NOV 5

Luke 3:23-38

Memorise Hebrews 4:15

“We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…”

HOW DOES LUKE PRESENT CHRIST?

Luke 3:38 gives us what theologians call the “Lukan Genealogy”. This genealogy traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam and highlights His human ancestry. This is to emphasize His human identity. The phrase “Son of man” is used frequently in the book of Luke, and is seen in key verses such as Luke 19:10 which says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Indeed, in the passages of Luke 1 & 2, we find great detail of Jesus’ infancy and boyhood. We even have the very well known account about how Jesus honoured His human parents in the feast of the Passover when He went “missing” and was eventually found by Mary (Luke 2:41-52).

That Jesus is God is something we cannot dispute, but that Jesus is a God who feels for the common man on the street and has a deep understanding and empathy for him is something which we sometimes neglect to meditate on. Luke 4:18 gives us a vivid account of this: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised”. Jesus knows us intimately because He too is human and understands our weaknesses, sorrows and struggles.

Hebrews 4:15 says that “we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” This is entirely congruent with His identity as a loving God-Man who cares deeply for sinners. We can all relate to how we find it easier to confide in a person who has been through the hardships that we have experienced. This is exactly what Hebrews 4:15 is trying to teach us, that Jesus is not some distant celestial being, untouchable and unreachable. He is someone who is never far from us and the book of Luke highlights His humanity so that we can more easily relate to Him as a Friend with whom we can share our every burden.

Thought: Emmanuel - God with us!
Prayer: Lord Jesus I thank Thee for going through all the trials and temptations for my sake.