Wednesday
Wednesday
Luke, Part 1—Jesus the Historical Figure
Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account.
Luke 1:3
Luke wrote a two-volume work on the origins of Christianity, namely his Gospel and the Acts. And in his preface, which covers both books, he emphasizes the reliability of what he is writing. For he is absolutely clear that Jesus was no myth but a historical figure. So he sets out his case in five logical stages (vv. 1–4).
Firstly, certain “things … have been fulfilled among us” (v. 1). These were the events of Jesus’s ministry.
Secondly, these events were seen by eyewitnesses who “handed down” what they had seen to others (v. 2).
Thirdly, Luke, who was one of these, “carefully investigated everything from the beginning” (v. 3).
Fourthly, Luke wrote down the result of his research, giving “an orderly account” of it (v. 3).
Fifthly, there would be readers, including Theophilus, his distinguished patron, who would find in Luke’s Gospel solid grounds for their faith.
But when did Luke pursue his investigations? For he was not one of the Twelve or an eyewitness. But later he enjoyed a two-year residence in Palestine while Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea (Acts 24:27). How did he occupy his time? We can only guess. Surely he traveled the length and breadth of the country, gathering material for his Gospel and for the early Jerusalem-based story of the Acts, visiting the sites associated with Jesus’s ministry, familiarizing himself (as a Gentile) with Jewish culture, and interviewing eyewitnesses. These must have included the Virgin Mary, by now an elderly lady. For Luke tells Mary’s story, including the intimacies surrounding Jesus’s birth. These can have come only from Mary herself. All this establishes our confidence in the historical reliability of Luke’s writings.
For further reading: Luke 1:1–4