The Early Years of Jesus
In Lesson 5, we delve into the foundation of Luke's Gospel, where importance is placed on affirming the reliability of the sources he utilized, pinpointing the specific audience he aimed to reach, and articulating his commitment to presenting a dependable and enlightening narrative of Jesus' teachings and works.
The Orderly Account About Jesus
Luke 1:1-4
Luke 1:1-4 serves as an important introduction to the Gospel of Luke. It provides a clear overview of the author's intentions and approach to documenting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. This passage lays the foundation for a comprehensive and well-researched narrative that aims to provide a detailed account of the Savior's actions and teachings.
The Gospel Account of Luke
The most comprehensive of the four gospels
Universal message to the world
Beautiful description accounts of the gospel
Who was Luke?
Luke was a companion of Paul - Acts 16:10-11; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philemon 1:24. Paul called him the beloved physician (Col. 4:14). Because Luke was a doctor, he was a man of science and research, and this in reflected in his history of the life of Jesus.
From what we gather from various texts in the Bible, Luke was not Jewish, but a Gentile. Colossians 4:10-11 and 4:14. No where do we read or see that Luke was a part of the circumcision.
PASSAGE: Luke 1:1-4
Inasmuch as many have undertaken ( to compile (to organize; to compile in a series) a narrative (in efforts to solve the origins of the gospel accounts) of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses (visibly seen and bear to be true) and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely (carefully and closely) for some time past, to write an orderly (one after the other) account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty (knowledge of the facts) concerning the things you have been taught.
1:1
Many have undertaken - Luke mentions that there were already circulated accounts of Jesus Christ. More than likely he was referring to Mark, and possibly Matthew.
1:3
An orderly account - The clear purpose of Luke was to offer up a carefully thought out and compelling case of Jesus by arranging historical events that occurred in the life of Jesus. Lexham Bible Dictionary, “The author of Luke-Acts composed historical works that he intended for his recipient(s) to understand as credible and persuasive accounts." According to Ancient Historian Paul Barnett, Luke had extensive interactions with the Apostle Paul, considerable contact with Mark; and various opportunities to speak with Peter (2 Tim. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:13).
When comparing Mark and Luke, Luke quotes about 60% of Mark, and other sources that he gained in his interviews and investigative work.
William Ramsay spent twenty years of research in the area Luke wrote about. His conclusion was that in references to thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine islands Luke made no mistakes! That is a record to be envied by historians of any era.
See: Acts 1:1–2 - John 20:31 - 2 Peter 1:16-19 - Hebrews 2:3
Who is Theophilus?
Not much is known about who this individual, Theophilus was. all that we can really say was he was probably a wealthy Roman government official (term “most excellent”) who knew a lot about Jesus and the birth of Christianity, and helped fund Luke's investigative work to record the life of Jesus, as well as the start of the Christian church.