What do we know about the writer of the Gospel of Luke? Who was he? Both Matthew and John were among the twelve apostles of Jesus. John “Mark” was a disciple who was probably with Jesus the night He was arrested, and he was also a companion of Peter and Paul. Luke was not an apostle. He wrote his Gospel decades after Jesus ascended. Most scholars place Luke somewhere around A.D. 60-90, so Luke was a second‑generation Christian who relied on eyewitness testimony and church tradition.

The name Luke means "light-giving" or "luminous". Luke was probably a Gentile and was likely the only New Testament writer who was not Jewish (Colossians 4:10-11, 14). He was not listed in Paul's group of "those of the circumcision," even though he was traveling with Paul at the time.

Since Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, this means he authored more of the New Testament word-for-word than anyone else, unless Paul was the unknown writer of Hebrews. As a Gentile, Luke wrote extensively about prayer, healings, women, the poor, the outcasts, and not so much about the law of Moses. Luke was a careful, compassionate storyteller who paid attention to the small people Jesus noticed.

Luke dedicated extensive research to his work. He was well-educated, a theologian, historian, and a beloved physician (Colossians 4:14). He carefully researched and compiled his data into one of the best pieces of historical writing from ancient times.

Luke became a close companion of the Apostle Paul, and they traveled extensively together. He was possibly Paul's physician (Galatians 4:13). Luke was humble and stayed in the background of Luke and Acts. You would never guess he was the author.

The Gospel of Luke is the longest and most detailed of the Gospels, containing unique insights not found in the other three gospels. The first two chapters of Luke describe the nativity, including the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the birth of John the Baptist. It also covers the lives of Mary and Joseph, and the birth of Jesus.

We can thank Luke for the famous parables of the Pharisee and the publican, the rich man and Lazarus, and the prodigal son. We also owe him stories of the short tax collector, Zacchaeus, the thief who repented on the cross, and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, whose hearts burned within them.

The Gospel of Luke and Acts were written about a year apart, and both were addressed to a man called "Most Excellent, Theophilus," who may have been a wealthy member of the Roman government. The title, "Most Excellent," was sometimes used to address Roman officials (Acts 23:26).

Early on, the writings were part of one book called Luke-Acts and were written in polished Koine Greek. Together, the books give a detailed account from before Jesus' birth to the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles' ministry, the founding of the first church, and Paul's travels. The Gospel of Luke has 24 chapters, and the Acts of the Apostles has 28.

The name "Luke" is only mentioned three times in the Bible, even though he wrote the largest portion of the New Testament. He mostly refers to himself as "we" or "Paul and his companions." (Acts 16:10–17) when starting the Macedonian mission, (Acts 20:5–6), (Acts 21:1–18), and (Acts 27:1), (Acts 28:16) during the voyage to Rome.

Luke was with the Apostle Paul when their ship was battered by a fierce northeaster for two weeks. When they shipwrecked on the Isle of Malta, he wrote about Paul being bitten by a viper and healing everyone who was sick or diseased on the island.

They were together when Lydia, a seller of purple and the first European convert, came to the Lord by the River in Macedonia. And Luke wrote about Paul and Silas being arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail, the great earthquake, and the jailor being baptized and saved. Luke was a faithful companion and was with Paul through storms, shipwrecks, beatings, and prison.

Luke's childhood, his parents, or whether he ever married have been lost to history. We do know that Luke was with the Apostle Paul while he waited in prison in Rome just before his execution under Nero. Paul wrote Timothy this in his last letter:

(2 Timothy 4:9–11 NKJV) Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me...

Later church tradition fills in some gaps: some say Luke lived to an old age (traditions claim 84), that he died “full of the Spirit,” that he was martyred (Foxe and other later sources say he was hanged on an olive tree in Greece by priests), and that he painted icons of Mary. These are traditions from later church writers, and not recorded in Scripture. The anniversary of his martyrdom is on October 18th.

Luke was a gift to the body of Christ. As a physician, he sought accuracy in the details of the text. He wrote a lot about healing from the perspective of someone who cared for the sick. We have records of the nativity and the Acts of the Apostles because Luke painstakingly took the time to research and organize them. I thank God for his work.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for giving us the words of Luke! Please help me live a life pleasing to You, open my mind to Your Scriptures, and help me remember what I learn and live it. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!