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| Francisco Bayeu y Subías - Saint John the Evangelist (1771) |
Biblical Scholars are in wide agreement that the author of the Gospel of Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles and constituted a two-volume work. The traditional view is that the Gospel of Luke and Acts were written by the physician Luke, who was born and lived in the Greek city of Antioch, Turkey in Ancient Syria. Luke was not one of the twelves Apostles, but heard the account Jesus from a few of the actual twelves Apostles. The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a few times, and the Pauline Epistle to the Colossians refers to him as a physician (from Greek for 'one who heals'). Luke was probably a Gentile by birth, well educated in Greek culture, a companion of Paul at various times from his second missionary journey to his final imprisonment and martyrdom in Rome, and a loyal friend who remained with the apostle after others had deserted him (2 Timothy 4:11: "Only Luke is with me".). Paul wrote 2/3 of what is now in our New Testament. Luke provides certain insight that no other book of the New Testament has. Luke's inspiration and information for his Gospel and Acts came from his close association with Paul and his companions as he explains in his introduction to the Gospel. He re-arranges certain events in order to place emphasis that he felt the other Gospels told in a different sense. That is what makes the Gospels unique. They are the same story told by different witnesses. Matthew and John are eyewitness testimony written down but compiled together at a later time. Luke writes these accounts down himself, intact, and together but highlights events that are briefly touched on in the other Gospels.
Most scholars affirm that Acts was written by Luke and that Theophilus (Grk. "lover of God") "may have been Luke's patron who financed the writing of Luke and Acts." This means that the gospel of Luke was written before Acts.
"At the earliest, Acts cannot have been written prior to the latest firm chronological marker recorded in the book - Festus's appointment as procurator (24:27), which, on the basis of independent sources, appears to have occurred between A.D. 55 and 59."
Luke begins by telling us about Jesus' parents; the birth of His cousin, John the Baptist; Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born in a manger; and the genealogy of Christ through Mary. Jesus' public ministry reveals His perfect compassion and forgiveness through the stories of the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus, and the Good Samaritan. While many believe in this unprejudiced love that surpasses all human limits, many others—especially the religious leaders—challenge and oppose the claims of Jesus. Christ's followers are encouraged to count the cost of discipleship, while His enemies seek His death on the cross. Finally, Jesus is betrayed, tried, sentenced and crucified. His Resurrection assures the continuation of His ministry of seeking and saving the lost.
Since Luke was a Gentile (a non-jew), his references to the Old Testament are relatively few compared to those in Matthew's gospel (who aimed to a Jewish audience), and most of the OT references are in the words spoken by Jesus rather than in Luke’s narration. Jesus used the Old Testament to defend against Satan’s attacks, answering him with “It is written” (Luke 4:1-13); to identify Himself as the promised Messiah (Luke 4:17-21); to remind the Pharisees of their inability to keep the Law and their need of a Savior (Luke 10:25-28, 18:18-27); and to confound their learning when they tried to trap and trick Him (Luke 20).
The Gospel according to St. Luke emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of prayer in Christ's ministry. Jesus prays before the decisive moments of his mission: before his Father's witness to him during his baptism and Transfiguration, and before his own fulfillment of the Father's plan of love by his Passion. He also prays before the decisive moments involving the mission of his apostles: at his election and call of the Twelve, before Peter's confession of him as "the Christ of God" and again that the faith of the chief of the Apostles may not fail when tempted. Jesus' prayer before the events of salvation that the Father has asked him to fulfill is a humble and trusting commitment of his human will to the loving will of the Father.
Outline of the Book of Luke
His Birth, Childhood, Early Ministry - Chapters 1:1-4:13
His Ministry in Galilee - Chapters 4:14-9:50
His Journey to Jerusalem, Ministry - Chapters 9:51-21:38
His Rejection and Death - Chapters 22:1-23:56
His Resurrection and Ascension - Chapter 24:1-53
Luke died at age 84 in Boeotia, according to a "fairly early and widespread tradition". Luke's Tomb was located in Thebes (Greece), from where his relics were transferred to Constantinople in the year 357. George of Serbia bought the relics from the Ottoman sultan Murad II for 30,000 gold coins. After the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia, the kingdom's last queen, George's granddaughter Mary, who had brought the relics with her from Serbia as her dowry, sold them to the Venetian Republic. St. Luke's cranium was brought to St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague in 1364 by the request of Emperor Charles IV.
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| St. Vitus Cathedral |
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