Luke's Passion Narrative
One again, I acknowledge my debt to my colleague Steve Walton, upon whose lecture plan from the Bawtry Hall Conference of March 1999 I have based some of the points made on this page.
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Luke's Passion narrative, although it appears clear that the author has had access to the Marcan narrative, has redactions and uses 'L' source material which substantially changes the tone of the narrative as a whole. The picture that emerges, although sad, is not tragic. Jesus is a victim of injustice. He is innocent. Nevertheless, he is protrayed as totally in control of His fate, accepting it and triumphing in it as opportunities for forgiveness and renewal of those He came to save arise.
Unique material includes the sweating of blood in Gethsemane, the trial before Herod Antipas, the exchange with the women of Jerusalem and the words of forgiveness from the cross. Luke omits much of the trial before Caiaphas, particularly the threats against the temple, concentrating on the question of whethe Jesus was the Messiah or not. He also omits the cry of dereliction 'My God, my God, etc. The effects of this use of source and redaction are outlined below. As you identify the ways in which Luke has used the material at his disposal to create the narrative as we have it in the gospel, you should consider whether the unique aspects of the gospel stem from (a) a historical source to which only Luke had access or (b) from Luke, the creative theologian, and what, in either case, Luke is trying to say about the theological significance of Jesus' death to us, his readers.
Jesus dies an innocent man. Possibly the author was trying to demonstrate that the founder of Christianity was no enemy of the Roman state - and, by implication, neither are His followers. At any rate, there are numerous references to His being innocent. Pilate states three times that Jesus is innocent, or has done nothing wrong. The thief on the cross declares that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Finally, in one of Luke's most interesting redactions, the centurion at the foot of the cross declares that Jesus is innocent (as opposed to being the Son of God, as in Mark and Matthew).
Perhaps this purpose of emphasizing the non-threatening stance of Christianity towards the Roman Empire is the cause of the omission of those charges against Jesus that could be interpreted as war-like in their intent, the destruction of the temple, the claim to be the Messiah, at the trial before the High Priest. Jesus avoids the question of whether He is Messiah, with all its contemporary military connotations, and instead accepts the title 'Son of God', which would have been much more ambiguous - but was still taken as a Messianic claim by the Sanhedrin.
Instead, the Sanhedrin present Jesus before Pilate on a charge of subverting the nation, 26:2 and stirring up rebellion 26:14. But he apparently realises that there is no substance to the charge. The ironic result is that Barrabas, a guerilla leader who is guilty of insurrection and rebellion is released and Jesus condemned. (See the acid in 26:25) Thus the Sanhedrin become the body who are subverting the nation, and Jesus literally dies for Barrabas, a murderer!
Jesus also dies for the thieves on the cross and for those who crucify Him, although only two of them understands this. In one of the most famous sayings of Jesus reported only in Luke, he asks His Father to forgive those who are crucifying Him, on the grounds that they do not understand what they are doing. To the thief who takes pity on Him as He hangs, an innocent man, on the cross, the promise is greater. 'Today you will be with me in Paradise.' Jesus' authority to forgive penitents has been a theme throughout the gospel -see the story of Zaccheus - and reaches it's climax here.
His death brings a reaction too that only Luke reports. Some leave the scene of his death 'beating their breasts', a classic symbol of admission of guilt and request for repentance. (23:48) Perhaps these are some of the ones who are converted at Pentecost (Acts 2:23; 37)
Women play an important part as they do throughout Luke's Gospel, supporting Jesus and, most of all, understanding who He is. Jesus predicts the judgement of Jerusalem to them, as they wait to mourn Him when he passes by. Traditionally, Luke was a travelling companion of St Paul, and we know from Paul's letters and from Acts, that Christianity attracted rich and influential women like Lydia, from the first. (That must have been before it became the reactionary, patronising, male dominated bastion that most of it still is today, mustn't it, dears.) So perhaps he was reflecting the respect he had for the women in the early church.
As Jesus is dying he prays for his executioners (above), promises paradise to the penitent thief (see above) calls God 'Father'. This is exclusive to Luke, and reflects the intimate and trusting relationship that Luke protrays between Jesus and the Father, seen most strongly in the words of Ps 31:5 quoted at 23:46 'Father into your hands I commit my spirit' - a prayer said by Jews (and many Christians) as they settle down to sleep.
These are aspects of Luke's Passion Narrative that are special or exclusive to him. Together with Jesus' predictions of his own death, the death of a prophet - 9:31, 51; 12:50; 13:32-33; 17:25, it forms the climax of a journey to the cross upon which Luke has taken us. It must end in Jerusalem, for as Jesus says, where else could a prophet be killed than in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is, for Luke the centre of God's purposes still. Jesus was proclaimed Messiah and Saviour in Jerusalem first when he was a baby. At his Bar Mitzvah held in Jerusalem, he took upon himself the adult task of 'being in His Father's House, he has been greeted at a king by the crowds in Jerusalem a week earlier. He will die, rise and appear in Jerusalem. His disciples will say goodbye to Him in Jerusalem, before settling down to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which they will receive in Jerusalem. The church will start in Jerusalem. The gospel will then go out from Jerusalem to all the ends of the earth.
And, of course, Jesus' death and the manner of it fulfils Scripture. In his account of the last supper, Luke (alone) has Jesus quote Isa 53, identifying himself with the suffering servant, who is counted as a criminal (numbered among transgressors) although he is innocent, for his sheep. The risen Jesus explains that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer all of these things in order to 'enter into his glory'. And old Simeon's prophecy to Mary is fulfilled as she suffers the pain of seeing her child on his cross, pain like a sword entering her heart.
All in all, the picture of the Passion, and Jesus as the main player, although sad, is not tragic. Jesus has understood his fate and his mission, and is permitting all these things to happen in order to accomplish forgiveness of sins for the penitent of all nations. (24:46-47) He maintains his dignity and compassion for others throughout the whole affair, and, proclaimed innocent by everyone dies as the sin offering not only for the people of Israel, but the people of the world.