We continue our series about what is stated concerning Jesus in the various books of the New Testament, by examining the Gospel of Luke. Is the Trinity doctrine in the book of Luke?

Luke 1:31 – “Name him Jesus,” (not God)

Luke 1:32 – “called the Son of the Most High, the Lord God will give him the throne of David” – The greater gives to the lesser. He will be called, not God, but “the Son of the Most High” who is “the Lord God.”

Luke 1:35 – “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God” (NAB) (not God). The holy Spirit is “the power” of God, not a person. The angel once again emphasizes the fact that the child will be called “the Son of God,” not God. Without the holy Spirit being a person, it can’t be God, so there is no Trinity in Luke.

Luke 2:11 – “the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord has been born,” (not God).

Luke 2:25-26 – “It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had seen the Messiah of the Lord” (NAB), (not God). God uses the holy Spirit to accomplish his work, but it is not a person.

Luke 2:30 – “Simeon . . . praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord . . . my eyes have seen your salvation'” (NIV)  – (God’s salvation, not Jesus’ salvation)

Luke 2:32 – he is a light to reveal God to the nations, (not himself)

Luke 2:40 – “The favor of God was upon him” (ESV). God’s favor was on him (Jesus), which means that Jesus is someone other than God. Without Jesus being God, there is no Trinity in Luke.

Luke 2:49 – “I must be in my Father’s house” – Father-Son relationship

Luke 2:52 “Jesus grew in favor with God” – he’s not God

Luke 3:6 – “all people will see the salvation sent from God – sent from, but not, God

Luke 4:16-21 – “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me” – (God’s Spirit on Jesus) – “the scripture you’ve heard has been fulfilled today.” Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1, which reads, “The spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me for Yahweh has anointed me” (NJB). Rather than being referred to as a person, the holy Spirit is referred to as “the spirit of the Lord Yahweh.” Without the holy Spirit being God, there is no Trinity in Luke.

Luke 4:34 – “you’re the Holy One of God” – but not God

Luke 4:41 – “you are the Son of God” – but not God

Luke 4:43 – “that’s why I was sent” – from God

Luke 5:24 – “the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins” – who gave him this authority? – His Father

Luke 6:5 – “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” – “Son of Man” – not God

Luke 6:12 – prayed to God all night – not to himself

Luke 6:22 – you follow the Son of Man, not God

Luke 7:16 – the crowd praised God, saying “A mighty prophet has risen among us and God has visited his people” – A mighty prophet; Jesus represented God

Luke 7:23 – “God blesses those who do not turn away from me.” – blessings from God, not Jesus.

Luke 7:34 – “Son of Man,” not God

Luke 8:21 – “those who hear God’s Word and obey” – not my word

Luke 8:28 – “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” – “Son of,” but not God

Luke 9:20 – “You are the Messiah sent from God” – makes them separate. The greater sends the lesser. Without equality, there is no Trinity in Luke.

Luke 9:22 – “Son of Man must suffer” – not God the Son

Luke 9:26 – “the Son of Man will be ashamed” not God the Son

Luke 9:35 – “This is my Son, the Chosen One” – “my Son,” not me

Luke 9:44 – “Son of Man is going to be betrayed” – not God the Son

Luke 9:48 “Welcomes my Father who sent me – sent by his Father, who is separate

Luke 10:21 – “Jesus, filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit said: ‘O Father, thank you, Father it pleased you.” – Not praying to himself.

Luke 10:22 – “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Father but the Son, no one truly knows the Son but the Father” – “entrusted to me,” – knowing each other indicates different people.

Luke 10:27 – “Love the Lord your God with…” – Love God foremost, not Jesus

Luke 11:2 – “this is how you should pray: Father , may your name be kept holy” – Father prayed to; therefore separate, distinct

Luke 11:13 – “if you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give Holy Spirit to those asking” – Heavenly Father gives, not God the Son

Luke 11:30 – “What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign that he was sent by God” – send by God, but obviously not God

Luke 12:5 – “Fear God” – not God the Son

Luke 12:10 – “Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” – the Holy Spirit represents God, therefore higher.

Luke 17:22-26, 30 – “Son of Man,” – Luke 18:8, 31; Luke 19:10 – Not God the Son

Luke 18:19 – “Only God is good” – in the absolute sense, not Jesus

Luke 18:38-39 – “Son of David” – could not be said of God

Luke 19:12 – Nobleman (Jesus) would go to distant empire (heaven) to be crowned king (by God) – Jesus separate and inferior

Luke 20:9-19 – Parable of vineyard – Owner (God) sends servants (prophets), finally son (Jesus), and tenants (Jews) kill them all. – Separate people.

Luke 20:41-44 – The Lord said to my Lord – sit at my right hand – Psalm 110:1 confirms Jesus’ identity as the Son of God

Luke 21:27 – “Then everyone will see the Son of Man.” (NLT ) – the Son of Man can’t be God

Luke 22:20 – “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people.” (NLT) – Since Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15), he can’t be God.

Luke 22:22 – Jesus said, “It has been determined that the Son of Man must die.” (NLT) – (not God, or Trinity)

Luke 22:29 – “Just as my Father has granted me a kingdom.” (NLT) Receiving  a kingdom by grant from his Father, means he’s not God.

Luke 22:42-43 – “Father… I want your will to be done, not mine.” (NLT) – Two different wills – “yours…mine” = two people.

Luke 22:68 – “The Son of Man will be seated (future) in the place of power at God’s right hand.” (NLT) – Two individuals, not a three-in-one Trinity. Jesus said that, he, the Son of Man, will be at God’s right hand, which proves that God is someone other than Jesus.

Luke 22:70 – “Are you claiming to be the Son of God?” … “You say that I am.” (NLT) – Jesus agreed that he claimed to be God’s Son, not God. Notice that these enemies had Jesus on trial before the Jewish high court for being “the Son of God.”

Luke 23:2 – “Claiming he is the Messiah, a king.” (NLT) – The Messiah is not God. His enemies did not accuse Jesus of claiming to be God. In fact, Jesus did not claim to be God.

Luke 23:35 – “If he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” (NLT) “God’s Messiah” can’t be God. Notice, they didn’t accuse of claiming to be God.

Luke 24:19-21 – “Jesus… was a prophet… a mighty teacher in the eyes of God… we had hoped he was the Messiah.” (NLT) – Prophet , teacher in the eyes of God, are clues that he is not God.

Luke 24:52 – “They did him homage” (NAB). – Many translations render the Greek word as “worship” rather than “homage,” but “to crouch down,” is what the word basically means. Since Jesus said, “The true worshippers will worship the Father” (John 4:24), we can be confident that “homage” is the correct reading of Luke 24:52.

Is the Trinity in the book of Luke?—No!