Who wrote Luke, and when?
Luke, the physician and companion of Paul. About AD 60–80.
The Gospel is anonymous, but from the second century the church has attributed it to Luke, whom Paul calls the beloved physician (see Colossians 4:14). The book of Acts, its second volume, includes passages written as “we”, suggesting the author travelled with Paul. Most scholars accept that the same person wrote both books, and many accept the traditional identification with Luke, though some think the author is unknown. The date is debated. Some place the Gospel around AD 60 to 62, before Acts ends with Paul still in Rome; many others place it in the 70s or 80s AD, after Mark was in circulation and after Jerusalem fell in AD 70. Luke himself says he drew on eyewitnesses and earlier written accounts (see chapter 1).
Who was Luke written to?
Theophilus, and through him Gentile readers who wanted a reliable account of the Christian faith.
Luke addresses his Gospel to Theophilus, a name that means friend of God. He may have been a real person of some standing, perhaps a Roman official or a wealthy patron who paid for the work to be copied, or the name may stand for any reader who loves God. Either way, Luke writes for people who did not grow up Jewish. He explains Jewish places and customs, dates events by Roman emperors and governors, and traces Jesus' family tree back past Abraham to Adam, the father of everyone. His first readers were likely Gentile Christians and interested outsiders who had heard about Jesus and wanted to know whether the story was reliable and whether it was for people like them.
What was happening at the time?
Luke says he investigated everything carefully from eyewitnesses to write an orderly account. He sets Jesus in world history, traces his genealogy back to Adam, and highlights the people others overlooked: women, the poor, Samaritans, tax collectors and sinners. Prayer, the Holy Spirit and joy run through the book. Acts is its second volume.
Why was Luke written?
To give certainty about Jesus as the Saviour of all people, Jew and Gentile alike.
Luke says plainly why he wrote: so that Theophilus might know for certain the things he had been taught (see chapter 1). The Gospel is a careful, ordered account meant to give confidence that the story of Jesus is true. Along the way Luke shows that Jesus came for everyone, especially those others overlooked: the poor, women, Samaritans, tax collectors, lepers and known sinners. He records parables found nowhere else, such as the good Samaritan and the prodigal son (see chapters 10 and 15). He shows Jesus praying often and full of the Spirit, and the book is marked by joy. In the wider story of the Bible, Luke and Acts together make up the largest block of the New Testament, and they carry the gospel from the temple in Jerusalem to the heart of the Roman empire.
How to read Luke today
Read the first two chapters slowly; the Christmas story is here, along with several songs of praise. Then read chapters 15 and 10 for the parables Luke alone preserves. After that, go through the whole Gospel in order, a couple of chapters a day. Watch for who Jesus eats with, who he praises, and who gets turned upside down; reversal is one of Luke's favourite themes. Notice how often Jesus prays before something important. Do not force Luke's order of events to match Matthew's or Mark's in every detail; each writer arranges the material to make his own point. Finish with chapter 24 and the walk to Emmaus. Then keep going into Acts, which is the second half of the same work. As you read, thank God that Jesus came for outsiders, and ask him to give you his heart for people who feel they do not belong.
The key verse in Luke
for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Passages worth knowing in Luke
- Luke 1–2
The birth of Jesus
Mary’s song, the shepherds and Simeon’s blessing.
- Luke 4:16-30
Jesus at Nazareth
The Spirit of the LORD is upon me; his mission announced.
- Luke 10:25-37
The good Samaritan
Who is my neighbour?
- Luke 15
The lost sheep, coin and son
The Father’s joy over one sinner who repents.
- Luke 23
The crucifixion
Father, forgive them; today you will be with me in paradise.
- Luke 24
The road to Emmaus
The risen Jesus opens the Scriptures.
The main themes of Luke
- Jesus the Saviour of all
- The poor and the outsider
- Prayer
- The Holy Spirit
- Joy
- Reversal
An outline of Luke
| Section | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Birth and preparation | 1–4 |
| Ministry in Galilee | 4–9 |
| The journey to Jerusalem | 9–19 |
| Jerusalem, death and resurrection | 19–24 |