The New Way

Day 2

 

Dear Explorer,

 
Read Luke 1:1-4

 

In Chapter 1, the first four verses introduce the book written by Luke.  Now we don't know who Theophilus was – whether he was a person that Luke was teaching, or whether Luke was just writing to people in general who could use this book in the future.  “Theophilus” means “God-lover” – so it could be either.

 

He tells you in these verses that he got his information by interviewing eyewitnesses and followers of Jesus.  It's a good thing to know if you are reading a biography.  

 

As a Gentile, we assume that Luke didn't become a follower until after Jesus' death and resurrection.   He may have become a follower of Jesus while listening to the preaching of Paul around 45 A.D. (while Paul was in Greece). 

 

I'll occasionally mention Paul, so let me introduce him.  Paul was a Jewish Pharisee who opposed the early followers of Jesus.  Opposed them so much, that he spent much of his time arresting and stoning them!  But later, by a miraculous encounter, he became a devoted follower of Jesus and began to preach.  He went on several missionary trips to tell Gentiles about Jesus.  He is best known for writing 13 or 14 books that are contained in our New Testament Bible.  

 

We don't know when Luke became a follower of Jesus, but we do know that he began to travel with Paul (probably as his doctor) on his missionary journeys.   Through Paul, he got to know many of the early followers of Jesus and church leaders, including the original disciples who had followed and lived with Jesus.  Luke wrote this book while many of the original eyewitnesses to these events were still alive (approximately 60 A.D.).

 

What was Luke's purpose in writing this book?