Homilies on Luke

Homily 1. Luke 1.1-4

HOMILY 1 Luke I.I-4 On the prologue ofLuke, up to the point where it says, "to write to you, most excellent Theophilus. " N THE PAST, many claimed to prophesy among thej ewish people. Some were false prophets; among these was Hananiah, son ofAzzur.1 Others were true prophets . The people, like "well-trained money-changers,'" had the gift of the discernment of spirits. Through this gift they accepted some as prophets and rejected others. Now, in the New Testament also, "many have tried" to write gospels, but not all have found acceptance.' You should know that not only four Gospels, but very many, were composed. The Gospels we have were chosen from among these gospels and passed on to the churches. We can know this from Luke's own prologue, which begins this way: "Because many have tried to compose an account ."4 The words "have tried" imply an accusation against those who rushed into writing gospels without the grace of the Holy Spirit. Matthew, Mark,john, and Luke did not "try" to write; they wrote their Gospels when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Hence, "Many have tried to compose an account of the events that are clearly known among US."5 2. The Church has four Gospels. Heretics have very many. 1. Seeler 28.1-17. 2. Origen is alluding to an aYQacpov, or unwritten saying of]esus. The saying is, "Be ye competent money-changers." On the aYQacpa, see].]eremias, "Isolated Sayings of the Lord," in E. Hennecke, New Testament Apocrypha (London: SCM, 1963) 1,85-90 . 3. Cf. 2 Pt 2.1. 4. Lk I.l. S·Lkl.l. 5 6 ORlGEN One of them is entitled According to the Egyptians,6another According to the Twelve Apostles.7 Basilides, too, dared to write a gospel and give it his own name." "Many have tried" to write, but only four Gospels have been approved. Our doctrines about the Person of our Lord and Savior should be drawn from these approved Gospels. I know one gospel called According to Thomas,' and another According to Matthias. 1O We have read many others, too, lest we appear ignorant of anything, because of those people who think they know something if they have examined these gospels. But in all these questions we approve of nothing but what the Church approves of, namely only four canonical GospelS.11 We have said all this because the beginning of the Gospel reads, "Many have tried to compose an account of the events that have been accomplished among us. "12 Those other authors have attempted and "have tried" to write about these events, but for us they are clearly established. 3. Luke makes his intention known by the word he uses, JtErtA'Y]QOCPOQ'Y][lEVWV, that is, "that have been clearly shown to us, "13 a concept that the Latin language cannot express in one word.14 It means that Luke knew by firm faith and by careful consideration, and did not waver on any point, wondering whether it should be this way or that. This certitude comes to 6. Little is known of this gospel except for a saying about Salome quoted by Clement of Alexandria. It existed in Egypt during the second century and may have had Gnostic traits. See W. Schneemelcher, "The Gospel of the Egyptians," in Hennecke, Apocrypha I, )66-78. 7. Virtually unknown; perhaps it wasJewish-Christian. See Hennecke, Apocrypha I, 263-64. 8. Basilides was a Gnostic who taught in Egypt during the first half of the second century. His gospel may have used parts of the four canonical Gospels. See Hennecke, Apocrypha I, 346-48. 9. The gospel Origen means is apparently the one discovered ca. 1945 in the Coptic Gnostic library near Nag Hammadi. See Hennecke, Apocrypha1,278-307. )o. Clement of Alexandria quotes a few passages from this work. It may have been Gnostic. See Hennecke, Apocrypha I, 308-313. 11. Origen's phrase is "Gospels to be received." 12. Lk 1.1. 13. Lk 1.1. 14. Obviously jerome's gloss. He puts the principle into practice and varies his translation of the word, using "known," "established," "accompanied," and "shown." HOMILY 1 7 those who have faithfully believed and have attained what the prophet prays for. They say, "Confirm me in your words."" The Apostle, too, says of those who were steadfast and strong, "That you may be rooted...