Introduction to the Gospel of Luke

Happy New Year!

Good morning. Good morning. ☀️

There’s been a change in plans. As I began to prepare for the Gospel of Luke, I got pretty sick. In Guatemala, it could have been Covid, Dengue, or just a really bad cold. Whatever it was had me laid out for eight days.

Once I recovered, Vonda and Eliza got sick. I spent a week taking care of Vonda and the five littles. Vonda feels better but is still at 85%. Eliza is 100%. Thank God.

Today, I drove to the city to pick up a small team that will be with us this week. I was feeling a massive pressure to get this Bible study out every day. I bit off more than I could chew.

After talking with people I trust and praying with my wife, I’ve decided to pull back a bit.

The Bible study will be two days a week until I can do three days a week. I feel confident I can do three days a week, but I don’t know when that will be. I also write a ministry newsletter.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that I’m going to make the Bible study free! We’ll be sending refunds ASAP… please be patient. THANK YOU to everyone who believed in me enough to pay for this Bible study. ❤️ You have no idea how much that means to me.

I’m SO EXCITED for this. I hope you are too. I’ll be cleaning the website up over the next ten days. Right now, it says you have to pay, but I’m sending it to anyone who took the Hebrews study as well.

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As we begin to make our way through Luke and the rest of the New Testament this year, remember:

1. Read the chapter of the Bible BEFORE reading my notes. The study will make more sense.

2. You can go at your own pace. You’ll have weekends to catch up.

Are you ready? Let’s get into it!

The Gospel of Luke is one of the four Canonical Gospels in the New Testament.

What is a Canonical Gospel?

A Canonical Gospel refers to one of the four authoritative accounts of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

What is Biblical Canon exactly?

The term "canon" refers to the collection of books that the Christian community has accepted as inspired by God and is authoritative. They make up the 66 books of the Bible.

These books are considered sacred scripture and are believed to convey the teachings and messages inspired by God. In Christianity, the canon encompasses both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The process of establishing canon wasn't a quick decision; it spanned centuries.

How was canon decided? How did we get the 66 books of the Bible?

First, I think it’s important to recognize that the roots of the church began in Catholicism. The Catholic Bible has 73 books of the canon, and Protestant Bibles have 66 books of the canon.

These are the seven additional books the Catholic church believes are also the inspired word of God.

1. Tobit

2. Judith

3. Wisdom of Solomon

4. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

5. Baruch

6. 1 Maccabees

7. 2 Maccabees

There are also additions to the Book of Esther and the Book of Daniel that make up the differences between the two Bibles.

Some of the factors taken into account as canon was revealed:

• The most fundamental criterion was the belief that a particular text was inspired by God.

• Apostolic authorship (that a particular book of the Bible was written by one of the chosen apostles or someone closely associated with an apostle of Jesus Christ.)

• That the book was consistent with doctrine.

• A canonical book was expected to be consistent with other accepted texts and not in contradiction with established beliefs.

• Over time, there was a growing consensus within religious communities about certain books being authoritative. The widespread acceptance of a text by the community played a role in its inclusion in the canon.

I’ve heard it said that “canon wasn't discovered or decided upon by man; rather, canon was revealed as the inspired Word of God.”

The Gospel of Luke was quickly accepted as canon because of Luke's close relationship with the Apostle Paul.

The Gospel of Luke is generally believed to have been written in the later part of the first century, between 60 and 80 AD. This timeframe is around the time of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 AD.

Why was the Second Temple destroyed?

The immediate cause of the destruction was the Roman siege of Jerusalem during the First Jewish-Roman War (66–73 AD). The Roman forces, led by Titus, eventually breached the city walls and destroyed the Temple.

Prior to the war, there was a significant degree of political and social unrest in Judea. Tensions between the Jewish population and Roman authorities escalated, leading to a rebellion against Roman rule.

Matthew 24:1-2 (ESV): Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

The destruction of the Temple is sometimes seen as a fulfillment of certain prophecies and a symbol of the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant.

As we read and study Luke, it’s important to keep in mind both the religious and political climate.

Luke, the author, has been described in two ways.

The Gospel of Luke is known for its detailed and orderly account of the life and teachings of Jesus. This has led to the characterization of Luke as a historian among biblical scholars. The Gospel begins with a prologue in which Luke states that he has “followed all things closely for some time past" and decided to write an orderly account.

Luke has also been referred to as a doctor. That characterization most likely comes from Colossians 4:14, which refers to a "beloved physician" named Luke.

While Luke did not directly witness Jesus' ministry, he lived in the first century. According to his own accounts in Luke 1:1–4, he undertook a meticulous investigation of the events, starting from the beginning. Additionally, as a companion of Paul, Luke probably had firsthand access to the apostles and other sources, including the Gospel of Mark, enriching his understanding of Jesus' life and ministry.

Luke is also credited with writing the book of Acts, which we’ll study next. The Book of Acts primarily focuses on the early history and development of the Christian church, providing an account of the actions and activities of the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus.

Some scholars think Luke might not be Jewish because his writings, the Gospel of Luke and Acts, don't focus as much on Jewish themes, and his Greek language skills suggest he could have been well-educated in Greek culture.

Honestly, there’s not a lot written about Luke’s identity, which is fine because the focus of Luke's writings is on the message of Jesus and the early Christian movement rather than personal details about the author.

I’ll see you early Friday morning ☀️ as we begin studying Luke, Chapter One.

If you feel inspired to share this newsletter, I will have an easy link to do that soon.

I love you,

George
Christian • Missionary • Author