What is Luke's portrayal of Jesus?

Answer 1

There are a number of ways that Jesus is portrayed by Matthew.Firstly Jesus is portrayed throughout the book as the one who fulfills the Old Testament prophecies about the messiah. This probably explains why Matthew is placed first among the New Testament books as it forms a natural bridge between the Old Testament and the New.

Secondly, Jesus is portrayed as the King, and this theme is followed through in terms of the outline of the book as a whole.

1. Matthew 1:1 - 4:11 - The Presentation of the King

2. Matthew 4:12 - 7:29 - The Proclamation of the King

3. Matthew 8:1 -11:1 - The Power of the King

4. Matthew 11:2 - 16:12 - The Progressive Rejection of the King

5. Matthew 16:13 - 20:28 - The Preparation of the Disciples of the King

6. Matthew 20:29 - 27:66 - The Presentation and Final Rejection of the King

7. Matthew 28:1-20 - The Final Vindication of the King

Source: Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts: Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 1982. p. 309

Matthew has long been recognized for its Jewishness in that it refers to the prophecies known by the Jews and also to Jewish laws and religious customs. Jesus, as the authoritative teacher, the King of the Jews who has the right by His divine power to alter the laws that He Himself gave to Israel, is in contrast to the tentative teachers of the day who had no real authority but only opinions. In this way, Matthew clearly points to Jesus' divinity since only God could alter or change the laws that He had given to Israel.

Matthew 7:29 (King James Version)

29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The formula "You have heard that it was said by them of old time....But I say unto you," is repeated no less than six times in the section Matthew 5:21 through to verse 48. This indicates some examples as mentioned above of Jesus', divine authority.

In the passages immediately following the Sermon on the Mount various demonstrations of Jesus' power are made. He is portrayed as having authority over various diseases, over nature, over demons and even over death itself. In the passage in Matthew 9:1-8 where He heals the man with the palsy, He is shown as having authority to forgive sin. The scribes present are shown in verse 3 to be thinking that Jesus was speaking blasphemously to forgive sin. Quite apart from the fact that Jesus demonstrated the ability to 'read their minds', this is a clear pointer to the fact of His divine authority to forgive sin, since the scribes rightly recognized all sin as ultimately against God and thus only God had the authority to forgive it. In this connection it is worth noting that Jesus did not have to pray to God to forgive the man but He did it Himself.

Answer 2

Mark presented Jesus as:

• Racist. In chapter 7, he called Gentiles 'dogs' and only agreed to help a Gentile woman when she humbly accepted that description.
• Less than divine. He had some extraordinary powers and God called him his son, but Mark did not believe him to be one with God. For example:

6:5: And he (Jesus) could there do no mighty work. 10:18 Why call me good. There is none good but God.

• The "messiah" (anointed one - future king), son of God, and son of man (These titles were capitalised 1500 years later, lending special meaning to them).

Mark's story of the fig tree presents Jesus as occasionally irrational or ill-tempered, and Mark 8:18 has Jesus complaining because the disciples still did not understand his miracles.

Jesus told his followers to love their neighbours, an injunction taken from the Old Testament. In modern times, 'neighbours' is seen as having a broad scope because of Luke's Gospel, but in Mark, as in the Hebrew Bible, it still had a narrow meaning.

Answer:

Mark portrays Jesus as not all knowing (Omniscient);

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Mark 13:32

1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

Answer:

Mark focused on the power and authority of Jesus over diseases, sin, evil spirits, nature, and death itself, and through His role as a teacher. This emphasised Jesus as the Son of God. More than any of the other Gospels, Mark focuses on Jesus' actions.

Jesus gives his apostles the power to heal sickness and "cast out devils." 3:15

Jesus criticizes the Jews for not following the Old Testament law. 7:9

Answer:

Mark: He was the son of man. According to Mark Christ is a man; according to Matthew and Luke, a demi-god; according to John, a God. Answer:From the beginning, and by unbroken tradition, this Gospel has been regarded as the work of Mark. He became the interpreter of Peter and wrote down accurately all that he remembered of the words and deeds of Christ. Mark portrayed Jesus as a man possessing every human emotion. Moved by compassion, anger, frustration, mercy, and sorrow. He offered the full humanity of Jesus without reservation. Mark penned a Gospel designed to evoke faith in the deity of Jesus. Mark's Gospel also stresses action rather than teaching. He presents Jesus the Wonderful, whose rejection, suffering, and death were an essential part of His mission. The special emphasis of Mark is the superhuman power of Jesus, demonstrating His deity by His miracles. Mark narrates the things Jesus did rather than the things Jesus said. That is why he omits most of Jesus' discourses.

Answer:

Some scholars say that the author of the first Gospel, now known as 'Mark', was not the John Mark who was thought to have obtained his information about the life of Jesus from the disciple Peter. In his Gospel, Mark portrayed Jesus with a number of very human characteristics: he was human, racist, and occasionally irrational or ill-tempered. Whether Mark himself saw Jesus in the way he portrayed him in the Gospel, depends on what sources Mark really used for his gospel. Harold Bloom (Jesus and Yahweh: the Names Divine) wrote that Mark invented Jesus, in which case, Mark would not have seen Jesus as a real person at all. Dennis R. MacDonald (The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark) would support Bloom, and says that Mark's genre is that of the Homeric prose epic.

Answer:

Mark believed Jesus to be God. This is thought by some scholars to be even clearer in Mark than in John and the other Gospels. One example is early in the Gospel where Jesus forgave the sins of the paralyzed man. The religious leaders rightly observed 'who can forgive sins but God alone?' Another example in Mark is when Jesus stilled the storm with obviously divine power. Answer:Mark see Jesus as the son of human parents, the Messiah, but simply a man. Mark does not have the story of Jesus' miraculous conception.

Mark quoted Jesus teaching "there is only one god". Mark 12:29.

This "only one god" that Jesus taught was confirmed by the scribes. Mark 12:32.

Mark see Jesus as a man or a lowly servant, not god.

Answer 3

Matthew and Luke portray Jesus as the Son of God, from his divine conception, but not fully divine. In comparison, Mark portrays him as fully human, adopted by God at his baptism, while John portrays Jesus as fully divine and pre-existing from the time of creation.

Answer 4

The best way to find this answer is to read it for yourself as interpretations from any man may guide you on the wrong path. To answer your question:

Matthew: Concerned with showing Jesus' genealogy and fulfillment of prophecy quotes Isaiah calling Christ the 'Immanuel' or God with us (Matthew 1:23).

Mark: Opens his Gospel saying, 'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.' (Mark 1:1) You may read this also in Matthew 3:1-2; Luke 3:38; and John 1:19-28. Very consistent portrayal.

Luke: presents Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 1:31-35), and the Son of God in chapter 9, verse 35.

John: uniquely shows Jesus, then the Word, being with God from the beginning of Eternity in his opening, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God..." (John 1:1-2 ff).

All in all, the Gospels writers noted Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the I Am of the Scriptures though they approach this in their own ways as one would expect. They note his God Family status and His mission to reveal the Father to mankind and bring the Good News of the Coming Kingdom of God. Mark notes in chapter 10:18, Jesus claim to His divinity by asking the rhetorical question to the young ruler who greeted Him in a comon way calling Him Good Teacher. Jesus' reply is only God is good so if your calling Me good, you are recognizing I AM God. Mark also shows how Jesus used common metaphors to best explain who He is and to test the individual's faith (Mark 7:27 with the faith reply in Matthew 15:28 of this same account of the woman compared to a little dog under the table). It is written that Jesus came 1st to the Jews/House of Israel and then to the Gentiles all.

The Gospels even record Jesus' human-side where He is noted as 'weeping' over the peoples lack of belief in the power of God at Lazarus' resurrection. His anger with the religious leaders throughout but especially in the Temple making the House of God a common business market to note just 2 occasions. Yet in all His daily temptations and interactions with men being humble and loving,

healing the sick and returning sight etc, He submitted Himself as a lamb to the slaughter for the sins of the world.

Answer 5

Luke was a physician by trade, and so many of the expressions used in both the gospel of Luke and in Acts, are words that are only found in his writings: expressions used by physicians of his time.

Therefore, Lukes portrait of Christ is that of the compassionate healer, who desires to bring healing to mankind: both physical, mental/ emotional and spiritual healing.

For instance, the story and parable of the merciful Samaritan is solely found in the gospel of Luke, where there is little doubt that the compassionate person described is indeed Christ himself.

Answer 6

Mark's Gospel portrays Jesus as God's adopted son, but not divine. In Mark 10:18 (Why call me good. There is none good but God.), Jesus clearly denies being God.

Matthew and Luke, both written some time after Mark, portray Jesus as the Son of God, from his conception and virgin birth.

John, the last New Testament gospel to be written, portrays Jesus as fully divine and pre-existing. It also equates him with the Greek Logos ('Word'), for example in John 1:1. The Word was a Greek concept that appears to have entered Christianity through Philo of Alexandria.

Mark also portrays Jesus as racist. In chapter 7, he called Gentiles 'dogs' and only agreed to help a Gentile woman when she humbly accepted that description.
Mark's story of the fig tree also presents Jesus as occasionally irrational or ill-tempered.

Luke portrays Jesus as particularly concerned for the poor, while John portrays him as a friend of the rich and powerful, saving his best miracles for his rich friends.

Answer 7

Luke presents Jesus the Son of Man, who brings salvation by identifying with humanity in all its weakness. He heals the sick and seeks out those rejected by society.

Answer 8

Luke's gave a detailed portrayal of Jesus both during his early years and also he healing of Sick.

Answer 9

Truthfull, Kind, Loyal and Just.