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Luke - the physician and writer

Bible overview
The doctor who wrote a Gospel and the Acts.
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In Colossians 4:14, Paul mentions ‘Luke the beloved physician.’ This is the same Luke who penned the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. – Slide 1
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Luke also accompanied Paul on some of his journeys (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1–28:16). – Slide 2
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We first read of Luke after Paul received the ‘Macedonian call’ in Acts 16:6. In the following verse, Luke uses the word ‘we’ for the first time in Acts, as he joined Paul, Silas, and Timothy on the ship leaving Troas and heading for Macedonia. – Slide 3
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Physicians would often visit a patient at home or see them in a clinic-like setting, dressed appropriately and behaving professionally to build trust. Without a stethoscope, thermometer, or lab tests, physicians had to rely on their senses and experience—they were trained observers. Luke’s power of observation is obvious as you read his writings and see how precisely he stated the details (cf. Luke 3:1–2). – Slide 4
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Greco-Roman physicians often wore clean, white, sober garments to project hygiene and authority. They would wear a lightweight linen tunic beneath a himation—a large rectangular woollen mantle draped over his chiton, covering both shoulders and reaching to his calves. This was the most characteristic outer garment for adult men, similar to the Roman pallium, conveying dignity and commonly worn by philosophers, teachers, and professionals such as physicians. Physicians often carried a staff, sometimes associated with the Rod of Asclepius. – Slide 5
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Physicians made medications primarily from plant (botanical), animal, and mineral sources. These medications, customised using crude ingredients, were stored in a physician’s drug box (e.g., wooden compartments holding resins, herbs, or minerals) and prepared fresh or in small batches as needed. They would use a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients and mix them into a base of honey, wine, vinegar, oil, or barley. – Slide 6
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Luke addressed his account of the gospel to the ‘most excellent Theophilus.’ The title ‘most excellent’ suggests that Theophilus was a member of the equestrian order (a high class in Roman society). Luke uses the same term in Acts in reference to the Roman governors Felix (Acts 24:3) and Festus (Acts 26:25). – Slide 7
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Knowing that others had already written accounts of the life of Christ, Luke decided to investigate the story of the life of Christ for himself and write and ‘set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled’ (Luke 1:1). Since Luke was not an eyewitness to the life and death of Jesus Christ, he had to research the matter by talking to those who were. Many of the eyewitnesses Luke spoke to were Jews who had heard Jesus during His ministry and had seen the risen Lord personally. – Slide 8
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Without doubt, Luke had also spoken to Roman officials who had personal knowledge of the life of Christ and who had observed the judicial process at His death. – Slide 9
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He would have also had the opportunity to examine the official government records available at the time. – Slide 10
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Ancient writers often wrote while seated on a stool with a small portable writing table or a lapboard, reed pen in hand. – Slide 11
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Luke’s presence in Rome with the Apostle Paul near the end of Paul's life was attested by 2 Timothy 4:11: ‘Only Luke is with me’. In the last chapter of the Book of Acts, widely attributed to Luke, there are several accounts in the first person also affirming Luke’s presence in Rome, including Acts 28:16. – Slide 12
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