Emily Kinne- ‘What are the aims, settings and sources of Luke’s Gospel?’
Luke’s Gospel, a two-volume work accompanied by the Acts of the Apostles, was written in the 80s or 90s
CE, with the sequel following within the first two decades of the second century. 1 For the purposes of this
essay, its author shall be supposed to be male, referred to in male terms and described as ‘the
Gospel’s/Luke’s author,’ due to ambiguities surrounding the exact identity of the writer. Whilst examining
several themes, such as the salvation and sovereignty of God, and discipleship, the Gospel has a notable
focus on the innocence of Christian figures, as well as containing a detailed historical account of the life of
Jesus and others. As such, it is clear that the Gospel’s author has multiple purposes in his writing, from a
historical aim, to a wish to effectively equip believers with knowledge to protect their faith by, and to
potentially seeking the toleration and protection of Christianity from the Romans. However, ultimately, the
ambiguities of the text, arising from its dating, unclear sources and unknown status of the author, make any
attempt at finding the definitive aims of Luke’s author in the Gospel difficult, and thus it must be
understood that quests of this intent will never be truly decisive.
Whilst much about Luke is ambiguous, it is undeniable that the centre and setting of Luke is Jerusalem.
Indeed, the city is introduced very early on in the Gospel, implicitly as early as the prophecy around
Zechariah in Luke 1:5, with the reference to “the days of King Herod of Judah,” and explicitly from Luke
2:41.2 The city is key to the narrative and features throughout, with Luke’s author outlining Jesus’ journey
to Jerusalem, to describing events that take place in the city. Furthermore, its involvement in prophecies
about key figures, especially Jesus, foreshadows the divine intervention that is to take place in Jerusalem,
and the potential of future good hope for the Israelites. However, the setting of Luke is two-fold. On the
one hand, setting refers to the geographical landscape in which the narrative takes place, which as has
been established, is largely Jerusalem. Much of the action takes place there, and a lengthy section is given
to the progress towards Jerusalem: ten chapters3 which are often dubbed the ‘Travel narrative.’ As such,
Jerusalem takes a key focus and is the place from which Luke’s author can centre and direct his message.
However, the setting of Luke is also the historical and literary context in which the work was created and
immediately functions, as well as pertaining to the structures under which Luke’s author was writing, giving
insight into the potential aims of the text. The consensus is that the gospel of Luke was created around the
time of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (70CE), an event which has noticeable influence
in the work, such as in the author’s emphasis that Gentiles will also inherit the kingdom of heaven, will be
saved,4 and are part of God’s covenant. This message can be found in the many parables present in Luke, as
well as explicitly in Acts 15. Luke’s author was also writing in a period where Christianity was not yet a
‘permitted religion’ in the eyes of the Romans, 5 and thus some argue that this influenced his aims, with the
Gospel representing an appeal to the Romans for protection of Christianity and its believers. 6 However, as
shall be examined, there is no convincing evidence that this was the author’s intent.
1
Parsons, M.C. ‘Luke.’ Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. Pg16.
2
“Now every year his [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.”
3
Luke 9-19.
4
Acts 15:11.
5
R. Maddox, ‘The Purpose of Luke-Acts.’ T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1982. Pg91.
6
Ibid., pg93.
Luke’s Gospel, a two-volume work accompanied by the Acts of the Apostles, was written in the 80s or 90s
CE, with the sequel following within the first two decades of the second century. 1 For the purposes of this
essay, its author shall be supposed to be male, referred to in male terms and described as ‘the
Gospel’s/Luke’s author,’ due to ambiguities surrounding the exact identity of the writer. Whilst examining
several themes, such as the salvation and sovereignty of God, and discipleship, the Gospel has a notable
focus on the innocence of Christian figures, as well as containing a detailed historical account of the life of
Jesus and others. As such, it is clear that the Gospel’s author has multiple purposes in his writing, from a
historical aim, to a wish to effectively equip believers with knowledge to protect their faith by, and to
potentially seeking the toleration and protection of Christianity from the Romans. However, ultimately, the
ambiguities of the text, arising from its dating, unclear sources and unknown status of the author, make any
attempt at finding the definitive aims of Luke’s author in the Gospel difficult, and thus it must be
understood that quests of this intent will never be truly decisive.
Whilst much about Luke is ambiguous, it is undeniable that the centre and setting of Luke is Jerusalem.
Indeed, the city is introduced very early on in the Gospel, implicitly as early as the prophecy around
Zechariah in Luke 1:5, with the reference to “the days of King Herod of Judah,” and explicitly from Luke
2:41.2 The city is key to the narrative and features throughout, with Luke’s author outlining Jesus’ journey
to Jerusalem, to describing events that take place in the city. Furthermore, its involvement in prophecies
about key figures, especially Jesus, foreshadows the divine intervention that is to take place in Jerusalem,
and the potential of future good hope for the Israelites. However, the setting of Luke is two-fold. On the
one hand, setting refers to the geographical landscape in which the narrative takes place, which as has
been established, is largely Jerusalem. Much of the action takes place there, and a lengthy section is given
to the progress towards Jerusalem: ten chapters3 which are often dubbed the ‘Travel narrative.’ As such,
Jerusalem takes a key focus and is the place from which Luke’s author can centre and direct his message.
However, the setting of Luke is also the historical and literary context in which the work was created and
immediately functions, as well as pertaining to the structures under which Luke’s author was writing, giving
insight into the potential aims of the text. The consensus is that the gospel of Luke was created around the
time of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (70CE), an event which has noticeable influence
in the work, such as in the author’s emphasis that Gentiles will also inherit the kingdom of heaven, will be
saved,4 and are part of God’s covenant. This message can be found in the many parables present in Luke, as
well as explicitly in Acts 15. Luke’s author was also writing in a period where Christianity was not yet a
‘permitted religion’ in the eyes of the Romans, 5 and thus some argue that this influenced his aims, with the
Gospel representing an appeal to the Romans for protection of Christianity and its believers. 6 However, as
shall be examined, there is no convincing evidence that this was the author’s intent.
1
Parsons, M.C. ‘Luke.’ Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. Pg16.
2
“Now every year his [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.”
3
Luke 9-19.
4
Acts 15:11.
5
R. Maddox, ‘The Purpose of Luke-Acts.’ T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1982. Pg91.
6
Ibid., pg93.
