Luke An Introduction

A History

Luke was an historian he carefully researched the nativity through the early Church

Luke wrote Luke and Acts

I believe he interviewed Mary, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna

maybe the shepherds, the Apostles, James and Jude -Jesus brothers

Luke was a gentile so he probably did not come onto the scene until after Pentecost

and most important he was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit

so Luke’s information is accurate and we Know that

the Book of Luke is God’s spoken word to us today

The Introduction to the book is found in Luke 1 1-4.

Read

Pray

Paul’s Friend

history tells us that Luke was from Antioch

maybe saved under Paul

Colossians 4:14 LEB

Luke the physician, our dear friend, greets you, as does Demas.

Philemon 24 LEB

and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

At the end of Paul’s life

in a dungeon for death row prisoners

the only one there is Luke, taking care of him

2 Timothy 4:9–11 LEB

Make haste to come to me quickly. For Demas deserted me, because he loved the present age, and went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia; Titus went to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Take along Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for ministry.

Luke went with Paul on parts of his missionary journeys

Luke has first hand knowledge of the early church

Luke took care of Paul with his afflictions

Luke, Created By The Potter

God needed a Greek person to be the author of this book

So God created such a person

this person needs to be a researcher, historian, with an eye for facts

history tells us that Luke was a artist, physician, and compassionate man

he was possibly a slave

This person needs to be a believer

The Potter needed a person of said qualities to stick with the Apostle Paul till the end

this person needed a boss that was also a Believer who wanted an account of the Gospel

So God created Luke

and gave him everything needed to do what he did and write this book

First 4 verses is 1 sentence in Greek

most complex Greek writing in the New Testament

this part was written to the man Theophilus

after the intro the Greek changes to a common man Greek

He wanted to make sure it was accessible to all

Luke like you was formed by the potter perfect for the mission he has for you

your background, skill level, attitudes, friends and co workers, every thing is for what God created you for

life is not random,

Mordecai told Esther that “she was here for such a time as this”

and so are we

Theophilus

V 3

Who is this ?

the word means theo= God Philo - lover Lover of God

could be to all of the saints

Calls him “Most Excellent”

this is a title of a ruler or someone of high standing

in this time period manuscripts, accounts were commissioned and paid by some one

we think this is Theophilus who commissioned the account to Luke

and the greeting is to the one who paid for the research

Luke was a doctor. in those days most doctors were slaves of someone as their personal family doctor

Possibly Luke was a slave of Theophilus and was commissioned by him to travel with Paul and compile the history in the book of Luke

V 4

Be a Berean

Acts 17:11 LEB

Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day to see if these things were so.

Go research these things send back a true report

is what they are saying true?

as we should today. there are a lot of false gospels out there

there a lot of false theologies out there

there a lot of false religions, bad translations of the Bible

There is only one Truth, one true Church, one God in 3 persons

that is why we need to study, to know doctrine,

to be able to discern false from truth

The book of Luke is a perfectly researched account of our Lord Jesus

written by a compassionate physician who wants you to know the truth

also a book written by the Holy Spirit

to teach, correct, rebuke, and comfort us

as we look into this book keep this introduction in mind