the role of the lukan parables in terms of the purpose of luke's gospel

wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (1:15-17). “And you,
child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare
his ways to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,” (1: 76-
77). John’s ministry is to turn not only Israelites to God, but also people to one another. The
connection of conversion with forgiveness of sin is tangible in John’s preaching of a baptism
of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (3:3, 8). For John, authentic conversion is required
for a proper lifestyle as being visible. The emphasis on conversion found in the John’s
ministry also appears in the ministry and teaching of Jesus (Lk. 5:27-32; 7:36-50; 10:13-15;
13:1-5, 6-9; 15:1-32; 16:19-31; 17:3-4; 19:1-10; 23:39-43; 24:44-49). In Luke 5:27-32, Jesus
asserts at Levi’s house, where the Pharisees are murmuring against Jesus’ ministry to tax
collectors and sinners, that the aim of his ministry is conversion. “And Jesus answered them,
‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’” (5:31-32). The forgiveness of the sinful woman
in Luke 7:36-50 makes it so convincing that Jesus is a forgiver of sins, teaching about
forgiveness and faith. That it is a story of conversion is confirmed very well by H.D.
Buckwalter. 19 The woman’s actions could be considered as gratitude of sins forgiven as well
as signs of reverence for Jesus as the woman’s redeemer. 20 The woes in Luke 10:13-15 are
pronounced on the Galilean towns. “If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre
and Sidon (as notorious Gentile cities), they would have repented long ago, sitting in
sackcloth and ashes.” The text gives the instruction that if Gentile cities would do this how
much more should Jews repent of their sins. The demand of forgiving the penitent up to seven
times a day in Luke 17:3-4 shows that conversion in Luke might be repeated and not be a
single event, at least in the case of a fellow human being. 21
It is striking that it does not refer
to restitution which the penitent makes. In Luke 19:1-10, Zacchaeus, who is welcomed by
Jesus as Savior and accepted in his company, acknowledges his wrongdoing. Still more he
19. H. Douglas Buckwalter, The Character and Purpose of Luke’s Christology (SNTSMS 89; Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1996), 151.
20. The vexing problem of the story of the sinful woman is the question, when was the woman of this story
forgiven? That is to say, the core of argument lies on whether she was forgiven after her actions, considered to
be acts of repentance, or before her actions, understood to be expressions of love or thanksgiving for forgiveness
granted. See Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, 686-87; John J. Kilgallen, “Forgiveness of sins (Luke
7:36-50),” NovT 49 (2007), 105-116.
21. In Rabbinic teaching, it remains hard to atone for sins committed against a fellow Israelite. This is largely
because restitution is not always possible in the case of a fellow human being. See Sir. 27.30-28.5; Sanders,
Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion (London: SCM Press, 1977), 179 and n.
161; Ravens, Luke and the Restoration of Israel, 148.
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