Name: Fran B.
Reference: Lk 21:34
Quote: But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare.
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 05:10:55 PM
Social sin and injustice are emphasized in Luke's message. To me this means that society has a responsibility for the structures it creates and one's theology influences the political arena.
Name: Patricia
Reference: Lk 13:31-34
Quote: "...for Herod wants to kill you...O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you..."
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 03:41:37 PM
Herod is portrayed as the instigator of what is about to happen to Jesus. Jerusalem represents the Jewish authorities throughout Biblical history, who had rejected and killed the prophets of God long before the Romans came along.
Name: Adam
Reference: Luke 23
Quote: "I find this man not guilty"
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 02:48:18 PM
I do see an attempt to down play the involvement of the Romans in the Gospel of Luke, however, I also see the same thing happening in the Gospel of John. John gives the reason that the Jews bring Jesus before him, the Jews cannot execute people.
Name: Burt D Williams
Reference: Lk 9:22; **Lk 9:44**; Lk 18:32
Quote: 44“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.”
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 08:50:26 AM
We greatly miss the point when we do not look directly to the words of Jesus. If we look closely the blame is not being placed entirely on the Gentiles (Lk 18:32), those outside the Jewish tradition, or the Jews (Lk 9:22). Instead the blame is being put on all of humanity (Lk 9:44) to which both the Jews and the Gentiles belong.
Name: Cindy
Reference: Luke 23:47
Quote: centurion: "Certainly this man was innocent!"
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Time: 12:04:48 AM
Not only does Pilate see Jesus as innocent, even the centurion saw his innocence. However, both Matthew and Mark have the centurion say, instead, that Jesus was the Son of God. So while Luke does seem to relieve the Romans of wrong-doing, they only do so for the sake of justice, but not because they are aware of Jesus' identity.
Name: Dave
Reference: Lk 23:38;Mt 27:37;Mk 15:26
Quote: The three passages relate to the inscription above Jesus' head on the Cross and the references to who might have placed it there
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 10:03:50 PM
Interestingly, Luke uses a softer touch regarding who placed the charge "The King of the Jews" over Jesus' head. In Mt, following discussion of the Roman soldiers casting lots over his clothes and watching him, the reference is :and over his head, they put the charge against him".
Mark's reference is slightly more indirect than Matthew's stating "and it was the third hour, when they crucified him...and the inscription of the charge against him (presumably the charge is by the Romans) read...
Luke on the other hand, leaves the door open to interpretation rather than direct
finger pointing at the Romans. In Luke's account, the reference is "There was also an inscription over him..."This is the King of the Jews". Though it is not blatant, it is ambiguous enough not be certain who authored and put the sign over his head (namely the Romans).
Name: DIna L.
Reference: Lk 18:32; Lk 20:9; Lk 24:20;
Quote: a) He will be handed over to the Gentiles and he will be mocked, insulted and spat upon; b) Parable of tenant farmers who kill the beloved son; c) Chief priests and RULERS both handed him over to die.
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 09:41:51 PM
In each of these passages, Luke appears to be very clear that the Romans (not just the Jews) are responsible for the death of Jesus. Furthermore, rather than painting Pilate to be blameless, he is instead portrayed as spineless when refuses to defend an innocent man for fear that his authority will be compromised. (23:25) In the other Gospels as well, Pilate is portrayed as trying to weasel out of the blame for the death of Jesus, and in Mt 27:24 even goes so far as to "wash his hands" of the whole affair, which he probably thought was the correct response to his wife's dream (27:19). In Jn 19:12, Pilate appears to be concerned that he will no longer be a "Friend of Caesar" if he does not follow the crowd. I don't think that any of the gospel writers, even Luke, could be accused of "relieving the Roman government of any wrong-doing" when they
portray the Roman ruler of Jerusalem as a man who commands no respect because of apparent sniveling cowardice.
Name: Mair
Reference: Lk.23: 4,13and 22
Quote: "I have found in him no crime deserving death."
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 08:37:43 PM
That magical number three again, but this time Luke is the only writer that emphasizes this point three times- that Pilate tried three times to point out Jesus' innocence.
Name: TPB
Reference: Luke 23: 34
Quote: Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 07:51:28 PM
This passage is somewhat controversial because it is not found in some of the earliest manuscripts, (nor in any of the other gospels) although it does sound a lot like something Luke would say. And actually, Stephen has a nearly identical speech as he he is being stoned in Acts--part 2 of Luke's writing. I would think that Luke might want to offer some suggestion that the Jews were not a political threat after the fall of Jerusalem, and because Jesus Christ forgave they did not bear a grudge against Rome for their part in the crucifixion.
Name: Ezra Chapola
Reference: Luke 23:[17]18
Quote: But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas".
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 05:11:16 PM
Luke is defending the Roman Government here by put all the blame on the people who demanded the death of Christ.
Name: Sarah PL
Reference: Luke 20:22 – 25
Quote: Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a
denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 12:27:11 PM
The spies sent by the teachers of the law and the chief priests hoped to trap Jesus into denouncing Rome and Roman rule, but he declined. Had he done so they would have been able to lay all responsibility for his subsequent arrest and death at the hands of the Romans, who would have been putting away a dangerous, seditious man - a potential threat to Rome.
Name: Barbara Anne
Reference: Luke 23-25
Quote: He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
Date: Monday, November 28, 2005
Time: 08:09:55 PM
Luke is careful to add, "to their will," to the same story of the people being given the power to choose who will die, as told in Matthew and Mark, making it very clear, who is responsible for Jesus' death. Only Luke adds these words. They do not appear in John either, who was more concerned with showing that God's will had been done than in blaming the people?
Name: Cathie
Reference: Luke 8:1-3
Quote: The twelve were with Him and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of
Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
Date: Monday, November 28, 2005
Time: 07:50:19 PM
It is earlier, but I thought it was interesting to point to a wife of Herod as one of Jesus' financial supporters.
Name: sarah Shepley
Reference: Luke 23:4
Quote: Then Pilate said to the chief priests and crowds" I find no basis for accusation against this man."
Date: Monday, November 28, 2005
Time: 03:41:29 PM
In support of Rosemary's previous entry of the same verse, I might add that Matthew 27:1 writes;" when the morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus..." There is no mention of Pilate or the Roman Gov. In the Roman government the elders and chief priests did not have the authority to exercise such legal matters.
Name: Eric G
Reference: Lk 22:47-53; Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-52
Quote: v50 - Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. v51- But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.
Date: Sunday, November 20, 2005
Time: 12:57:29 PM
It's curious that while the cutting of the ear is recorded in all synoptics, Luke's is the only one who records Jesus' healing the ear (v51). While this can be attributed to Luke as physician (his gospel's emphasis on healing), might it also be a signal to the Romans that the followers of Christ, by their teacher's very example, are peaceful and thereby not a threat to the Romans gov't (in contrast to the Jewish rebellions of the day)?
Name: Rosemary
Reference: Lk 23:4
Quote: Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man."
Date: Sunday, November 20, 2005
Time: 05:20:58 AM
This is the only gospel in the synoptics that has Pilate specifically expressing his belief that Jesus is innocent. In Jn 19:4, however, Pilate tells the crowds "I find no crime in him."
Name: Poppy Arford
Reference: Luke 23:6-16
Quote: Especially 23:12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before they had been enemies.
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2005
Time: 10:26:32 AM
Luke's presentation of Pilates and Herod as new found friends is almost sickly comical considering that they are colluding on the abuse and murder of an innocent man (Jesus). This reminds me of a scenario where my son is telling me about two children who were really nasty to each other on playground and adds "but they were nice to me". In both cases they are attempting to minimize the perpetration of wrongdoing by others. Neither Mark nor Matthew include this passage in their passion story. If, in fact, Mark and Matthew were not Roman friendly and Luke was, this would explain why.
Name: Doug
Reference: Luke 19:47
Quote: And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy to him.
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2005
Time: 09:48:40 AM
Here Luke is identifying those out to destroy Jesus. There is no mention of anyone representing the Romans.
Name: Terah Ames
Reference: Roman soldiers and their treatment of Jesus (found in Matthew 27:27-31 and Mark 15:16-20)
Quote: A whole cohort of Roman soldiers publicly humiliate Jesus, give him the crown of thorns and sarcastically call him "King of the Jews."
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2005
Time: 08:06:35 AM
CommentWhile both Matthew and Mark have this story, it is interesting to note that Luke doesn't include it. The author may have felt it was necessary to omit any discussion of such bad behavior by Roman soldiers.
DT: Sometimes what is not there speaks so loud we cannot hear what was written...
Name: Terah Ames
Reference: Luke 23:2-5
Quote: "perverting our nation, and forbiding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king"
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2005
Time: 08:03:39 AM
I can make arguments for both sides of this passage. Matthew and Mark only have Pilate asking if Jesus is King of Jews. However, Luke adds the above mentioned other activities. This certainly bolsters the Roman case against Jesus. But this would seem, in the long run, to implicate the Romans further in Jesus' death.