Studying History
Today we’re beginning a study of the Gospel according to Luke. As we begin Luke today, I want us to remember that the Bible is a historically credible book. God really became a man and lived on the earth, teaching and healing, dying and rising. Jesus is a real historical figure, not a myth or fable or idea. He’s a man, the God-Man. And he can be known because his history was preserved in the Gospels. Do you live as if the things in the Bible really happened?
Books like Luke reveal to us what Jesus did and why he did it, and why it’s important for us. Here’s our outline for today: Who wrote Luke? How did Luke write Luke (1:1-3)? Why did Luke write Luke (1:4)? And why do I want to preach through Luke?
Who Wrote Luke?
First, who wrote Luke? Luke, like all the Gospels, is written anonymously. The author doesn’t mention themselves at any point. But the earliest manuscripts have “The Gospel according to Luke” appended to the manuscript of the Gospel. And the earliest church tradition acknowledges Luke as the author. It’s almost unanimously believed that Luke wrote Luke.
Who Was Luke?
But who was Luke? This Gospel was written anonymously, but as one scholar says, “Anonymous does not mean unknown.”[1] We know a fair amount about Luke from the New Testament. We know, first of all, that he wrote Acts as well. Acts 1:1, “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach.”
Luke-Acts is a multivolume work. Luke is the longest book in the New Testament and Acts is the second longest,, meaning that Luke wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else. So the first thing we know about Luke is that he was a prolific author and historian.
The reason Luke rose to prominence within the earliest Christian communities, and the reason why his Gospel was accepted into the New Testament canon, is because Luke served with the apostle Paul.
Listen to what Paul says about Luke in three places. First, in Colossians 4:14, Paul says, “Luke the beloved physician greets you.” Next, in Philemon 23-24, Paul says, “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.” And finally, in 2 Timothy 4:10-11, Paul writes, “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.”
From these passages we learn that Luke was a doctor who worked with Paul and who stayed with him while he awaited execution in Rome, even when everyone else deserted him.
Why was Luke willing to stay with Paul when everyone else left? Because they had a long history together. How do we know that? Because Acts has these interesting passages where the author, Luke, switches from third person to first person, including himself in what’s happening. These “we” passages are found in Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-15, 21:1-18, and 27:1-28:16. It appears that Luke joins Paul’s group in Troas, travels with him to Philippi, stays there for some time, perhaps helping the church there get off the ground, and then rejoins Paul on his way back to Jerusalem, where Paul is arrested and awaits trial in Caesarea for two years before being transferred to Rome where he awaits trial under house arrest.[2]
The second-century Church Father Irenaeus said that Luke and Paul had an “inseparable” bond.[3] Understandably so. They’d been in the trenches of ministry for over ten years together, preaching and teaching, planting churches, facing off with enemies of the gospel, being shipwrecked, and awaiting trial in Caesarea and then Rome. Luke was “beloved” by Paul because of his faithful friendship over years and through every trial.
Luke was one of Paul’s best friends, but was he a Jewish or Gentile Christian? There’s lots of debate about this, and Luke’s ethnicity doesn’t determine the meaning of his Gospel. But if he was a Gentile Christian, and I think that he was, then Luke-Acts are the only books in the New Testament written by a non-Jew.
How could his books end up in the Bible if he wasn’t an apostle? Because he was connected to Paul who was an apostle. Much of Luke’s material may be summaries of Paul’s preaching. We mostly know Paul from his letters as a theologian. But Luke knew him as a church-planter and pastor-preacher, not merely a theologian. Luke heard him preach the story of Jesus hundreds of times. He was for Paul what Mark was for Peter, his amanuensis, or secretary.
But Luke, as his books indicate, was a phenomenal teacher in his own right. If Luke is the “Lucius of Cyrene” mentioned in Acts 13:2, then he was one of the five “prophets and teachers” of the church in Antioch, alongside Paul and Barnabas. And if he’s from Cyrene (on the coast of modern-day Libya), then he may’ve been at Pentecost when Peter preached and the Holy Spirit fell (2:10). If so, after Stephen was stoned, he may’ve been part of the group of early Gentile Christians who fled Jerusalem and started preaching Jesus to Greeks in Antioch (11:19-20).
If these are the basic contours of Luke’s story, no wonder he was so zealous to write out the story of Jesus and the story of the church. But no matter how or when Luke came to faith in Jesus, or whether he was a Jew or Gentile, we know for sure that he traveled and ministered with and to Paul. Meaning he wrote with apostolic authority, making his books inspired by God and profitable for God’s people through the ages.
Who Did Luke Write To?
So if Luke wrote Luke, who did he write it to? Luke 1:3 says that Luke wrote to the “most excellent Theophilus.” He begins Acts by addressing the same person. Who is Theophilus? We don’t know, but he was likely a high-ranking convert to Christianity, potentially even the one funding Luke’s literary work. It was common to dedicate a book to the person who funded its production, with no intention that it was for that person alone.[4]
In other words, Luke was written for a wider audience than just Theophilus. His story would’ve been read aloud to faith communities across the Roman Empire. It’s also likely that Luke wrote with urban, Gentile Christians in mind, as his book uses excellent Greek and because the way the gospel spread out from Palestine in the first few decades of the church was through major cities.[5] Luke wrote out the story of Jesus for people like us.
What’s the Main Theme of Luke’s Gospel?
The main theme of Luke is salvation. His argument is that, in Jesus, God has come to save his people. This is evident from the beginning of the Gospel. Mary refers to “God my Savior” (1:47) and the angels announce that the one born in Bethlehem is “a Savior” (2:11).
Throughout Luke and Acts, we meet people who’s lives are saved, or transformed, by God. For example, in Luke 19, we meet Zacchaeus, the rich extortioner of God’s people. After he meets Jesus, repents and believes, Jesus says that “salvation” has come to his house, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (vv. 9-10).
This summarizes what Jesus came to do: to seek and to save. Luke tells story after story of people whose lives were transformed and saved and rescued by Jesus.
“Salvation” isn’t something that many in our post-Christian culture see as needed. Our culture prides itself on self-advancement, self-determination, and self-satisfaction. Self-salvation is our goal and assumption. Many assume that, if there’s a God at all, he’s not that holy, we’re not that bad, and we’ll all end up in heaven eventually. But the Bible says that God is holy and that we all deserve hell because of our sin, and that the only way of escape is by turning from our sins and turning to Jesus in faith.
The only way to be part of God’s people is to be in Christ. If you’re not in Christ, you’re not saved. You’re a stranger to God’s grace. Some of you know that you are, some of you don’t.
Salvation for the Weak
Another unique emphasis of Luke is how he highlights Jesus’ saving ministry toward “the least, the lost, and the left-out.”[6] Luke consistently shows us Jesus interacting with those who’re marginalized or disadvantaged in some way, the poor, sick, harassed, demon-possessed, widows, bereaved parents, women, children, tax collectors, sinners, Gentiles, and even Samaritans.[7]
In his tender mercy, Jesus approaches each one and gives them exactly what they need most: his healing touch, saving grace, and transforming power. Their stories illustrate the revolutionary ideas of Mary’s song (1:51-53).
Luke makes it clear that, in Jesus’ kingdom, the last will be first and the first will be last (13:30). In Jesus, God is saving his people by dissolving man-made and artificial barriers, barriers that divide ethnic groups, men and women, adults and children, rich and poor, and the righteous and sinners.[8]
The reason Luke portrays Jesus as the champion of the weak is to show us what Jesus came to do, namely, to bring God’s kingdom to the earth. Luke 17:20-21, “Behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.’” The kingdom is present with Jesus and made visible through his work.
Yes, Jesus believed the kingdom was coming in the future too. But in a move no one expected, he says that it’s already here. He’s saying that with his coming the kingdom of God has dawned on the earth.
God’s kingdom, as Luke is at pains to show his readers, is one where every man-made and artificial and sinful barrier is dissolved by divine love, and in its place is a community that is united around Jesus and Jesus alone.
It’s not that the other Gospels don’t touch on these things, but Luke makes Jesus’ saving work among the weak a clear and repeated theme. His portrait of Jesus is of one who lifts up the lowly and puts the proud in their place. If you’re lowly, this Gospel is for you. If you’re proud, this Gospel is also for you, to help you see how lowly you really are, that you may be saved.
How Did Luke Write Luke?
Second, how did Luke write Luke? The first three verses of the book tell us how.
Luke says in verse 1 that there are “many” other written accounts that existed prior to his work. He’s saying that he’s not writing in a vacuum. He’s not a pioneer. He’s dependent on tradition that precedes him. He’s using sources and doing research.
Luke’s Sources
Let me give you a quick note on Luke’s sources. The Gospel of Mark was a primary source, as almost 40% of Luke correlates with Mark. The two other main sources he depends on are called “Q” and “L” by scholars. Q is a source that contains material in Matthew and Luke, but not Mark. Over 20% of Luke is designated as Q material because it’s found in Matthew, but not Mark. And then there’s the source scholars call “L,” or material only found in Luke. This includes the narrative of Jesus’ infancy and many of the sayings and parables of Jesus. It accounts for more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel. For example, Luke records eight miracles not in the other Gospels, and a number of famous parables, such as the good Samaritan (10:29-37), the prodigal son (15:1-32), and the Pharisee and the tax collector (18:9-14).[9]
Interestingly, much of Luke’s special material seems to come from a group of women Luke mentions in 8:1-3, leading some to conclude that the L material comes from this circle of women disciples who were eyewitnesses of these things. This isn’t surprising because women, like other marginalized groups, figure prominently in Luke, with him mentioning thirteen women not mentioned in the other gospels.[10] Luke’s sources were many and varied. He wasn’t reinventing the wheel of Gospel tradition. He was simply adding his own unique contribution.
“Things that Have Been Fulfilled Among Us”
Verse 1 says that many have written about “the things that have been accomplished (or “fulfilled,” NIV, CSB) among us.” “Accomplished” is in the passive voice, meaning it’s something that someone else did.
The word “fulfilled” gets at the meaning more clearly. Luke is saying that he’s writing about things that God has done. Language of “fulfillment” points us to God’s promises in the Old Testament which are now fulfilled in Jesus. Luke begins his Gospel by unapologetically saying that he’s writing a narrative of theological history.
This means that Luke isn’t sharing his ideas or faith or giving us moral teaching or abstract philosophy. Rather, he’s saying that he’s telling a story of concrete events that God has done.
Some critics say he can’t be objective because he’s a believer. Many today think that believers can’t be objective because our faith makes us biased. But everyone has biases or deeply held beliefs that govern what they think and believe. If he can’t be objective simply because he’s a believer, then no one who writes anything should be trusted because everyone believes something that can’t ultimately be proven.
Luke proceeds as an unashamed believer in God’s plan and he doesn’t hesitate to present supernatural events as factual history. This is contrary to how modern people think. The other day I took my kids to the library and I saw some books about Jesus and the Bible in the kids’ section and right beside them were books on mythology. That was not an accident. For modern secular people, Jesus and the Bible are in the category of mythology. But Luke begs to differ.
“Eyewitnesses and Servants”
In verse 2, Luke tells us about his method in compiling his material. He says that he went to “those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” This means that Luke isn’t in this category, like Matthew or John, but that this narrative precedes him and comes from a closer perspective than his.
“From the beginning” is important because it means he only used sources who saw everything, or those who were with Jesus from the beginning of his pubic ministry to his ascension into heaven. This is the same approach the apostles used when replacing Judas (Acts 1:21-22).
The “eyewitnesses and ministers (or “servants” in CSB, NIV) of the word” are the same people. Some who witnessed Jesus’ life and ministry became servants of his message. Not everyone who saw and heard Jesus became his servant (eg. Pilate and the Sanhedrin). The ones Luke bases his work on are those who saw and submitted, or eyewitnesses of Jesus who embraced Jesus.[11]
Many hear the message, but only some become “servants of the word,” or bring their lives under its sway. This means that the word doesn’t belong to us but that we belong to it. The church doesn’t master the word but is mastered by the word, whether we’re talking about singing, work and laziness, the way we use our words, or prayer, Jesus’ people are those who put themselves under his book.
“An Orderly Account”
Then in verse 3, Luke says that, since he’s followed Jesus’ story for some time, he decided to write “an orderly account” himself. Luke isn’t a random collection of his favorite anecdotes from Jesus’ life. His book is a serious research project conducted over a period of time.
For example, as I said earlier, he was with Paul in Caesarea for two years, which is plenty of time for him to track down and interview eyewitnesses who were still in Jerusalem or Galilee. The amazing and unique insights Luke provides about Jesus’ infancy in chapters 1-2 were likely from Mary and her family, suggesting that Luke interviewed her (2:19).
Luke’s Gospel isn’t a collection of disparate information but rather a well-researched literary presentation of Jesus written in a way meant to make his life and ministry accessible and compelling.
Why Did Luke Write Luke?
Third, why did Luke write Luke? Verse 4 is a purpose statement, telling us why he wrote. Luke wrote so Theophilus and all others listening to his story could have “certainty concerning the things they were taught.” Luke wrote to give people assurance that the gospel was true.
Luke writes to reassure Christians of the truth of the Gospel. This would’ve been especially pertinent to Gentile Christians, who didn’t grow up in the Jewish fold.
Think of it. Several decades in, the Christian movement had mostly separated from its Jewish roots and had become a primarily Gentile movement. Their Bible was the Old Testament so they understood the promises made to the Jews, but the Jewish rejection of Jesus was overwhelming. These Gentile Christians had to grapple with the question: Are we the real people of God?
Paul wrestled with this question a decade or two earlier in his letter to the Romans, using a lengthy biblical and theological argument to make his case that not all Israel is true Israel. But then Luke, one of Paul’s best friends, makes the same argument in Luke-Acts in a lengthy narrative that tells the story of how God’s plan all along was to include the Gentiles as part of his people.
What wonderfully reassuring news this must’ve been for Gentile Christians who were reading Luke all over the Roman Empire! Luke’s Gospel legitimizes their decision to become Christians, strengthening their faith, giving them “certainty in the things they were taught.” Here’s how one scholar puts it:
“By divine providence a Gospel that had its beginning in Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism, ultimately came to Rome, the capital of the Gentile world. The Gentiles addressed by Luke-Acts could thus be assured that their acceptance of Jesus was no accident or aberration but part of God’s plan reaching back to creation.”[12]
In other words, when we read Luke, Gentile Christians like us are meant to see that we’re part of God’s world-wide plan to save people from all the peoples. Meant to see that the Jewish Messiah Jesus came for us too. Meant to see that we’re part of something much bigger than ourselves.
This is why we pray for the nations every Sunday as a church, why we give to missionaries, why it’s good for our church to reflect the diversity of our city. As we lift up Jesus together, he’ll draw all peoples to himself. That’s what Luke is after in Luke-Acts because that has been God’s plan from the beginning.
Why Do I Want to Preach through Luke?
Finally, why do I want to preach through Luke? Because I want us to look more like Jesus. Luke’s friend and brother Paul says in Romans 8, “Those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (v. 29). If you’re a follower of Jesus, God chose you to be so before the foundation of the world, and one of the main reasons why was so that you would reflect Jesus to the world, “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
This transforming work only happens as we look at the Son. Paul again, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18).
We become like the Son as we behold the Son. And the only way to behold the Son is to see him in the pages of Scripture. Luke’s Gospel was written for our transformation. So as we study this long book, please pray with me that God would transform our church more and more into the image of his Son. It’s the only thing that matters.
[1]Diane G. Chen, Luke: A New Covenant Commentary, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2017), 3.
[2]Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke (I-IX), The Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1970), 47.
[3]James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015), 6.
[4]R. T. France, Luke, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013), 1-2.
[5]Chen, 4-5.
[6]Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 24.
[7]See France, 6-7, Chen, 9.
[8]Green, 9.
[9]David E. Garland, Luke, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2011), 24-5. Cf. Chen, 8, n. 12.
[10]Garland, 25, n. 22.
[11]Edwards, 25.
[12]Raymond Brown, quoted in Garland, 38.