The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Jesus. It paints a portrait of a man who was born in poverty, but empowered by the Holy Spirit of God to proclaim a message of Good News and liberation for all who are oppressed, afflicted, and marginalized by evil systems. Some of Luke’s unique contributions to  the Jesus tradition include the Nativity, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, Zacchaeus, and the Walk to Emmaus.

An Introduction to Luke

Here are two important facts to know about this book:

1. It is a Gospel. That means it tells the story of Jesus with a particular purpose — to tell the Good News of Jesus (that’s what Gospel means). Learn how to read the Gospels HERE.
2. Luke and the book of Acts are a two volume set, written by Luke.

When and Where is Luke?

Jesus lived during the first three decades of the first century, in Judea (Judah), under the occupation of the Roman Empire.

Who is Luke?

We don’t know exactly who Luke was. Scholars have many theories. Two things seem to be clear from the text. First, Luke was not an eyewitness to the life of Jesus. He tells us that he investigated Jesus’ life by interviewing eyewitnesses.

Second, Luke was educated. This is evident by his excellent use of the Greek language. Some theories propose that Luke may have been a physician. One interesting theory proposes that Luke was the slave of a wealthy Greek man who paid to have Luke trained as a physician in order to serve the estate. This land owner took a liking to Paul and gave Luke to Paul when he became ill. Paul, in turn, set Luke free and welcomed him as a Christian brother. Whether this is true or not, we do know that Luke, according to the book of Acts, was dedicated to his friend and spiritual mentor Paul.

So, what gives Luke the right to write a gospel? While he may not have been an eyewitness, he was a competent historian who had access to interview those who lived the story. We may never know exactly who Luke was, but we are forever grateful for unique portrait of Jesus that he has contributed to the world.