This is part of a series exploring how Jesus is depicted in the Gospels. Many scholars have noted that John’s Gospel proclaims a majestically high Christology. Indeed some have seen in John a Christology that finds no parallel in the other Gospels.[ref]See e.g. Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, New Updated Edition, The Anchor Bible Reference Library (New York: Doubleday, 1993), 29-32.[\/ref] To put it simply, \u201cIf Jesus was as He is depicted in Matthew and Mark and Luke, He cannot have been as He is depicted in John. The two are incompatible.\u201d[ref]Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, New International Commentary on the New Testament, Gen. Ed. F.F. Bruce (Grand Rapids: Eerdman\u2019s, 1971), 45.\u00a0Morris states the maxim though he disagrees with it.[\/ref]<\/p>\n
But is this contrast between John and the Synoptics accurate? Does it give a fair reading to the Christological titles and roles assigned to Jesus by the other evangelists?<\/em><\/p>\n The purpose of this series is to explore the Christology of all four Gospels and determine if there is indeed such a rift between John and the Synoptics. For now we will limit ourselves to the depiction of Jesus in the opening scenes of each. While all four evangelists approach Jesus\u2019 coming into the world from a unique perspective, they all connect his entry into human history with the ministry of John the Baptist, culminating in their encounter at the Jordan.[ref]We must also put aside various questions in the text including authorship, audience, historicity, textual variants, and the Synoptic Problem. These, and other issues, will only be considered when they directly impact the question, \u201cDo the Synoptics as we currently have them present Jesus in the highest Christological terms from the outset or is this a unique feature of John\u2019s Gospel?<\/em>\u201d This series will answer this question by surveying the gospels in the order in which they were likely written (Mark<\/a>, Matthew<\/a>, Luke, John). For a defense of this chronology (Mark-Matthew-Luke-John) see Raymond E. Brown, Introduction to the New Testament, The Anchor Bible Reference Library (New York: Doubleday, 1997) 164, 217, 274, 368-371.[\/ref]<\/p>\n Certain elements of Christology in Luke\u2019s opening-scenes are parallel to Matthew<\/a> and Mark<\/a> and do not need a re-treatment here. However, Luke has unique information in his narrative that contributes to our discussion and deserves our attention. In addition Luke has a unique approach<\/em> to how he frames the information. His gospel begins, not with a declaration of Jesus\u2019 identity, but with a personal rationale for writing.[ref]Luke 1:1-4 (c.f. Matthew 1:1, Mark 1:1, John 1:1).[\/ref] The narrator does not make pronouncements about Jesus\u2019 identity; he allows it to be revealed through the narrative itself, in the words of Spirit-filled people, prophets, angels, Jesus, John, and finally God Himself.[ref]Darrell L. Bock, Luke<\/em>, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, ed. Grant R. Osborne (Downer\u2019s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 33.[\/ref]\u00a0Thus it is the narrative<\/em>, not the narrator<\/em> that serves to express Luke\u2019s Christology.[ref]For a full treatment see Mark Coleridge, The Birth of the Lukan Narrative: Narrative as Christology in Luke 1-2<\/em>, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Supplement Series, 88, (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993).[\/ref]<\/p>\n Luke\u2019s opening scenes set the tone for what is revealed throughout his two-part work, namely that Jesus is Lord and Christ,[ref]C.f. Luke 1:43; 2:11; Acts 2:36; 10:36. Luke is also concerned to show the salvation of the Gentiles, the rejection of Jesus by the Jews, the prophetic role of the Spirit, and the Christological statement that Jesus fulfills Davidic promises.\u00a0See Mark L. Strauss, The Davidic-Messiah in Luke-Acts: The Promise and its Fulfillment in Lukan Christology<\/em>, Journal For the Study of The New Testament Supplement Series, 110, Ex. Ed. Stanley E. Porter, (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995), 84-85.[\/ref] the promised Savior of the world.[ref]Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke<\/em>, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Gen. Ed. F.F. Bruce (Grand Rapids, MI: WM. B. Eerdman\u2019s Publishing Company, 1983), 43-44.\u00a0 See also Bock, 30.[\/ref]\u00a0This claim is established primarily through the juxtaposition of Jesus and the Baptist.[ref]Joel B. Green, The Theology of the Gospel of Luke<\/em>, New Testament Theology, Gen. Ed. James D.G. Dunn (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 54ff.[\/ref]\u00a0Along these lines biblical scholar Raymond Brown offers an outline of Luke 1-2 in seven episodes that will aid us here.[ref]Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, New Updated Edition<\/em>, The Anchor Bible Reference Library (New York: Doubleday, 1993), 250.[\/ref]\u00a0Let us examine these episodes.<\/p>\n Luke is concerned with showing God\u2019s faithfulness to His promises. The annunciation of a miraculously conceived, Spirit-filled prophet to turn people back to God signals God\u2019s redemptive activity after centuries of silence.[ref]Bock, 34.[\/ref]\u00a0Of importance for us is that the prophet will \u201cturn\u2026the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God\u201d by going \u201cbefore Him\u201d (Luke 1:16-17). Thus John is a forerunner to none other than \u201cthe Lord their God.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabriel tells Mary who will inhabit her womb and how this will take place, given that she is a virgin. She will have a Son, to be named Jesus.[ref]We have noted the meaning of the name previously<\/a> (\u201cGod\/Yahweh saves\u201d); in Luke its salvific import is particularly significant.[\/ref] This Son will be great,[ref]Jesus is \u201cgreat\u201d in an unqualified sense vs. John who is \u201cgreat in the sight of the Lord\u201d (Luke 1:15).[\/ref] and will be called the Son of the Most High. He will receive the throne of David[ref]Jesus\u2019 legal Davidic lineage was passed from Joseph (Bock, 40).[\/ref] from God Himself, and will reign eternally as King. The conception will occur by the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary and the Most High overshadowing her. As a result the \u201choly\u201d[ref]Jesus is \u201choly\u201d in an unqualified sense.\u00a0Later \u201choly\u201d is given as a name of God (Luke 1:49).[\/ref] child will be called the \u201cSon of God.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabriel\u2019s description of Jesus is a free rendering of 2 Samuel 7:8-16 that moves past Old Testament expectation to New Testament Christology.[ref]C.f. Brown, Birth<\/em>, 310-314 where he also provides an impressive comparison\/contrast between the annunciations of the conceptions\/births of John and Jesus.[\/ref]\u00a0Not only will Jesus fulfill the expectation of a coming Davidic Messiah, but He is by<\/em> nature<\/em> the very \u201cSon of God\/Most High.\u201d[ref]Contra Strauss, 338 who sees Luke\u2019s primary emphasis as being that Jesus is the Davidic Messiah.\u00a0For Strauss Jesus\u2019 divine Sonship is a function of His messianic identity, we contend that His messianic identity rests upon His divine Sonship.\u00a0Our view is supported by Matthew 11:27 (c.f. Mark 12:6, Luke 10:22).\u00a0See also F.F. Bruce, The Gospels & Epistles of John<\/em> (Grand Rapids: Eerdman\u2019s Publishing, 1983), 55.[\/ref]\u00a0The name is given to \u201cindicate the absolute uniqueness and highness of His divine Sonship… [in the annunciation] we have an impressive testimony to the divine greatness of Jesus\u2014a greatness wholly different from that of any human being.\u201d[ref]Geldenhuys, 76.[\/ref]<\/p>\n Further, Jesus will reign forever. The point at which this differs from Nathan\u2019s prophecy to David is paramount. David was promised an eternal throne<\/em> or kingdom for his descendants, while Jesus will Himself rule forever, indicating His eternal nature.[ref]Ibid., 76. Contra Brown, Birth<\/em>, 313-314, who in order to maintain his ever-strained theory of the evolution of Christology in the early Church and the uniqueness of John\u2019s incarnational thought insists that Luke knew nothing of a pre-existent Son, only one begotten in Mary\u2019s womb. Does Brown suppose that Luke envisioned the creation<\/em>, rather than the arrival<\/em> of an eternal being in Mary\u2019s womb?[\/ref]\u00a0How might such an eternal being find its way into the womb of a virgin?[ref]On the question of Mary\u2019s virginity in Luke see Brown, Birth<\/em>, 298-300.\u00a0Bock, 40, states unequivocally that she is a virgin (c.f. Luke 1:27, 34).\u00a0On the question of the virgin birth as a historical fact see opposing arguments in Geldenhuys (72-73 & 107-108) and G.B. Caird, The Gospel of St. Luke<\/em>, The Penguin New Testament Commentaries (London: Penguin Group, 1990), 53.[\/ref]\u00a0Through the creative work of the Holy Spirit[ref]Brown sees echoes of the Holy Spirit at creation (Gen 1:2) and foreshadowing of the Mount of Transfiguration where the overshadowing of God\u2019s presence establishes and confirms Jesus\u2019 divine Sonship (Brown, Birth<\/em>, 315).[\/ref] and the overshadowing of God\u2019s power. Thus, the birth announcement highlights Jesus\u2019 position, authority, and divine identity.[ref]C.f. Bock, 41-42. However, Bock does not think that the players in Luke\u2019s gospel, or its first readers would have understood ontological deity from this annunciation, rather they would have heard only \u201cMessiah\/King.\u201d\u00a0While this may be true of the players<\/em> his comments regarding the readers<\/em> are hardly conclusive given the language of eternity, supernatural conception, and holiness ascribed to the child.[\/ref]<\/p>\n The juxtaposition of John and Jesus is heightened by the encounter between their pre-natal mothers.[ref]Brown, Birth<\/em>, 342-343.[\/ref] Elizabeth\u2019s words[ref]Given prophetic weight by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41).\u00a0C.f. Bock 33-34, Geldenhuys, 82.[\/ref] confirm that John the Baptist has begun his ministry of proclamation while still in the womb.[ref]Brown, Birth<\/em>, 341, c.f. Bock, 43.[\/ref] She answers the joyful proclamation in faith by stating that Mary is the \u201cmother of my Lord.\u201d Mary\u2019s poetic response is made up almost entirely of Old Testament allusions[ref]Geldenhuys, 84-85.[\/ref] and professes in faith that what God has promised has already been put into effect through the miraculous conception of a Child within her.[ref]Green, 50.[\/ref]\u00a0For our purposes we draw attention to the fact that she identifies God as Lord, Savior and holy (Luke 1:46-47, 49), ascriptions also made to Jesus in Luke\u2019s narrative (Luke 1:43, 2:11, 1:35).<\/p>\n Of particular interest to us is Zacharias\u2019 Benedictus<\/em>, a spirit-inspired prophecy (Luke 1:67ff). His hymn[ref]Like the Magnificat<\/em> it is also drawn from numerous Old Testament allusions.\u00a0C.f. Geldenhuys, 92-93.[\/ref] speaks of Jesus, then of John\u2019s relationship to Him, and again of Jesus, placing the two in stark contrast. Jesus is the servant of the house of David, the horn of salvation that has been raised up.[ref]The background is Psalm 18, where significantly, God is the \u201chorn of salvation.\u201d[\/ref]\u00a0Zachariah proclaims that God has visited his people and accomplished redemption.[ref]The aorist verbs point to the fact that God\u2019s promise is sufficient to ensure its fulfillment.[\/ref]\u00a0Conversely Zacharias\u2019 child will be \u201cprophet of the Most High\u201d[ref]Compare with Jesus, \u201cSon of Most High\u201d (Luke 1:32).[\/ref] who will go before the LORD to prepare His way. To those who sit in darkness, God will come like Sunrise[ref]Geldenhuys, 95.[\/ref] to bring knowledge of salvation, forgiveness of sins, and tender mercies.<\/p>\n The view of Darrell L. Bock[ref]Bock, 52-53.[\/ref] and Raymond Brown[ref]Brown, Birth<\/em>, 390-391.[\/ref] that Luke pictures Jesus only as the agent<\/em> of God\u2019s light and salvation is simply inadequate. Conversely G. B. Caird articulates the full import of Zacharias\u2019 prophecy when he writes, \u201cThe child\u2026was sent to prepare the way for the coming of God. But how was God to come? Luke\u2019s answer is that he came in the coming of his Son, that the whole life and ministry of Jesus was the promised coming or visitation of God.\u201d[ref]Caird, 52. \u201cFour times Luke describes the ministry of Jesus as a divine visit.\u00a0God has\u2026visited and redeemed his people (1:68; cf. 1:78, 7:16, 19:44)\u2026The coming of the Savior was the coming of God.\u201d (Caird, 35). Sadly Caird follows this stroke of inspiration with denials of the virgin birth, the sinless nature of Jesus, and His deity. Overall he fails in his task of exegeting Luke\u2019s Christology because he is too busy judging it as non-historical.[\/ref]<\/p>\n John now disappears from the picture until adulthood and Jesus\u2019 humble birth is contrasted sharply with the announcement of His arrival to the shepherds.[ref]Bock, 55.[\/ref]\u00a0The \u201cglory of the Lord\u201d, indicative of God\u2019s tangible presence in the earth,[ref]Thus it is natural that the heavenly host arrive, they dwell in the glorious presence of God (Brown, Birth<\/em>, 426-427).[\/ref] accompanies the angel of the Lord[ref]Geldenhuys, 111.[\/ref] whose declaration is \u201ctoday in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.\u201d[ref]Brown sees the background for this in Isaiah 9:5-6, an appealing theory, but one that he divests of its meaning by changing \u201cMighty God\u201d in the passage to \u201cdivine hero\u201d in order to accommodate his view that Luke knows nothing of the deity of Christ (c.f. Birth<\/em>, 424-425).[\/ref]\u00a0Here is Luke\u2019s Christology in a succinct formula, identifying the Messiah as \u201cLord\u201d and \u201cSavior\u201d, terms he uses interchangeably for God and Jesus.[ref]One wonders if this is why Bock softens the impact of the titles by reducing Lord to \u201cMaster\u201d and Savior to \u201cRedeemer\u201d (Bock, 55).\u00a0Whatever his motivation the effect is a diminishing of the annunciation.[\/ref]<\/p>\n Jesus\u2019 presentation in the temple is highlighted by the responses of Simeon and Anna, two elders cast in the mold of Old Testament saints, \u201cagog for the coming of the Gospel.\u201d[ref]Caird, 63.[\/ref]\u00a0Anna\u2019s testimony is characterized by her gratitude for God\u2019s redemptive work, Simeon\u2019s by his recognition that this baby is the promised consolation, salvation, and glory of his people, as well as the light to the Gentiles.[ref]Bock, 57-59.\u00a0Simeon came into the temple \u201cin the Spirit\u201d, thus his words bear prophetic weight.[\/ref]<\/p>\n Jesus\u2019 encounter with the teachers in the temple produced amazement because of his understanding and awareness.[ref]Luke 2:46-47.\u00a0C.f. Bock, 62.[\/ref]\u00a0But it was His first recorded words, \u201c\u2026Did you not know that I had to be in my Father\u2019s house\u201d[ref]Luke 2:49b.\u00a0\u201cFather\u2019s house\u201d (e.g. NASB) is preferred over \u201cFather\u2019s business\u201d (e.g. NKJV) although in both cases the disputed word is supplied by the translator.\u00a0Jesus is in the house of God (the temple) and is thus identifying himself with God\u2019s \u201cfamily\u201d, place and purposes (Bock, 63).[\/ref] that bear our attention. In an incident unique to Luke\u2019s gospel the twelve-year-old Jesus speaks for Himself and states His awareness of His identity as God\u2019s Son already beginning to perform His Father\u2019s will.[ref]So Bock, 63. Contra Brown (Birth<\/em>, 483) who does not think Jesus\u2019 words indicate a self-awareness of His identity as Son of God.\u00a0One is left to wonder what Brown thinks the words are intended to convey!\u00a0For an alternate view see Caird (66) who proposes that Jesus is gradually becoming aware of a special relationship with God.[\/ref]<\/p>\n For the purposes of our discussion Luke offers little in regards to John\u2019s ministry that has not been surveyed already. John foretells a mightier coming One who is infinitely greater than Him and offers an infinitely greater baptism. This baptism is with \u201cthe Holy Spirit and fire\u201d,[ref]Luke 3:16. The coming of the Spirit should be taken in all its \u201ceschatological force\u201d (Strauss, 81-82).[\/ref] a phrase that carries connotations of salvation and judgment.[ref]Bock, 73.[\/ref]\u00a0Jesus is baptized by John, the Spirit descends in bodily form as a dove, the heavens open and a voice says, \u201cYou are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.\u201d[ref]Our comments on the significance of these events for Mark<\/a> and Matthew<\/a> apply to Luke as well.[\/ref]<\/p>\n Unique to Luke however is the inclusion of the final phrase from Isaiah 40:5, left off by the other evangelists in John\u2019s preaching, \u201cAnd all flesh will see the salvation of God.\u201d[ref]Luke 3:6 (c.f. Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, John 1:23). For comment see Caird, 71.[\/ref]\u00a0This fits nicely with Luke\u2019s pervasive theme that to see Jesus is to see God\u2019s salvation<\/em>. Luke also emphasizes Jesus\u2019 role as Judge in John\u2019s teaching, further highlighting the contrast of John and Jesus, and Jesus\u2019 utter uniqueness in relation to humanity.[ref]Ibid., 74-75.[\/ref]<\/p>\n We should also note that the Baptist\u2019s words in Luke 3:16 are connected to the question of the people as to whether he was the Christ.[ref]C.f. Luke 3:15.[\/ref]\u00a0This is reminiscent of the interchange with the Baptist in John\u2019s gospel.[ref]John 1:20-23.\u00a0See Bock, 73 for a discussion.[\/ref] While both Luke and John may be interested in quieting a Baptist sect[ref]C.f. Green, 54-55 and Morris, 87-88.[\/ref] we should not let that distract us from what is clearly the aim of both evangelists in these passages; to exalt Jesus as the Christ.<\/p>\n Thus Luke presents a majestically high Christology, supported by his recording of certain events surrounding the conception, birth and childhood of John and Jesus. For Luke Jesus is the Christ, the Son of David, the Son of God, the fulfillment of God\u2019s Old Testament promises to His people. But He is more than that. He is holy, eternal, Lord and Savior. Some will insist that John stands alone in his incarnational theology, but Luke clearly conveys his own sense of this reality as expressed in his narrative. Jesus is God\u2019s salvation incarnate, He is God\u2019s glory incarnate, He is God\u2019s holiness incarnate. In short, He is the Man in whom God visits the earth to redeem it.[ref]Geldenhuys, 45.[\/ref]<\/a><\/p>\n As a believer who has been\u00a0recreated to lead<\/a>\u00a0through Christ, it is important to recognize that\u00a0you are also a theologian<\/a>. Theology gives you the tools to examine your own beliefs about God, and also helps you communicate Christian beliefs in a meaningful way that others can understand. You can become better equipped in your daily influence for Christ by taking advantage of the following resources:<\/em><\/p>\n Background and Scope This is part of a series exploring how Jesus is depicted in the Gospels. Many scholars have noted that John’s Gospel proclaims a majestically high Christology. Indeed some have seen in John a Christology that finds no parallel in the other Gospels.[ref]See e.g. Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":240,"featured_media":6473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73,560],"tags":[161,95,384,395,77,397],"yoast_head":"\nLuke<\/h2>\n
Annunciation of John the Baptist\u2019s Conception & Birth<\/h3>\n
The Annunciation of Jesus\u2019 Conception & Birth<\/h3>\n
Mary\u2019s Visitation of Elizabeth<\/h3>\n
Birth, Circumcision, & Naming of John the Baptist<\/h3>\n
Birth, Circumcision, & Naming of Jesus<\/h3>\n
Presentation in the Temple<\/h3>\n
Discovery of Jesus in the Temple<\/h3>\n
Encounter at the Jordan<\/h3>\n
Summary<\/h3>\n
\nPDF Original Version<\/a><\/h5>\n
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