Greetings on this Ash Wednesday,

Our Ash Wednesday Service is just completed, and I wanted to share with all of you my Lenten Discipline.

During Lent this year I will be reading the entirety of the Gospel of Luke in roughly 25 verse snippets (although not always exactly 25 verses), and writing blog posts on each day’s readings.  I learned from my summer blog posts on Acts that asking questions works well, so i will repeat the same effort here.

Before we get into the readings and the commentary, I wanted to share with all of you a resource I created to help me through this process.  Below is a list of all of Luke’s pericopes.  Pericope is a words used to describe the verses that stand together.  Using the list I have below there are 149 pericopes.  This is an imprecise number, as some of the listed pericopes could be split up further, or included in other pericopes easily, but it is intended more as a guide, to think about Luke as a flowing narrative, and to identify all the peices of that narrative.  My hope is that by listing the pericopes in the way I have them below, it will help you think about the order of the narrative offered by the writer of Luke (the reality is we have no idea who actually wrote the Gospel according to Luke, but from here on out, i will simply use Luke as shorthand for the writer of the Gospel of according to Luke). Paying attention to the order of the narrative highlights what Luke thought was important, and highlights the decisions Luke made on telling the story that were different from the other gospel writers.  I hope that you can refer back to this list as we make our way through the Gospel together.

Next to each Pericope you will see a code.  The first number is the order of the pericopes up to 149.  The second number tells you how many verses are in that pericope, and the third number tells you what day we will be reading that pericope (ie today is day one, tomorrow is day two and so forth and onward).

Without further ado, here is the pericope listing:

  1. Formal Introduction
    1. 1:1-4 “To Theophilus” [1-4-1]
  2. Jesus’s birth and Boyhood
    1. 1:5-25 “Zacharias” [2-21-1]
    2. 1:26-45 “Annunciation” [3-20-2]
    3. 1:46-56 “Magnificat” [4-11-3]
    4. 1:57-67 “Nativity of St John the Baptist” [5-11-3]
    5. 1:68-80 “Benedictus (+1)” [6-13-4]
    6. 2:1-5 “Census of Quirinius” [7-5-4]
    7. 2:6-7 “Nativity of Jesus” [8-2-4]
    8. 2:8-15 “Annunciation of the Shepherds” [9-8-5]
    9. 2:16-20 “Shepherds and Mary and Jesus” [10-5-5]
    10. 2:21-40 “Circumcision of Jesus/Nunc Dimittis (29-40)” [11-20-6]
    11. 2:41-52 “Finding the Temple” [12-12-7]
  3. Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation
    1. 3:1-20 “Ministry of John the Baptist” [13-20-8]
    2. 3:21-22 “Baptism” [14-2-8]
    3. 3:23-38 “Genealogy” [15-16-9]
    4. 4:1-13 “Temptation” [16-13-9]
  4. Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee
    1. 4:14-15 “Good News” [17-2-10]
    2. 4:16-30 “Rejection in Nazareth” [18-15-10]
    3. 4:31-44 “Capernum” [19-14-11]
    4. 5:1-11 “Miraculous Catch of Fish” [20-11-11]
    5. 5:12-26 “Leper and Paralytic” [21-15-12]
    6. 5:27-32 “Calling of Matthew” [22-6-12]
    7. 5:33-35 “On Fasting” [23-3-12]
    8. 5:36-39 “New Wine into Old Wineskins” [24-4-13]
    9. 6:1-5 “Lord of the Sabbath” [25-5-13]
    10. 6:6-11 “Man With Withered Hand” [26-6-13]
    11. 6:12-16 “Commissioning of the 12 Apostles” [27-5-13]
    12. 6:17-49 “Sermon on the Plain” [28-33-14/15]
    13. 7:1-10 “Centurion’s Servant” [29-10-16]
    14. 7:11-17 “Young man from Nain” [30-7-16]
    15. 7:18-35 “Messengers from John the Baptist” [31-18-17]
    16. 7:36-50 “Anointing” [32-15-18]
    17. 8:1-3 “Women Companions of Jesus” [33-3-18]
    18. 8:4-8 “Parable of Sower I” [34-5-19]
    19. 8:9-10 “Purpose of parables” [35-2-19]
    20. 8:11-15 “Parable of Sower II” [36-5-19]
    21. 8:16-18 “Lamp under a bushel I” [37-3-19]
    22. 8:19-21 “Jesus’ true relatives” [38-3-19]
    23. 8:22-25 “Calming the Storm” [39-4-19]
    24. 8:26-39 “Demon Named Legion” [40-14-20]
    25. 8:40-56 “Raising of Jarius’ Daughter” [41-17-21]
    26. 9:1-6 “Instructions for the 12” [42-6-21]
    27. 9:7-9 “Death of John the Baptist” [43-3-21]
    28. 9:10-17 “Feeding of the 5000” [44-8-22]
    29. 9:18-20 “Confession of Peter” [45-3-22]
    30. 9:21-27 “Jesus Predicts his Death I” [46-6-22]
    31. 9:28-36 “Transfiguration” [47-9-22]
    32. 9:37-43 “Possessed Boy” [48-7-23]
    33. 9:44-45 “Jesus Predicts his Death II” [49-2-23]
    34. 9:46-48 “The Little Children” [50-3-23]
    35. 9:49-50 “Those not against are for” [51-2-23]
  5. Jesus’ teaching on the journey to Jerusalem
    1. 9:51 “On the Road to Jerusalem” [52-1-24]
    2. 9:52-56 “Samaritan Rejection” [53-5-24]
    3. 9:57-58 “Foxes have holes” [54-2-24]
    4. 9:59-60 “Let the Dead Bury the Dead” [55-2-24]
    5. 9:61-62 “Don’t look Back” [56-2-24]
    6. 10:1-12 “Commissioning of the 70 I” [57-12-24]
    7. 10:13-15 “Cursing Chorazin &…” [58-3-25]
    8. 10:16-20 “Commissioning the 70 II” [59-5-25]
    9. 10:21-24 “Praising the Father” [60-4-25]
    10. 10:25-28 “Great Commandment” [61-4-25]
    11. 10:29-37 “Parable of the Good Samaritan” [62-9-25]
    12. 10:38-42 “Visiting Martha and Mary” [63-5-26]
    13. 11:1-4 “Lord’s Prayer” [64-4-26]
    14. 11:5-13 “Parable of the Friend at Night” [65-9-26]
    15. 11:14-19 “Blind-mute Man” [66-6-26]
    16. 11:20 “Exorcising by the Finger of God” [67-1-26]
    17. 11:21-22 “Strong Man” [68-2-27]
    18. 11:23 “Those not with me are against me” [69-1-27]
    19. 11:24-26 “Return of Unclean Spirit” [70-3-27]
    20. 11:27-28 “Those who hear the word and keep it” [71-2-27]
    21. 11:29-32 “Request for a sign” [72-4-27]
    22. 11:33 “Light of the Body” [73-1-27]
    23. 11:34-36 “Eye and Light” [74-3-27]
    24. 11:37-54 “Woes of the Pharisees” [75-18-28]
    25. 12:1-3 “Veiled and Unveiled” [76-3-28]
    26. 12:4-7 “Whom to Fear” [77-4-28]
    27. 12:8-12 “Unforgiveable Sin” [78-5-29]
    28. 12:13-15 “Disputed Inheritance” [79-3-29]
    29. 12:16-32 “Parable of the Rich Fool and Birds” [80-17-29]
    30. 12:33-34 “Sell your Possessions” [81-2-29]
    31. 12:35-48 “Parable of the Faithful Servant” [82-14-30]
    32. 12:49-53 “Not Peace, but a Sword I” [83-5-30]
    33. 12:54-56 “Knowing the Times” [84-3-30]
    34. 12:57-59 “Settle with Your Accuser” [85-3-30]
    35. 13:1-5 “Tower of Siloam” [86-5-31]
    36. 13:6-9 “Parable of the Barren Fig Tree” [87-4-31]
    37. 13:10-17 “Infirmed Woman” [88-8-31]
    38. 13:18-21 “Parable of the Mustard Seed and Leaven” [89-4-31]
    39. 13:22-30 “The Narrow Gate” [90-9-32]
    40. 13:31-35 “Lament over Jerusalem” [91-5-32]
    41. 14:1-6 “Man with Dropsy” [92-6-32]
    42. 14:7-14 “Parable of the Wedding Feast” [93-8-32]
    43. 14:15-24 “Parable of the Great Banquet” [94-10-33]
    44. 14:25-27 “Not Peace but a sword II” [95-3-33]
    45. 14:25-33 “Counting the Cost” [96-6-33]
    46. 14:34-35 “About Salt” [97-2-33]
    47. 15:1-7 “Parable of the Lost Sheep” [98-7-34]
    48. 15:8-10 “Parable of the Lost Coin” [99-3-34]
    49. 15:11-32 “Parable of the Prodigal” [100-22-34]
    50. 16:1-13 “Parable of the Unjust Steward” [101-13-35]
    51. 16:14-17 “Not One Stroke of a Letter” [102-4-35]
    52. 16:18 “On Divorce” [103-1-35]
    53. 16:19-31 “Rich Man and Lazarus”[104-13-36]
    54. 17:1-6 “Curse Those Who Set Traps” [105-6-36]
    55. 17:7-10 “Parable of the Master and Servant” [106-4-36]
    56. 17:11-19 “Cleansing of the Lepers” [107-9-37]
    57. 17:20-37 “Coming of God’s Kingdom” [108-18-37]
    58. 18:1-8 “Parable of Unjust Judge” [109-8-38]
    59. 18:9-14 “Parable of Pharisee and Publican (tax-collector) [110-6-38]
    60. 18:15-17 “The Little Children” [111-3-38]
    61. 18:18-30 “Rich Young Man” [112-13-39]
    62. 18:31-34 “Jesus Predicts His Death II” [113-4-39]
    63. 18:35-43 “Blind Near Jericho” [114-9-39]
    64. 19:1-9 “Zacchaeus” [115-9-40]
    65. 19:10 “Son of Man Came to Save” [116-1-40]
    66. 19:11-27 “Parable of the Talents” [117-17-40]
  1. Jesus’ Jerusalem conflicts, crucifixion, and resurrection
    1. 19:28-44 “Entry into Jerusalem” [118-17-41]
    2. 19:45-48 “Cleansing the Temple” [119-4-41]
    3. 20:1-8 “Authority Questioned” [120-8-42]
    4. 20:9-19 “Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen” [121-11-42]
    5. 20:20-26 “Render unto Caesar” [122-7-42]
    6. 20:27-40 “Resurrection of the Dead” [123-14-43]
    7. 20:41-44 “Is the Messiah the Son of David?” [124-4-43]
    8. 20:45-47 “Denouncing Scribes” [125-3-43]
    9. 21:1-4 “Lesson of the Widow’s Mite” [126-4-43]
    10. 21:5-38 “Olivet Discourse” [127-34-44/45]
    11. 22:1-2 “Plot to Kill Jesus” [128-2-46]
    12. 22:3-6 “Bargain of Judas” [129-4-46]
    13. 22:7-23 “Last Supper” [130-17-46]
    14. 22:24-30 “Dispute About Greatness” [131-7-47]
    15. 22:31-34 “Denial of Peter I” [132-4-47]
    16. 22:35-38 “Sell your cloak and buy a sword” [133-4-47]
    17. 22:39-46 “Agony in the Garden” [134-8-47]
    18. 22:47-53 “Kiss of Judas” [135-7-48]
    19. 22:54 “Arrest” [136-1-48]
    20. 22:55-62 “Denial of Peter II” [137-8-48]
    21. 22:63-65 “Guards Mock Jesus” [138-3-48]
    22. 22:66-71 “Jesus Before the Council [139-6-48]
    23. 23:1-7 “Pilate’s Court I” [140-7-48]
    24. 23:8-12 “Jesus at Herod’s Court” [141-5-49]
    25. 23:13-25 “Pilates Court II” [142-13-49]
    26. 23:26 “Simon of Cyrene” [143-1-49]
    27. 23:27-49 “Crucifixion” [144-23-50]
    28. 23:50-56 “Entombment” [145-7-51]
    29. 24:1-12 “Empty Tomb” [146-12-51]
    30. 24:13-43 “Resurrection Appearances” [147-31-52]
    31. 24:44-49 “Great Commission” [148-5-53]
    32. 24:50-53 “Ascension of Jesus” [149-4-53]

 

 

In the coming days I will post a easier to read daily reading guide, but on top of that, I will include a link to each day’s reading, so everything is in one place for you, and we are all reading the same translation (New Revised Standard Version if you don’t want to read each day’s passage on your computer)

Feel free to ask questions in the comment sections of me or of each other, or offer your own take on any given reading.  This may be my personal Lenten discipline, but as a community of faith we can engage in the Gospel of Luke Together.

 

In Christ,

Mike