An Outline of Luke 1-12

As you are finishing up your review of Luke 1-12, consider memorizing this outline of the book. It may help you to remember where you are when you hear a question, by keeping context always foremost in your thoughts. From Bible.Org.

I. Prologue (1:1-4)

II. The Infancy of the Son of Man (1:5–2:52)

A. Two Pregnancies predicted (1:5-56)

1. The Prediction of John’s Birth (1:5-25)

a. The Setting (1:5-10)

b. The Announcement of the Angel (1:11-17)

c. The Doubt of Zechariah (1:18-22)

d. The Response of Elizabeth (1:23-25)

2. The Prediction of Jesus’ Birth (1:26-38)

a. The Setting (1:26-28)

b. The Announcement of the Angel (1:29-33)

c. The Doubt of Mary (1:34-37)

d. The Response of Mary (1:38)

3. The Visit of Mary with Elizabeth (1:39-56)

a. The Setting (1:39-41)

b. Elizabeth’s Blessing (1:42-45)

c. Mary’s Song (1:46-55)

d. Summary (1:56)

B. Two Sons Born (1:57–2:52)

1. The Birth and Infancy of John (1:57-80)

a. The Birth of John (1:57-58)

b. The Circumcision and Maturation of John (1:59-80)

1) The Circumcision (1:59-66)

2) Zechariah’s Song (1:67-79)

3) The Growth of John (1:80)

2. The Birth and Infancy of Jesus (2:1-52)

a. The Birth of Jesus (2:1-20)

1) The Historical Setting (2:1-3)

2) The Birth in Bethlehem (2:4-7)

3) The Witnesses of the Birth (2:8-20)

a) The Announcement by Angels (2:8-14)

b) The Visit by Shepherds (2:15-20)

b. The Circumcision and Maturation of Jesus (2:21-52)

1) The Circumcision (2:21-24)

2) Simeon’s Song and Anna’s Prophecy (2:25-38)

3) The Growth of Jesus (2:39-52)

a) Statement: Growth in Wisdom (2:39-40)

b) Example of Growth in Wisdom: The Boy Jesus at the Temple (2:41-50)

c) Statement: Growth in Wisdom and Stature (2:51-52)

III. The Preparation of the Son of Man for Public Ministry (3:1–4:13)

A. Preparation by John the Baptist (3:1-20)

1. Setting (3:1-6)

a. Historical (3:1-3)

b. Prophetic (3:4-6)

2. The Preaching of John (3:7-18)

3. The Imprisonment of John (3:19-20)

B. Preparation by Jesus’ Baptism (3:21-22)

C. Preparation by Jesus’ Pedigree (Genealogy) (3:23-38)

D. Preparation by Jesus’ Temptation (4:1-13)

IV. The Son of Man’s Galilean Ministry (4:14–9:50)

A. The New Base of Operations (4:14-44)

1. Rejection at Nazareth (4:14-30)

2. Reception at Capernaum (4:31-44)

a. In the Synagogue (4:31-37)

b. At Simon’s House (4:38-41)

c. In a Solitary Place (4:42-44)

B. The Authentication of Jesus’ Ministry (5:1–6:16)

1. The Calling of the First Disciples (5:1-11)

2. The Healing of a Leper (5:12-16)

3. Confrontations with the Pharisees (5:17–6:16)

a. The Healing of a Paralytic (5:17-26)

b. The Calling of a Tax Collector (5:27-32)

c. Questions about Fasting (5:33-39)

d. Jesus’ Authority over the Sabbath (6:1-11)

1) Plucking Grain (6:1-5)

2) Healing a Man’s Hand (6:6-11)

4. The Election of the Twelve Disciples (6:12-16)

C. The Principles of Jesus’ Ministry: The Sermon on the Plain (6:17-49)

1. Blessings and Woes (6:17-26)

2. Love for Enemies (6:27-36)

3. Judging Others (6:37-42)

4. Two Kinds of Trees (6:43-45)

5. Two Kinds of Builders (6:46-49)

D. The Scope and Nature of Jesus’ Ministry (7:1–8:18)

1. A Centurion’s Faith (7:1-10)

2. A Widow’s Son is Raised in Nain (7:11-17)

3. Jesus’ Commendation of John (7:18-35)

a. The Doubts by John (7:18-23)

b. The Commendation by Jesus (7:24-30)

c. The Capriciousness of the Multitudes (7:31-35)

4. Anointed by a Sinful Woman (7:36-50)

5. The Women who Helped Jesus’ Ministry (8:1-3)

6. Parable of the Sower (8:4-15)

7. Parable of Lamp (8:16-18)

E. The Identity of Jesus Progressively Revealed (8:19–9:50)

1. Jesus’ True Mother and Brothers (8:19-21)

2. Calming of the Storm (8:22-25)

3. Healing of a Demoniac (8:26-39)

4. A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman (8:40-56)

5. The Sending of the Twelve (9:1-9)

6. Feeding the Five Thousand (9:10-17)

7. Peter’s Confession (9:18-27)

8. The Transfiguration (9:28-36)

9. Healing a Demon-Possessed Boy (9:37-45)

10. Greatest in the Kingdom (9:46-50)

V. The Son of Man’s Journey to Jerusalem (9:51–19:27)

A. Instruction in Discipleship in the Light of Jesus’ Mission (9:51–11:13)

1. Summary: Jesus’ Resolve to go to Jerusalem (9:51)

2. Samaritan Opposition (9:52-56)

3. The Cost of Discipleship (9:57-62)

4. The Sending of the Seventy-Two (10:1-24)

a. Jesus’ Message on Departure (10:1-16)

b. The Disciples’ Joy on Return (10:17)

c. Jesus’ Response on their Return (10:18-24)

1) To the Disciples: On Rejoicing (10:18-20)

2) To the Father (10:21-22)

3) To the Disciples: On Blessing (10:23-24)

5. The Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37)

6. Martha’s and Mary’s Responses (10:38-42)

7. Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer (11:1-13)

a. The Lord’s Prayer (11:1-4)

b. Persistence in Prayer (11:5-13)

1) The Response of a Friend (11:5-10)

2) The Goodness of God (11:6-13)

B. Confrontation with the Pharisees: First Cycle (11:14-54)

1. Jesus and Beelzebub (11:14-28)

2. The Sign of Jonah (11:29-32)

3. Parable: The Lamp of the Body (11:33-36)

4. Six Woes (11:37-52)

5. The Plot of the Pharisees (11:53-54)

C. Instructions in Discipleship in the Light of the Religious Leaders’ Rejection (12:1–13:35)

1. A Sermon on the Attitude of a Disciple: In the Light of Coming Judgment (12:1–13:9)

a. Setting (12:1a)

b. Leaven of the Pharisees (12:1b)

c. Fearless Confession in Light of God’s Sovereignty (12:2-12)

d. Attitude toward Riches (12:13-34)

1) Parable of the Rich Fool (12:13-21)

2) Worry and Treasures (12:22-34)

e. Vigilance and Watchfulness (12:35-48)

f. Not Peace but Division (12:49-53)

g. The Signs of the Times (12:54-56)

h. Agreement with your Opponent (12:57-59)