‘Instructor’s Name’
The book of Luke presents to us an explicit picture of the humanitarian side of the son of God. It is sometimes hard to imagine that Jesus Christ actually led a life of a simple man, ate the food we eat and walked these lands just like we do. Given his divine qualities, it is easy to forget that he actually lived his life as an ordinary human being, while guiding his followers to the path of salvation. Through the gospel of Luke, not only do we get the account of the life and works of Jesus Christ, but we also get valuable insights into how he handled his followers’ moral and spiritual struggle. This essay aims at discussing one of the major themes of the book of Luke- Salvation for outcasts.
We all can describe the nativity scene of Christ’s birth with ease. Yes, the stable, Mary holding a baby and the three kings with their gifts, is a part and parcel of Christmas decorations in many homes. But the Kings are more an oddity in the very humble scene of the barnyard where infant Jesus was born. If we read carefully the Luke’s narrative of Christ’s birth (2:1-20), we see that the emphasis is on the humbleness surrounding his arrival to earth and this theme is consistent with the entire life of Jesus. The recipients of his grace are the most unexpected lot of the humankind- the deprived, diseased, sinners, and social outcasts. This gives rise to questions as to the meaning behind the presence of the kings in his birth scene. What is the significance of their presence in such a humble space? Jesus dedicated his entire life to the poorest of the poor, so what is the message behind the showering of gifts by kings during his birth?
Jesus chose to give his blessings and preach the divine truth, to the most unlikely group of people. According to Luke, Jesus did not spend much time with the nobility, royalty and other successful and honorable members of the society. Instead he chose to reach out and bring a change in the lives of people like prostitutes (7:36-50), tax collectors (19:1-10) and lepers (vv. 12-26). Even during his last minutes on earth he preached to a criminal dying who is nailed to a cross next to him (23:40-43). Jesus’ relationship with these people drew sharp criticism from the society around him, but it did not deter his efforts to bring those people into the right path (vv. 27-39; 15:2). He conveyed to them that though the society to which they belong detested them, God loved them and has plans for each one of them. Though Luke conveys that Jesus did not show favors to a single group of people and embraced all children of God as equals, time and again throughout his book we can see, that he tries to distance Jesus from his Jewish origins. He repeatedly refers Jesus as the ‘Son Of God’ and other non-Jewish titles. Why does Luke find it compelling to distance Jesus from the Jewish community?
Jesus tells the thief next to him in the cross, that if he puts his faith in God now, during his final hours on earth, his sins will be pardoned. “Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’ (Luke 23:43) Did both those criminals crucified along with Christ feel remorse for the way they led their life? On the final moments his life, the thief has been blessed to have met his savior who offered him salvation and took him to heaven with him. Did he realize his good fortune and took stock of his crimes till date and repent them?
The Book of Luke not just presents us with such soul searching questions, but also presents us with the way in which we have to lead our lives. Written almost 2000 years back, the teachings of this book are still relevant and provide much needed direction to our life. There are many ways in which the teachings of this book can be applied in our day to day life. Today’s society is plagued with hunger and poverty. Almost 1, 00,000 people around the globe are dying of hunger every day in today’s world. A person in a developed country consumes anywhere between 20 to 30 times food, than an average person in an underdeveloped country. Like Jesus Christ did, we have to show compassion to the poor and sick. We should remember them in our prayers and contribute our bit to make their lives better. The second thing gospel of Luke teaches us, is to spread the word of God to everyone. Even today there are social outcasts in our society. Yes, the learned and model citizens of our country and the world know the truth about salvation and God’s grace. But there are still a large population who are either unaware or do not believe in the love of God. We should take upon ourselves to enlighten these people and share with them the message of the infinite love of God, like Jesus Christ shared it with us.
Works Cited
- The Book of Luke. The New Testament Book. The Holy Bible English Standard Version.
- Pastor Mark Driscoll. (2009) Luke’s Gospel Investigating the Man Who is God. Retrieved from http://marshill.com/files/collection/documents/luke_9095_document.pdf. Accessed on September 17, 2013.
