Cave at Qumran, probably used for storage

Ruins of water system at Qumran

Composition of the Gospels

• 3 stages– Events– Oral tradition– Writing

• Luke– Date: ca. 80-90 CE– Audience: mostly Gentile– Process: interview eyewitnesses, correlate to

historical events– Focus: Jesus’ ministry among the poor

Source theory

• Mark: narrative (ca. 69-70 CE)• Q (“source”): sayings

– Not extant

• Matthew and Luke (ca. 80-90 CE)– Draw on Mark and Q– Add unique material

• Matthew: for Jewish audience• Luke: for Gentile audience

• John: largely distinct (ca. 90 CE)

Luke 4When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he

went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,   because he has anointed me     to bring good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives   and recovery of sight to the blind,     to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’

Luke 6: Sermon on the PlainThen Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:

‘Blessed are you who are poor,   for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,   for you will be filled.‘Blessed are you who weep now,   for you will laugh.

‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. ‘But woe to you who are rich,   for you have received your consolation. ‘Woe to you who are full now,   for you will be hungry.‘Woe to you who are laughing now,   for you will mourn and weep.

‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Characteristics of the Kingdom

• Who?

• What?

• Where?

• When?

• How different?– From life under Roman occupation?– From kingdom of Satan (p. 61)?

The Kingdom and Money

• Why can’t the rich enter the kingdom?– What is the problem with money?– How do people today “spiritualize” or ignore

these passages?– Why do religions (cf. Islam) care so much

about what people do with their money?

• What is the alternative? What way of life does Jesus offer?

The Kingdom and Prestige

• Who had honor in Jesus’ time?

• Who did not?

• How did Jesus challenge these values of honor and shame?

The Kingdom and Solidarity

• Major difference between Kingdom of God and of Satan– Inclusive vs. exclusive– New form of kinship– Basis: compassion, even for enemy

• How did Jesus challenge people’s bonds of soliarity?– How did he encourage something different?