Scriptural Reference:
"Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas."
Colossians 4:14

"And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers."
Philemon 1:24

" Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry."
2 Timothy 4:11

Reflection:

Who was Luke?
Luke was a physician and possibly a Gentile. He was not one of the original 12 Apostles but may have been one of the 70 disciples appointed by Jesus (Luke 10). He also may have accompanied St. Paul on his missionary journeys.

When was Luke born?
It has been estimnated that Luke was born some time in 9 AD, Anno Domini, the year of our lord.

What makes Luke different from the other gospels?
The Only Gospel With a Sequel Even more significantly, Luke is the only Gospel writer to provide a sequel, the Book of Acts. Luke continues his story beyond the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to the birth and growth of the early church.

What does Luke in the Bible teach us?
He emphasized the idea that all humans are sinners and in need of salvation. Jesus was, for him, the supreme example of what the power of God can do in a human life. This point of view evidently made a deep impression on Luke and is reflected throughout the various parts of his gospel.

What are 3 themes in Luke's Gospel?
The spirituality of all four Gospels is fundamentally the same: the belief in the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; faith and devotion to Him; an emphasis on repentance, faith, and life in community; following Jesus' words and deeds. These are the universal themes of all four Gospels.

Why did Luke write his gospel?
The Gospel of Luke was written with the intention of leading Theophilus, a lost man, to faith in Christ. Luke knew his relationship with Theophilus was an opportunity for helping him to place his faith in Christ. Though many scholars consider the book of Luke to be written for gentiles.

What are the characteristics of St Luke's gospel?

• A timely reminder first.
• Comprehensive Scope of Luke's Gospel.
• Interest in Women.
• Gospel of the Holy Spirit.
• Interest in People.
• Strong Attention Given to Prayer. Luke's
• Universalism – Interest in Gentiles.
• Devotion to the underdog – children, sinners, outcasts, foreigners etc.

How does Luke describe his writing of his Gospel?
Luke's procedure in writing his Gospel included: gathering information, checking the evidence, verifying the sources, evaluating critically, and arranging the material in an orderly manner.

What language is Luke written?
Greek Gospel of Luke / Original language Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus, southern Albania, and other regions of the Balkans, the Black Sea coast, Asia Minor, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Which of the following did Luke have in common with Paul?
Luke and Paul may have known each other before Paul's conversion and missionary journeys. Luke was with Paul when he was a prisoner in Rome. Of the New Testament writers, Luke only knew Paul.

What year did Luke write his Gospel?
The Gospel According to Luke, written in roughly 85 C.E. (± five to ten years), most likely during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, is known in its earliest form from extensive papyri fragments dating to the early or middle of the third century.

What happened to Luke in the Bible?
Luke died at age 84 in Boeotia, according to a "fairly early and widespread tradition". According to Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Greek historian of the 14th century (and others), Luke's tomb was located in Thebes, whence his relics were transferred to Constantinople in the year 357.

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
In the life of Luke we can,
See and learn many things.
His letter or book reaches out to,
Both Jew and Gentile alike.
Giving hope and encouragement.

May we learn from his words,
Seek ways to encourage each other,
Share the Gospel with those around us,
As journey to your precious Cross.
Amen