READ/MARK/LEARN – LUKE VOLUME 2
A small group Bible study
By William Taylor
Christian Focus. 320 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978 1 527 102 095
So many of Luke’s stories seem vaguely familiar … the Good Shepherd, the Good Samaritan, etc. But how do they fit together?
This latest guide in the excellent Read/ Mark/Learn series helps us to see ‘the wood’ and not just ‘the trees’. William Taylor sets each episode in the context of Luke’s Gospel – and the Old Testament context. So we find ourselves not just parachuting in and out of events, but walking with Jesus on the long road from Galilee to his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. As God joins the dots we get a surprisingly fresh sense of how great is our Saviour and how glorious is his kingdom.
Not heavy
As a commentary this guide is not academically heavy with lots of Greek technicalities. Nor is it flooded with contemporary illustrations, though it is easy to read. But it certainly succeeds in its aim: it shows, clearly and concisely, what the text means and it helps us to apply it practically in our context today. This second volume starts at Chapter 9 v.51 and divides the rest of Luke’s gospel into 26 sections. For each section, after commentary, it provides a set of model study questions useful for personal devotions or group study. For Bible study group leaders who want the joy of preparing study questions for themselves, it also provides a couple of open-ended discussion questions for each section, designed to stimulate Bible study preparation. I’m inspired to teach Luke’s Gospel, and these two volumes will be first on my desk!
