Simon and the loving sinner; the bustling Martha and the quiet, adoring Mary; the thankful and the thankless lepers ; the woes added to the blessings in the Sermon on the Mount; the rich man and Lazarus ; the Pharisee and the Publican; the good Samaritan and the priest and Levite; the prodigal and his elder brother ; the penitent and impenitent thieves.
Luke’s is the wnwersal gospel. His frequent use of words expressing the freedom and universality of the Gospel has al- ready been noted. His Gospel is for the Gentiles. The gene- alogy of Christ is traced back to the common father of the race, Adam, instead of to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, as by Matthew. He records the enrolment of Christ as a citi- zen of the Roman empire. Simeon greets him as a light for revelation to the Gentiles. The Baptist cites concerning him Isaiah’s prophecy that ald flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke alone records the mission of the seventy, who represent the seventy Gentile nations, as the twelve represent the twelve tribes of Israel. He alone mentions the mission of Elijah to the heathen widow, and Naaman’s cleansing by Elisha. He con- trasts the gratitude of the one Samaritan leper with the thank- lessness of the nine Jewish lepers. He alone records the refusal to call down fire on the inhospitable Samaritans, and the parable of the Good Samaritan is peculiar to him. He notes the com- mendation of the humble Publican in contrast with the self- righteous Pharisee, and relates how Jesus abode with Zacchaeus. He omits all reference to the law in the Sermon on the Mount.
Luke’s is the gospel of the poor and outcast. As a phase of its universality, the humblest and most sinful are shown as not excluded from Jesus. The highest heavenly honor is conferred on the humble Mary of Nazareth. Only in Luke’s story do we hear the angels’ song of “ Peace and good-will,” and see the simple shepherds repairing to the manger at Bethlehem. It is Luke who gives the keynote of Keble’s lovely strain:
‘The pastoral spirits first Approach thee, Babe divine, For they in lowly thoughts are nurs’d, Meet for thy lowly shrine: Sooner than they should miss where thou dost dwell, Angels from heaven will stoop to guide them to thy cell.”