I love Luke’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit. He tells us that the Spirit overshadowed Mary, and the eternal Logos assumed flesh (1:35). The Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended upon Jesus at His baptism (3:22). Jesus faced His desert temptation while empowered by the Spirit (4:1). Quoting Isaiah, declaring His anointing by the Spirit, our Lord began His public ministry (v. 18). Conceived, empowered, and anointed by the Spirit, Jesus is next found rejoicing in the Spirit. What filled Christ’s heart with Spirit-wrought joy? The humbling irony that the wise and understanding of this world miss gospel truths that Jesus enables little children to embrace (10:21–22).
This is the context for a “test” a lawyer devised for Jesus (vv. 25–37). Trying to back Jesus into a corner never works out well, then or now. And stories, once we assume we have them figured out, tend to lose their punch. Let’s take another look. Read More
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