Luke – Jesus the man
“… the son of Adam (man), the son of God.” Luke 3:38
The four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are the most cherished books in the world, for they reveal the Savior, the Messiah, God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. Each author has a unique perspective of the life of Christ.
Matthew presents Jesus to the Jews as their promised Messiah, the heir to David’s throne, fulfillment of the promise of God.
Mark observed the Lord through the eyes of a boy and then through the stories of Paul, Barnabas, and especially Peter. Marks Gospel focuses on the servanthood of Jesus.
In Luke, the only New Testament book written by a non-Jewish person, a gentile physician from Antioch, the emphasis, more than any of the other authors, is on the human nature of Jesus. While all the Gospels include the dual-nature of Christ, that He was at the same time God and man, Luke includes details to help us more clearly see the Lord’s human side. This is Jesus as a man.
The genealogy of Jesus in chapter three traces Jesus’ lineage through Joseph all the way back to Adam. This is meaningful for a couple reasons. First, since Jesus was not Joseph’s biological son, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, the line of Joseph shows the validity of adoption as a true grafting into the family lineage. Second, at the very end of the genealogy there is a subtle, yet beautiful confirmation of Christ’s dual nature, when it says, “the son of Adam, the son of God” as Adam literally means ‘man’. Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God.
As a man we see Jesus in prayer more in the Gospel of Luke than any of the others. Jesus took time to pray. Early in the morning or through the night, Jesus was always in communion with God the Father. Jesus is showing us by example the proper lifestyle of anyone who would follow Him, they would be people of prayer. Dependence, surrender, worship, petition, repentance, praise – prayer should frame the lives and conduct of each person that desires to walk in His steps, for Jesus himself was a man of prayer.
Prayer helps the universal weakness we all have with pride. For in prayer we admit that there is a God over all, the All-knowing, All-powerful, Everywhere-present, Father, to whom we owe everything and in Whom we live and move and have our being.
In observing the man Jesus throughout the book of Luke we begin to understand how a man or woman of God should conduct themselves in the world.
Passion for the lost – we see Jesus weeping over the lost of Jerusalem. Luke 19:41-44
Empathy for strangers – we see Jesus re-attaching a man’s ear after Peter had inadvertently cut it off. Luke 22:51
The struggle of surrendering our will – as we see Jesus sweating drops of blood when praying about the cross, “nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done…” Luke 22:44
If you are ever tempted to think God can’t relate to you, or that no one understands your physical or emotional pain, or the silent burden you bear in relationships to protect those you love, please know that Jesus understands. He was God, yes, but He was also a man. Flesh and blood. He bruised, broke, bled, wept, hurt, and shared every heartache and passion we ever could. Not to show you He’s better, or to get you to toughen up, but because He loves you.
His love for you is personal. He has been in your shoes and He will help you get through the hurt, get through the pain, He’s thinking about you right now. You will make it Dear one, for you have a Savior who knows you better than you know yourself.
Sincerely
