With a profound understanding of both the Scriptures and the classical world that influenced Luke, David Gooding leads the reader through the artistry of Luke’s presentation. However familiar the terrain of this Gospel, the reader will find that having an experienced guide makes a difference. By bringing out the significance of the narrative as a whole, David Gooding’s analysis helps readers arrive at a confident understanding of Luke’s message and open up insightful lines of application at each step along the way.
“his official introduction to the world of men and the beginning of his public ministry” (Page 65)
“The action was neither vindictive nor arbitrary. In a few minutes Zechariah was expected to go outside and, as priest on duty for the day, in God’s name pronounce God’s blessing on the waiting people. But a priest who cannot believe the authoritative word of an angel of God, because he cannot accept the possibility of divine intervention to reverse the decay of nature, has lost faith in the basic principle of redemption. Without redemption, he has no gospel. Without a gospel, any blessing he pronounced upon the people would be the emptiest of professional formalities. If Zechariah could not believe the angel’s gospel, it were better that he did not pretend to bless the people. Fittingly the angel struck him dumb.” (Pages 30–31)
“the Samaritan has some more travelling to do. As he” (Pages 196–197)
“Stupendous things have been promised, and Luke is busy recording them; but at every turn he points out that believing such stupendous announcements was no automatic thing. Zechariah had found it impossible; if Mary believed, it was not to be passed by as a matter of course: it was a matter for holy congratulations.” (Page 10)
“‘All generations shall call me blessed’—but she does not add ‘because I am to be the mother of the Son of God’ but ‘because the mighty one has done great things for me’ (1:49). In other words, what God has done, rather than what she is, is the aspect of the matter that is filling her mind.” (Page 38)