Luke

Luke was a physician, a companion to Paul and a Christian historian. The name Luke is an abbreviation of Lucanus. Luke was not a Jew but Greek in birth and education, a native of Antioch in Syria. His home was in Macedonia. He was already a Christian but knew nothing about the beginnings of the movement except what others had told him. When he met Paul and became his travelling companion and well acquainted with Jewish customs. Aramaic was spoken widely in Antioch and Luke knew the sacred writings of the Hebrews. Called by Paul, his 'most dear physician', Luke was well educated and skilled in literary expression. He used medical terms, had studied medicine at Tarsus and may have met Paul there. Some writers claim he was a shipboard doctor. Luke travelled with Paul and preached the gospel.

Luke was unmarried and wrote the gospel about 60 and the Acts about 63. He drew his information for his gospel account from eye-witnesses and documents, "They were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitness and ministers of the word," those who continued the oral tradition. Luke was with Paul when the latter was imprisoned at Rome, he was certain to meet apostles and disciples and would have known the gospel of Mark and Matthew. With him he had visited Antioch, Caesarea, and Jerusalem, and in these cities he had met people who could tell him. When Paul was held in Caesarea for two years, Luke began to put together a history of Christianity. He had been taking notes on his journeys and wrote in flawless Greek.

During Paul's first imprisonment at Rome, which extended over several years, Luke completed his two-volume history. Doctor Luke proved to be a gentleman of education and refinement. Shortly after 50 we see him at Paul's side in the 2nd missionary journey. Almost all his travels except for what was probably a long separation after their sojourn in Philippi. He joined Paul again at Philippi during 3rd voyage about 57 and finished journey going as far as Jerusalem.

Luke has rightly been called the first Christian historian. He was the only Gentile writer of the New Testament and his name may indicate that he was a Roman citizen. The place of writing Acts at Rome 63. Gospel AD 60, while Paul was in prison in Caesarea and followed it with the book of Acts during Paul's imprisonment in Rome the next two years. Two year sojourn in Caesarea 58-60 only a few miles from Jerusalem. Mary and James would supply information of Jesus. Gospel while in Caesarea 58-60. Paul's physician and secretary as well.

An old legend says that Luke was an artist and painted a picture of the Virgin Mary. Supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece. He died at age 74, most likely in Boeotia, after preaching the gospel in Dalmatia, Gallia, Italy and Macedonia. It seems that he did die as a martyr, and Jerome says Luke was buried at Constantinople.
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