Gospel of Luke 1-24

This gospel starts out that a lot of people have written biographies of Jesus already.  Perhaps he's counting the Q Gospel among them?  Or perhaps a whole Q Gospel tradition?  Or perhaps only Q Gospel, Gospel of Matthew, and Gospel of Mark?  Or perhaps just Matthew and Mark.  Who knows?

The narrative really kicks off with the mystical conception of John the Baptist, and then the similar mystical conception of Jesus.  It continues with more John the Baptist origin, and then the longest nativity narrative for Jesus in the four gospels.  As far as the mystical nature of events, Luke certainly prefers that version.  There's also the biggest emphasis on Mary of the four gospels, at least in the early going.  There are also strong Old Testament parallels throughout.  Luke also features the episode concerning the young Jesus in the temple.

Pilate also has added emphasis as far as being mentioned a few extra times goes.

The narrative swings back to John the Baptist.  At this end of this sequence, Herod has him imprisoned.  And, funny or not, but the baptism of Jesus is mentioned as an afterthought.  He's said to be 30 at the start of his ministry, which is where Christians generally get the idea that it lasted about three years and so he died at 33.

Luke then reached his version of the genealogy, which goes all the way to Adam, who is said to be the son of God.

Jesus then enters the 40 days of temptation, and then begins teaching in the synagogues.  People ask, "Is this not Joseph's son?"  Each of the four gospels words this question differently.

Although he has a positive reputation, the more Jesus speaks the more he angers people.  In Luke, Jesus angers people a lot, actually..

He performs an exorcism, cures Peter's mother (which also serves as the introduction of Peter).  The demons keep identifying Jesus as the "Son of God," which Jesus is none too happy about, because he's trying to keep as low a profile as possible.

He departs to a "lonely place" (no relation to John the Baptist's status given), perhaps to try and stop that spread of his reputation.  Peter, James, and John are officially recruited.  He cures the leper and then the paralyzed man.  Religious authorities start to take notice.

Matthew, referenced as Levi, is recruited; religious authorities once again grumble about the company Jesus keeps.

The disciples of John the Baptist are referenced as very much a separate entity to those following Jesus.

The religious authorities have a conniption on the sabbath.

The twelve apostles are listed (Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the Lesser, Simon - described as the Zealot -, Judas - alternate name for Thaddeus -, and Judas Iscariot).  Jesus continues with his ministry as usual, rather than sending them out right away after their mass introduction, which was what Matthew and Mark described.

The centurion's son is cured.  Unnamed man brought back to life.  (Possibly Lazarus.)

John the Baptist is informed of Jesus's ministry.  He wants to know if Jesus is the one he himself had been preaching about.  Here it's once again clear that even well after the death of both John the Baptist and Jesus, John the Baptist remained a significant enough figure where his reputation was in a constant state of flux.  Jesus then speaks of John the Baptist (further emphasizing the latent thread of his life running so heavily through this and the gospels of Matthew and Mark).

The anonymous woman anoints Jesus.

Luke seems to suggest that Peter may have actually been a Pharisee.  That would be news to me.  I may simply be misinterpreting that particular passage.

Mary Magdalene is described as traveling with the apostles, plus a few other women.  They are described as funding the ministry, actually.  Jesus once again disassociates with his mother, despite that heavy emphasis on her earlier.

He calms the stormy sea.  The demon Legion appears, as he did in Mark.  The people this time, however, are described as fearful of Jesus after the incident.

Jesus resurrects the little girl.

He finally sends the apostles on their separate ministries.  In a little bit of an irony, John the Baptist's execution is then referenced in an afterthought.

Jesus feeds the multitudes.  Unlike in Matthew or Mark, in Luke (and John) he does it only once.  The apostles realize who he is.  He explains what's going to happen.  The transfiguration occurs.  Luke has God identifying him here rather than in the more-or-less nonexistent baptism.  The apostles themselves decide to remain mum about it in this account.  Seventy more disciples are recruited, and these are the ones who go out two-by-two in Luke.  Jesus, however, is becoming agitated, anxious.

The story of the Good Samaritan, and then the sisters Mary and Martha, and then the Lord's Prayer

I noticed another historical irony.  Abraham Lincoln famously described the United States during the Civil War as a "house divided that cannot stand."  In Luke a very similar statement is made about Jesus concerning the theory that he casts out demons by the power of demons, thereby making the house of Satan divided against itself.  I don't know if Lincoln made the association deliberately.

Jonah is invoked.

Jesus speaks out against hypocrisy.  "Woe to you for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your father killed."

Luke foreshadows Acts of the Apostles, which tradition has him as also writing.

"You must also be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  At this point in Luke, Jesus has so successfully suppressed any talk about who he is, aside from among his apostles, that here it's appropriate to believe Jesus said this rather than John the Baptist in a strange twist of narrating.

Pilate is referenced again.

Jesus performs a cure on the sabbath, angering the religious authorities.

Jesus begins speaking of the kingdom of God, which as I've suggested before may be a code to reference himself.

The story of the Good Shepherd, then the Prodigal Son.  A parable including a man named Lazarus.  In Gospel of John, Lazarus is not only the brother of Mary and Martha, but the man Jesus resurrects.  The cure of the ten lepers, with the one who comes back.  Jesus cures the blind man.  Luke seems to repeat things (so does John).

Palm Sunday occurs.  Then the adult temple incident.  (Here's another perfect little bit of biblical symmetry, which is all the more appropriate in Luke.)  Then the Last Supper.  In Luke, Jesus often goes to the Mount of Olives, which he does again after the Last Supper.

He stands before the high priest, and then Pilate, and then Herod, and then Pilate again.  One of the thieves is redeemed at the crucifixion.  The women who witness it are anonymous, until Mary Magdalene is later identified once the resurrection occurs.  Peter runs to confirm it.  The anonymous disciples have a mystical experience with Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  Jesus ascends into Heaven.

I want to conclude my thoughts on Luke by identifying for myself who each of the evangelists to this point were writing to.  Matthew seems to be a former Jew, and perhaps attempting to address the same.  Mark is perhaps a Greek, and addressing the same.  Luke is said to be a disciple of Paul, and so is addressing whoever Paul has been converting.  These are my running theories, at any rate.