4. The Lord is referred to as "the Friend" of publicans and sinners.

It is only Luke who tells us, "And Levi made Him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them" (5:29). It is only here we learn that Christ said to the querulous Jews, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say, He hath a demon. The Son of Man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebidder, a Friend of publicans and sinners!" (Luk_7:33-34). It is only in this Gospel we find that the Saviour’s critics openly murmured, and said, "This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" (Luk_15:2). And it is only here we are told that because Zaccheus had joyfully received the Saviour into his house "they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner" (Luk_19:7).

It is beautiful to notice the graduation pointed by the Holy Spirit in the last three passages quoted above. In Luk_7:34 Christ is simply "The Friend of publicans and sinners." In Luk_15:2 it was said, "This Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them." But in Luk_19:7 we are told, "He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner"! Thus did God make even the wrath of man to praise Him.

5. The Lord is here portrayed as a Man of Prayer.

It is indeed striking to see how often the Saviour is seen engaged in prayer in this Gospel. The following passages bring this out: "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened" (Luk_3:21). "And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed" (Luk_5:16). "And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luk_6:12). "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered" (Luk_9:28-29). "And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray" (Luk_11:1). "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luk_22:31-32). "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly" (Luk_22:41, Luk_22:44). "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luk_23:34): only here do we find Him praying thus for His murderers. Add to these examples the fact that Luke alone records our Lord’s teaching on Prayer which is found in Luk_11:5-8, that he only tells us of His parable on Importunity in prayer (Luk_18:1-7), and that he alone tells us of the two men who went up to the Temple to pray, and it will be seen what a prominent place prayer has in Luke’s Gospel.

6. Christ is frequently seen here Eating food.

"And one of the Pharisees desired Him that He would eat with him. And He went into the Pharisee’s house and sat down to meat" (Luk_7:36). "And as He spake, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him: and He went in, and sat down to meat" (Luk_11:37). "And it came to pass, as He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, they watched Him" (Luk_14:1). "And when they say it, they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner" (Luk_19:7). "And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them" (Luk_24:30). "And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them" (Luk_24:42-43). It scarcely needs to be pointed out that these examples demonstrated the reality of His Manhood.

7. The Circumstances connected with His Death and Resurrection.

The awful hour spent in Gethsemane is described in this third Gospel with a fullness of detail which is not found in the others. Luke is the only one that tells us, "And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him;" as he is the only one to say, "And being in agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luk_22:43-44). Then followed the Arrest, and as they were all leaving the Garden, we read, "And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far, and He touched his ear, and healed him" (Luk_22:50-51). The other Evangelists record this incident of the smiting of the high priest’s servant, but only Luke shows us the tenderness of the Saviour, full of compassion toward the suffering of others, right to the last.

Luke is the only one to tell us, "And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children" (Luk_23:27-28 ). Appropriately, does this find a place here, bringing out, as it does, human emotions and sympathies. Luke is the only one to designate the place where the Saviour was crucified by its Gentile name—"And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him" (Luk_23:33). And, again, Luke tells us, "A superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This is the King of the Jews" (Luk_23:38). How this hints at the international scope of this third Gospel! Matthew and Mark give no hint of the "superscription" being written in the world-languages of the day; though John does, for he, again, presents Christ in connection with "the world." Luke is the only one to describe the conversion of the dying robber, and to record his witness to the Human perfections of the Lord Jesus: "This Man hath done nothing amiss" (Luk_23:41). So, too, it is only here we find a similar testimony borne by the Roman centurion: "Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous Man" (Luk_23:47).

After His resurrection from the dead, it is only Luke who mentions that long walk of the Saviour with the two disciples, and of the familiar intercourse which they had together as they journeyed to Emmaus. And Luke is the only one who presents the Lord to our view as eating food after He had risen in triumph from the grave.

It only remains to add a brief word concerning the characteristic manner in which this third Gospel closes. Luke alone tells us, "And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them" (Luk_24:50)—a beautiful touch is this! Then we are told, "And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into Heaven" (Luk_24:51). Note, particularly, that Luke says that the Son of Man was "carried up into Heaven," not that He ascended! And then the curtain falls to the strains of the expressions of human joy and praise: "And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God. Amen" (Luk_24:52-53).