Deep in the book of Ezekiel we are given a description of the angels that surround the throne of God.
Their faces looked like this: each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. Ezekiel 1:10
As the faith developed these four faces were interpreted in various ways. Theses included aspects of salvation, Christ’s character and the four gospel writers or evangelists. Luke was given the face of the ox by the early church due to the themes they found in his gospel.
The first theme is that of sacrifice. All the gospels contain the story of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross. Luke’s gospel though starts at the centre of the sacrificial system in the temple.
John the Baptist’s parents Elizabeth and Zechariah were descendants of the first priest, Aaron (1:5). It is while Zechariah is on duty as a priest that he receives the message that he will have a son who is the forerunner to the messiah (1:8-20). The main sacrifice brought to the temple was an ox calf and so Luke’s gospel was given this image.
The second theme is that of service. Ox were beasts of burden that carried out various tasks. They pulled ploughs (1 Kings 19:19), trod out grain (Deut 25:4), and carried loads. These were all vital tasks that allowed the ground to be prepared, the harvest processed and goods taken to market.
It is because of both the ministry of Jesus shown in this gospel and Luke’s own ministry that the ox was given as its symbol. Jesus, by his word and deed that prepared the way for each of us to follow and Luke in his service as a companion of Paul and as writer of Luke-Acts.
As you journey through lent and read through the reflections contained within this book, I encourage you to keep in mind the themes of sacrifice and service, to reflect on how you can cultivate these characteristics in your life and discover them in the lives of others.
Introduction
Reading the bible can sometimes feel like a difficult task. Ancient languages, unknown times and places, and alien practices can make it a strange collection of books to read.
This lent series uses a way of reading scripture that will hopefully help you discover a new way of exploring the bible. As we follow Jesus’ journey to the cross through the eyes of Luke we will use this method to open up the word.
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Each week there is a particular passage from Luke that will be explored. These passages take us from the moment Jesus is baptised through to the moments just before holy week.
The fourfold way of reading helps us to see the passage through different lens’. There is a brief description below of what each reading of the passage hopes to achieve.
First Reading: Engage
The first reading each week will seek to introduce you to the passage for the week. We will look at where the story fits in Jesus’ journey to the cross, who the people are and the places mentioned. We will also look at some of the terms and ideas that we find in these verse to give us a better understanding of what’s going on. This will set us up to go deeper into the passage for the rest of the week.
Second Reading: Inspire
The second reading of the passage will look to pick up the themes and phrases that stand out. Different verses will stand out to different people but here we will look at some of those that jump out. This will hopefully draw out the significance of the passage in its original context. It will also begin to draw out some of the themes that we can begin to explore for our lives today.
Third Reading: Reflect
The third time of reading this passage we are seeking to explore the words, themes and significance of the passage. This is where we begin to ask questions of the passage, where we see if we can find situations in our own lives that mirror the ones we read. It is a chance to talk through and discuss questions that the passage raises for us.
Fourth Reading: Live
Finally, as we read through the passage for the last time we are looking for inspiration for our daily lives. How do we take the truth we find and make it real? Our faith only works when it impacts our lives and the lives of others. We want to see ourselves, our churches, our communities and our world impacted by the creator God.
For each passage you will find some input under each of these readings. This is not an exhaustive list and there may be words, themes and reflections that you come up with not covered here. That’s ok, and I encourage you to explore these passage more if you wish.
As always this book can be used in numerous ways, on your own, in cells and small groups or in other gatherings. The passage each week will form the basis of the Sunday services to give another view point on the passages.
Most of all, I pray that you will find this book helpful. That it will encourage, challenge and inspire you. As you journey through lent let us prepare ourselves for all that God can do in and through us. Amen