Understanding the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles

Understanding the Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke from the Perspective of a Journey

Backgrounder on Luke's gospel

The gospel of Luke is often referred to by post-Vatican II bible scholars as a two volume book known as Luke-Acts. The author of the gospel is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles. When reading both books, one can see the missionary works of Jesus continued by the missionary works of His followers. The apostles and St. Paul continue the mission of Jesus in the book of Acts.

The journey perspective in St. Luke's gospel

To understand the richness of Luke's gospel, one can focus on the journey narrative in the presentation of the gospel. Below is an outline of this journey:

• Jesus journeys in his ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem
• Galilean Ministry [Luke 4:14 - Luke 9:50]
• Journey to Jerusalem [Luke 9:51 - Luke 19:27]
• Jerusalem Ministry [Luke 19:28 - Luke 21:38]

The Passion and Death of Jesus [Luke 22:1ff]
The Resurrection [Luke 24:1ff]
The Ascension [Luke 24:50ff]
The Pentecost [Acts 2:1ff]


• The followers of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, journeys from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth
• Mission in Jerusalem [Acts 1:1 - Acts 5:42]
• Mission in Judea and Samaria [Acts 6:1 - Acts 12:25]
• Mission to the ends of the earth [Acts 13:1 - Acts 28:31]

note: outline from the Jerusalem Bible translation

The key passage of the gospel of Luke for this missionary program

After many post-Vatican II studies on the Scripture, Luke 4:16-30 was discovered as the key passage to understand the missionary program of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. These studies point out that key passage as a "programmatic text". It is a programmatic text, because it outlines the missionary program of Jesus ministry. One passage often highlighted as representative of the programmatic text is:


"The Spirit of the Lord has been given to Me, for He has anointed Me. He has sent Me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. [Luke 4:18-19]


This proclamation made by Jesus at the synagogue of Jerusalem outlines His whole mission. If placed in the context of the missionary program outlined above, it clearly shows in detail what Jesus has done in His missionary journeys in the gospel of Luke.

Emphasis of Luke's gospel in the mission to the poor, the proclamation of blessing, and the Lord's favour

The whole of Jesus' mission in Galilee and Jerusalem was a mission for people in Jewish society who were poor and marginalized. Especially of note are the sick, the blind, and those souls captive to evil spirits. Luke's Jesus is portrayed as a man with compassion for the suffering and who experience distress. This is clearly evidenced in [Luke 6:36] - "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate."

As Jesus prophetic mission to the poor and the oppressed in Galilee and Jerusalem endeared Him to the people. It is this following of His Father's will that led to His arrest and death on the Cross. But, after three days, He rose again by the power of the Holy Spirit. He appeared to His disciples, ascended into heaven, and then at Pentecost, sent the Holy Spirit to commission all His followers to continue His mission - a mission He began at Galilee and Jerusalem. Before His ascent into heaven, He told His disciples in [Acts 1:8]

"...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth." This is the key verse that outlines the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The followers of Jesus continued the mission of building God's Kingdom: first in Jerusalem, then in Judaea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.

Venerable Bede, Priest, Doctor of the Church & Benedictine Monk (May 25)

St. Bede, Priest and Doctor of the Church: c. 673-735 A.D.

Feast day, May 25

Birth and life as a monk

St. Bede or Venerable Bede, was born in the lands near St. Peter and St. Paul monastery at Wearmouth-Jarrow, England, in 673 A.D. Almost all that is known of Bede's life comes from the last chapter of his greatest work, Historia Ecclesiastica, an ecclesiastical history of England. This work he completed in 729 A.D. In contrast to St. Athanasius, who lived the most tumultuous life among all the Doctors of the Church, St. Bede lived the most peaceful life of all. He spent almost his entire life, from the age of seven years, in a Benedictine monastery on the River Tyne in northeastern England. His parents gave him to Abbot Benedict Biscop and Ceolfrid from whom Bede received an excellent education.

Priest, monk and scholar

At nineteen years of age, Bede was ordained a deacon. When he reached thirty years old, he was ordained a priest. Except for a few brief visits elsewhere, Bede spent his life mostly in the monastery, devoting himself to the study of Scripture, and to teaching and writing. He became an extraordinary scholar, well-versed in all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, the philosophy of Aristotle, the lives of saints, and history. He is considered one of the most learned men of his time and a major influence to English literature.

The "Venerable" saint

Bede was honoured as a saint even in his lifetime. In recognition for his saintliness and scholarship, he was entitled "the Venerable". This title was formalized at the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle (or Aachen) in 853 A.D., eighteen years after his death. Because of his holiness, Bede's advice and counsel were sought after by noblemen and even the pope. Although Bede was canonized a saint, "Venerable Bede" seems to remain a special designation and name for this holy Benedictine monk.

His numerous scholarly writings

Although Historia Ecclesiastica was Bede's greatest work, it was only one among many writings. All in all, St. Bede wrote forty-five books: thirty of which were commentaries on the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and sections of the Old and New Testaments. He also produced a scientific study based on the Roman writers Pliny the Younger and Suetonius, a biography of St. Cuthbert, and a history of the lives of the abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow. In 1899 A.D., in recognition for his wisdom and learning, he was named a Doctor of the Church. He is the only English saint honored with this title.

Illness and death

St. Bede's last days began when he experienced an illness about ten days before Easter of 735 A.D. Though ill, he was still able to dictate two new books - one a translation of St. John's Gospel into Anglo-Saxon, and the other a collection of notes from St. Isidore of Seville. He died on Ascension Eve in 735 A.D. at the age of 62 years old. The Church celebrates his feast on May 25.

From a Letter on the Death of Bede, by Cuthbert:

When evening came, young Wilbert said to Bede, "Dear master, there is still one sentence that we have not written down."

Bede said: "Quick, write it down."

In a little while, Wilbert said: "There; now it is finished."

Bede said: "Good. You have spoken the truth; it is finished. Hold my head in your hands, for I really enjoy sitting opposite the holy place where I used to pray; I can call upon my Father as I sit there."

And so Bede, as he lay upon the floor of his cell, sang: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." Then he breathed his last breath.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• The Doctors of the Church vol 1, by John F. Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.

Memorial of Saints (May 22)

Blessed Maria Domenica got married, but she experienced the tragic loss of her husband and son Lorenzo. As a widow, she consecrated herself to works of charity for the poor and the sick. Soon, with six others, she founded the Pious Union of Charity. In 1829 A.D., she also founded a congregation which was to be popularly known as the Camillian Sisters - all dedicated to assist the sick and the poor (died ca. 1868 A.D.).

St. Rita of Cascia lived through four states of life in her lifetime: as a virgin, a married woman and mother, a widow, and an Augustinian nun. She is the patron saint of desperate causes, like St. Jude Thaddaeus. After an unhappy marriage and the death of her husband and two sons, she entered the Augustinian convent in ca. 1407 A.D. at Cascia, Italy. It is popularly known that a wound appeared on her forehead because she meditated intensely on the Passion of Christ. Given the miserable marriage she endured, she became a role model and inspiration for others in desperate marital situations (died ca. 1457 A.D.).

St. Joachima of Vedruna was also known as Joaquina de Mas de Vedruna. She founded a religious community in Spain after her husband died and she finished all her obligations in raising up her children. The religious community follows the Carmelite spirituality and came to be known as the Carmelites of Charity (died ca. 1854 A.D.).

Sts. Aemilius and Castus were African Christians. When they werearrested during the persecution of Christians under the reign of Emperor Decius, they were ordered to be tortured. Under torture, the two recanted. But after they recanted, they retracted from their recantation. So they were both burned to death as martyrs for Christ (died ca. 250 A.D.).

St. Quiteria was the daughter of a Galician prince. When her father wanted her to get married and give up her Christian faith, she fled to escape this situation. St. Quiteria's father had her tracked down through his followers. When they found her in Aire, Gascony, she was beheaded on orders from her own father (died 5th century).

St. Romanus was a monk at Monte Subiaco monastery. He was the one who brought food to St. Benedict while the latter lived as a hermit for three years in a cave. When the Vandals invaded Italy, St. Romanus went to France. It was in France where he founded the Abbey of Fontrouge near Auxerre. He spent the last years of his life in this Abbey (died ca. 550 A.D.).

St. Julia is the patron saint of Corsica. According to Catholic tradition, she was a North African of noble heritage, but was sold as a slave to a Syrian merchant. It was a period in history when Carthage was invaded in 439 A.D. On the voyage by ship to Corsica, she did not want to debark when the ship came to shore, because her master wanted her to participate in a pagan ritual ceremony. Learning then of her Christian faith, she was tortured and then crucified (died 5th century).

St. Aigulf became a hermit at Bourges, France, after the death of his parents. Because of his reputation for sanctity, he was chosen to become bishop of Bourges in 811 A.D. He attended the Council of Toulouse in 829 A.D. When three bishops joined in a revolt of Louis the Debonaire's sons against their father, St. Aigulf was chosen to decide the fate of these three bishops (died ca. 1130 A.D.).

St. Humility is really named Rosana and was married to an Italian nobleman. Her husband got sick and almost died. After this incident in their life, both she and her husband decided to enter the double monastery near Faenza. It was here that Rosana took the religious name Humility. St. Humility lived as a recluse for twelve years before the abbot general of the Vallombrosans suggested that she found an abbey. Humility obeyed and the first Vallambrosan convent for nuns was founded near Faenza. A second house was founded at Florence, Italy. This was where she spent her last years (died ca. 1310 A.D.).