Our text for today is Colossians 4:14.
“Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas send you greetings.”
Why should we make a big deal about Luke? At first glance, we might focus on the fact that he wrote a book of the Bible—but there are 40 to 50 different writers in the Bible. So why highlight Luke? There are other compelling reasons. In today’s reflection, we’ll take a closer look at this remarkable man.
Why are we focusing on him?
Luke wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else, even Paul. While Paul authored more individual books, his writings were shorter. In fact, Paul’s work makes up about 23% of the New Testament, but the combined length of Luke’s writings in the Gospel of Luke and Acts amounts to about 27%. That’s significant!
What else did Luke do?
Paul describes Luke as a physician. In addition to being a doctor, Luke was also a historian, as evidenced by his detailed accounts in Luke and Acts. Moreover, he accompanied Paul on many of his journeys, as seen in the book of Acts.
What else is of special interest?
Luke was likely not Jewish. He is widely believed to be the only Gentile author of the New Testament.
Luke was also not an apostle. Unlike Matthew or John, he was not an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry. Instead, he relied on careful research and the testimonies of those who were there, crafting a faithful record of events.
Imagine meeting him on our first day in heaven! What a joy it will be to speak with the man whose work has taught us so much about Jesus and the early church.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.