Table of Contents

Preface: The Biblical Imagination Introduction: Who Is Luke? A Companion of Paul Not an Eyewitness A Doctor Perhaps a Slave A Gentile Major Themes Luke 1 A Self-Conscious Writer Parallel Pre-Birth Stories Mary Sings Zechariah Sings Luke 2 The King in a Cattle Trough The Line Between Old and New The Boy Who Would Be Messiah Luke 3 The Doleful Days of Tiberius The Voice of a Slave in the Wilderness The Baptism of Jesus The Genetics of Jesus Luke 4 The Son in the Desert Good News for the Poor "Be Muzzled" The Reluctant Healer Luke 5 The First Miraculous Catch A Practical Secret The Healing Faith of Friends Paradoxical Unorthodoxy Wedding Guests and New Wine Luke 6 Lord Over Orthodoxy The Choice of the Twelve The Shape of the New Community The Impossible Command How to Build Your House in the Kingdom Luke 7 How to Amaze Jesus A Meeting of the Crowds A Most Remarkable Question Moving from the Head to the Heart Luke 8 The Women The Parable of the Soils A Demonic Storm A Demonized Man The Healing of Two Daughters Luke 9 A First Foray The Miracle Behind the Miracle A Final Clarity: Who Jesus Is Confirmation from the Father The Impotence of Unbelief The Final Journey Begins Luke 10 The Sending of the Seventy The Joy of Jesus A Parable of Unexpected Mercy A Monumental Shift Luke 11 A Breath of a Prayer The Finger of God The Sign of the Son of Man The Prophet at the Dinner Table Luke 12 What to Fear and What Not to Fear I?ll Say to Myself, "Self . . ." The Treasure Chest of the Heart The Slaving Savior Fire on the Earth Luke 13 A Commentary on the "Job Equation" The Unexpectedly Closed Door Three Days Out Luke 14 A Not Unfriendly Dinner The Heart of the Master of the Banquet Faith Over Family Luke 15 The Shepherd with the Lost Sheep The Woman with the Lost Coin The Father with the Lost Son(s) Luke 16 The Parable of the Desperate Manager The Line Has Been Crossed A Parable of Radical Reversal Luke 17 Simple, Trusting Obedience The Perfect Prayer The Coming(s) of the Kingdom Luke 18 Persistence and Justice The Perfect Prayer, 2 One Broken Link The Perfect Prayer, 3 Luke 19 A Paradigm for a New Value System A Blueprint for Centuries to Come A Tearful Entry The Second Temple Cleansing Luke 20 Six Trick Questions 1 By Whose Authority? 2 John's Baptism: From Heaven or Humans? 3 What Will the Owner Do? 4 Pay Taxes or Not? 5 Whose Wife Will She Be? 6 How Can Christ Be David's Son? Luke 21 A Widow Offers Her Life Two Questions, Two Answers A Lesson from the Leaves Luke 22 For the Price of a Slave The Servant Savior The Sifting of Simon An Unsuccessful Angel The Traitor's Kiss The Gaze The Early-Morning Hearing Luke 23 The Innocence of Jesus: Pilate The Innocence of Jesus: Herod Barabbas! The God-Forsaken God The Death of Jesus The Witnesses Luke 24 No Expectations Recognized by the Broken Bread The Persistence of Doubt