I have coloured all three segments for you for our future reference out of the goodness of my heart (if my heart has any goodness in it). But it made me smile these last couple of days when I received emails from three of you who suggested they were not going to colour the segments because they knew that I would give it to you all in a few days time. While that may be true, they missed out on the chance to do it for themselves. This was a chance to test yourself in your understanding of the method, but the chance has passed you by now. Maybe next time.
I told you in the previous Gem that Luke is the only one who records a trial appearance before Herod Antipas. The other gospel writers have all of the action taking place before Pilate. Notice how Luke starts the proceedings differently from the other three gospel writers. Remember too, Luke is the Gentile among them, hence he handles it from a non-Jewish (Gentile) point of view. I won’t spell it out for you at the moment. I won’t spoil your excitement of discovery. I am sure you will see it and take note of the huge implications behind the opening remarks of the trial before Pilate, according to Luke.
Take note too, that this series of viewpoints on the trials of Jesus has a smaller set of shared material than probably any other segment we have investigated. In this case on the important issue of the trial phases before Jewish and Roman authorities, we have the smallest portion of shared material (yellow) and significantly more additional material from the writers, with the exception of Mark. There are reasons for this. I have told you before that the material unique to each writer contains that which they wish to add by way of description and / or theme, to the common pool. Take particular note of that as you process and wish to learn what Luke’s focus is in this case, or that of Matthew, Mark or John if we were investigating their accounts.
Remember too, that by harmonizing the four gospel accounts, we gain the most complete picture of what happened on the two days of Jesus’ series of trials. It is like the movie “Vantage Point” where the story of the movie is developed from the point of view of seven different people. As with “Vantage Point”, so with the gospels in the New Testament. We will gain the fullest possible perspective from a detailed look at all four gospels on any one pericope or segment of the action.
Time now for you pay careful attention to the details of the text, as well as stepping back to take in the big picture in order to gain the fullest appreciation of what God has shared with us through the eyes of these four people He inspired to write an account for us. Luke’s, as I have said over and over, is the “ordered account”. There is more to come of course, but I will pause at this point to give you time to do you own analysis.
If God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him, then He is as committed to my happiness in Him as He is to His glory in me.
John Piper
My Father runs His universe with confidence and calm. He has no rivals. No dilemmas. No shortages. There is no one like Him!
Louie Giglio
Character Is Difficult To Define When Its Present… But You Can Always Tell, When Its Absent.
Robb Thompson
Two things define you. Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything!
George Bernard Shaw