ABSTRACT
Luke's Gospel states that Jesus was about thirty years old when he began to teach and preach. The beginning of his ministry is marked in the Gospel narratives by his encounter with John the Baptist, his baptism and the period of temptation in the desert. To John's surprise, Jesus himself comes to ask for baptism, as a sign of identification with the people he has come to save. There followed a period of some three years during which Jesus travelled through the towns and countryside of Galilee and later to Jerusalem. Jesus is shown gathering a group of close followers whom he taught and trained, teaching about the Kingdom of God, performing miracles and confronting various religious leaders who raise objections to his words and actions. Much of Jesus' teaching is in the form of parables. God's judgement is a theme which runs through the Bible from the story of Adam and Eve onwards.
