All of the gospel writers tell the story of Jesus. They are all Christ-centered, Christ-exalting, Christ-revealing books. Consequently, there is much overlap between the books, especially the first three (the Synoptic) gospels.
Yet they also tell the story of Christ from their own perspectives and emphases. There are distinctives in the accounts that make each of the books and writers unique from the others. One of the aspects of Luke’s gospel that makes his book different is his emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Luke refers to the Holy Spirit more than twice as often as Matthew and Mark combined. And those references begin in the opening verses of the book: He is mentioned in the predictions of Gabriel of the births of both John the Baptist and Christ. And in many more places:
- He is the empowerment of the ministry of John the Baptist (1:15, 41).
- He is the means of the conception of Christ (1:35).
- He is the empowerment of Zacharias (1:67) and Simeon (2:25, 27).
- He is the source of revelation for Simeon (2:26).
- Christ’s ministry is Spirit-empowered (3:16) and Christ was Spirit-filled (3:22; 4:1, 14, 18).
- The Spirit was a source of joy for Christ (10:21)
- The Spirit was a promised gift for Jesus’ followers (11:13).
- Blasphemy of the Spirit (denial of the Spirit’s work in Christ) was the unforgivable sin (12:10).
- The Spirit was a source of revelation and instruction for the disciples (12:12).
- The Spirit was also likely in view as the power of the Pentecost experience (24:49).
- In summary, John would succeed because of the Spirit’s power in his life; Jesus resisted temptation and fulfilled the Father’s purpose for Him because of the direction of the Spirit; we come to faith and grow spiritually because of the work and presence of the Spirit in us.
- It’s the Spirit’s work. No man succeeds on his own; what John did and what we do is because we have received a grace gift of the Spirit to guide and provide for us ( 8:9a, 11).
This gospel is not only Christ-centered, it is God-centered, and conspicuously Trinitarian. Luke is reminding us that the story of Jesus is the revelation from God of our Savior — and it is the revelation from God of His essential Triune nature — all three persons of the Godhead being revealed in exactness and unity in the Son’s incarnation and earthly labors.
As we read this account, let us not forget that as it points to the Savior, it also points to the Triune God and the power of the Godhead being revealed in the Son’s work.
“Holy Spirit dove window” by hickory hardscrabble is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Words of Grace 