The third book of the four gospels; the third book of the New Testament; the forty-second book of the Bible.
Author: Luke’s methods are noted in Luke 1:1-4, but his name is not explicitly used as the author of the book. However, the New Testament figure of Luke is mentioned in Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11, and Philemon 1:24. Early church traditions universally credit both this Gospel and the book of Acts to Luke. The biblical Luke is described as a Gentile, as well as a doctor. These traits seem to influence the writing of the Gospel of Luke, which prominently features healings, the plight of women and children, a scholarly style, and a consistently non-Jewish perspective on places and events.
Audience: Luke is most likely the only Gentile (non-Jewish) author of New Testament writing, emphasizing God’s plan for all people. He wrote to Theophilus (Luke 1:1–4), likely an early Christian who supported Luke’s written work. As a Gentile as well as a doctor prior to becoming a Christian missionary, Luke’s writing is very detailed, based on many eyewitness accounts, with a particular emphasis on healings and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Date: Many dates have been suggested for Luke. Luke is part of a two-part work with the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–5), which ends with Paul in Rome in approximately AD 62. This suggests it was completed anytime after that. Likewise, since it makes no mention of Paul’s death in the mid-AD 60s, it was complete before that time. A date between AD 60—65 is most likely.