Luke's Role In The Bible: A Thematic Analysis

Nonetheless, many analysts agree that NAFTA has made a mark. U.S.-Mexico trade continues to grow, and NAFTA and the promises it brings have lessened the impact of the Mexican recession and quickened its recovery. Healthy, growing bilateral trade, they say, depends on healthy, growing economies, and Mexico’s recovery and continuing economic liberalization should fuel that trend.

When discussing the Bible’s New Testament, there are several individuals aside from Jesus that gander a lot of attention. It is not uncommon to hear pastors and priest preaching about the disciples that walked with the messiah during his time of great works during a Sunday service. There are many lessons to be learned from the experiences of and trails faced by the men that knew best. However, even though the Bible is considerable a masculine text, there are many notable women sprinkled throughout it. Most notable, of course, would be the mother of Jesus, Mary. She made several appearances throughout the Gospel from the moment the angel came to her and said “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28) to let her know that she was going to be the mother of the “Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32) to the moment she stood witness to the crucifixion of that Son. Today, after Jesus, Mary – sometimes also called The Virgin Mary – is among those most revered in the Bible. However, she is not the only Mary to have close ties to the Biblical savior. There are actually at least three other Marys to walk along side with Jesus at some point, but none more conversational than Mary Magdalene.

Luke the Evangelist is quoted saying, “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” My door opened specifically at the age of five. When I was young, I was consistently at the doctor’s office or the hospital or the ER. The medical history is colorful and still progressing. However, the sicknesses I endured have assisted in shaping my personality and outlook as well as given insight on my future plans.

Growing up, I took every opportunity given to me to help those around me. I aided the homeless at the early age of 8 alongside my mom. Helping boost homeless women and children self-esteem by participating in clothing, food, and school supply giveaways. Beginning at the age of 13, during Sunday services I would watch the younger kids in the nursery changing their diapers, entertain, making sure that they were safe and well taken care of. I also have volunteered at the libraries in the Newton County area efficiently shelving books.

By serving others, I improve not only their lives, but also mine. My church often reaches out to the community and serves them according to their needs. Whether the members of our community need food, shelter, clothes, or school supplies, we are happy to help. I find these service projects satisfying because I get to see my impact I have on society. The look of joy and relief on a person’s face as they receive the the first meal they’ve had in days, or gotten the help they need for their children is priceless and completely unforgettable.

Jesus’s actions for the marginalised groups in Jesus’s time were radical and unorthodox. Jesus helped many groups that were considered second class citizens, but the three main groups, were Women, Samaritans and Outcasts including Tax Collectors and the Poor. The working of Jesus with these groups was recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

Luke portrays Jesus in a human like perspective, as a teacher to all. Luke shows Jesus lineage is traced back to Adam and Eve; Adam and Eve were the first humans so to trace his ancestors back to them is showing how he was born to parents just like you and I. Jesus is a teacher of human ethics, on how we are intended to live our lives. Jesus was the teacher of these things, throughout Luke he tells the story of Jesus and how he traveled from town to town, city to city teaching these ethics to as many people as he could. His focus was primarily on the poor, weak and needy. Jesus was focused on his impact in society as a whole; Luke refers to Jesus as a philosopher, social critic and social reformer. Luke shows how Jesus taught “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not,

knowledge through my experience and helping less fortunate made me a better person. It changes my perception on how and why I see the world and the people around me. I become a well-rounded person, it opened my hearts to understand and taught me a better way to connect with people.

The Gospel of Luke serves to provide a model for people to engage in issues that affect communities: such as poverty, health, and exclusion of certain peoples. Luke’s gospel interprets the story of Jesus from apparent eyewitness accounts and conveys a perspective of his own communal ideal in response to these socially and ethically based issues. Luke will represent Jesus’ attempt at building a community of followers that would accompany him in his preparation of the kingdom of God for the Jewish community. The purpose of this essay is to recognize and express the relationship between community

Women played a most important role in early Christianity Women’s interaction with Jesus is very crucial roles within the life and teachings of Jesus. The resurrection of two people are restored to women, Nain to his unnamed mother (Luke 7:11-17), and Lazarus to Mary and Martha (John 11:1-44). Women attend to Jesus at the cross and are the first to see the resurrection of Jesus. More specifically Jesus infers there should be no hierarchy in Christian relationships (Matthew 20:25-26). Women also played a considerable role in the formation of the church. Many early churches were home churches and the environment was provided by the women. For example, Martha becomes a church leader by offering her house as a home church and by assisting in

Luke’s Gospel is a portrayal of Jesus as a model of social justice. Hence, the reader is empowered and influenced by the Gospel to be actively involved in social justice issues. The Catholic Church has sought to reach out to those in need, and Luke’s Gospel demonstrates this through injustices that Jesus challenged. In addition, mental illness, which is a current social justice issue reflects and appeals to problems that Jesus faced and reacted to in his time.

Service to others has always been important to me. I'm a product of Jesuit education going back to high school, so I grew up with an understanding of the value of serving others, and the positive impact it can have on the lives we touch. In my experience, I have always been happiest when I have tended to another's needs ahead of my own. I have no better example of this than in my work with the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Campus Recreation Program through volunteering.

Gospel of Luke Reflective Journal In one of our early class discussions- it was quipped that if The Gospels were movies- Matthew’d be a drama , Mark’d be an action-adventure and Luke’d be a documentary. I definitely agree with that. As he repeatedly contrasts The Kingdom of God against first century Israel-

Throughout the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches the importance of living in the current moment not having regards for the physical body. As long as you live in the present moment you will not be bound to your physical body. In reality all that your physical body is, is just part of the current moment eventually when you die all that will remain is the effect you had on people. After Jesus was crucified his body returned to what it was prior to his birth, part of the earth. Even though Jesus had died his message still lived on through those who saw the world in the same lense as he.

I chose to read The Gospel of Luke for my project. It is said that The Gospel of Luke was written somewhere between 80 CE - 90 CE. The Gospel of Luke was written for Theophilus, who was called “Friend of God”. But The Gospel was also written for a wider audience, including converts and potential converts.