Who was Luke in the Bible?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The men who were called to be part of the "inner circle" of apostles who 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 known today as "the church." One of the men who is not listed as an apostle but who had a tremendous effect upon the documenting and spreading of the gospel, was a physician named Luke. He was devoted to science and research before he came to know the Savior. There is no evidence that Luke ever personally met 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’s detail in writing call us to trust in the good news of who Jesus was and what He did.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Luke is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Luke was a companion of Paul, who called him "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). Colossians 4:10–11 and 14 indicate that Luke was not "of the circumcision," which means that he was a Gentile. It appears that he came 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 was also 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 A.D. 70, the persecution of believers under Nero that began in A.D. 64, or the martyrdom of James in A.D. 62 leads to the belief that he passed away sometime before these events.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

From the life of Luke, it is clear that no matter what course we set for ourselves, 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 zones. 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 the consequences. Luke recognized that Jesus is truth, and his life was forever changed.

UNDERSTAND

• Luke was a companion of Paul and a physician.
• Luke is the only Gentile writer of the New Testament.
• Luke focused on writing about the “good news” of salvation.

REFLECT

• How do your interests and career impact the way you follow Jesus and reflect Him to the world?
• How do you navigate conflicts between your career ambitions and personal beliefs, drawing inspiration from Luke's decision to prioritize his faith?
• How does Luke's focus on the good news impact your priorities?

ENGAGE

• How does Luke's background as a Gentile and a physician influence the unique perspective he brings to his Gospel and the book of Acts?
• What can we learn from Luke's detailed documentation of the "good news" about the importance of sharing the gospel in our own lives?
• How does Luke's companionship with Paul and his role in documenting the spread of the gospel inspire us to support and collaborate with others in our faith communities?