Study Guide:  Luke-Acts

When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.  Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey.  Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.  After three days they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this?  Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety."  He said to them, "Why were you searching for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  (Luke 2:43-50)

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.  (Luke 9:51)

See also Luke 19:41-44, where Jesus "foresees" the destruction of Jerusalem.

While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried u into heaven.  And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.  (Luke 24:51-53)

Jesus reads scripture and teaches in the synagogue in Nazareth:  All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.  They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"  He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!'  And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'"  And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown...."  When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.  They got up, drove him out of town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.  (Luke 4:22-29)

Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain:  Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen among us!"  and "God has looked favorably on his people!"  This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.  (Luke 7:16-17; cf. 1 Kings 17:17-24))

"Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.  Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.  Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing." (Luke 13:32-32)
 
 

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations (Gentiles), beginning from Jerusalem."   (Luke 24:47)

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  (Acts 1:8)

Then Peter began to speak to them:  "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.  You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ ó he is Lord of all."  (Acts 10:34-36)

See also Acts 10:44-48 below about the Holy Spirit
 
 

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you."  (Luke 17:20-21)

As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a arable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.  (Luke 19:11)

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, "As for these things that  you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."  They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?"  And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!'  Do not go after them.  When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately."  (Luke 21:5-9)

"So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"  He relied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  (Acts 1:6-8)
 
 

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy.  (Luke 1:67)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.  (Acts 2:1-4; Peters first speech follows, and then the apostles baptize 3000 people in Jesus' name)
 
 

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Bibliography
Ehrman, Bart D.  The New Testament:  A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. 2d ed.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2000.
Malina, Bruce J.  The New Testament World:  Insights from Cultural Anthropology.  Rev. ed.  Louisville, Ky:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.
Meeks, Wayne A., ed.  The HarperCollins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1993.

Copyright 2001 by Caroline T. Schroeder