was the needle a doctor would use to insert stitches into a deep wound.
Supremely, Luke the doctor always reveals the‘human touch’.
Luke’s gospel, along with his‘Acts of the Apostles’, are the only New Testament books written by a non-Jew.
Luke probably became a believer in Jesus through Paul.
Certainly, he and Paul were very close. Luke, the doctor, cared for Paul’s indifferent health, but Luke, the missionary, accompanied Paul on his journeys.
We can tell that Luke accompanied Paul because there are a few passages in Acts where Luke uses the pronoun‘we’, showing that Luke was with Paul‘Setting sail from Troas‘we’made a direct voyage to Samathrace’(acts 16.11-18. Also acts 20.5-16).
Luke realised that Jesus’gospel was worldwide and meant for everyone.
In Matthew and Mark, we read that Jesus sent the 12 disciples on a mission exclusively to the 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 10.1-6 and Mark 6.7-13)
But, after he records the same mission of the 12 (Luke 9.1-6), Luke records a second missionary journey of the 70 (Luke 10.1).
Seventy was the traditional number of the different races and peoples in the world. Luke’s gospel is the universal message for everyone.
Recently, we remembered the dangers of the Battle of Britain.
We still exist in an uncertain global society. Luke lived and wrote in a real life situation under uncertain conditions, similar to our own.
From 65-70 AD, the Jewish civil war under Simon bar Giora was fought against Rome.
This war was finally crushed in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, but accompanied by terrible personal suffering. Luke’s world was raw and angry.
Luke’s gospel, along with all the New Testament books, is full of real people. Luke was a real person, a doctor who became a Christian, and a companion of Paul.
He wrote his gospel to encourage a friend.‘It seemed good to me also to write an orderly account to you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the things (of the faith) (Luke 1.3-4).
Theophilus was probably a new convert and, by Luke’s language, probably held an important public position. These were real people.
But Luke, in a personal and irresistible way, proclaims that God cared for his ordinary people.
This happy message is overwhelmingly articulated in the great songs of triumph in the first chapter of Luke.
Zechariah was told that John the Baptist his son would‘Turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God’(Luke 1.16).
So, at the birth of his son Zechariah was encouraged to declare, ’Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who has visited and redeemed his people’(Luke 1.68).
While supremely Mary the mother of Jesus was promised that her child,‘Will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High’ (Luke 1.32), Luke’s gospel was written by a man of his age.
His gospel account tells us in ordinary language of Jesus in whom God came to us. Like these people of old, we can only respond with happiness and encouragement.
They sang and we can echo their praise:‘Our souls magnify the Lord and our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour (Luke 1.46). are asked to bring a donation of money, which will be passed on to Star Project. Money should be put in an envelope and labelled Harvest.
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