This year I have been leading a Bible study at our church on
Luke’s gospel. We’ve been slowly reading through the twenty-four chapters of
this gospel and seeking to listen to God’s voice throughout this process. It’s
been really beneficial to take our time and not rush the process through. As a long
distance runner I know the benefit of the “long slow run” in my training. There’s
also great benefit in a “long slow read” of Scripture as well.
It was particularly exciting and challenging to come to the
climax of the narrative – the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Throughout the gospel we observed Luke’s particular emphasis on those who are
on the fringe of society, Jesus’ fixated “journey to Jerusalem” (from 9:51
onwards), and the tension that builds between Jesus and the religious leaders
of his time. None of that was particularly new to me, but the benefit of
reading and absorbing this once again has not been futile. What has stood out,
though, as we read through chapters 23 and 24 in particular, was the way Luke places
women in a prominent position within the narrative; crucially at the point of
the passion itself.