The men who were called to be part of the "inner circle" that surrounded Jesus were a very diverse group of men coming from different types of social backgrounds and occupations. These twelve men, other than the traitor, Judas, formed the foundation of what is today known as "the church." One of the men who is not listed as an apostle but had a tremendous effect upon the documenting and spreading of the gospel was a physician named Luke. He was evidently devoted to science and research before he came to know the Savior. There is no evidence that Luke ever personally met the man, Jesus, just as Paul never had the privilege of meeting Him when He walked the earth in the flesh. Luke's intellect shows through his writings, and his deep knowledge of things pertaining to the physical make-up of man is evident in his Gospel.
Luke was a companion of Paul, who called him "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). Colossians 4:10–11, 14 indicate that Luke was not "of the circumcision," which means that he was a Gentile. It appears that he hailed from Antioch, which may be the reason Antioch seems to be at the center of the book of Acts. This means that Luke is the only writer in the New Testament who is not an Israelite (Jewish). Not only did Luke write the Gospel that bears his name, but he also was privileged and inspired by God to write the book of Acts.
Luke's writings focus on the preaching of the good news, which indicates his joy over the plan of salvation. He uses the term "good news" ten times in his Gospel and fifteen times in the book of Acts, while it is used only once in the other Gospels. Luke was given the privilege of explaining the process of salvation and how God controls the mind and the heart, in both his Gospel and in Acts.
The date of Luke's death is not known, but the fact that he did not mention the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 or the persecution of believers under Nero that began in AD 64 or the martyrdom of James in AD 62 leads to the belief that he passed away sometime before these events. From the life of Luke it is clear that no matter what course we set for ourselves in life, when God has other plans, He changes our direction. Luke is an example of an open-minded man, which was unusual for an educated Gentile in his day, but he is a lesson for all who are so focused on their own personal agendas and positions that they are firmly glued in their comfort zone. Luke probably had social status in his community as a physician, but when confronted with truth, he not only recognized it, but he realized that nothing is more important than pursuing it, no matter what the consequences. Luke recognized that Jesus is truth, and his life was forever changed.
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