Luke places particular importance on prayer, an aspect that is clearly seen in his Gospel. This characteristic can be explained as follows:
The prayer of Jesus: a central element in the Gospel according to Luke. He is the only evangelist who so regularly and explicitly emphasizes that Jesus prays at the key moments of his life:
At his baptism (Luke 3.21), the Messiah Jesus prays, and heaven is opened.
Before choosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6.12), He spends the whole night in prayer.
Before the transfiguration (Luke 9.28), He goes up the mountain to pray.
Before teaching the Our Father (Luke 11.1), the Messiah Jesus is seen praying, which inspires the disciple’s request.
At Gethsemane (Luke 22.41-44), Luke vividly describes the prayer of the Messiah Jesus, his sweat like blood, and the angel who strengthens him.
On the cross (Luke 23.34), Jesus prays for his executioners: “Father, forgive them…”.
These scenes are often absent or less developed in the other Gospels.
Luke also teaches about prayer; he reports several on prayer:
The importunate friend (Luke 11.5-8)
The widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18.1-8)
The and the tax collector (Luke 18.9-14)
He stresses perseverance, trust, and humility in prayer. He shows that prayer is at the heart of the disciple’s life and of the ministry of the Messiah Jesus.
Why this emphasis?
Luke addresses a broad audience, often non-Jewish, in order to highlight several important aspects: prayer is accessible to everyone and is not limited to religious people; it is an integral part of the relationship with God and goes beyond the framework of a mere ritual. Moreover, Jesus is presented as a model of prayer, going beyond the role of a teacher.