Lectionary Year C
August 19, 2001
Luke 12:49-56
Composition
Step III - Composition
A. Immediate Context
(JFC) Pre - Several commentaries call this paragraph Jesus' third prediction of his Passion (9:22 and 44 being the others). And as has been noted now for the three previous weeks, this chapter of Luke tells of the parable of the rich farmer/fool. The other paragraphs there tell of Jesus' warning against the Pharisees' false teachings, against fearing all but God and against worrying what to say when challenged. Then, some further subsections record Jesus' conversations with the disciples, advising them against worrying since God takes care of them and all else and others, too. Then we get last week's text, re: the parable of servants' preparedness, etc. Finally, the eight verses leading up to the pericope we here exegete find Peter asking whether Jesus' sayings to the crowd, re: this parable, were for the disciples or for the multitudes (which, incidentally, Luke clearly indicates he addresses to the crowd, but for the benefit of the disciples, perhaps especially?) Jesus answers him by a description of faithful and trustworthy servanthood, contrasted with a hypothetical (parabolic) servant. Ignorance of what the master expects might be an explanation if not even an excuse for irresponsible attempts at servanthood. Jesus concludes these paragraphs with declaring that when God gives servants much, much will be expected of them as servants.
Post - In the last three verses of Luke 12, Jesus asks, "Why don't you know what is the right thing to do?" Then he advises any who are accused of an impropriety to settle out of court or surely they will go to jail until a fine is paid in full.
B. Organization of the Compositional Whole
(JFC) As formerly noted, the Gospel of Luke might be divided 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 stages of his life and ministry. Some commentaries divide Jesus' passion, his death and his resurrection appearances, but I combine them together, as does Schweizer. And a few others 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 challenges and dissentions. 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 wrote that the Gospel of Luke is composed, admittedly, not by eyewitnesses, but it depends on reports of those who were on the scenes when events happened (1:2). Plummer in ICC says it was written by a Gentile for Gentiles. 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. Also, the Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels in the Jerusalem Bible states, "Luke is at once a most gifted writer and a man of marked sensibility (could they have said, "sensitivity"? I think I could.) . . . Luke, in Dante's phrase, is 'the faithful recorder of Christ's lovingkindness'. . . . Luke's (Greek) is mixed: when writing independently it is excellent but out of respect for his sources he incorporates their imperfections - after polishing them a little. . ."
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