Each of the gospel writers had to start to tell the story. Each of them, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, started in a different way: Matthew started with Jesus’ genealogy, Mark opened with a prediction by Isaiah some 750 years before Jesus’ birth, John began before the beginning, and Luke started his telling of the gospel story with the birth of John the Baptist. At first, we would be inclined to think that was as good a beginning as any, but a moment’s reflection leads us to ask why Luke would begin in that way.
The birth of John the Baptist was certainly remarkable, and the story would instantly appeal to Hebrews, who knew stories of many other “children of promise,” most notably Isaac, Jacob, and Samuel. Yet this Gospel is not written to Jews, but to Gentiles who wouldn’t be particularly affected by the news that John seemed to follow in the tradition of such mighty Biblical heroes. Gentiles though, particularly Roman Gentiles, would be impressed with the birth of a son so obviously marked out for Divine favor. And that reminds us that the Gospel of Luke was written to a Roman audience, addressed to Theophilus, an otherwise-unknown man of some status. Luke put pen to scroll probably no later than AD 62 and finished the companion volume, Acts, sometime shortly after that but probably not later than AD 63. Both books were most likely written in the city of Rome.
The writer of this Gospel has always been identified with Luke, the physician who accompanied Paul in missionary activity as related in Acts. Paul writes warmly of Luke in Colossians 4:14 and mentions him as the apostle’s lone companion in 2 Timothy 4:11. The Biblical scholar Martin Hengel demonstrated that the titles were fixed to the four Gospels within the first century, so the tradition of Luke’s authorship is almost certainly accurate. There has never been another author credibly suggested.
From the outset, we notice that Luke tells the story in four main sections. The first section deals with background issues to bring Jesus on the scene and initiate His ministry. This section takes the first three chapters and 13 verses of chapter four. From that point to 9:50, Luke writes of Jesus’ activities in Galilee. From 9:51 to 19:27, he focuses our attention on a distinctive look at Jesus’ travel to Jerusalem to be offered on the cross there. And the fourth section covers 19:28 through 24:53, detailing Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, His betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection.
As we begin a brief study of Luke, we need to step back and get an overall view of the book. When we do this, we discover ten items that quickly capture our interest.
1. This Gospel is based on research conducted by Luke. The first four verses are written in an extremely precise classical Greek style and show us that Luke gathered up other accounts and reports of Jesus’ life and activity. Certainly Luke was an eyewitness to some of the events that he recorded in Acts, but he seems not to have seen Jesus in the flesh. It is possible that Luke had a copy of the Gospel of Mark. It is clear that he follows the same geographical arrangement that Mark did and that he used Mark’s exact wording in some places.
2. Luke is the longest book in the New Testament. The book was first written on a scroll, and the longest scrolls in common use would be about 30 feet long. In standard-sized columns, Luke would take up 28 feet on such a scroll! It often surprises people to know that with Luke and Acts together, Luke actually wrote more words than Paul did in all his epistles!
Luke is
the first part of a two-part work. We are
accustomed to the idea that Luke wrote Acts and it is clear from the opening of
both books that they are meant to be one story. However, it rarely seems to
occur to any of us that Luke is the only one of the Gospel writers who penned a
1. sequel! He had the unique task from God of relating the story of Jesus and the establishment and spread of the Lord’s church.
2. Luke explains to us the circumstances around the birth of John the Baptist. It is in Luke that we learn the Divine origin of this prophetic preacher. Here we are told about the family connection between John and Jesus. We hear more of John’s preaching in Luke and we get a sense of his amazing power to draw crowds and fearlessly rebuke sinful conduct in anybody.
3. In this Gospel, we get our only glimpse of Jesus before His adulthood and ministry. The incident we will see in chapter 2 when He is 12 years old is unique to this book. There is no other inspired account of Jesus during His earliest years, yet this event is very important in our understanding of the formative influences in Jesus’ life.
4. Luke places great emphasis on prayer. In this Gospel, we will see Jesus in prayer before every major event of His ministry. We will also see Jesus teaching prayer to others, telling parables involving prayer and encouraging prayer. There is a great deal of practical information about prayer and persistence in prayer in Luke’s Gospel.
5. Luke shows Jesus demonstrating great interest in Gentiles. Since Luke was himself a Gentile writing to Gentiles, we might find this understandable. Still, it is undeniable that in this Gospel, Jesus interacts with centurions, Samaritans, Phoenicians and other Gentiles, sometimes commending their faith and usually showing them in a positive light. Certainly there is nothing of the Jewish contempt for Gentiles in the life and ministry of Jesus. In addition, it is interesting that Luke frequently substitutes Roman labels in place of Jewish terms. For instance, in chapter 5:1, he calls it “the Lake of Gennesaret” rather than the local label, “Sea of Galilee.” And in Luke 21:20, he abandoned the phrase “abomination that causes desolation” that would be completely cryptic to a Gentile and gave us instead the intention of Jesus’ words, “Jerusalem surrounded by armies.”
6. Luke showcases the activity of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Gospel and the book of Acts there are frequent references to the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. While we might have many questions about the work of the Holy Spirit, especially in our world and in our lives, Luke presumes the continual attendance and influence of the Spirit throughout the redemptive plan of God.
7. The travel narrative of 9:51-19:27 is unique to this Gospel. Luke makes it unmistakable that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and a cross as He sets out in this section. For that reason, some of Jesus’ parables and much of His teaching in this section is far more memorable since we know His destination.
8. Luke provides for us some unique parables of Jesus. There are few parables that appear in Matthew, Mark and Luke (soils, mustard seed). There are several parables that only appear in Luke—and some of these are our favorites. The Good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus and the Pharisee and the tax collector only appear in this book. Each of these (and some others!) commands a special attention and furnishes timeless spiritual truth. Our education in the faith would be much poorer without Luke.
Because this is so long a book, we will take two Bible class quarters to finish it. Some of the 24 chapters are very long chapters. Even by taking this amount of time, we will not be able thoroughly to explore everything we would like. There will be plenty of room for further study of this Gospel of Luke.