About Luke
Jesus came to seek and save the lost - his mission of radical inclusion and reversal (lifting the lowly, humbling the proud) is God's own heart made visible in human form.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Luke 19:10
Written
circa AD 60-80
Author
Luke
Genre
Gospel / Historical Biography
Position
3rd NT book - Third Gospel
Authorship
Luke, the physician (Col 4:14) and traveling companion of Paul. He is the only Gentile author in the NT. As a physician and careful historian, Luke carefully investigated everything from the beginning (1:3) - interviewing eyewitnesses.
Historical Context
Written for Theophilus - likely a Roman official or wealthy patron - and the broader Gentile world. Luke presents Jesus as the universal Savior whose mission to seek and save the lost crosses all social, ethnic, and gender boundaries.
Purpose
To provide an ordered, historically reliable account of Jesus's life and ministry - demonstrating that Jesus is the Savior of all people and that his gospel is for the outsiders, poor, women, and Gentiles.
Key Message
Jesus came to seek and save the lost - his mission of radical inclusion and reversal (lifting the lowly, humbling the proud) is God's own heart made visible in human form.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Luke contains material found in no other Gospel: the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, and Zacchaeus.
Luke has the most extensive birth narrative and is the only Gospel to include Jesus's childhood visit to the temple (2:41-52).
Luke mentions women as recipients of Jesus's ministry more than any other Gospel.
Luke and Acts together form a two-volume work - together the longest contribution to the NT by a single author.
The Year of the Lord's Favor theme (Luke 4:19) draws on the Jubilee legislation of Leviticus 25.