Updated 2/2024

CHAPTER 1

Luke wrote this gospel so Theophilus so he would know the things that were said of Jesus were most certainly true.
John the Baptist’s parents were Zacharias a priest and Elizabeth a daughter of the descendants of Aaron the first high priest.
a. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias. b. He and his barren wife would have a child.
John’s ministry was to turn the people to the Lord their God, unify families, and transform the disobedient so they would be prepared to meet Jesus.
a. Zacharias became mute, he could not talk. b. He doubted God's word given by the angel Gabriel.
Mary and Joseph were the parents of Jesus
a. The angel Gabriel who had appeared to Zacharias came to Mary. b. Mary would have a son and He would sit on the throne of David. He would be the son of the Highest. c. The Holy Spirit would come over Mary and she would be with child.
The baby in Elizabeth leaped in his mother's womb and she prophesied before Mary concerning her child.
Zacharias was able to speak again.
Zacharias prophesied Jesus would be the salvation of Israel.
John would be a prophet to prepare the way of the Lord and to give knowledge of salvation to the people by remission of their sins.

CHAPTER 2

a. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. b. Caesar Augustus had decreed that all people were to be counted and listed. Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem with many others for the census. c. Mary and Joseph stayed in a barn or stable for animals because there was no room for them in the inn due to all the people in the city for the census. d. Jesus was laid in a manger (which in English means a feeding box for animals).
a. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and announced the birth of Jesus calling Him an anointed savior and where to find Him. b. The shepherds found everything exactly as they were told.
Simeon would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
a. Anna the prophetess spoke of Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel. b. Based on the NU text she was now a widow at age eighty-four. In other translations it seems she was a widow for eighty-four years. This would put her over a hundred years old - eighty-four plus her seven years of being married plus her age when she married. This could be as early as twelve up to eighteen years of age as they married at an early age at that time.
a. Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem for Passover. b. Jesus was twelve at the time. c. Jesus was in the temple listening and discussing the scriptures with the teachers. d. Jesus responded He must be about His Father's business.

CHAPTER 3

John’s message to the people was to repent from their sins and do works worthy of their repentance (some of these works are given in 10-16).
The Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove on Jesus when He was baptized.
a. Jesus is a descendant of the tribe of Judah. b. David, the king of Israel was a forefather of Jesus. c. Adam is the first forefather.
Adam had no father or mother. God created him.

CHAPTER 4

a. Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. b. He remained there forty days.
According to the book of Isaiah Jesus would preach the gospel, heal the brokenhearted, deliver the people from their sins, and set them free from sin.
a. He would do no miracles among them because of their lack of faith and gave them two examples of how God used two rejected prophets, Elijah and Elisha, to heal and help Gentiles who were willing to accept them. In essence, the Gentiles were favored over His own countrymen. c. The people tried to throw Jesus down a steep hill or over a cliff.
Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law of a high fever.
Each demon cast out knew that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God.

CHAPTER 5

a. Jesus made an abundance of fish to be caught in Simon’s boat- so much that the boat began to sink. b. Simon and his men gave up their work as fishermen to follow Jesus.
Peter would fish by drawing men into the kingdom of God for the salvation of their souls.
Peter was ashamed of sinful state and unworthiness before the Holy One of God. Jesus knew Peter would not remain here but would become a fisher of men for the Kingdom of God.
It was proper to perform the ceremonial act and gift before the priest as a witness before the people that the leper is cleansed of his disease and now could be included in all of society.
Jesus healed the paralyzed man as proof to the scribes and Pharisees that He had power to forgive sins.
The wineskins parable showed the scribes and Pharisees that the rigid rituals and traditions of the law cannot compare or continue with the what Jesus was introducing (in the gospel, faith, and the Holy Spirit).

CHAPTER 6

Any good work or merciful deed could be done on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man using holy judgment.
Peter, Andrew (Peter's brother), James and John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas (called Thaddeus in Matthew 10:3), and Judas Iscariot.
The humble and meek in spirit and those reviled and persecuted for Christ’s sake will be rewarded and have hope in God.
a. We are to love our enemies. We should treat them well even though they may treat us badly. b. When we give we should not expect anything in return. c. We should be merciful and kind to all.
We should be merciful and forgiving to others so that we may also receive mercy and be forgiven.
God will give back to you the same measure or even above that which you give
You must first get rid of the sin in your own life before you can see clearly to help someone else get sin out of their life.
Your tongue speaks what is in your heart.
a. If we follow Jesus we will be like a house built on a rock and will not be shaken in times of trial and tribulation. b. If we do nor follow Jesus we will be like a house built without a solid foundation which falls immediately in trials and tribulations.

CHAPTER 7

a. Jesus healed a Centurion's honored servant. b. The centurion loved the nation of Israel and had built them a synagogue.
Jesus raised a widow's only son from the dead at Nain.
Blessed is the man who accepts Jesus.
The prophets before only spoke of the coming Messiah. John the Baptist actually introduces Him to the world. However, the least one in Heaven already knew of Jesus because He existed from the beginning with God.
a. A woman washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and anointed them with oil. (She is the same woman in Matthew 26:6, Mark 14:3, and John 11:2. She is Mary the sister of Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead (John 11:2; 12:3). Luke does not mention the city where this occurs but Matthew, Mark, and John identify the city of Bethany.) b. The woman had much sin to be forgiven.

CHAPTER 8

The seed is the Word of God sown among the people.
Each sown seed defines how you apply the word of God in your life after hearing it. a. The seed by the wayside are those who hear but do not change their life. They hear the word but do not understand it, nor do they care to understand it b. The seed sown on the rock are those who gladly receive the word of God but they do not seek further spiritual growth and strength. They fall away after a short time and in tribulation. They have neglected the word and withered (lacked moisture vs.6) only to end up falling away. c. The seed among thorns are those that receive the word and immediately start living for God (see Mat. 13:5) but the cares of the world and the pursuit of worldly and material things become priority in their lives instead of God. They let the cares of the world overcome time with God. They once were fruitful but become unfruitful. d. The seed on good ground are those who receive the word let it take root and grow spiritually mature and righteous. They produce fruit within themselves and outside themselves.
a. More truth and understanding will be given to those who apply the word to their life. b. No further truth shall be revealed to those who do not apply the word to their life. Even what they knew shall be as if they never knew.
(Mark and Luke (8:16-18) record this parable after the Parable of the Sower. Matthew (5:13-16) has it after the Beatitudes. It has the same meaning in all three gospels.) We are not to hide or ignore the word of God we hear. We are to apply the word to our life for our growth and benefit and to be an influence on the world around us.
Jesus calmed the sea and the wind while on the boat with His disciples.
The demon in the possessed man Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.
Jesus sent them into a nearby herd of swine and they were cast into the sea where the swine drowned.
Jesus healed a woman suffering from an issue of blood for twelve years who just touched the hem of His garment and the daughter of Jarius, a ruler of the synagogue, Jesus brought back to life from the dead.

CHAPTER 9

As Jesus did, we must seek and follow the will of God over our own will and resist sin every day.
One who desires his own life puts his will first without regard to the will of God.
a. Peter, James, and John went with Jesus to the mountain. b. They saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. c. They heard the voice of God telling them to listen to His son. d. Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets. This was a sign to the disciples of Jesus’ leadership and authority over the people. He was the one, the Messiah to come. It also symbolizes the transition of the old covenant to the new covenant.
Jesus healed a boy with severe seizures.
The faith of the disciples was weak. They doubted because of the severity of the boy's problem. In Mark 9:29 and Matthew 17:21 it is recorded that they needed to pray first. This would involve God and show that healing power comes from Him.
Anyone who looks back and longs for what they gave up will not be committed to the service of God. A Christian must look forward to the kingdom and be committed with his whole heart not hanging on to the things of the world or regretting what he gave up.

CHAPTER 10

a. The disciples were sent in pairs - two by two. b. They were to go to the cities and prepare the people for Jesus and the kingdom of God. c. Jesus cautioned the disciples not to be prideful of the power given to them as Satan became prideful but was cast out of heaven. Rather, they should rejoice that their names were written in heaven. [Luke is the only one who records the sending of the seventy. He also records the sending of the twelve with the same instructions as do Matthew (10:5-15) and Mark (6:7-13).]
Jesus gave the workers through the Spirit to overcome the power, control, and influence of the enemy, evil spirits, and wicked people.
The two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with your entire mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Our neighbor is anyone who shows mercy or compassion to others or us.
We should never be too busy to hear the word of the Lord.

CHAPTER 11

This is a prayer of substance not form. We should include praise for God and His kingdom; ask for forgiveness of sins; ask to keep us from temptation; and provide for our basic needs.
We should be persistent in prayer to God. We must ask, we must seek, and we must knock persistently.
God's love is greater than man's. He will answer us when we seek Him with what is good for us.
God gives us the Holy Spirit when we ask, seek and knock. We receive understanding, wisdom, and direction when you ask, seek and knock.
If Satan works or is divided against himself, how would his kingdom stand?
Though one may be cleaned of an unclean spirit or sin he must guard against reinvasion. Satan will renew his attack even greater to reestablish his hold on you and make you worse than before. It is worse to know the way of righteousness but fall away.
Blessed may have been His mother but probably what is meant here is blessed are the people who hear now because Jesus the teacher was born. Jesus wanted them to focus on the word of God. Therefore, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
Jonah was a sign to the lost people of Nineveh. Jesus is the sign to the lost of Israel.
What you seek with your eyes goes into your heart. If you look for evil, you will become evil. If you look for good, you will be good.
Jesus said the teachers of the law put burdens on the people they would not do themselves. They were hypocrites and hindered the people from knowing and understanding God’s truth and will.

CHAPTER 12

There is nothing hidden or done in secret that will not be revealed. The true character of the hypocrite will be made known.
We should fear God because He has the power to destroy not only the body but also the soul.
a. We confess by word and deed, not in shame or fear, the will and righteousness of God in all circumstances of our life. b. We deny Jesus by letting pressure, fear, selfish reasons, or shame keep us from professing Jesus. We can do this by being silent about our relationship with God, by siding with the values of the world, and by not standing up for what is right. c. If we deny Jesus we will be denied before the angels who come to gather us with Jesus.
One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he owns. We must store up treasures in heaven through good works and a righteous heart so that we may have eternal life.
Seek service and righteousness in the kingdom of God and He will provide for all our needs. Don’t worry because God is in control and knows what we need.
a. We gird ourselves by being prepared for every good work. b. Our lamp burns by being a light and living example of God's will - a source of truth for all around us.
We should be looking and prepared for the return of Jesus.
a. A servant not doing his master’s will shall be beaten and cast with the unbelievers (as in the parable of the talents). b. This servant has knowledge of his Master's will but does not do it. c. The servant is the disciple of Christ. We must be sincere in service to the Lord.
Whatever knowledge, understanding, and talents God has given you must be used to produce fruit in and for the kingdom.
Jesus wanted the gospel to be spread and for the church and the kingdom of God to grow in the world but it could not happen until His death and resurrection.

CHAPTER 13

There will be no difference. All sinners face the same condemnation of their souls.
The sinner is given grace to repent and become fruitful. If they don’t change God will turn from them. In the end they are cut down and thrown away.
a. The kingdom of God starts small but will rise above all other kingdoms on earth. In the end the kingdom will be the greatest kingdom in existence. All believers will find rest and peace there. b. The kingdom of God works from within and changes our life and eventually the whole world in the end.
a. For believers there is a narrow gate because there is only one path to life, the walk of righteousness and doing the will of God. b. Many will seek it but only a few will receive it. c. There are people who appear to be believers or workers, but their hearts are far from God. They neglected the requirement of a close relationship with the Lord. Those who put themselves first will fail in salvation. Those who put the kingdom of God first will obtain eternal life.

CHAPTER 14

a. Jesus healed a man with dropsy. b. Dropsy is a large build up of fluid in the limbs.
Any good or merciful deed is allowed on the Sabbath. Anything that may be necessary to the health or well being of someone or some thing.
We should not exalt ourselves or think highly of ourselves before others. We should let others exalt us.
He who exalts himself will be humbled. He who humbles himself will be exalted. People will try to humble an exalted person. God too resists the proud and lifts up the humble.
You should also invite those who cannot repay you. Don’t seek what you can get from people but what God will give you in the end.
a. This is similar to the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14. God made provision for the salvation of men but they have many excuses for not committing their lives to His will. They will reject Christ and the gospel. There will be an invitation to the Gentiles. b. Those who do not accept the invitation or commit to His will shall not receive salvation.
We hate our life by denying our flesh and will to walk in righteousness and do the will of God while bearing the trials, oppression, and persecution we may face.
We should consider what we must do and what we must give up to be a disciple of Christ.
Our salt is our serving, loving, and living for God in His kingdom and in the world. We are the influence of God to others. Being salt of the earth is good but if our desire diminishes or is lost because we love the world then we are useless to God. We can be thrown out, rejected, and destroyed not only by men but also by God.

CHAPTER 15

Jesus came to save the lost. The righteous needed no repentance.
The angels before God rejoice when one repents.
We must realize we sin against God first. Then we can repent and come back into the will of God.
The son was lost and dead in his sin but after confessing his sin and humbling himself before God he is cleansed from his sin and rejoined to the family of God who have eternal life.

CHAPTER 16

This parable shows the problems or perplexities of those who love money. A disciple cannot serve God and money. (The sons of light should be as shrewed as the sons of the world.)
There are a few things that God hates but in this passage Jesus was directing His comment to the Pharisees who had just ridiculed the parable. They looked good on the outside only to be justified by men. The praise and pride of men is what they esteemed.
This parable is not to show there is life after death, a heaven and a hell, but to further show the end of those who take pride in their pretension before men and who loved money more than people. This was directed at the Pharisees again.

CHAPTER 17

We must fear the wrath and judgment of God if we cause someone to sin.
We should always forgive those who ask for forgiveness.
Our faith should be one that grows like a mustard seed. It starts off small and insignificant but grows into a fruit-producing tree.
Our duty is to serve God, walk righteously before Him, be obedient to Him, and to love our neighbor. In the end God will reward us.
a. Ten lepers were healed. b. One leper, a Samaritan, came back and glorified God.
a. The return of Jesus will not be secret or private, but as lightning that flashes across the sky. His coming will be open, swift, and unexpected. b. We will be living our normal everyday lives. c. Believers will be gathered together in one place and taken into the heavens. Wherever the church (the body) is in the world the saints will be gathered from there. (Luke does not tie this in with the destruction of Jerusalem as do Matthew and Mark.)

CHAPTER 18

We should always pray to God and not lose heart. For if the wicked will avenge their own, then how much more will God who is good avenge His own who cry out to Him day and night.
This was directed at those who trusted in their own righteousness. Those who exalted themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
As children are submissive and dependent on the guidance and teaching of their parents we too should we be submissive and be led and taught by our Father in heaven.
Jesus wanted to reveal the rich man’s heart to him. The rich ruler’s security and peace was in the law and his money rather than the gospel and God. Though he had followed the majority of the commandments he neglected the most important ones - loving God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. He should be willing to use his wealth to serve God and help others in the kingdom of God.
a. Whatever we give up in life we will gain in our new family (through the body of the believers). b. In the end we will receive eternal life.
Jesus healed a blind man on the way to Jericho.

CHAPTER 19

a. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. b. He was short in stature. c. He may have been a lost son of Abraham but with his repentant heart he was of the faith of Abraham and therefore a son.
a. Jesus wanted the disciples to know the kingdom of God would appear later than they were expecting. Jesus would leave and then come back for them. During this time they and we are accountable for our service in the kingdom. (This parable is similar to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Both accounts concern our service in the kingdom but Luke’s pointed out there will be a great length of time before the kingdom of the Messiah would be set up.)

b. The servants of God need to be about the business of God until Jesus returns. We need to produce fruit first within ourselves then outside in the kingdom. We must first focus on becoming a better child of God. We must clean up our hearts and continually seek to grow spiritually and righteously. As we grow and mature in the Lord we will be able to serve and help others wherever God wishes to use us.

c. Everyone who is faithful in his walk and service will receive more responsibility and blessings. Those who aren’t will suffer loss. They are useless to God.

The people had made the temple a place of business and a ;den of thieves' instead of using it solely for prayer and the worship of God.

CHAPTER 20

Jesus answered with a question about the baptism of John; was it from God or from men? He said this to trap them in their own scheming ways.
a. God is the owner of the vineyard. b. The early prophets were the servants of God. c. Jesus is the Son of the owner. d. The priests and Pharisees who were to lead the people in God's will were the vinedressers. e. The Gentiles would be entrusted with the kingdom of God.
Jesus is the judge and smiting stone to the unbeliever. We can be broken in humble surrender before God or be completely broken in judgment.
a. No one who obtains the resurrection to eternal life will marry. b. We will be like the angels and cannot die anymore. There will be no need for procreation.
God will judge the hypocrite more harshly. Hypocrites know what they are doing – pretending to be something while in reality they are the opposite.

CHAPTER 21

First the disciples and believers will be hated and persecuted for the name of Christ. Next, Jerusalem would be destroyed. After this there will be false Christ, wars and threats of war, great earthquakes, famines, and pestilence will be throughout the world. There will be fearful signs in the heavens right before the return of Christ.
Jerusalem will be destroyed. (This is the abomination of desolation mentioned in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14.)
We must watch and be prepared for the return of Jesus. We must stay out of sin and continue to serve and uphold the principles of God in the kingdom.
We must have strength to withstand carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of life so we can be ready for the return of Jesus and escape the calamity that is coming upon the world.

CHAPTER 22

The bread and wine symbolized Jesus' body given as the sacrifice and His blood shed for atonement of our sins.
Judas Iscariot would betray Jesus.
Peter would deny knowing Jesus three times that night.
The disciples would be sent out into the world to spread the gospel without Jesus. They would need supplies this time because they would be met with resistance and few would help them along their way.
Jesus healed the servant of the high priest whose ear was cut off by Peter when Jesus was being arrested.
Jesus is first brought to the house of the High Priest (Caiaphas - Matt. 26:57).

CHAPTER 23

a. The chief priest brought Jesus to Pilate. b. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. c. Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate.
Barabbas, a murderer was released instead of Jesus.
Simon, a Cyrenian help carry the cross of Jesus.
In the near future the Romans would destroy the temple and kill men, women, and children. It would be better for the women to never have born their children.
Jesus is the green wood. If the people reject and crucify the Messiah while He is in their presence what will they do when He is gone?
a. There was darkness over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour (noon to three). b. The veil was torn in two pieces.
Jesus suffered and died within one day. He suffered from the night before Preparation Day through early morning and then was crucified dying around 3 p.m. on Preparation Day.

CHAPTER 24

The tomb of Jesus was empty.
The two men in shining garments told the women Jesus is not here but is raised just as He had spoken to them while in Galilee.
a. Two full nights. He was in the grave the night of Preparation Day and the Sabbath and was raised early the next morning. b. Jesus suffered three days and three nights just as He said would be His sign (as Jonah in the whale). (The night before Preparation Day, the night of Preparation Day and the night of the Sabbath. The day of Preparation Day, the day of the Sabbath, and the morning of the day after the Sabbath.)
Jesus appeared to two of His disciples (followers) one named Cleopas.
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be sent to empower them.