Sommario: Summary: The reader of St. Luke's Gospel becomes aware that in the first four chapters there is evident tension concerning the father of Jesus: Joseph and/or God? Four texts are the basis of the present enquiry: the annunciation to Mary (1,26-38), the finding of Jesus in the Temple (2,41-52), the immediate preparation forJesus's ministry (3,21-4,13) and, finally, the programmatic text of the entire Lucan oeuvre, the launching ofjesus's ministry (4,14-44). After Lk 4 there is no longer found any reference to any paternity on the part of Joseph;from that point on, human beings'recogni­tion of the bond between God-Father and Jesus-Son will become part of Luke's programme.