Luke

About Luke

Luke writes as a careful researcher, telling Theophilus he has traced everything from the beginning so his reader can be certain about what happened. His Gospel highlights the people others overlooked: the poor, women, children, foreigners, and sinners, because the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. As the first half of a two-volume work with Acts, Luke plants the story of Jesus firmly in world history and sets up the spread of His good news to all nations.

Written by

Early church tradition identifies the author as Luke, the physician and travel companion of Paul, and while the Gospel is formally anonymous, most agree the same person also wrote Acts.

When

Most scholars date Luke to around AD 60 to 90, with the main debate being whether it was written before or after Jerusalem fell in AD 70.

Themes

• Good news for the poor and outsiders
• Seeking and saving the lost
• The Holy Spirit and prayer
• Joy and salvation for all people

Key verses

• Luke 2:10-11But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
• Luke 4:18-19“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
• Luke 19:10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”