As author of both the third Gospel and Acts, Luke is author of more than half the New Testament. He is, it would seem, the Bible’s only Gentile writer. We know little about his background but he was a medical doctor by training, probably from Syrian Antioch where he no doubt heard the gospel and became a fellow worker of the Apostle Paul. He travelled with Paul and seems to have ministered in the church in Philippi that Paul founded. He was possibly Titus’s brother but we cannot know for sure. There is a tradition that as well as being a doctor, he was an artist. There is no certainty. He certainly was an artistic writer. His vocabulary is rich and varied, with many beautiful word-pictures.
Books in the Bible do not always have an explanatory introduction but Luke’s does. He begins with a helpful explanation of what he is writing and why. We can see these as five arguments for paying close attention to what Luke has to say. Because he is …
Dealing with fulfilled prophecy
He begins, Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us …. It would seem that in the earliest days little was written down about Jesus’s ministry, partly because this was a less literate culture; partly because everyone knew about what had happened as it was in living memory. There may also have been a sense that as Jesus would soon return there was no need to write. As the years passed, however, and as people like Luke, who never knew Jesus while on earth, were converted, several began to think about writing things down. Luke says many had undertaken to draw up an account. This includes perhaps Mark and Matthew and other attempts unknown to us or incorporated in Luke. Luke refers to the things he has in mind as the things that have been fulfilled among us. What he writes about then is not certain things from the past or even interesting things from the past but things that fulfilled prophecy. This is history but not just any history. It is the fulfilment of prophecy.
Accurate
It is based on first hand accounts of what happened by servants of the Word. Luke himself was not an eye witness of the events he describes. Rather, he has recorded what eye witnesses saw. Other accounts have concentrated on what Luke says was handed down to us by those who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word. Not being an eye witness may seem a disadvantage at first but it means to say that Luke is in the position that we are – of being removed from the events. However, what was written and what Luke includes here is based on eye witness accounts and is completely reliable and trustworthy. Quite apart from the fact that this is Scripture and so utterly trustworthy anyway we can say that this is an accurately written account. You can trust it implicitly.
Well researched
It is the result of careful and thorough investigation. Luke goes on to explain how he felt that he could write a reliable account, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning. To write as he did, Luke engaged in meticulous, wide ranging research. He was both careful and thorough in his examination of the subject, going right back to the beginnings of the story. This comes out in many places. At times archaeologists and others have accused Luke of inaccuracy but again and again his research has been shown to be correct. He is historically accurate and entirely reliable. He may not always be precise according to modern criteria but according to the standards of the time, he was exceptionally precise. This guarantee of accuracy should encourage our confidence in what is written.
Orderly
Luke continues, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus. We do not know who Theophilus might have been or if he was converted. He was probably a Roman official or an aristocrat (most excellent). Luke has written for him, whoever he was, an orderly account. It attempts to cover the whole story from beginning to end and that in an ordered (usually although not always chronological) manner. Luke does not throw bits and bobs at us but attempts to give us a methodical, coherent presentation that sets out the basic series of events in a way that is true to history and that will impress itself on our minds.
Suited to strengthen faith.
It is intended to enable readers to know the certainty of the things they have been taught. Luke says that he has written so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Theophilus had clearly had some Christian teaching but he had his questions, his doubts. Luke’s purpose is to deal with them.
Outline
Following the introduction in 1:1-4, we have
1. 3:1-4:13 The introduction of the Son of Man
2. 4:14-9:50 The ministration of the Son of Man
3. 9:51-18:30 The mission of the Son of Man
4. 18:31-23:56 The passion of the Son of Man
5. 24:1-53 The resurrection of the Son of Man
Distinctives
Bearing in mind what has been said, it seems that Luke was written around 60 AD or shortly before. By then, Luke would have been a believer around 10 years, and would have had opportunity to carry out the researches he mentions, probably while Paul was in prison at Caesarea. From there he could easily have travelled around Palestine to meet those who had witnessed the events he was to record.
Among the distinctive features of Luke are these
The use of songs or poems of praise in the early chapters.
The careful use of historical dating to set the scene.
Extensive treatment of Christ’s life, going from before his birth and beyond his resurrection.
If Matthew portrays Christ as the Promised King and Mark shows the Lord to be the Servant, Luke presents him as the perfect man, the Son of Man. In that sense Luke can be said to be writing for the human race in general, without distinction.
Another emphasis is doctrine. This is no surprise when we consider that he travelled with Paul and ministered as a pastor and evangelist.
Salvation is a further prominent theme. In 19:10 there is a key phrase, The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Some of the parables (see Chapter 15) illustrate the meaning of salvation.
He uses the word justify seven times in his two volumes.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is prominent. We find more references to the Spirit in Luke than in Matthew and Mark combined.
One writer describes Luke as infatuated with parables. There are 22 in all, 17 not found elsewhere.
Another emphasis is that on women. He refers to women 43 times, Matthew and Mark together only 49 times.
Prayer is yet another focus in Luke, including the prayer life of the Lord Jesus. This fits in with his emphasis on the Saviour’s humanity.
In many ways, Luke is the obvious Gospel for interested people in the west today. His approach chimes in very much with some of the most prevalent attitudes of our times. Is there someone you could pass a copy to?
This article first appeared in Grace Magazine
