Luke is the third book of the New Testament and one of the four Gospels. It presents a detailed, orderly, and historically accurate account of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with a special emphasis on His compassion for all people.
¶ Author and Background
The Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, a physician and close companion of the apostle Paul. Luke is the only Gentile author of a New Testament book. He also wrote the book of Acts as a sequel to his Gospel. Both books are addressed to a man named Theophilus, whose name means “lover of God.”
Luke states his purpose clearly in the opening verses: to provide an accurate, well-researched account so that Theophilus (and all readers) may know the certainty of the things they have been taught about Jesus.
¶ Purpose and Major Themes
Luke wrote to present Jesus as the Son of Man — the perfect, compassionate Savior who came to seek and save the lost. His Gospel emphasizes that salvation is for all people, not just the Jews.
Key themes in Luke include:
- The universality of the gospel (Jesus is Savior of both Jews and Gentiles)
- Prayer (Luke records more instances of Jesus praying than any other Gospel)
- The Holy Spirit and His work
- Compassion for the poor, outcasts, women, and sinners
- Joy and rejoicing in God’s salvation
- The importance of repentance and faith
- It is the longest of the four Gospels.
- It contains many unique stories and parables not found in Matthew, Mark, or John (such as the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Rich Man and Lazarus).
- It gives significant attention to women and their role in Jesus’ ministry.
- It has a strong emphasis on Jerusalem and Jesus’ journey toward the cross.
- It ends with the ascension of Jesus into heaven.
Luke follows a generally chronological order:
- Introduction and Birth Narratives (Chapters 1–2) — Includes the announcements to Zechariah and Mary, the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, and Jesus’ childhood.
- Preparation for Ministry (Chapter 3–4:13) — John the Baptist’s ministry and the temptation of Jesus.
- Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee (Chapters 4–9) — Teaching, miracles, and calling of disciples.
- Journey to Jerusalem (Chapters 9–19) — The longest section; Jesus teaches extensively on the way to the cross.
- Final Week, Death, and Resurrection (Chapters 19–24) — Triumphal entry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
- Luke 1:1-4 — Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us… it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
- Luke 19:10 — For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- Luke 15:7 — I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
- Luke 11:1 — Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
- Luke 24:46-47 — Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
- Gospel
- Jesus Christ
- Holy Spirit
- Prayer
- Salvation
- Repentance
- The Book of Acts
The Gospel of Luke is especially valuable because:
- It presents Jesus as a compassionate Savior who cares deeply for the hurting, the outcast, and the sinner.
- It encourages believers to develop a strong prayer life by showing how often Jesus prayed.
- It reminds us that the gospel is for everyone — no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
- It provides historical detail and eyewitness testimony that strengthens our confidence in the reliability of Scripture.
- It ends with the ascension and the promise of the Holy Spirit, preparing readers for the book of Acts.
Luke’s Gospel is both historically rich and spiritually encouraging, making it one of the most beloved books in the New Testament.