Gospel according to Luke. [Advent of the Savior.]

 The authorship of the third gospel has been attributed Luke, the friend of Paul, by the whole Christian church through out the ages.. The tradition can be traced back to without interruption to the middle of the second century, and nothing has been found in the records of the early church to indicate that the book was ever ascribed to any other writer. The internal evidence is in harmony with this objective testimony. Luke's name does not appear in the gospel., and it appears only three times in the New Testament. Paul alone mention Luke, and in doing so he throws some light on him. He was a physician (Col iv,14), and that implies he was a man of culture and education. His literary culture appears in the classical preface to the gospel (i 1- 4), in which he follows the Greek historians. Traces of his medical knowledge  appear throughout the book.  see iv.23,38, v.12, viii.43, xxii.44. He seems to have been a gentile, for he is not included in the list of those "  who are of the circumcision" Col.iv 10,11. He was one of Paul's fellow- workers (Phm24), and the only companion  the apostle had during his last imprisonment in Rome just before his martyrdom (2Tim.iv.11).  Luke also was the author of Acts.  The book is addressed to a private Christian called Theophilus  (i 1-4), who must have been someone of prominence, but is otherwise unknown. It was intended for a wide circle of readers, and the fact that 'Theophilus"  is a Greek name would indicate Luke had in mind, the Greeks of the Roman world. They were the people among whom Paul's missionary labours were carried on.   His Gospel presents Jesus as the ideal man and as savior of all classes of men. Here we see him pass through all stages of a normal human life.  He is seen touching human life on all sides, entering the domestic life of the people.  Luke writes as a historian. It begins in the days of Herod, the king of Judea. It mentions the imperial decree that brought Joseph and Mary from Galilee to Bethlehem. In the course of the story Luke pays careful attention to dates, and marks of time. When he begins the account of the Lord's public ministry, he notes the years of the reigning Caesar and the age of Jesus., and takes a survey of the civil and religious rulers, who were specially concerned with Palestine. Luke makes clear that the sympathy of Jesus went out especially to the poor, who compose the vast Majority of mankind, and to women, on whom both Jews and gentiles in that ancient world looked down. The universal gospel which Paul preached would give Luke the basis for the portrait that he draws of the Savior, and his own calling as " the beloved Physician. From here on it is easier for me to give an outline of the contents of Luke: 
    
"Advent of a Savior"         I. 5-ii 52.
 The Savior's preparation for His ministry.  iii.1 iv. 13
a) preaching John the Baptist: 3:1-20).
b) the baptism of Jesus (iii 21,22).
c) The lineage of Jesus   ( iii 23-28)
d). iv. 1-13). temptation of Jesus.

THE Ministry in GALILEE. iv. 14-ix. 50.
a. up to call of the first disciples iv. 14-44)
b. The call of the first disciples. to the choice of the Twelve (v.1-v1.11)
c. From the choice of the Twelve to their first mission. (vi. 12-viii 56).
d From the mission of the Twelve to the departure from Galilee (ix. 1-50).

The journey to Jerusalem. ( ix.-xix28).
a. The first stage of the journey (ix 51-xiii.21).
b .The second stage of the journey (xiii 22- xvii.10).
c. The third stage of the Journey (xvii11-xix.28).

 The ministry in Jerusalem.  xix.-xxi.  38
a. The entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the temple. (xix.29-48).
b. Teaching daily in temple (xx.1-xxi. 4)
c. Foretelling the destruction of the temple (xxi.5-38).

The departure of the Savior.xxii.1-xxiv.53
a. The final preparations (xxii.1-13).
b. The last supper (xxii.14-38).
c. The agony and the betrayal (xxii.39-53).
d. The Jewish trial (xxii. 14-38).
e. The Roman trial (xxiii. 1-25).
f. The crucifixion (xxiii. 50-56).
h. The resurrection morning (xxiv. 1-12).
I. The risen Lord (xxiv. 44-53).
j. The farewell instructions (xxiv.44-53).                                                         


Luke begins his gospel with a simple and modest introduction, finely phrased, which tells of the care he took to secure fullness and accuracy for his narrative. and of the end he had in view. His purpose was to set forth the historical foundation of the Christian faith.
 Many have taken in hand. This statement is the only positive information we possess about written records lying behind the synoptic Gospels. These narratives have all perished. Those things which are most surely believed;   Luke distinguishes himself from eyewitnesses , but claims to have a thorough investigation:most excellent Theophilus,