I'm back with Knowing The Word in Luke 1:1-4

Welcome to the Gospel of Luke and my year-long undertaking to write about this fascinating gospel. “The Word” is Jesus himself. The aim is to know Jesus better by reading “The Word” of God. By knowing Jesus better, we can make him known to others as we live out our daily lives. The discipline of daily Bible reading and prayer is part of being a follower of Jesus. It keeps us anchored in him in intimate relationship through the Holy Spirit as his word speaks to us and we speak back to him in prayer.

Dedication to Theophilus and Introduction to Luke's Gospel

1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Who is Luke, why did he write his gospel, and what Is unique about it?

Luke is an evangelist concerned about leading people to faith in Jesus by sharing a reliable record of historical facts. Having interviewed many eyewitnesses—Luke did not see Jesus face to face but came on the scene after Jesus’ ascension—he can compile a reliable account for others to read and understand the facts. He addresses his gospel to Theophilus. In Greek, Theophilus means “lover of God.” Theophilus may be an actual person, or perhaps Luke picked this name for all who choose to investigate the person and life of Jesus by reading his gospel. Theologians have been arguing the point for centuries. (You will find that when I, an Episcopal priest who loves studying and sharing the Word of God, do not know something with certainty, I will try and give you more than one perspective on the passage.)

Luke writes that God is working out his purposes in Jesus and the believers who follow him. In his book, Luke share unique stories, including the Parables of The Prodigal Son, The Good Samaritan, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector, and twelve other parables not found in the other Gospels, plus the story of The Road to Emmaus.

Luke plays no prominent part in the New Testament except by name, being mentioned three times in Paul’s letters.

• Colossians 4:14 is the most prominent: Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

• Philemon 23-24 gives us less information: Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

• 2 Timothy 4:9-11: Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

What do we know about Luke from the three passages above? He is beloved by others and is a physician, he is a fellow worker of Paul’s, and he seems to be more loyal to Paul than many of the fellow workers.

What do we know about Luke from the New Testament and the early Church?

Readings from Acts of the Apostles:

• 1:1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach.

• 16:10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

• 20:5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.

• 27:1 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.

Luke’s book of Acts of the Apostles picks up where he ended his gospel with the Ascension of Jesus. Again, he addresses his new account to Theophilus. The first sixteen chapters are written in the third person, until Luke seems to make his unannounced appearance in 16:10. We can deduce that Luke joined Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Troas in A.D. 50 and traveled with them to Philippi. When the three others left, he stayed behind.

In Acts 20:1-5, Paul and Luke reunite. Acts 21 begins the trip to Jerusalem with Paul and Luke together. Many speculate that when Luke went to Jerusalem with Paul, he conducted the investigation that led to his writing of his gospel. In Acts 27, we find Luke with Paul as they set sail for Rome on a trip which proved to be very difficult.

Luke appears to be the only Gentile (non-Jewish) writer of the New Testament. In an ancient prologue to the Third Gospel, the so-called “Anti-Marcionite Prologue to Luke,” it says: “Luke was an Antiochian of Syria, a physician by profession. He was a disciple of the apostles, and later accompanied Paul until his martyrdom. He served the Lord without distraction, having neither wife nor children, and at the age of eight-four he fell asleep in Boeotia, full of the Holy Spirit.”

F.F. Bruce writes, “Luke is a truly catholic writer; he knows that there were various strands in primitive Christianity, and he weaves them together in the interests of Christian unity—a cause obviously dear to his heart.”

Prayer:

God our Father, you have given us your Word through the writing of Scripture: Grant that as we read Luke’s account of Jesus, that our loyalty to him will be strengthened having been fed with your inspired Word, and that we too shall be known as “lovers of God.” We ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.