Last updated on November 29, 2020
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)
The Gospel of Luke is one of 4 canonical (Biblical) narratives chronicling the ministry of Jesus, and has been considered an inspired, authoritative account of Christ’s life since the earliest days of the Church. Its author is a man named Luke (hence the name of the book) who is only mentioned 3 times in the Bible (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11; Philemon 24). He is the same individual who wrote the Acts of the Apostles. It should be said that, starting in the 19th Century, some scholars began to question Luke’s authorship (along with questioning everything else the Church had taught for 1800 years), but I intend to stick with the tradition which has plenty of early evidence to back it up. Based on the comment in Colossians 4, he was likely a physician and a companion of the Apostle Paul during his ministry. So Luke was likely not a first hand witness to those things which happen in this book, but it’s considered to be an account drafted with Paul’s blessing and authority and it clearly corresponds and agrees with the other Gospel narratives: Matthew, Mark, and John, which were likely first-hand accounts.
As with any other time in human history, miraculous events and extraordinary people inspire many stories, legends, and rumors. The story of William Wallace (Braveheart) is a good example, as are the stories of many saints, such as Patrick and Nicholas. It is difficult to separate fact from fiction, even in the time of these events and lives, let alone years after the fact. Given all that Jesus said and did, you can imagine that there were many accounts of his life disseminated among the people, and plenty of competing narratives like those mentioned in verse 1. But here, Luke is saying that his account is different, or, at least, reliable. It is an “orderly” account by someone who has “followed all things closely” using, specifically, the accounts of “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” passed down to his generation. In other words, these are not just stories or myths. The description comes from the people who saw these things in person – from people who walked with Jesus between the time of his baptism and resurrection. In this way, Luke seems to be more like a serious journalist or historian and not someone who wishes to embellish or entertain. And it is striking that, despite not being an eyewitness himself, his account agrees with that of Matthew and Mark so closely. Yes, he seems to have read at least Mark, but he seems to have done plenty of his own “work,” as well. Some scholars suggest he was a close companion of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Furthermore, Luke’s emphasis on “things that have been accomplished” points to the way in which Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection corresponds to Old Testament prophecies. In sum, Luke is not just some story-teller trying to get his two-cents in. He is a serious writer with a life-changing message for all who would hear, whether Jew or Gentile.
So who is this “Theophilus”? The book of Acts is also addressed to this individual. We ultimately know little for certain here, but there are clues. It’s likely this individual, whose name means “lover of God” in Greek, was someone of considerable wealth and standing in Ancient Rome given the description, “most excellent.” Theophilus would have already “been taught,” by someone regarding Jesus, but may have been wrestling with doubts about the accounts being tossed around. So Luke offers this account that his reader might “have certainty” on the basis of eyewitness testimony.
Theophilus’ position is similar to our own, in this regard. We may not have wealth and social status, but we weren’t physically there in the 1st Century AD. We didn’t see it all with our own eyes. We didn’t see angels appear to shepherds or shout “Crucify him” with the crowds in Jerusalem. We didn’t watch Jesus feed thousands of people or walk on water. But this is true for a lot of things, right? I wasn’t at my parents’ wedding. Did it happen? I wasn’t around during the American War for Independence, I didn’t watch Shakespeare write Othello, and I didn’t live through the Cold War (I was a toddler when the Berlin Wall fell). Now, to be sure, you can easily point to some convincing physical evidence for all these things: pictures, documents, artifacts, etc. Why should I trust any of this, though? I wasn’t there. I have no empirical evidence.
The answer is that we have faith. We must have faith to function in most of life. Here in 2020, we have responded to warnings about COVID-19 and other natural disasters with faith that the people who tell us what’s going on know what they’re talking about. At least…we have faith until our experience and the information we acquire (that is, the evidence) says otherwise
And this is an important point. Christians have faith, yes, but it is not blind faith. We have evidence, as Luke says. We have eyewitness testimony and many accounts that testify to what Christ has done and what He is doing. Not only that, when we live in faith, when we live a life reflective of what we believe, we find that it matches the experience we actually have. So faith is not the absence of reason, as some contend. Instead, faith, as C.S. Lewis explains, “is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” (Mere Christianity, Bk 3, Ch 11, p. 140)
Indeed, “one must train the habit of Faith” (141) Lewis says, because we have to constantly resist our sinful nature and its penchant for rebellion against reality and against the truth. Consequently, “we have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed.” (141)
And that is one of the purposes of the written Gospel, for us and for Theophilus. Luke provides us an account of what Christians believe about Jesus, along with the reasons and evidence to continue doing so. And when we live in response to or in light of the truth of the Gospel, we find that life confirms what the Bible says. We’ll never have all the evidence, in this life. I’m not even sure what “all the evidence” would mean, in a practical sense. But we have more than enough to begin living the truth of the Gospel in our everyday lives.
Next week, we’ll turn to Luke 1:5-25 and the prophesy of John the Baptist’s birth.
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