Study Journal: Luke 1-3

Rel 211 Independent Study Assignment

Luke 1-3

This assignment has two parts. First read all the reading (Luke 1-3) for the assignment. In the first set of questions, answer the questions based on your reading of the text alone. Share 3-4 sentences of your thoughts.

For the second set of questions, choose two you are interested in. Read the associated article with the question, and then write one page (double-spaced) about what you learned and how it helped you better understand the content in the scriptures.

Short Answer Questions:

1. These chapters juxtapose the experience of Elizabeth & Mary. How do you think their experiences differed? Discuss their situations: age, marital status, fertility, life experience, etc. How do you think society reacted to them in their different situations?

   For Elizabeth, the experience seemed to be one of open joy. She was already married, thus she didn't have to be worried of accusation of fornication, unlike Mary, who was a virgin at the time of conception. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, his first reaction was that she had been unfaithful. He could have created a public spectacle of her, which would have resulted in her being stoned, though he kindly chose to "put her away privily". Thus, due to their marital status, Elizabeth's experience was more of a public experience, while Mary's experience was more of a private experience.

   These experiences were also different because of their age and experience. Elizabeth was much older than Mary and had much more experience in life. Therefore, when she found out that she was pregnant, she likely was less worried and more excited. Mary, on the other hand, was still young. She had very little life experience and may have felt like she wasn't prepared to raise a child yet, much less the Son of God.

2. Why do you think Christ chose shepherds to be the recipients of a heavenly messenger announcing the birth of Jesus Christ? What was their place in society (elite, lowly, etc.?) What does this tell us about God? Is there any symbolism to this?

   Christ often spoke about "the first being the last" and "being humble like a child". He also referred to himself often as "the Good Shepherd." Thus, it would make sense that the first people to hear the message are those that are "meek and lowly." God isn't prideful. He doesn't need to be heralded by great kings and announced to the world like a celebrity. He wants to be welcomed by those that would most appreciate His coming. He wants those that are humble to welcome Him.

3. The gospel of Luke spends more time than any other gospel on the perspectives of women in Christ’s life? What would we lose or not learn about if the Gospel of Luke did not include the accounts of Elisabeth, Mary, and Anna? How do you think this lack of knowledge would change our perspective of these events?

   In these events, though the men experience this story, the women have a much more intense and involved experience than the men. Elisabeth and Mary are physically connected with these experiences because they have to carry the babies. They also might have the greatest amount of wonder because they know first hand that what has happened should have been impossible. They know that God worked a miracle with them. Without their first-hand account, there could be some doubt as to whether it truly was a miracle, or whether what they had told the men was just a story to cover up something else, especially in the case of Mary.

   With the story of Anna, we get to see how she devoted her life to the Lord, even after the death of her husband. She served often in the temple and even obtained the gift of prophecy. Thus, for her sacrifice, she received the blessing of seeing Christ and prophesying of her future. We can draw from this that if we devote our lives to serving God, we can also receive a confirmation of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

4. Share 2 verses from today’s reading that stood out to you and explain why.

   In this section, Luke 3:10-14 really stood out to me. In these verses, people come to John and ask what they should do. John responds to each group, giving them counsel that applies specifically to them. Later, it also talks about how John called out Herod for having married his brother's wife. As I read this, though I'd heard it before, I began to truly internalize the fact that John's mission truly was to teach repentance—and he wasn't shy about it. This clarity is important, and it reminds me that, even though it may seem like the prophets speak critically sometimes, they are always simply calling us to repentance, and we would do well to listen.

   I also thought it was interesting in Luke 2:19, 50-51. In these verses, Mary has just heard or experienced something that she may not have understood. Her reaction to this is to "keep all these things, and ponder them in her heart." Sometimes, we encounter things that we may not understand, whether it be in the scriptures, General Conference, or even in school. When we do, we should follow the example of Mary and "keep all these things, and ponder them in our hearts." This will help us to increase our understanding over time, until we reach a fullness of understanding.

Essay Answer Questions (Choose two and read associated supplemental text):

5. Samson, Samuel, & John the Baptist were all Nazarites. Read the associated article. What do these men have in common? What did they do differently? How did they prepare the world for a Savior? What did you learn overall from the article? https://sharperiron.org/article/samson-samuel-john-and-birth-of-jesus

   One thing that I found interesting in this article was the fact that each of them were predecessors for a king. Samson and Samuel prepared the way for King David, while John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, King of Heaven and Earth. However, while they did effectively prepare the way, they never lived to see the success of their efforts. Samuel died before David even became king, and neither Samuel nor Samson lived to see the success of David over the Philistines. In the same way, John prepared people to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, he was killed before Christ fulfilled his ministry in overcoming death and sin. Thus, though each of them prepared the way, none of them lived to see the end result.

   Now, while John and Samson were similar in some ways, they were very different in their level of righteousness. Samson was very casual in his role as a Nazarite. He had little respect for the commandments of God, and even ended up marrying outside of the covenant, which was his downfall. John, on the other hand, was very righteous, to the extent that he became, as Jesus claimed, one of the greatest prophets. In fact, his righteousness was so great that there are some that believe that John was the Messiah, and thus they reject Jesus Christ.

   What I've learned from this is that Nazarites (from birth) seem to dedicate their lives to preparing the way for someone who is greater than them. This could be a temporal preparation, like Samson when he destroys many of the Philistines; or it could be a spiritual preparation, like Samuel when he anoints David, or John, when he teaches the people repentance. Their lives weren't specifically easy. They had to abstain from the "fruit of the vine", which included grapes, raisins, and wine; they had to avoid cutting their hair; and they had to avoid dead creatures. Most importantly, they lived a life dedicated to God.

6. Observe some images of the Madonna Enthroned. Read the associated article. What symbolism is present in these paintings? How were they a tool to teach about Christ? Why do you think they have been such a prominent type in art across styles & eras for so long? https://mymodernmet.com/madonna-and-child-art-history/

7. In the baptismal account, it states that the Holy Ghost descended like a dove. Read the associated article. What do you think this symbolism represents? What did the article teach you about the meaning of this scripture? [see PDF on Christian Symbolism]

   I found it interesting in this article how when it talked about the symbol of the dove, it made reference to the time of Noah and the flood. Noah sent out the dove to see if there was dry land, and the dove came back with an olive branch. The flooding of the earth could be considered to be the "baptism" of the earth, with the dove as a representation of the completion of the cleaning process. It was a symbol of the earth's purity. In the same way, the dove that appeared at Christ's baptism could have been a symbol of the cleansing power of baptism. It represents the pure nature that comes with baptism, and it represents the peace of a life cleaned from sin.

   From this symbolism from Christ's baptism, we can find meaning in our own baptism. Often, we associate the descent of the Holy Ghost with the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost. While that could be an accurate interpretation, we can also understand the nature of the dove as a symbol. It represents our own purity as we leave the waters of baptism. It represents its renewing power, its ability to clean us of all our sins, its ability to bring us peace. This can bring a whole new level of understanding and meaning to our experience with baptism (both for ourselves and others).

8. Why was it important that Christ’s entire lineage be given? Read the associated article. What did you learn about the lineage of Jesus from this article? What questions did it answer for you? [see PDF on Genealogy of Jesus in Luke]