Year C and the Gospel of Luke

The beginning or Advent marks the start of a new year of Lectionary readings.

Readings for Year C find much of their focus in the Gospel of Luke. Traditionally this gospel is understood to have been written by a man trained as a doctor. It sounds good to give additional status to the author of the document, but neither the terminology of the Gospel or Acts gives great weight to this accreditation. What is clear from the two books is that Luke set out to write 'an orderly account' of the life of Jesus, and of all that happened after his crucifixion and ascension.

To write his story of Jesus Luke had at his disposal some sources. The Gospel of Mark had already been written. A close word association in some texts points to Mark as one source. When the texts of Luke and Matthew are compared there are many passages that are almost identical, and scholars identify common wording and phrasing as pointing to a common source for both these gospels. It is referred to as 'Q', an abbreviation of 'Quelle', the German word for source, because they are yet to find the particular document. Luke took this material, combined it with what he had gleaned from other sources and wrote his gospel.

Luke wrote for a purpose, and his writing is addressed to a person - Theophilus.
Theophilus was a name used in that era, and many have sought to identify this person. But Theophilus can also be more than a person. The name means God lover, or lover of God. Luke's Gospel is to be read by all who love God.

Why bother to write another gospel if the stories in circulation and someone has already written many of them down? Luke writes for his audience and for his purposes. All that he had heard and learned of Jesus was not made clear in the documents already in circulation. There were aspects that needed to be emphasised. His gospel shines light where others did not. This gospel helps us recognise dimensions in Jesus' life and teaching that received little attention from the others. It is these things we must look for if we are to understand what Luke wanted us to know about Jesus

The Gospel of Luke reveals Jesus as the Saviour for all. It is the universal gospel, for Jesus is the Saviour of men and women, saints and sinners, Jews and Gentiles. We are all welcome to sit at table with Jesus.

In this lectionary year we are invited walk with Jesus as he is revealed through the Gospel of Luke. As we do we will get a glimpse of what Luke wanted his people to see, and what God wants to reveal to us.