[un]expected interruption

Luke 1:1‑56

Introduction Question

What do you find it difficult to wait for?

Historical Context

Waiting can be painful. But imagine you’ve been waiting for years. Decades. Generations.

For hundreds of years, the Jewish people had been waiting. Jerusalem had been invaded by a series of various foreign powers, beginning with the Babylonians in 597 B.C. and culminating in the Roman invasion in 63 B.C. Luke opens his historical account in this time of waiting, when days were dark and God was quiet. For so long, the Jewish people had been hoping for some kind of liberation and revival — for God to return and move in power — like in their stories of old. After hundreds of years of waiting, will God ever show up and save them?

Read Luke 1:1‑4

How can Theophilus (and later readers, including us) have confidence that Luke’s account is trustworthy?

How would it change how you approach Luke’s account if you believe that it’s trustworthy?

Historical Context

Luke begins his account by locating the events historically. He introduces us first to Zechariah, an old man in the religious establishment of Israel. Zechariah is about to reach the pinnacle of his career, when a priest, for one time only in his life, would be allowed to enter the ‘holy place’ in the temple to burn incense. When Zechariah is praying, a terrifying angelic messenger appears with an answer to the prayers of the nation, and Zechariah’s personal prayers.

Read Luke 1:5‑56

Do you think Zechariah’s reaction is surprising? Why or why not?

What similarities and differences do you notice between Zechariah and Mary?

Considering all that Mary has heard (the promises about Jesus’ identity and purpose‑ v.31-33; the prospect of her unexplained pregnancy ‑ v.34‑35; the prophetic words of her relative, Elizabeth ‑ v.39‑45), how do you imagine Mary might have been feeling?

In her song (v.46-55), often known as the Magnificat, what does Mary praise God for?

How do the themes of Mary’s song reflect some of what we’ve already seen in these opening events of Luke’s gospel?

What do you find attractive about knowing God, as Mary describes him?

If this is Luke’s introduction to his account, how does that leave you feeling about the rest of it?

Have more questions?

If you have questions about whether Luke’s historical account can be trusted, then read ‘Can we trust the gospels?’ by Dr Peter Williams. If you particularly have questions about the trustworthiness of an angel visiting Mary and the virgin birth, then read ‘Is Christmas Unbelievable?’ by Rebecca McLaughlin. You can ask your college CU rep or request a free copy of those books by emailing CICCU here.

Perhaps you’d like to visit a local church and be among a community of people who praise and believe in the same God as Mary. If so, ask your college CU rep if they can recommend a church or if you can go along with them.

The next study will start at Luke 5:17, so you could continue reading through Luke’s account ahead of that.

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