Outline of Luke

We’ve provided this outline of Luke to assist you as you study God’s Word. May you discover Him as you read.

Where Mark is associated with Peter, Luke is associated with Paul. Again, however, his name is never given to us. Eusebius says of Luke:

Timothy, indeed, is recorded as having first received the episcopate at Ephesus, as Titus also, was appointed over the churches in Crete. But Luke, who was born at Antioch, and by profession a physician, being for the most part connected with Paul, and familiarly acquainted with the rest of the apostles, has left us in two inspired books, the institutes of that spiritual healing art which he obtained from them. One of these is his gospel, in which he testifies that he has recorded, “as those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word,” delivered to him, whom also, he says, he has in all things followed. The other is his Acts of the Apostles, which he composed, not from what he had heard from others, but from what he had seen himself. It is also said, that Paul usually referred to his gospel, whenever, in his epistles he spoke of some particular gospel of his own, saying, “according to my gospel.”
Eusebius, Bk.III.Ch.4.

In Bk.III.Ch.38, Eusebius refers to him as the “evangelist Luke” and as a possible translator of the book of Hebrews, although Eusebius suspects Clement to be the translator of this book which he subscribes to Paul.

In another place, Eusebius states:

. . . yet, of all the disciples, Matthew and John are the only ones that have left us recorded comments, and even they, tradition says, undertook it from necessity. . . . But Luke also in the commencement of his narrative, premises the cause which led him to write, showing that many others having rashly undertaken to compose a narration of matters that he had already completely ascertained, in order to free us from the uncertain suppositions of others, in his own gospel, he delivered the certain account of those things, that he himself had fully received from his intimacy and stay with Paul, and also, his intercourse wit the other apostles.
Eusebius, Bk.III.Ch.24.

Irenaeus (175-195) gives us the following:

Matthew, indeed, produced his gospel written among the Hebrews in their own dialect, whilst Peter and Paul proclaimed the gospel and founded the church at Rome. After the departure of these, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. And Luke, the companion of Paul, committed to writing the gospel preached by him, i.e. Paul. Afterwards John the disciple of our Lord, the same that lay upon his bosom, also published the gospel, whilst he was yet at Ephesus in Asia.
Eusebius, Bk.V.Ch.8.

Origen (185-254) in his commentaries, includes a list of the sacred books, stating in part:

As I have understood from tradition, respecting the four gospels, which are the only undisputed ones in the whole church of God throughout the world. The first is written according to Matthew, the same that was once a publican, but afterwards an apostle of Jesus Christ, who having published it for the Jewish converts, wrote it in the Hebrew. The second is according to Mark, who composed it, as Peter explained to him, whom he also acknowledges as his son in his general Epistle, saying, “The elect church in Babylon, salutes you, as also Mark my son.” And the third, according to Luke, the gospel commended by Paul, which was written for the converts from the Gentiles, and last of all the gospel according to John.
Eusebius, Bk.VI.Ch.25.

Clement of Alexandria (155-220) stated the following concerning the order of the gospels which he derived from the oldest presbyters:

He says that those which contain the genealogies were written first; but that the gospel of Mark was occasioned in the following manner . . . . But John, last of all . . .
Eusebius, Bk.VI.Ch.14.

The early church was unanimous in their placement of Luke as the author. Paul refers to Luke as the beloved physician (Col. 4:14).

Origin states that Luke was written to the Gentile converts. Luke contains a great deal of material found only in this gospel. For instance, the announcement to Zacharias concerning John the Baptist and the description of events on the road to Emmaus. Luke is the longest book in the New Testament, although it does not contain the most chapters. Luke, the physician, wrote more of the New Testament than any other person (assuming Hebrews was not written by Paul). And he was a Gentile, the only Gentile author in the New Testament.

The purpose of the book is spelled out at the beginning, to confirm the certainty of the things that had been taught. The book is the only New Testament book clearly cited in the New Testament as Scripture (1 Tim. 5:18 quoting Luke 10:7).

Luke is the book of parables containing 24 parables (Matthew contains 22 and Mark 8). There are 13 parables in Luke unique to the book. It is the only gospel to describe the ascension.

Luke also gives the Holy Spirit a prominent role in the life of Christ (Luke 2:27; 3:22; 4:1, 14, 18) mentioning him more than any of the other gospels (Matthew 12 times, Mark 6 times, Luke 16 times, and John 15 times). Prayer is prominent, being mentioned in 3:21; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1-13; 18:1-14; 21:36; 22:39-46. And Christ’s teachings are showcased in the book.

Date: 60 A.D.?
This book was written before Acts (Acts 1:1) and Acts apparently was written in 62 A.D. with Paul in Roman prison (Acts 28:31).

I. The Introduction 1:1-4

II. The Birth Narrative 1:5-2:52

  1. Announcement of John’s birth 1:5-25
  2. Announcement of Jesus’s birth 1:26-38
  3. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth 1:39-56
  4. Birth of John 1:57-80
  5. Birth of Jesus 2:1-21
  6. Purification Visit 2:22-40
  7. Jerusalem Visit at Age 12 2:41-52

III. Introducing Jesus 3

  1. John the Baptist’s ministry 3:1-20
  2. Jesus’ baptism 3:21-22
  3. Genealogy of Jesus Christ 3:23-38

IV. His Person Authenticated by His Ministry 4-9:50

  1. His Temptation 4:1-13
  2. His Application of Isaiah 4:16-30
  3. Casting out an unclean spirit 4:31-37
  4. Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law 4:38-39
  5. Many healed 4:40-41
  6. But He was called to preach 4:42-44
  7. Calling His Disciples 5:1-11
  8. Cleansing a Leper 5:12-16
  9. Healing a paralytic 5:17-26
  10. Calling Matthew 5:27-32
  11. Teaching on Fasting 5:33-39
  12. Teaching on the Sabbath 6:1-11
  13. Calling the 12 6:12-16
  14. Healing Many 6:17-19
  15. Teaching His Disciples about the Kingdom 6:20-49
  16. Healing a Centurion’s servant 7:1-10
  17. Raising the son of the widow of Nain 7:11-17
  18. Teaching about John 7:18-35
  19. Teaching about forgiveness 7:36-50
  20. Ministered by women 8:1-3
  21. Parable of the sower 8:4-15
  22. Parable of the light 8:16-18
  23. Teaching about family 8:19-21
  24. Calming the sea 8:22-25
  25. Healing the demon-possessed man 8:26-39
  26. Woman with issue of blood 8:40-48
  27. Jairus’s daughter raised 8:49-56
  28. Apostles sent out 9:1-6
  29. John beheaded 9:7-9
  30. Feeding 5000 9:10-17
  31. Peter’s confession 9:18-20
  32. Cost of discipleship 9:21-27
  33. Mount of Transfiguration 9:28-36
  34. Boy healed 9:37-42
  35. Teaching on humility 9:43-48
  36. Teaching on Envy 9:49-50

V. His Ministry Supports His Teachings 9:51-19:27 (“the great insertion”)

  1. Teaching on rejection 9:51-56
  2. Teaching on discipleship 9:57-62
  3. Teaching on witnessing 10:1-24
  4. Parable of the Good Samaritan 10:25-37
  5. Teaching on priority 10:38-42
  6. Teaching on prayer 11:1-13
  7. Teaching on opposition 11:14-23
  8. Teaching on importance of substitution 11:24-26
  9. Teaching on obedience 11:27-28
  10. Teaching on Religious hypocrisy 11:29-12:3
  11. Teaching on God’s Care 12:4-7
  12. Teaching on confession 12:8-12
  13. Teaching on covetousness 12:13-13
  14. Teaching on faithfulness 12:35-48
  15. Teaching on opposition 12:49-59
  16. Teaching on repentance 13:1-9
  17. Healing of woman with 18 year sickness 13:10-17
  18. Parable of mustard seed 13:18-19
  19. Parable of leaven 13:20-21
  20. Teaching on the narrow way 13:22-35
  21. Healing of the man with dropsy 14:1-6
  22. Teaching on Humility 14:7-14
  23. Parable of the great supper 14:15-24
  24. Teaching on cost of discipleship 14:25-35
  25. Parables on the lost 15
  26. Parable of the unjust steward 16:1-13
  27. Teaching on those who justify themselves 16:14-31
  28. Teaching on forgiveness 17:1-4
  29. Teaching on servanthood 17:5-10
  30. Healing of the 10 lepers 17:11-19
  31. Teaching on the Coming Kingdom 17:20-37
  32. Teaching on prayer 18:1-14
  33. Teaching on childhood 18:15-17
  34. Teaching on the rich young ruler 18:18-30
  35. Teaching on His death 18:31-34
  36. Healing of a blind man 18:35-43
  37. Teaching on seeking 19:1-10
  38. Parable of the Minas 19:11-27

VI. The Week of His Passion 19:28-23:56

  1. The Triumphal Entry 19:28-44
  2. The Cleansing of the temple 19:45-48
  3. His Authority Challenged 20
  4. Teaching on Giving 21:1-4
  5. Teaching on the End Times 21:5-38
  6. The Plot 22:1-6
  7. The Last Supper 22:7-23
  8. Teaching on greatness 22:24-33
  9. Preparation for the night 22:31-38
  10. Prayer in the Garden 22:39-46
  11. Arrest 22:47-53
  12. Peter’s Denial 22:54-62
  13. Jesus’ trial before the Jews 22:63-71
  14. Jesus’ first trial before Pilate 23:1-5
  15. Jesus and Herod 23:6-12
  16. Jesus condemned 23:13-25
  17. Jesus crucified 23:26-49
  18. Jesus buried 23:50-56

VII. His Resurrection 24

  1. The Message of the Women 24:1-12
  2. On the Road to Emmaus 24:13-35
  3. Appearance to the Disciples 24:36-49
  4. The Ascension 24:50-53

Key Idea: Jesus is the Savior of All

Key Passage: 2:11

Key Lesson: We bear witness to a great Savior

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