Introduction. 66 1. The Author, LUKE (Aovкãç, Lucas, an abbrev. of Lucanus), was said (Eusebius, Jerome) to have been born at Antioch, in Syria, perh. fr. identifying him with Lucius (Ac. xiii. 1). He is descr. as a physician (Col. iv. 10-14), and is ref. to in Phil. 24 and 2 Ti. iv. 11. Beyond these three passages we have no certain acc. of him. From these passages also, as well as fr. the use of first pers. plu. in some places (as Ac. xvi. 10), he seems to have been a companion of St. Paul. Tradition (Epiphan., Theophylact, Euthymius, etc.) asserts that he was one of the Seventy (Lu. x. 1), but this is refuted by his preface, where he dist. betw. himself and eye-witnesses. As his Gospel alone contains the acc. of their miss. this may acc. for the trad. It is also said (Greg. Naz.) that he suffered martyrdom; while, the gen. report is that he died a nat. death" (Alford). After the death of St. Paul he is said to have gone to Achaia, and subsequently to have retired to Africa, and there preached the Gospel (Pinnock). 2. Time. His Gospel was written before he wrote the Acts (Ac. i. 1), wh. bk. is assumed (Alford) to have been pub. two yrs. aft. Paul's arrival at Rome (Ac. xxviii. 30), i.e. in the spring of A.D. 63 (Wieseler). From various data it is argued that the Gospel was written not bef. A.D. 50, or aft. A.D. 58 (Alford). Wordsworth says A.D. 53, but others (as Papias, Irenæus) consider it to have been written ab. A.D. 63, 64. 3. Place. Subject of much controv. Some say Achaia and Boeotia, where, while trav. with Paul, he collected materials (Jerome, Alford); others (Macknight) sup. it to have been finished in Cæsarea, while Paul was in prison there; but some (Mill, Wetstein, etc.) fix upon Alexandria, or (as Lardner) upon Greece. 4. Genuineness. While by some rationalistic commentators exception has been taken to the first two caps., its genuineness has been almost unanimously admitted. Most of the fathers (Irenæus, Origen, Tertullian, Eusebius, Jerome, etc.) so regard it (see also Bp. Marsh, Lect. II. 74). 5. Language. Greek; preface, pure and classical. Somewhat tinged with Hebraisms. "It is prob. that Lu. was desc. fr. heathen ancestors, and passed through Judaism to Christianity (Litton). 6. Design. Primarily intended for one Theophilus (i. 1—4), it was designed for the gen. use of Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles; and subordinately to this gen. purpose, for those readers whose acquaintance with Jewish customs and places was suf. to enable them to dispense with those elucidations of them wh. Mk. and Jo. have given, but wh. are not found in Ma. and Lu." (Alford). 7. Peculiarities. "Being a physician, his descr. of diseases, and his accs. of cures wrought by the Saviour and His Apostles, have more of technical definitions than the other Gospels" (Angus). The foll. are the principal facts and circumstances mentioned by St. Lu.-Birth of Jo. Bap. (i. 5-25, 57-66), the Rom. census (ii. 1-4), incidents at Christ's birth (4-7), shepherds (8-20), Simeon and Anna (21-28), Christ with the doctors (39-42), widow's son at Nain (vii. 11—17), good Samaritan (x. 25—37), barren fig-tree (xiii. 6—10), woman restored (11-17), dropsical man (xiv. 1—6), prodigal son (xv. 11—32), Dives and Lazarus (xvi. 19-31), ten lepers (xvii. 12-19), Pharisee and the publican (xviii. 9-14). Lu. is careful to dis. betw. ordinary diseases and demoniacal possession; representing Satan as an agent fr. without in the former, and energising fr. within in the latter. Thenceforth the Gks. became familiar with the true doctrine of the cause of evil, and with the relation of the powers of darkness to God,-a subject on wh. they had in vain sought for illumination fr. their schools of philosophy.-Wordsworth. ANTE A.D. 6. preface addressed to one Theophi lus not alluded to. CHAPTER THE FIRST. 1-4. Forasmuch, Lu. begins by giving his reasons for composing this Gospel. Would that all writers could adduce reasons equally good. many," honest perhaps, but lacking authority, ability, inspiration. Prob. these were persons who, having charge a Ma. and Mk. of churches, had drawn up summaries of Apostolic preaching. Origen, Augustine, to.. order, Gk. draw up, arrange. declaration, Gk. digest. Wordsworth. surely believed, generally received as well authenticated facts. There were many they.. eye-witnesses, as the Apostles and others had been apocryphal gos-in some cases fr. the beginning. seemed, a matter of clear, pels, Irenæus. Wordsworth undoubted duty. having, etc., lit. having traced down." thinks the use order, "not especial chronological accuracy," but "of classifymade by Lu. of ing the events." d excellent, courteous epithet or official title. ἐπεχείρησαν (see Ac. ix. 29; xix. Theophilus (= friend of God), prob. some illustrious but un13) seems to sugg. known Christian.g That.. know, Lu. states the purpose, as a silent censure. b Jo. xv. 27; He. ii. 3; 1 Pe. v. 1; 2 Pe. i. 16; 1 Jo. i. 1. c Alford. d Van Doren. e Ac. xi. 4. a ford. feigned one, well as the reason. b The most excellent Theophilus.-I. Human titles have a peculiar significance when applied to religious men. Many called "excellent," ," this "friend of God" was "most excellent." II. Religious men may be illustrious, yet little known. III. Titled believers few in number "—one Theophilus. IV. Well to have a good name" Theophilus:" better to deserve it-"most excellent." V. Such excellence has its marks: 1. Anxious to know things of "The idea of Christ fr. beginning; 2. to know their certainty. VI. Such exthe name being cellence has its advantages: 1. approval of God—such friendship not a proper, but is not one-sided; 2. approval of highest order of men-Luke; 3. designating the honour of having an authentic and inspired hist. of Christ those who loved dedicated to Him; 4. His name thus rescued fr. utter oblivion. God,' is farfetched and im- The Gospel acc. to St. Luke in India.-Mr. Hill, missionary at probable." - Al-Berhampore, on one occasion distributed a number of tracts. He further states, "I had reserved a Gospel of Luke to use on the g Ac. i. 1; cf. 1 way, if occasion should require; but a man followed me, and conCo. i. 26. strained me to give it to him, by pleading my promise on the past night. When he had received it, he took hold of my horse-reins, and said, Sir, I will not let you depart, until I have some clue to authority to sup- the meaning of the book, otherwise it will be useless to me when press these other gospels; you are gone.--Here, sir, what is this Mungal Somachar? doth he repre'Good news.'-'What is this Luke?' 'Luke is the man's name hend, or calum- who wrote this book.'-' Kurtrick-what is that?' Written; and niate them; but the whole sentence means, the Gospel written by Luke.'-'Who Truth simply, was Luke?' He was a man acquainted with all which the Lord and leaves it to Jesus Christ did and said on earth, with the reason of Christ's outwear false- coming into the world, and with the manner of His death; and hood; and so it these are the things contained in this book. That will do, sir; now, I shall understand what I read.' I left him, and prayed that the Lord would give him understanding." h 1 Co. i. 26. "Luke had no nor he writes the hath." Donne. Zacharias and Elisabeth Dr. 5-7. Heroda (see Ma. ii. 1), an Idumæan, called "the Great.” course, daily service. Abia, or Abijah. wife.. Aaron, showing that, both on his father's and mother's side, Jo. was of a The first k. of the priestly line. Elisabeth (= lit. "God her oath," q.d. wornot of Jewish ex-shipper of God). righteous, approved by God, esteemed by Judah who was |
