As one reads the introductory chapters to this gospel, one is conscious that Luke (whether as a corporate group or an individual editor etc) is addressing Theophilus a Greek. Luke has control over what is being selected out to be re-told and has control over how it is presented. So when the opening starts with an angel addressing Zacharias, a Jewish priest, the reader is conscious of another address going on in the background. Also, it is generally understood that Luke produced the Acts of the Apostles so this is an opening to the second book as well. Throughout the two books Luke is developing key concepts or understandings which will form a theological basis for the gospel of John written some decades later. A reader is told that the angel says that because Zacharias does not believe his words he will be dumb until what the angel has predicted comes about. This may seem 'a bit heavy'. But Luke the writer is pointing out something here to his Gentile readers. They do not have the Jewish cultural background in which one's whole life is steeped in religious practice - c/f food, clothing, customs etc. So they are challenged to make a 'leap of faith' in the words addressed to them. Even to the present-time, philosophers such as Kierkegaard point out the imperative of a 'leap of faith' on the part of the individual if modern life is to have meaning.

3. . . . Wilderness

Ch 4:1-4:15

Ch 4:1 Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and returned from the Jordan river. He was then led by the Spirit into the desert and for forty days was tempted by the devil. He did not eat anything during those days and when they were ended he was hungry. The devil said to him. “f you are the Son of God tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” Jesus answered him. “t has been written that 'man shall not live on bread alone.’” Then leading him up to higher ground he (the devil) showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in a moment of time. The devil said to him "I will give you authority over all of this and over its glory because it has been delivered to me to give it to whomsoever I wish." Therefore if you worship before me all of this will be yours."

Answering Jesus this said to him. "It has been written "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only will you serve." And he (the devil) led him to Jerusalem and set him on the gable of the temple and said to him. "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it has been written 'He will command his angels to preserve you. They will bear you up on their hands in case you dash your foot against a stone." Answering Jesus said to him (the devil). It has been said "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." And having finished putting forward every type of temptation the devil went away from him until an opportune time. So Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. A report concerning him went out throughout the neighbourhood. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

4. . . . Nazareth

Ch 4:16-30

He (Jesus) came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. He entered into the synagogue as was the custom on the day of the Sabbath and he stood up to read. A roll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the roll and found the place where it has been written “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he anointed me to evangelize the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and sight to the blind, to release those who have been crushed (oppressed) and to proclaim a year which is acceptable to the Lord.” On closing the roll and returning it to the attendant he sat down. All the eyes in the synagogue were upon him. He began to say to them. "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All bore witness to him and marvelled at the gracious words coming out of him. They said. "Is this man not the son of

Joseph?" He said to them "To be sure you will say this parable to me "Physician heal yourself. We have heard what has happened in Capernaum. Do the same here in your native place." He said "Truly I tell you that no prophet is acceptable in his native place. In truth in the days of Elias there were many widows when there was a drought over the land for three and half years and there was a great famine. But Elias was not sent to them but to Sarepta of Sidon who was a widow. Also there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet. But not one of them were cleansed except for Naaman the Syrian." On hearing these things everyone in the synagogue was filled with anger and rising up they cast him out of the city. They then led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built so as to throw him down. But he went away, passing through the midst of them.

This must have been a dramatic scene. It was like the explosion of an underlying tension. Why did Jesus broach the subject of inclusion and why does Luke report on the incident? Again one hears Luke addressing Theophilus the Gentile. Through recalling the incident Luke reminds his reader that even before the time of Jesus an outreach into the wider world was being made by God through his prophets. Jesus was conscious of this and pointed it out to his fellows in Nazareth. Obviously they were not happy about it. There is the presentation of a theme of tension which existed (and exists!) amongst those of a Jewish or time-based background. They have found it difficult to accept that God can choose outsiders. The attempt to deal with this tension is central to the development of Luke's theology. It was a major factor to be dealt with in the life of the early church for example in pressure for all converts to be circumcised. C/f Reality Search it is central to the structure of Luke's book of Acts.