Luke
Many people have written many things over the millennia concerning Jesus of Nazareth. We pronounce him Savior and God. Some say he was a prophet. Some think him a madman or a complete fantasy. In the eyes of others, like King Arthur, his story was compiled from many different men. If we did not have the words of those who saw and heard, how would we know for sure? That is why Luke wrote his gospel.
The Gospel of Luke is a letter to the “most excellent Theophilus”. We do not know who this man was. Many have carried the name Theophilus in Luke’s day, but the recipient doesn’t truly matter. What matters is the content of this fabulous letter and how it has changed the world.
Luke has long been referred to as a physician. As such, he was one of the most highly educated authors of the New Testament. He has long been held as a great historian. In fact, archaeologist William Mitchel Ramsay wrote, “Luke is a historian of the first rate. Not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… he should be placed among the very greatest of historians.” So why did he write his gospel? Luke tells us the answer to this himself in verse 3, “It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account…” Luke was greatly involved in the early church. He was Paul’s companion, and, according to Epiphamies, Luke was one of the 70 apostles sent out by Jesus in Luke 10 (Panarion 51:11). Luke himself acknowledges his involvement. In Acts 16:10, his writing changes from talking about “they” to “we”. This tells us he was in fact part of the action of forming the new church. However, Luke was not a Jew. He was a gentile. According to reliable church tradition, Luke died at the age of 84. His remains were transported to Constantinople in 357 AD. A modern DNA test proved the body was of Syrian descent – backing up religious theories that Luke was a Gentile.
I am not a Jew. I have tracked my ancestry as far back as 95 BC, and there are no traces of God’s chosen nation in my family tree. For me, to know that the people sitting on the hillside listening to Jesus preach were a mixture of Jews and Gentiles gives me great joy. This isn’t a message simply for a few but for the entire world. To think that Jesus sent out a Gentile to preach includes me in his plans. I have always loved Luke’s gospel the best. There is something about the direct simplicity that I always appreciated. In truth, the book of Luke was the first book I ever read in scripture. To know it was written by a follower of Christ, a disciple of Paul, and a Gentile inspires me. Jesus came to change the world. He sought after the sinner – not just the Jew. He loved the unlovable; he healed the sick no matter what their status. He dined with sinners. He rescued the most vile of people. Jesus included you and I into his message. He was, and is, more than a story. These are the words of one who sat at his feet, heard with his own ears, walked alongside the greats. We know his words are true because he lived him. These aren’t stories compiled from various sources. Archeologists and historians alike agree that the facts and references in Luke are trustworthy. The Holy Spirit attests to the truth of the spiritual matters. Luke will change our lives if we let him. Will you let this physician lead you to the Great Physician?
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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