Lectionary Year C
August 5, 2001
Luke 12:13-21

Composition

Step III - Composition

A. Immediate Context

(JFC) Pre - The first 12 verses of Luke 12 find Jesus warning against the Pharisees' false teachings, against fearing all but God and against worrying what to say when challenged.

Post - Verses 22 - the end of Luke 12 record Jesus' conversations with the disciples, advising them against worrying since God takes care of them and all else and others, too. He tells them to keep their treasures in heaven, to remain ready for the Master's return, and to all he said for them to learn what is right to do.

B. Organization of the Compositional Whole

(JFC) As previously stated, we might divide the Gospel of Luke into four parts: 1) John the Baptist's and Jesus' births and early lives, 1:1-3:38; 2) Jesus' ministry (in Galilee) of teaching, preaching, healing, working miracles and associating with people, mostly people in need, 4:14-9:50; 3) Jesus' journeying toward Jerusalem, still teaching, preaching, healing, etc., 9:51-19:27; and 4) Jesus in Jerusalem for his trial, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, 19:28-24:53. In The Good News According to Luke, Eduard Schweizer singles out 3:1-9:50 and names it, "The Growth of the Community". Obviously, Luke writes more of Jesus going toward and suffering in Jerusalem than other stories. Some commentaries divide Jesus' passion, his death and his resurrection appearances, but I combine them together, as does Schweizer. And a few other commentaries divide out the preparations for Jesus' ministry, 3:1-4:14. As Joseph A. Fitzmyer contends, in The Anchor Bible Commentary, Luke intended to further the historical developments of Israel in the Old Testament. Such ages were full of suffering and stress and tensions. Frederick W. Danker, in Jesus and the New Age, According to St. Luke, A Commentary on the Third Gospel, acknowledges how 1:1-4 might lead us to conclude Luke writes for one or only a few in authority. Thereupon, Danker at once expands his opinion of Luke's purpose by stating that Luke apparently writes for "a broader circle of readers, who are to receive further instruction and resources for evaluating especially theological issues." Luke throughout his Gospel seems to want to inform the people of the faith how their God intends for them to live.

C. Issues of Authorship

(JFC) As in previous weeks' exegeses, we noted that the Gospel of Luke is written, admittedly, not by eyewitnesses, but it depends on reports of those who were on the scenes when they happened (1:2). Plummer in ICC says it was written be a Gentile for Gentiles. The more recently published commentaries tend to doubt the author of the Third Gospel is the companion of Paul (Philemon 24), and/or the physician (Colossians 4:14), though, many still do consider that he was the author of the Book of Acts, too. Most scholars date this Gospel's origin after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem (21:20-24) and after Mark's Gospel was written (c. 65-70). And, William Baird, The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible, writes, "Since the situation of the Church reflected in the Gospel fits well the political situation of the reign of the emperor Domitian (81-96) a date from about 85 to 95 is most likely." What's more, Luke seems to be, "the work of a consummate literary artist. Jerome recognizes this fact quite clearly, referring to Luke as the most skilled writer among the Evangelists," as Fred Craddock says in "Luke, Introduction," Harper's Bible Commentary.

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