Luke - Introduction

This is the longest of the four gospels. Luke himself was not one of the twelve disciples, but he is mentioned in Acts. He carried out a detailed investigation of the events and clearly states that his purpose was to write an accurate account of the events surrounding Jesus' life. This does not mean that it is a history book in the sense that we have them today, but it does mean that we can assume that the events are accurate.

This gospel is written very much with the Greek world in mind, which is why Luke explains a number of Jewish characteristics. The style of the book is similar to Greek and Roman historical and literary works.

Luke places a great emphasis on Jesus' compassion for the poor and the weak. This is in stark contrast to the Roman emphasis on personal achievement and self-fulfilment. This is a message we need to take home today as well, for our own society so stresses self-fulfilment as the ultimate goal. 

There is also an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, right from the conception of Christ to the giving of the Holy Spirit at the end, and at various points in between as well. Prayer and the importance of women are also prominent themes in the book.