The Life of Christ

LESSON 1

SECTION 1

Lk. 1:1-4 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Luke is writing to Theophilus, concerning the account of the life of Jesus.

• The word "Theophilus,” actually means "friend of God.”

• When Luke writes the Acts of the Apostles, he also addresses his work to Theophilus, but drops the “most excellent” before his name. Luke just calls him Theophilus.

• The reason is perhaps because Theophilus since became a “brother in Christ,” no longer making it necessary to address him with such formality.

• In this paragraph, Luke provides insight on how he, and perhaps the other Gospel authors, received their material — much came from eyewitnesses.

Sources may have included:

Other apostles

•

The women who followed Jesus

•

• The people who were ministered to by Jesus

• Other first-hand eyewitnesses such as perhaps the Innkeeper’s son.

• The value of “eyewitnesses” is that if there was anything misquoted by the Gospel writers, the eyewitnesses would likely speak up against what was said.

• Luke also boldly quoted 32 countries, 54 cities, and nine islands in his Gospel and in the Book of Acts, without any known errors. 1

Also, from this paragraph we can see Luke’s desire to be exact in everything he wrote.

• He gathered his material in exact form; the Holy Spirit then provided the additional inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16).

• Luke’s spiritual gift was clearly one of a “teacher.”

How do we historically know that Jesus ever lived? Some skeptics suggest that He was a mythological character, rather than an actual historical person.

• The belief that Jesus never existed was picked up by Carl Marx and became the official view of Marxism. 2

1 Geisler and Howe, When Critics Ask (Wheaton IL: Victor, 1992), 385. 2 Craig Evans, “Life of Jesus Research and the Eclipse of Mythology,” TS 54 (1993):7, n 22.

7