The Writings of Luke

1 book in 2 parts :

 Part 1 : Gospel of Luke

 Part 2 : Acts of the Apostles

= 25% of the New Testament

Question :
How do we know
these 2 books were
written together ?
Gospel and Acts : Part 1 & 2 of the same book
 Both addressed to - Theophilus

• (Luke 1:3) it seemed good to me also, having followed

all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

• (Acts 1:1) In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt

with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

 Acts refers to - as the follow-on from Luke’s Gospel

 Both – similar language & style

Question :

Who wrote these 2 books ?

How do we know?
 Who was the writer ?
 Name of writer not mentioned in 2 books
 4x in Acts refers to “we” – therefore a companion of Paul personally
involved in the journeys with him
 From analysing all companions of Paul – Luke is the most likely
companion who wrote these 2 books
 Reasons …
 One of the closest main fellow-workers with Paul
 All early church fathers (e.g. Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Marcion)
confirm that Luke from Antioch wrote the 3rd gospel
 Medical language in books fits Luke the doctor writing it
 Educated Greek style & widest vocabulary fits Luke’s further
education
Questions :
1. Who was Luke ?
2. When and where was this gospel written ?
3. To whom was it written ?
4. What style and language was it written in ?
5. Why did Luke write this Gospel ?
6. What aspect of Jesus did Luke focus on ?
7. What is the structure & direction of his gospel ?
8. What are the main issues Luke wants to communicate ?
Question 1.
Who was Dr. Luke ?
 Dr. Luke in the N.T :
 Close companion & fellow missionary with Paul. Recorded in 3 of Paul’s
letters:

– (Colossians 4:14) Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

– (2 Timothy 4:11) Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is
very useful to me for ministry.

– (Philemon 1:23-24) Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to

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

 Joined Paul on 2nd missionary journey (Acts 16)

 Stayed at Philippi after church founded to pastor & minister there (Acts16)

 Ministered to Philippi church & across to Macedonia

 Joined Paul on 3rd journey, from Philippi to Israel

 With Paul during 2 years imprisonment & then in Rome (Acts 28)
 Ministry for
6 years

With Paul when

in Prison

Born
 Who is Dr. Luke ?
 Gentile Greek follower of Christ

 Only Gentile writer in the whole Bible ! (yet wrote 25% NT)

 Physician / Doctor – referred to as Dr. by Paul (Colossians 4:14)

 From City of Antioch in Syria & worked for long time in Philippi

 Died at 84 yrs have never married (historical records)

 Close fellow-missionary with Apostle Paul

 Highly educated (to be doctor & judging by writing style) – possibly

graduated from university near Antioch at Tarsus
Question 4.
When and Where
was the gospel written ?
When ?
 Difficult to determine !
 Written Before…
 Book of Acts which was written before the fall of
Jerusalem & before Paul’s 1st imprisonment
 Written After …
 Life of Jesus
 Development of Christianity to bring Gentiles such
as Theophilus to salvation
 Therefore Approx…
 AD 58 – 65
Where ?
 No indication given – difficult to determine !
 Suggestions: Achaia, Rome, Caesarea, Asia Minor etc.
 Definitely – somewhere in the Hellenistic world of Asia Minor
or the Greek mainland or Islands – since the writer worked
across this area as a missionary to the Gentiles
Question 5.
To whom did Luke write to ?
(who was the audience?)
 Audience ?
 Theophilus
 (Luke 1:3) “to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus”
 Words ‘most excellent’ – to address person of high official position or
aristocracy (upper class)
 A Gentile – probably his patron – who covered the costs for circulating his
writings
 Gentile believers (Greeks)
• Through Theophilus to be distributed to all Greek gentile believers – the
people to whom he was a missionary and ministered to throughout his
working life.
Question 6.
What was the
style and language
Luke wrote in?
 Language = Greek
Style
 HISTORICALLY written
• Written in historical approach
• No other gospel writer gives dates in his narrative (1:5,2:1,3:1-2)
 HISTORICALLY ACCURATE
• Aimed to be accurate historically to show Life of Christ based on facts
& reality of history
• Named historical people & events
• Recorded carefully genealogy & family relationships
• Named clearly real places
• Experts verified his accuracy in – archaeology, Roman Law, Geography
• Exact correct use of political titles across 2 continents
 UNIQUE
• Over 50% Luke’s gospel unique – found nowhere else
• Some periods Jesus’ life only covered by Luke
• = 7 miracles + 19 parables + 28 incidences/events
 LARGEST RANGE of Jesus life compared to any gospel – from the
announcements of His birth to the ascension
 LOGICAL & CHRONOLOGICAL
• (Luke 1:3) “to write an orderly account for you” – carefully, logically
written in step by step order of his life & ministry
 RICH VOCABULARY
• Well-expressed
• Rich literature with varied vocabulary
• Brings alive the depth of Christ’s ministry and transformation in
people’s lives
Question 7.
Why did Luke write this gospel ?
(what was his purpose?)
 Purpose ?
 (Luke 1:3-4) “it seemed good to me also, having followed all
things closely for some time past, to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may
have certainty concerning the things you have been taught”

 To present a historically accurate &

chronologically correct account of the life and
ministry of Jesus Christ

 So that >> the reader/s would have their faith

based on a sure solid historical foundation
Question 8.
What part of Jesus’ identity did
Luke focus on ?
 The perfect, sinless man …
 Luke mainly refers to Him as the ‘Son of Man’ (24x)
• Also – ‘Son of God’ + ‘Son of the most high’ + Son of the Father (9x)
• Also - the Christ / Messiah ‘anointed one’ (12x)
• Also – Son of David (5x)
 Emphasises the real humanity of Christ

 Speaks to Greek audience – who look to what is the - ideal human

 Ideal for all mankind – not focus on His Jewishness – on his universal
humanity
 The son of humanity…
 Luke 3 – shows the descendancy of
Jesus back to the Son of Adam
(whereas Matthew stops at the Son
of Abraham)

 Luke emphasises Jesus’ human

descent (whereas Matthew
emphasises Jesus’ Jewish descent)

 Luke shows Jesus’ birth from the

viewpoint of Mary and her
descendancy through the maternal
line (whereas Matthew shows from
viewpoint of Joseph and through his
paternal descendancy)
Question 9.
What is the structure of Luke’s Gospel ?
How do we follow the direction of Mark ?
Structure of Luke’s Gospel
[ 2nd Structure of Luke’s Gospel ]
Joint Structure :
Luke – Acts
>> Towards Jerusalem
>> away from Jerusalem
Question 10.
What messages
did Luke
communicate ?
Focus of Luke
1. Breaking the Divine Silence
2. Working of the Holy Spirit
3. Central Role of Prayer
4. Teaching in Parables
5. Ministry to all Humanity
6. Salvation for all people
7. Resurrection >> Transformed Lives
1. Breaking the Divine Silence
 Ch.1, verse11 – Begins the dramatic breakthrough when God sent the angel
Gabriel to announce the births of John and Jesus

 After 400 years of silence since the prophet Malachi

 Only Luke emphasises this powerful move of God breaking forth into
humanity
2. Working of the Holy Spirit
 More references to the Holy Spirit than Matthew & Mark combined.

 All key people – JESUS, John Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, disciples-

empowered for their work / ministry by the Holy Spirit

 Acts – follow-on – focussing on the nature and extent of the work of

the Holy Spirit through the church
• Mary overshadowed to conceive (1:35)
• Elizabeth (1:41)
• Zacharias (1:67)
• Simeon (2:25)
• at Jesus’ baptism (3:22)
• led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted (4:1)
• empowered Him in teaching & preaching (4:18-19)
• predicted the Spirit’s work in the apostles post resurrection (24:49)
3. Central Role of Prayer
 The Holy Spirit is given at His baptism after
Jesus finished praying (3:21).
 Sought solitary places to pray (5:16).
 Prayed all night before choosing the
Twelve (6:12-13).
 Stated that He was praying for Peter
though the devil wants to sift him like
wheat (22:31-32).
 Praying when the 70 returned from their
mission (10:21).
 Prayed three times at Gethsemane (22:39-
46).
 Parables about prayer (11:5-13; 18:1-8). 36
4. Teaching through Parables
 If you are looking to find all of Jesus’
parables – look to Luke !

 Out of 22 parables in Scripture

- 17 are only in Luke’s gospel

37
5. Ministry to all Humanity
 To all humanity, beyond the Jewish people (Matthew)

 Emphasise ministry to >> women + children + oppressed + poverty +

wealthy + marginalised + Gentiles + Government officials (even!)

• To repentant prostitute (7:36-50)

• To Roman Centurion (7:1-10)
• To the powerful & lowly (8:40-56)

 “No social status or rank hindered Jesus from effective ministry”

Emphasis on the role of women
 Women: 43x in Luke - only 49 in Mark & Matthew
combined.

 Jesus’ birth is seen from MARY’S genealogy.

 Jesus’ early years include information about
Elizabeth & Anna.
 Peter’s mother in law is healed.
 Widow’s son is raised.
 Sinful woman who wipes Jesus feet with her tears.

 In this time – women were viewed as lesser beings

than men (24:1-11)

 Luke opposed this view & showed Jesus’ approach

 Women had strong faith in God

 God used women in ministry
6. Salvation to all people
 Luke shows that Jesus’ primary concern was the mission of
salvation
 Key verse: (Luke 19:10) For the Son of Man came to seek and
to save the lost."
6. Salvation …
 Luke explains Christ’s central message of salvation >>
• Deliverance of people from sin & its effects
• To enter the Kingdom of God
• NOW >> transformed life by the complete rule and realm of God in person’s life
• FUTURE >> eternity in God’s Kingdom in New Heaven & Earth
• Inherit eternal life

 By REPENTANCE (greatest emphasis by Luke)

• Turning from Sin
• Commit whole life to follow Christ
6. Salvation >> to all people
 Luke emphasises more than other writers – people from every
background come to salvation
• Jews & Gentiles
• Men & women
• Poor & rich
• Soldiers & civilians
• Respectable & Despised (prostitutes & tax collectors)
• Those marginalized – outcasts from society
7. Resurrection & Ascension
 Luke focus - Resurrection & Ascension – more than other writers
• [ Mark emphasises – crucifixion ]

 Focus – Evidence of Resurrection

• Appearances of Christ
• Transformation to disciples from fearful to bold
Recap: Can you answer these 10 Questions
1. Who was Luke ?
2. When and where was this gospel written ?
3. To whom was it written ?
4. What style and language was it written in ?
5. Why did Luke write this Gospel ?
6. What aspect of Jesus did Luke focus on ?
7. What is the structure & direction of his gospel ?
8. What are the main issues Luke wants to communicate ?