Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.” (Luke 1:13)

The book of Luke was written by the physician Luke in the early 60s A.D. He got his information from eyewitness accounts from people like Mary, Jesus mother (when she was living with John in Ephesus); the disciples; and the early believers who had known Jesus in the flesh (there had been over seventy who regularly followed Him). Luke was a friend and travelling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10 is where he seems to join the crew). He also authored the book of the Acts of the Apostles (which was his second letter to Theophilus and the second half of his message). Luke has a focus on the compassion and healing ministry of Jesus. The is seen as the perfect man. The ultimate man. The Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). It was written as an answer to the Greek philosophical question of what makes the perfect man: Jesus was the perfect man. Jesus’ favourite term for Himself was the Son of Man.

Luke had a knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, however, and his main audience (Theophilus) might NOT have been Greek. Both Josephus (Antiquities XVII, 78, 164-165) and some archaeological finds in the Herodian Mansions in Jerusalem show that there was a high priest between 37 and 41 A.D. The letters may well have been written to comfort Theophilus that what he had learned of Jesus was in fact true. That this high priest and Jew could take comfort that Jesus WAS the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) and WOULD BE the Conquering King (Daniel 7:13-14; 26-27): the Messiah. We can see throughout Luke an emphasis on God fulfilling His promises – such as ones made to Abraham. It emphasizes the connection between the promises of Scripture and what took place in and through Jesus during His ministry and resurrection. Luke shows again and again that Jesus put a high emphasis on the people around Him seeing how God was working through Him.

The book of Luke can be broken up into four main sections: The Son of Man arrives; The Son of Man Ministers; The Son of Man Rejected; The Son of Man Glorified. There is a focus on the evidence of signs and wonders as Jesus moves through these four sections. It gives us something we can see is true to show us that what we see can therefore be trusted as true. A preaching of the Gospel with signs and wonders following. It was the model for Jesus, and Jesus is the model for us. Nothing has passed away.

Chapter one opens in the Temple, where Zechariah is in the Holy Place burning incense on the Altar of Incense. An angel appears to him with an answer to his and his wife’s prayers: they will have a son and they will name him John. Zechariah scoffs at this because they are older people. The angel strikes him dumb (unable to speak) because Zechariah’s doubt will not help. While unable to speak, Zechariah finishes his Temple service and goes home. Lo and behold, his barren wife suddenly is pregnant. Six months into the pregnancy – when it cannot be denied – the same angel appears to young Mary.

Mary is in Nazareth. She is a young woman, she is a virgin, and she is betrothed to Joseph but they haven’t been married or intimate yet. ALL THREE of those states are the three separate meanings of the phrase Isaiah used in Isaiah 7:14 (one of the prophesies of Messiah which also referred to a fulfillment in his own day). So there was Mary and Gabriel shows up with the news she is going to have God’s Son. She is surprised – like Zechariah. She is questioning – like Zechariah. But she is questioning the methodology, not the possibility – after all, she is not married so there is no man who can give her a child in this scenario from her point of view. Gabriel tells her Holy Spirit will provide that part and she will be with child. Mary still doesn’t fully comprehend it (who can?), but she submits to the will of the Lord. What He wants of her, she will give. Remember, by Jewish Law, if she is a virgin and pregnant she faces being outcast at best and stoning at worst. But she is willing to undergo whatever is needed if that is what God is calling her to. The trust she had in the Lord is inspiring. But due to the dangers, she immediately goes into the countryside to visit Elizabeth – physical proof God can do the impossible – and Elizabeth’s child (a fetus still in the womb) recognises the child (fetus) in Mary’s womb as Messiah and starts wiggling around for joy.

When Elizabeth’s pregnancy comes to term she births her boy. Zechariah insists the child will be called John – even though no one in either of their families had that name. Immediately, because he was obedient, he regained the ability to speak and both praised the Lord and prophesied over his son. everyone in the area was wow’d by this whole situation. John grew up, became strong in the Spirit, and remained in the wilderness until his public ministry. Most scholars believe he was at least partially raised by the community of the Essenes near Qumran from whom we got the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because John was in the wilderness for most of his life (to adulthood), it is doubtful that he ever met or interacted with his cousin Jesus (but it was possible when they were little, say 5yrs to 12yrs. We don’t know when John’s parents died and he went to relatives in the Essenes group).

Chapter two brings us to Jesus’ birth. We’ve seen some of this in Matthew, but like with chapter one, Luke got specialized information that had never been shared with the other disciples or early believers from Mary herself. First, the only reason Jesus was born in Bethlehem (which was prophesied – Micah 5:2) was because the Roman Emperor wanted a tax survey. They had to go there. Meanwhile, shepherds were visited by angels who told them the war between God and Sin was over and God again could have good will toward men (because Jesus would pay for Sin, removing it as THE barrier between God and man). They were told that the Messiah would be in a manger. Joseph had found no available room in inns or family members (it had to be REALLY full for family to turn you away), so they had ended up in one of the many shepherd’s caves dotting the hills of Bethlehem. In a stone feeding trough was where Jesus was lain. The shepherds found Him there and worshipped Him.

When eight days had passed, Mary and Joseph had Jesus circumcised and properly named. Once her days of ritual purification were over (according to the Law), they took Mary to the Temple to give the prescribed sacrifices. They chose a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. This was often what poor people had to settle with getting, however, considering Jesus Himself cleared the Temple twice because of dishonest money practices, it is VERY possible Joseph picked this because they were charging for pigeons what they should have been charging for lambs – or maybe he simply refused to be cheated for the exorbitant price of a lamb. The scripture doesn’t tell WHY they picked the sacrifice, only that it WAS a legal option and they DID pick it.

There were two people in the Temple that day who were special. One was Simeon who had been praying for YEARS that he might be allowed to see the Messiah with his own eyes. This day he got to do that and He both praised the Lord and prophesied to Mary about Him. Then they ran into Anna, who was a prophetess who lived at the Temple. She also praised the Lord and spoke of Him to everyone who would listen to her about Jesus. After this, Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth where Jesus grew up, getting filled with wisdom and growing into strength in the Spirit. The Grace of God was upon Him – but He wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit yet and so had no ‘power’ to do miracles with. In that respect, He was an ordinary child. It was His NATURE that was pure.

When Jesus was twelve, they went up to Jerusalem for the Feast. This wasn’t unusual for them. It was the custom at Feast times and Mary and Joseph were devout followers of God and the Law. When it came time to leave, they assumed Jesus was with His friends and their relatives. They didn’t worry about it. Again, not unusual behaviour. But at mealtime, no Jesus. He wasn’t anywhere. They went back to Jerusalem and searched for days. They finally found Him in the Temple. I imagine when Mary found Him that Jesus heard ‘Yeshua ben Yousef!’ – the full name treatment. Jesus was perplexed. He didn’t understand. He’d been in the Temple for at least THREE DAYS speaking with the teachers of the Law, listening to them and asking them questions. His wisdom AMAZED them. Jesus saw this as His Father’s business. Perhaps even then He was teaching about the proper use of the Temple and how it should be a house of prayer and not profit (Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). His parents didn’t get it. They told Him to come with them and He did. Jesus NEVER disobeyed. If He knew it was wrong, He didn’t do it. He probably coloured on the walls as a child because He hadn’t been told not to. But once He was told, He never would have again. He honoured His parents. He submitted to them. Mary treasured all these words, pondering their meaning over the years. Meanwhile, Jesus continued to grow in wisdom and stature and even gained favour with the people of Nazareth. No Holy Spirit miracle power yet, though.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, Gabriel, Angels, Shepherds, Jews

Key Verse(s): Luke 1:18-20; 34-38; 2:41-52