Daily readings with reflections

Readings & Reflections: Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist, October 18,2019

Readings & Reflections: Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist, October 18,2019

Tradition holds that before the Evangelist Luke joined Paul in his missionary work, he made his living as a physician and a native of Antioch. His Gospel and its “companion volume,” the Acts of the Apostles, give evidence of Luke’s classical education and careful attention to details. Luke shows a particular sensitivity to the hidden movements of the heart; his is the only Gospel to relate the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. In his encyclical Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy) Saint John Paul II calls Luke the “Gospel of Mercy.”

In Revelation 4:6, four beast give endless praise before the throne of God: a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. Tradition holds that these signify the four Evangelists. Luke is the ox, the symbol of strength and sacrifice. His Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah who “was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense” (Lk 1:9). In the Temple, Zechariah encounters the angel Gabriel, who heralds the birth of his son, John the Baptist. Gabriel goes next to Mary to tell her that she will conceive and bear “the Son of the Most High” (Lk 1:32). A tradition dating to the 6th century makes Luke the first artist to have painted the Virgin Mary. Luke accompanied Paul in his journeys and likely suffered martyrdom in Boeotia.

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord, may the joy and truth of the gospel transform my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth and your light wherever I go.” Amen.

Reading 1
2 Tm 4:10-17b

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Gospel
Lk 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Go make disciples

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom He sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. Today we also have that mandate from our Lord, as He said: “Go therefore and make disciples all nations. Baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

As the world prepares for His coming, we have been given the task of reaching the ends of the earth for Him. He wants us to unite and bring the Good News to all men. By our faith we have become ambassadors of our Lord to the world. We become Christ to all by the power of the Spirit.

Our task for God is to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all nations. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses . . .even to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Spirit of God will lead us, empower and enable us to share Christ with others, preparing the hearts of people to receive the truth. Moreover, the Spirit will guide our minds and hearts as we bring God to all.

Sharing our faith means entering the realm of spiritual warfare.  It can make man turn around and think twice, whether to proceed or not as the forces of darkness will always strike against God and the work of His people.

As workers in our Lord’s vineyard the main issue that comes to heart from today’s gospel is vulnerability. From all indications Jesus wanted his early disciples and every man who shall endeavor to work for Him to strip themselves of everything which they would normally depend on – extra money, food and clothing.

Jesus wants us to realize that it is only when we are absolutely defenseless that we are likely to depend on God. As such, in our work for the Lord, we need to confess our dependence upon God for His leadership, His wisdom, His timing and not on our own capabilities.

Today, we just need to look deep into our hearts and see how close we have been to being vulnerable and dependent on God for our work in His vineyard. As a community of believers do we consider financial resource as a major consideration in pursuing a mission for the Lord? Do we try to discourage other peoples’ noble aspirations for the Lord because such undertakings may dissipate the resources that would otherwise be available for our own plans? When we feel that we are lagging behind our work for the Lord, do we have the humility to cry to Him for help? Or are we so proud that we cannot accept failure and with a mask hide behind the truth of our shortcomings and failures? Do we depend on God’s own strength and power to make things happen or do we rely on our own intellect, power and strength and our accumulated experience and knowledge when we work in God’s vineyard?

Peter’s model to all of us shows how it is to be vulnerable and dependent on Jesus. Amidst the awesome peace and power of walking on the water to a sense of despair and despondency in a matter of minutes, Peter cried out: ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matt. 14:30). Peter might have felt important and powerful as he braved the wind and waves for the first few steps, but when he lost his focus on Jesus he began to rely on his own strength and Peter was quickly humbled. In this moment of desperation, He did not waste time calling out to the other disciples for help but instead he called on Jesus.

Peter’s humility to seek God’s Mighty Hand as he cried out for help simply showed that Peter’s love for Jesus was greater than his pride. Through his intimate relationship with the Lord, Peter realized just how much he needed to depend on Jesus.  If we look at Peter as a model of how to handle our work for the Lord, we see someone who was not ashamed to cry out for help.  We too should be able to totally submit everything to the Lord and allow His will and plan to prevail.

God’s message to all of us is loud and clear. We must apply vulnerability and dependency to our evangelic work for our Lord. We all know that it is quite difficult for those who are gifted and talented to come to a point of frustrated inadequacy before God. The more gifted one is, the harder it is for one to let go!  The more intelligent a person is, the harder it is to believe and have faith, much more depend on One Who we do not see.

Let us be reminded that we cannot expect to do God’s work when it is our way that we insist on. We may not have overcome our pride but God requires us to work on our vulnerability and dependency on Him.

Today as we pursue our community vision and mission, we may start to believe that laborers are few. Let us fully depend on God as we appraise the giftedness of community as we address the task ahead of us. Let us ask Him to guide us in seeing through the giftedness of all members and how we can use them for God’s greater glory and the benefit of the whole body. Let us ask Him to bless us with His empowering Spirit so that we see members beyond our perceptions and impressions and in so doing allow them not only to share in God’s work but also to experience our Lord’s transforming grace through ministry and apostolic work.

Let us pray for the grace to depend on God’s grace in our ministry work. Let not our myopic attitude and  partiality cause God to proclaim upon our esteemed fellowship: “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” With complete faith, trust and obedience to His will, let us empower all community members in their work for the Lord, freely allowing “the Master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Let not our biases for or against our ministry assignments be an obstacle to our fruitfulness. Let us not be the devouring wolves that will drive away God’s people-His lambs- but be the loving, caring, forgiving and understanding undershepherds!

Jesus said… “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way” implying we have to totally depend on Him. Fruitfulness based on our nothingness implies fruitfulness that comes from God’s great bounty and not from our sheer human talent and accumulated knowledge. Fruitfulness based on God’s goodness deepens our spirituality and makes us more humble… fruitfulness based on human capabilities may lead to deepening pride and arrogance!

Direction

When we fail in our work for the Lord because of our own sinfulness, He does not want us to turn and run. He simply wants us to cry out to Him for help. He will turn our moment of failure into a moment where we can feel His saving grace. Always be vulnerable to God and allow His will to prevail.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, make me humble and accept that it is not my power but yours that makes everything possible. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 – The kingdom of God has come near to you

What kind of harvest does the Lord want us to reap today for his kingdom? When Jesus commissioned seventy of his disciples to go on mission, he gave them a vision of a vast field that is ready to be harvested for the kingdom of God. Jesus frequently used the image of a harvest to convey the coming of God’s reign on earth. The harvest is the fruition of much labor and growth – beginning with the sowing of seeds, then growth to maturity, and finally the reaping of fruit for the harvest.

God’s word grows like a seed within us
In like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and women who hear his word, accept it with trust and obedience, and then share the abundant fruit of God’s word in their life with others. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the gathering in of the people of Israel, but all the peoples (and nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that  “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Be a sower of God’s word of peace and mercy
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be “lambs in the midst of wolves”? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers to the second coming of of the Lord Jesus when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who would oppose the Gospel. Jesus came to lay down his life for us, as our sacrificial lamb, to atone for our sins and the sins of the world. We, in turn, must be willing to offer our lives with gratitude and humble service for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are called to speak and witness in God’s name
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times. Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus’ times seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task – to speak in his name and to act with his power.

Jesus gave his disciples instructions for how they were to carry out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full of charity (selfless giving in love) and peace, and simplicity. They must give their full attention to the proclamation of God’s kingdom and not be diverted by other lesser things. They must  travel light – only take what was essential and leave behind whatever would distract them – in order to concentrate on the task of speaking the word of the God. They must do their work, not for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others, without expecting reward or payment. “Poverty of spirit” frees us from greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for God’s provision. The Lord Jesus wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves.

God gives us his life-giving word that we may have abundant life in him. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. God shares his word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and plainly to others. Do you witness the truth and joy of the Gospel by word and example to those around you?

“Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the Gospel transform my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth and merciful love wherever I go.” – Read the source:  http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2019/oct18.htm

Reflection 3 – The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. —Luke 10:2

Things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years. Jesus observed in His day what a thoughtful Christian observes in ours. “The harvest truly is great” (Lk. 10:2).

Stroll through a bookstore and you can see shelves of books on “new age” and “spirituality.” But what is called “new age” is merely the age-old desire to make some sense out of life. Citizens of our age try to satisfy their thirst for significance by drinking too much, eating too much, watching too much television. What they are longing for is Jesus Christ.

The great theologian Augustine took the pulse of his time and ours when he wrote, “O Lord, You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in You.”

The harvest has never been greater. But Jesus noted, “The laborers are few.” Why? How come there aren’t enough workers to gather in the crop? There are certainly enough professing Christians to make a dent in the harvest, but we don’t seem to want to go. Is it a fear that we may fail? Are we afraid that people will reject us and our message?

Don’t let fear stop you. Go out into the “fields” of your neighborhood, your worksite, your school. You can’t control the response—but you can preach the message.  — Haddon W. Robinson

Go in the power the Lord will provide you,
Led by the Spirit each day;
You cannot fail on the mission He sends you—
Go then, no longer delay. —Peterson

If faith in Christ is worth having, it’s worth sharing (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 4 – Interdependence instead of individualism

listen to this reflection

Take note of the friends that God has placed in your life. Who is in your Christian community? Let’s expand that: Which people are blessings from God, even if they don’t belong to the same denomination as you or don’t even go to any church at all? Which people are you repeatedly running into, and every time you do, you find yourself experiencing God’s presence?

And who do you turn to when you need help from God?

Ask why God has brought these people into your life. Why does he make your paths cross? Could there be a reason that serves his kingdom? Could they be God sneaking up to you in the disguise of human flesh?

Let’s look at the role of friendships in ministry. In today’s first reading, Paul is unhappy about losing some friends who had been working with him in ministry, and he is looking forward to others joining him. The responsorial Psalm reminds us that we do not make known the splendor of God’s kingdom by ourselves. In the Gospel reading, Jesus sends his disciples out into ministry with partners.

We have been living in a very individualistic age, but God designed us to need community. This inherent nature has begun to restore the world back to interdependence; it’s being manifested in the fast growth of social networking websites, increased collaborations between companies and nations, and a global structure of interconnectedness that ties economies so closely together that the strength of one country builds the strength of the rest of the world, and the weaknesses of one country makes us all more vulnerable.

The Church, more than ever, needs to understand and embrace interdependence. It is vital. The old, parochial attitude of “my ministry” or “my parish” or “my diocese” or “my denomination” works against us today. Networking and collaborations bring in new strength, new growth, and a witness of love that attracts non-believers and inactive Catholics to the Church. Our hierarchy must work together with religious and laity and be seen by the world as collaborators giving each other mutual respect, or else the Church’s credibility will continue to erode — and this is so anti-evangelization that it is an evil that we truly must, as a community, overcome.

We as individual Christians, also need to embrace the interdependence of community life, because we experience Jesus most fully through others, and the more “others” that we gather around us who can reveal Jesus to us, who can be his hands of help, his embrace of comfort, and his voice of guidance, the more we receive whatever we need from him.

If something important is lacking in your life, it’s probably because you’ve done too little to build up Godly friendships or you’ve self-sufficiently not allowed your friends to serve you. And if something is lacking in your ministry (whatever might be your personal way of revealing Christ to others), it’s probably because you’re not collaborating with others.

Most of the time, God provides whatever we need through community. When was the last time you needed a hug and Jesus came to you in the hug of a friend? When did God send you an email from a friend because you were confused and uncertain? Similarly, God provides what he wants to give to others through you. Is there anyone suffering because you’re not involved enough in community life? Yes! You are important. Jesus wants to minister to others through you in a way that no one else can do.

In community, we are the Body of Christ — each of us are different parts of the same Body — so that the world can experience Jesus in the flesh. – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2018-10-18

Reflection 5 – The 4 stages of apostleship

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus sends his disciples forth as evangelizers. This is our mission; it’s the mission of the Church. We’re sent forth as evangelizers at the end of every Mass. The priest, speaking for Jesus, empowers us with words such as: “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord” or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” Or, as in Luke 10:3, “Go on your way! Behold, I am sending you!”

Jesus commissions us and commands us to go and make a difference in the world, in whatever capacity we can, in our homes, workplaces, recreation, etc.

“Go!” is the main action verb in Christianity. “I am sending you” is the main agenda in Christianity. The original Greek word for being “sent forth” evolved into the word “apostle” — an apostle is a disciple sent by the teacher to do the work that the teacher assigns.

All Christians are supposed to mature into apostles. We all have apostolates! Our apostolates are assignments from Jesus to use whatever gifts we have, with whatever we’ve learned, wherever we find ourselves.

There are four stages of apostleship. First is PREPARATION, when we are discipled and disciplined by Jesus. We learn from hardships. We discover what impassions us. We mature in the recognition of and use of our gifts and talents.

Next is INVOLVEMENT, when we become active in ministry. Even before our preparations are finished, we start using our gifts and passions and newly gained wisdom in the service of God. And, by the way, if you are finding no outlet for the service you can give to God, contact me at Good News Ministries. We often are able to open doors that satisfy the desire to make a difference for the kingdom of Christ. Good News Ministries is plural — we are not Good News Ministry — because we do many forms of ministry under the over-arching mission of bringing others closer to Christ and helping them on their journey to heaven. What would you like to do with the preparations you’ve been through? Talk to us about it! Go to gnm.org/about-join.

Next, if we truly desire to be effective apostles, we enter into TESTING. We experience trials that challenge us where we’re called to serve, like gold purified in fire. For some, it’s the “dark night of the soul” and it might continue for years.

For example, we find ourselves in difficult relationships that challenge us to love and forgive more sacrificially. Our ministries might be interrupted by obstacles that challenge our trust in God and stretch our ability to discern where he’s leading us. If we don’t run away from these challenges or quit for the sake of an easier life, we’re ready for Stage 4: SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT, when we’re useful enough to reach our full potential and make a huge difference.

Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-10-18

To help you advance in your usefulness to God, you can use my own personal prayer for this, which I’ve shared on our website at wordbytes.gnm.org/discernment-prayer-to-become-Gods-instrument.

Reflection 6 – St. Luke

Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. In the two books he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers. Tradition holds him to be a native of Antioch, and Paul calls him “our beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14). His Gospel was probably written between A.D. 70 and 85.

Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion. “Only Luke is with me,” Paul writes (2 Timothy 4:11).

Comment:

Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. This Gospel reveals Luke’s expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources.

The character of Luke may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles: 1) The Gospel of Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ compassion and patience with the sinners and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all, showing concern for Samaritans, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners, unlettered shepherds, the poor. Luke alone records the stories of the sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, the good thief. 2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is the son of Adam, not just of David, and Gentiles are his friends too. 3) The Gospel of the Poor: “Little people” are prominent—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon, and the elderly widow Anna. He is also concerned with what we now call “evangelical poverty.” 4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation: He stresses the need for total dedication to Christ. 5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit: He shows Jesus at prayer before every important step of his ministry. The Spirit is bringing the Church to its final perfection. 6) The Gospel of Joy: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of salvation that permeated the primitive Church.

Quote:

“Then [Jesus] led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God” (Luke 24:50-53).

Patron Saint of: Artists, Brewers, Butchers, Doctors, Notaries, Painters, Physicians, Surgeons

Read the source:  http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1172

SAINT OF THE DAY
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Read more from the source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_the_Evangelist
“Saint Luke” redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Luke (disambiguation).
LUKE THE EVANGELIST
Andrea Mantegna 017.jpg

detail of the St. Luke altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna
APOSTLE, EVANGELIST
BORN Antioch, Syria, Roman Empire
DIED c. 84
near Boeotia, Greece
VENERATED IN Roman Catholic Church,Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches,Anglican Church, Lutheran Church, some otherProtestantChurches
MAJORSHRINE Padua, Italy
FEAST 18 October
PATRONAGE artists, physicians, surgeons, and others[1]

Luke the Evangelist (Ancient Greek: Λουκᾶς, Loukás) is one of theFour Evangelists—the four authors of canonicalGospels of Jesus Christ. Luke was a native of the Hellenistic city of Antioch in Syria. The early church fathers ascribed to him authorship of both theGospel according to Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles, which originally formed a single literary work, referred to as Luke–Acts. Prominent figures in early Christianity such as Jerome andEusebius later reaffirmed his authorship, although the fragile evidence of the identity of the author of the works has led todiscussion in scholarly circles, both secular and religious.

The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a few times, and the Pauline epistle to the Colossians refers to him as a doctor; thus he is thought to have been both a physician and a disciple of Paul. Christians since the faith’s early years have regarded him as a saint. He is believed to have died a martyr, although accounts of the events do vary.

The Roman Catholic Church and other major denominations venerate him as Saint Luke the Evangelist and as apatron saint ofartists, physicians, surgeons, students and butchers; his feast daytakes place on 18 October.

Life[edit]

Base of a pillar at Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Puducherry, India

It is believed by many scholars that Luke was a Greek physician who lived in the Greek city of Antioch in Ancient Syria, though some other scholars and theologians think Luke was a Hellenic Jew.[2][3]This Luke is mentioned in Paul’s Epistle to Philemon (v.24), and in two other epistles which are traditionally ascribed to Paul (Epistle to the Colossians 4:14 and Second Epistle to Timothy 4:11).[4][5][6][7][8]

His earliest notice is in Paul’s Epistle to Philemon—Philemon 1:24. He is also mentioned in Colossians 4:14 and2Timothy 4:11, two works commonly ascribed to Paul. The next earliest account of Luke is in the Anti-Marcionite Prologue to the Gospel of Luke, a document once thought to date to the 2nd century, but which has more recently been dated to the later 4th century.[citation needed] Helmut Koester, however, claims that the following part—the only part preserved in the original Greek—may have been composed in the late 2nd century:

Luke, was born in Antioch, by profession, was a physician.[9] He had become a disciple of the apostle Paul and later followed Paul until his [Paul’s] martyrdom. Having served the Lordcontinuously, unmarried and without children, filled with theHoly Spirit he died at the age of 84 years. (p. 335)

James Tissot, Saint Luke (Saint Luc), Brooklyn Museum

Epiphanius states that Luke was one of the Seventy Apostles(Panarion 51.11), and John Chrysostom indicates at one point that the “brother” Paul mentions in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians 8:18 is either Luke or Barnabas.[citation needed]

If one accepts that Luke was in fact the author of the Gospel bearing his name and also the Acts of the Apostles, certain details of his personal life can be reasonably assumed. While he does exclude himself from those who were eyewitnesses toJesus‘ ministry, he repeatedly uses the word “we” in describing the Pauline missions inActs of the Apostles, indicating that he was personally there at those times.[10]

There is similar evidence that Luke resided in Troas, the province which included the ruins of ancient Troy, in that he writes in Acts in the third person about Paul and his travels until they get to Troas, where he switches to the first person plural. The “we” section of Actscontinues until the group leaves Philippi, when his writing goes back to the third person. This change happens again when the group returns to Philippi. There are three “we sections” in Acts, all following this rule. Luke never stated, however, that he lived in Troas, and this is the only evidence that he did.[citation needed]

Luke as depicted in the head-piece of an Armenian Gospel manuscript from 1609 held at the Bodleian Library

The composition of the writings, as well as the range of vocabulary used, indicate that the author was an educated man. A quote in theLetter of Paul to the Colossians differentiates between Luke and other colleagues “of the circumcision.”

10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. … 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.Colossians 4:10–11,14.

This comment has traditionally caused commentators to conclude that Luke was a Gentile. If this were true, it would make Luke the only writer of the New Testament who can clearly be identified as not being Jewish. However, that is not the only possibility. Although Luke is considered likely to be a Gentile Christian, some scholars believe him to be a Hellenized Jew.[2][3][11] The phrase could just as easily be used to differentiate between those Christians who strictly observed the rituals of Judaism and those who did not.[10]

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, we find several accounts in the first person also affirming Luke’s presence in Rome including Acts 28:16: “And when we came to Rome…” According to some accounts,[who?] Luke also contributed to theauthorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews.[citation needed]

Luke died at age 84 in Boeotia, according to a “fairly early and widespread tradition”.[12] According to Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos (Ecclesiastical History 14th century AD., Migne P.G. 145, 876) and others, Luke’s tomb was located inThebes, whence his relics were transferred to Constantinople in the year 357.[citation needed]

Luke as a historian[edit]

See also: Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles, Census of Quirinius and Chronology of Jesus

A medieval Armenian illumination, by Toros Roslin.

Most scholars understand Luke’s works (Luke-Acts) in the tradition of Greek historiography.[13] The preface of The Gospel of Luke[14]drawing on historical investigation identified the work to the readers as belonging to the genre of history.[15] There is some disagreement about how best to treat Luke’s writings, with some historians regarding Luke as highly accurate, and others taking a more critical approach.

Based on his accurate description of towns, cities and islands, as well as correctly naming various official titles, archaeologistSir William Ramsay wrote that “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… [he] should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”[16] Professor of Classics atAuckland University, E.M. Blaiklock, wrote: “For accuracy of detail, and for evocation of atmosphere, Luke stands, in fact, withThucydides. The Acts of the Apostles is not shoddy product of pious imagining, but a trustworthy record… it was the spadework of archaeology which first revealed the truth.”[17] New Testament scholar Colin Hemer has made a number of advancements in understanding the historical nature and accuracy of Luke’s writings.[18]

On the purpose of Acts, New Testament Scholar Luke Timothy Johnson has noted that “Luke’s account is selected and shaped to suit his apologetic interests, not in defiance of but in conformity to ancient standards of historiography.”[19] Such a position is shared by most commentators such as Richard Heard who sees historical deficiencies as arising from “special objects in writing and to the limitations of his sources of information.”[20] However, during modern times, Luke’s competence as a historian is questioned, although that depends on one’s a priori view of the supernatural. A materialist would see a narrative that relates supernatural, fantastic things like angels, demons etc., as problematic as a historical source. And it is understood that Luke did not intend to record history. His intention was to proclaim and to persuade. Many see this understanding as the final nail in Luke the historian’s coffin.[21]Robert M. Grant has noted that although Luke saw himself within the historical tradition, his work contains a number of statistical improbabilities such as the sizable crowd addressed by Peter in Acts 4:4. He has also noted chronological difficulties whereby Luke “hasGamaliel refer to Theudas and Judas in the wrong order, and Theudas actually rebelled about a decade after Gamaliel spoke (5:36–7)”[13]

Luke the Evangelist painting the first icon of the Virgin Mary.

Luke as an artist[edit]

Christian tradition, starting from the 8th century, states that he was the first icon painter. He is said to have painted pictures of the Virgin Mary and Child, in particular the Hodegetria image inConstantinople (now lost). Starting from the 11th century a number of painted images were venerated as his autograph works, including for example, the Black Madonna of Częstochowa and Our Lady of Vladimir. He was also said to have painted Saints Peter and Paul, and to have illustrated a gospel book with a full cycle of miniatures.[22][23]

Late medieval Guilds of St Luke in the cities of Late Medieval Europe, especially Flanders, or the “Accademia di San Luca” (Academy of St. Luke) in Rome—imitated in many other European cities during the 16th century—gathered together and protected painters. The tradition that Luke painted icons of Mary and Jesus has been common, particularly in Eastern Orthodoxy. The tradition also has support from the Saint Thomas Christians of India who claim to still have one of theTheotokos icons that St. Luke painted and which St. Thomas brought to India.[24]

New Testament books[edit]

See also Gospel of Luke: Author and Acts of the Apostles: Authorship

The Gospel of Luke was written by an anonymous author.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] The Gospel wasn’t written and does not claim to be written by direct witnesses to the reported events.[27][34][35]

Additionally, the earliest manuscript of the Gospel, dated circa AD 200, ascribes the work to Luke; as did Irenaeus, writing circa AD 180, and the Muratorian fragmentfrom AD 170.[36]

Luke and the Madonna, Altar of the Guild of St. Luke, Hermen Rode,Lübeck 1484.

Luke paints the Madonna and theBaby Jesus, by Maarten van Heemskerck

The ox as symbol of St. Luke[edit]

In traditional depictions, such as paintings, evangelist portraits and church mosaics, St. Luke is often accompanied by an ox or bull, usually having wings. Sometimes only the symbol is shown, especially when in a combination of those of all Four Evangelists.[37][38]

The relics of St. Luke the Evangelist[edit]

Despot George of Serbia bought the relics from the Ottoman sultanMurad II for 30,000 gold coins.[39][40][not in citation given] After theOttoman conquest of Bosnia, the kingdom’s last queen, George’s granddaughter Mary, who had brought the relics with her from Serbia as her dowry, sold them to the Venetian Republic.[41]

In 1992, the then Greek Orthodox Metropolitan IeronymosofThebes and Levathia (the current Archbishop of Athens and All Greece) requested from Bishop Antonio Mattiazzo of Padua the return of “a significant fragment of the relics of St. Luke to be placed on the site where the holy tomb of the Evangelist is located and venerated today”. This prompted a scientific investigation of the relics in Padua, and by numerous lines of empirical evidence (archeological analyses of the Tomb inThebes and the Reliquary ofPadua, anatomical analyses of the remains, Carbon-14 dating, comparison with the purported skull of the Evangelist located inPrague) confirmed that these were the remains of an individual of Syrian descent who died between 72 and 416 A.D. The Bishop of Padua then delivered to Metropolitan Ieronymos the rib of St. Luke that was closest to his heart to be kept at his tomb in Thebes, Greece.[39][40]

Thus, nowadays, the relics of St. Luke are so divided:

See also[edit]

References and sources[edit]

References
  1. Jump up^ “Saint Luke the Evangelist”. Star Quest Production Network. Retrieved2008-12-27.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985. “The Gospels” pp. 266–268
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b Strelan, Rick. Luke the Priest – the Authority of the Author of the Third Gospel – Was Luke a Jew or Gentile? Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., May 1, 2013, pages 102–110.
  4. Jump up^ The New Testament Documents: Their Origin and Early History, George Milligan, 1913, Macmillan and Co., p. 149
  5. Jump up^ Saints: A Visual Guide, Edward Mornin, Lorna Mornin, 2006, Eerdmans Books, p. 74
  6. Jump up^ “Gospel of Saint Luke”, Aherne, Cornelius, The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 24 Feb. 2013
  7. Jump up^ New Outlook, Alfred Emanuel Smith, 1935, Outlook Pub. Co., p. 792
  8. Jump up^ New Testament Studies. I. Luke the Physician: The Author of the Third Gospel, Adolf von Harnack, 1907, Williams & Norgate;G.P. Putnam’s Sons, p. 5
  9. Jump up^ A Commentary on the Original Text of the Acts of the Apostles, Horatio Balch Hackett, 1858, Gould and Lincoln; Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., p. 12
  10. ^ Jump up to:a b Encyclopædia Britannica, Micropædia vol. 7, p. 554–555. Chicago:Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc, 1998. ISBN 0-85229-633-9.
  11. Jump up^ Thomas S. McCall, Th.D. Was Luke a Gentile?
  12. Jump up^ Michael Walsh, ed. “Butler’s Lives of the Saints.” (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, 1991), pp. 342.
  13. ^ Jump up to:a b Grant, Robert M., “A Historical Introduction to the New Testament” (Harper and Row, 1963)
  14. Jump up^ “Luke 1:1–4”.
  15. Jump up^ Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. 117.
  16. Jump up^ Ramsay, The Bearing Of Recent Discovery On The Trustworthiness Of The New Testament, 222, 1915
  17. Jump up^ Blaiklock, The Archaeology of the New Testament, page 96, Zondervan Publishing Houst, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1970.
  18. Jump up^ Hemer, “The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenic History”, 104–107, as summarized by MacDowell.
  19. Jump up^ Johnson, Luke Timothy (1992). The Acts of the Apostles. The Liturgical Press. pp. 474–476.
  20. Jump up^ Heard, Richard (1950). “13: The Acts of the Apostles”. An Introduction to the New Testament. Harper & Brothers.
  21. Jump up^ Powell, Mark (1989). What are they saying about Luke?. Paulist Press. p. 6.ISBN 0-8091-3111-0.
  22. Jump up^ Grigg, Robert, “Byzantine Credulity as an Impediment to Antiquarianism”, Gesta, Vol. 26, No. 1 (1987), pp. 5–6, The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the International Center of Medieval Art, JSTOR
  23. Jump up^ The basic study on the legends concerning Saint Luke as a painter is Michele Bacci, Il pennello dell’Evangelista. Storia delle immagini sacre attribuite a san Luca (Pisa: Gisem, 1998).
  24. Jump up^ Father H. Hosten in his book Antiquities notes the following “The picture at the mount is one of the oldest, and, therefore, one of the most venerable Christian paintings to be had in India. Other traditions hold that St. Luke painted two icons which currently are in Greece: the “Theotokos Mega Spileotissa” (Our Lady of the Great Cave, where supposedly St. Luke lived for a period of time in asceticism) and the “Panagia Soumela”, and “Panagia Kykkou” which are in Cyprus.”
  25. Jump up^ E P Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus, (Penguin, 1995) page 63–64.
  26. Jump up^ Bart D. Ehrman (2000:43) The New Testament: a historical introduction to early Christian writings. Oxford University Press.
  27. ^ Jump up to:a b Bart D. Ehrman (2005:235) Lost Christianities: the battles for scripture and the faiths we never knew Oxford University Press, New York.
  28. Jump up^ Geoffrey W. Bromiley (1995:287) International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: K-P MATTHEW, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. Quote: „Matthew, like the other three Gospels is an anonymous document.”
  29. Jump up^ Donald Senior, Paul J. Achtemeier, Robert J. Karris (2002:328) Invitation to the Gospels Paulist Press.
  30. Jump up^ Keith Fullerton Nickle (2001:43) The Synoptic Gospels: an introductionWestminster John Knox Press.
  31. Jump up^ Ben Witherington (2004:44) The Gospel code: novel claims about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Da Vinci InterVarsity Press.
  32. Jump up^ F.F. Bruce (1994:1) The Gospel of John Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
  33. Jump up^ Patrick J. Flannagan (1997:16) The Gospel of Mark Made Easy Paulist Press
  34. Jump up^ Bart D. Ehrman (2004:110) Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine.Oxford University Press.
  35. Jump up^ Bart D. Ehrman (2006:143) The lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot: a new look at betrayer and betrayed. Oxford University Press.
  36. Jump up^ Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 267. Anchor Bible; 1st edition (October 13, 1997).ISBN 978-0-385-24767-2.
  37. Jump up^ Stefano Zuffi (2003). “The Evangelists and their symbols”.Gospel Figures in Art. Getty Publications. ISBN 0-89236-727-X.
  38. Jump up^ George Ashdown Audsley and William Audsley (1865). “Chapter VI. Symbols and emblems of the Evangelists and the Apostles”. Handbook of Christian Symbolism. Reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, 2003, ISBN 978-0-7661-5437-7.
  39. ^ Jump up to:a b The Beloved Physician St. Luke, Padua.
  40. ^ Jump up to:a b Wade, Nicholas. “Body of St. Luke Gains Credibility.” New York Times, October 16, 2001.
  41. Jump up^ Van Antwerp Fine, John, The Bosnian Church: a new interpretation: a study of the Bosnian Church and its place in state and society from the 13th to the 15th centuries, page 331, East European quarterly, 1975.
Sources
  • Michele Bacci, Il pennello dell’Evangelista. Storia delle immagini sacre attribuite a san Luca