BACKGROUND NOTES ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
Author
As with the other Gospels, the author of the Third Gospel is not explicitely named, but from Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-3 we know that Acts and Luke were written by the same person. From Acts it is clear that the author was one of Paul's companions — sometimes he was part of events described (the so-called "we-sections"of Acts), other times not (referring to Paul's touring party as "they"). When we compare the events in Acts with information from Paul's letters, the only probable author is "Luke, the doctor", mentioned in Colossians 4:14. He was a Gentile, a medical doctor, and a "dear friend" and colleague of Paul.
Why was it written?
Luke's introduction to his Gospel (1:1-4) states specifically that his immediate goal was to write an "orderly account" of the life, death, and teaching of Jesus, for a certain Theophilus. He was highly-regarded by Luke, and it seems he had already received some instruction about the gospel. He could have been a recent Gentile believer, or one interested in the teaching about Jesus.
An interesting theory is that Theophilus was Paul's attorney for his first trial, and that Luke-Acts was written by Luke as a "defence brief", giving Theophilus the needed facts about the Christian religion and Paul's role in it. The fact that Luke seems to go out of his way to portray the relative fairness of the Romans (Pontius Pilate), even their friendliness and helpfulness (rescuing Paul from the mob in Jerusalem, etc.), is seen as evidence in favour - but this remains just a theory!
How and when was it written?
Luke states that he has "carefully investigated everything from the beginning" (of the gospel). His sources probably included the accounts drawn up by "many others", and the material "handed down to us" by those who were "eye witnesses and servants of the word". He uses Mark's Gospel as his basic framework, to which he added material shared with Matthew, as well as material unique to his account. The nativity accounts of chapters 1 and 2 are clearly based on Aramaic sources, probably part of the oral material handed down. (It could also have been the recollections of Mary, the mother of Jesus, interviewed by Luke as part of his research.)
Acts ends with Paul staying for two years in his rented house, before his first appearance before Caesar, so it must have been written about AD 61-62. Luke Gospel, his first volume, was therefore written before AD 61, but after the writing of Mark, which seems to have been one of Luke's sources. Luke probably researched his Gospel while Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea (about AD 59), which would date the writing around 60-61, probably in Rome.
First audience and destination:
According to Luke himself, the Gospel was firstly intended for Theophilus, although he might have expected a wider audience: Luke probably had in mind Gentile believers in general, when he compiled his account, and ultimately all nations. The early Church Father Origen said that the Gospel was written "for the sake of Gentile converts".
If the Gospel was written in Rome, members of the church in Rome were probably the first people after Theophilus to read the Third Gospel.
Literary style:
Luke was by far the most accomplished of the Gospel writers, employing a large vocabulary and careful writing style. His preface is excellent classical Greek, the rest of chapters 1 and 2 reflects the Hebrew/Aramaic style of his sources, and the body of the Gospel is in excellent everyday ("Koine") Greek, similar to that of the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament), but with wide variation. It seems that Luke was more conscious that he was writing the "history" of Jesus, giving careful attention to dating certain events.
Special themes:
Luke features a number of unique elements:
· Birth narratives & poems.
· The boy Jesus in the Temple.
· Unique aspects in the teaching of Jesus: unique teaching blocks, parables, incidents.
· Interest in people: Samaritans, Gentiles, outcasts, women, the poor, sinners (a special term in those days for people who were no longer trying to keep the law of Moses).
· Particular emphasis on: the Holy Spirit, angels, prayer, joy, universality of the gospel
Special features
· Luke's outstanding literary ability stands with the best of the Classical Greek world.
· Luke covers a longer span of history than the other Evangelists: from the announcement of John the Baptist's birth to the ascension of Jesus.
· Reliable history and geography: wherever it has been possible to check Luke's statements, he is impeccably reliable.
General structure:
· The first 30 years of Jesus' life — Chapters 1:1-4:13
· The Galilean ministry — Chapters 4:14-9:50
· Final journey to Jerusalem, with much greater emphasis than before on teaching — Chapters 9:51-19:44
· The last days in Jerusalem — Chapters 19:45-23:56
· The resurrection and ascension — Chapter 24
