Luke’s Good News to the Poor: Ambiguities and Challenges

Abstract

The gospel of Luke has been called a “gospel of the poor.” It contains more references to the poor than the other gospels and gives particular importance to concern for the poor. The inaugural preaching of Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth in Lk. 4:16–30 introduces the ministry of Jesus as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Lk. 4:18–19; cf. Is. 61:1–2; 58:6). Jesus is the one anointed and sent by God to proclaim good news to the poor. This characterization of the ministry of Jesus is echoed in Lk. 7:22 (par Mt. 11:5) which gives Jesus’ reply to the question of the messengers of John the Baptist: “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”