Studying the Bible with other believers can often have an insular effect that’s unhealthy and, according to Luke’s Gospel, unbiblical. From beginning to end in his Gospel, the Gentile physician spotlights the surprising work of the gospel in those thought to be “outsiders.”
Luke articulates Jesus’ story as accessible to the unknowns, the outcast, the lost, and the hopeless. For example, Jesus recounts the stunning embrace of the returned prodigal and embittered response of his “righteous” brother, displaying his desire for irreligious and religious alike to turn to him in repentance. We see Jesus’ invitation to Zacchaeus—the hated tax collector eavesdropping on Jesus from the outside—and the grumbling response of the crowd on the inside: “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” We witness Jesus look with compassion on a reviled yet repentant criminal hanging on the cross next to his. Despite being the final moments before his death, Jesus takes time to give the criminal an astonishing promise—a scandal that remains today. Examples like these abound throughout the Gospel of Luke. In short, Jesus constantly challenges Israel’s “insiders” by highlighting “outsiders” transformed by the gospel. He desires transformation in both camps.
As an educated urban Gentile, Luke himself would have been familiar with the local synagogue. Given his understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures, he must have listened in as an outsider for years. But growing up he would have quickly learned the limits of his access to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Being included in the great story of God’s people was impossible for someone like him. Yet the message of Jesus transformed Luke, too, moving him from the “outside in” to a full-fledged member of God’s community.
The implications of Jesus’ message directly affect those on the outside looking in. It’s also a message deeply challenging to “insiders,” designed to reveal cracked foundations upon which many have built their religious lives. When outsiders turn to God, insiders are pressed to reevaluate the biblical story and reexamine the foundation of their relationship with God.
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Editors’ note: This excerpt has been adapted from The Gospel of Luke: From the Outside In (LifeWay), a new resource offering a thorough look at the ministry of Jesus through the eyes of Luke and the careful interpretation of scholars David Morlan and D. A. Carson. Based on the theme of The Gospel Coalition’s 2013 National Conference, this 12-session group study shows how Luke brings the good news from the “outside in” as Christ embraces the unknowns, the outcast, the lost, and the hopeless. Morlan and Carson hope participants will gain greater awareness of God’s work on “the fringes,” learn to recognize the tendency in believers toward insular Christianity, and marvel at the person and work of the Lord Jesus.
Both the member book and also the leader kit for The Gospel of Luke: From the Outside In can be purchased here.
In addition to the brief promotional video above, you can watch a clip of one of Carson’s teaching sessions below and preview a digital copy or even download the full introduction and session one.