Luke 1-9: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

Many stories from the Gospel of Luke have entered our shared imagination. Only Luke tells us about Zechariah and Elizabeth and the birth of John the Baptist. Likewise, it is Luke who tells us about Mary's visit from Gabriel and the joyous encounter some months later with Elizabeth. Luke writes of Mary's song of joy, the shepherds at the manger, and the adoration of Anna and Simeon in the temple.

Other well-known stories are found only in Luke: the boy Jesus in the temple, the Good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple, and the diminutive Zacchaeus high up in a tree. In his post-resurrection narrative, Luke alone portrays the disciples walking along the road to Emmaus after the resurrection, heads bent in conversation with the risen Jesus. And alone among the Evangelists, Luke describes the ascension of Jesus in detail in chapter 24 of the Gospel, and then further in Acts 1.

All of these stories are a rich part of the Christian heritage, and David A. Neale moves verse-by-verse through the Gospel of Luke after providing an in-depth introduction.