-
Physician Luke Does the Best WorkThe Watchtower—1982 | February 15
-
-
I resolved also, because I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them in logical order
-
-
Physician Luke Does the Best WorkThe Watchtower—1982 | February 15
-
-
Luke here assures his readers that he is not proceeding on the basis of hearsay or mere oral tradition. Why? Since Luke evidently did not become a disciple while Jesus was on earth, when Luke was preparing his Gospel he did careful research among “eyewitnesses.” Also, he investigated contemporary records, ‘tracing all things from the start with accuracy.’ This should build our confidence in Luke’s writings.
But how did Luke obtain his detailed information? At a certain point in its account of Paul’s travels, the book of Acts switches from the third person (“he,” “they”) to the first person (“we,” “us”). It is understood from this that Luke began to travel with Paul during his second missionary journey. (Acts 16:10) Evidently by accompanying Paul to Jerusalem at the end of the third journey, Luke would there have been able to interview men and women who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry. (Acts 21:1, 7, 15-18) There Luke may also have examined documents, such as those used in preparing the genealogy at Luke 3:23-38.
The apostle Paul was imprisoned at Caesarea from about 56 to 58 C.E. Since Luke wrote his Gospel before the book of Acts (completed about 61 C.E.), it seems that Luke, using his time well, wrote his Gospel while Paul was imprisoned.
-