Featured A subtle attack

So, what is the point being made? That Luke was a Jew?

 

I'm a Jew.

"You shall not eat pizza w/ mushrooms"

 

I reject that concept that Luke was simply "a pen" - that is, he simply took dictation. That goes against what he wrote and many clues within his gospel.

At the same time, I also reject the idea that just because Luke's specific heritage and ways of thinking (Greek-influenced) played a role in the way the Luke's Gospel was written and organized, that it must be something less than divinely inspired.

God used the personalities, language, education, and knowledge of the human authors of the scriptures to express Himself.

 

This idea is D.OA.

 

Was Luke included among those of the circumcision?

Colossians 4:10–15

(NIV)
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 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. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

(AV)
Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him and Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

Rob

 

Perhaps there is an opportunity here to teach concerning the nature of how God penned His Word. It seems the OP gives the impression that God worked through men in the way we have seen or heard about with the cultist practice of automatic writing. Well, this is certainly nothing of the kind with our Bibles. Nor was it in such a fashion with the prophets when they spoke by the Holy Spirit. We do not have holy men becoming "possessed" and losing control of themselves because they have been taken over by our Lord. No. This is not the way the Lord has spoken to men and through men either by word or pen.

But that said, what say ye? Should we outline the teaching about how God inspired Scripture?

 

I understand that Luke wrote with the defense of Paul, before Caesar, in mind.

 

I'm not sure I understand the point of this thread. If we say Luke is a Gentile (I'm not saying that), how does it undermine God's Word?

 

I will freely confess that I have always thought of Luke as non-Jewish convert. Not sure where I came to that conclusion, but it seemed like several places in Acts where Luke is not considered part of the ethnic Jews.

However, I have not given it any serious consideration or study.

 

Col 4:10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),
Col 4:11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
Col 4:13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
Col 4:14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

 

"A suggestion that has greater merit is that Luke was a god-fearer, a gentile who had strong sympathies for Judaism without becoming a convert. Such hypothesis explains, on the one hand, Colossians 4:10-14 and the Gentile focus of Luke's writings, and, on the other hand, the author's intimate knowledge of the Old Testament (in Greek) and Judaism."

Douglas Moo; D.A. Carson, An Introduction to the New Testament. (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 2005) pg.206

 

Is it any consolation that Paul has grouped himself with many Gentile Ministers? Titus, Timothy(half), Luke? Wouldn't it make sense to have Godly Gentiles with him as he ministered to the gentiles? Just a thought

 

It is possible that Luke was of Jewish ancestry, but his own writings show us clearly that he was raised and educated in a Gentile environment with his first language being Greek rather than Aramaic or Hebrew. Moreover, the Apostle Paul refers to Luke as “the beloved physician” in Col. 4:14, and first-century physicians in the Hellenistic world were Gentiles rather than Jews. Furthermore, the name ‘Luke’ is a shortened version of the Latin name ; “Lucanus.” Are we to suppose that Hebrew parents would give their child a Roman name?

Every Christian who has even a basic knowledge of the world into which Jesus was born knows that Jesus was not born while Quirinius was governor of Syria,” but at least ten years earlier. However, we read in verse 2,

Luke 2:2 αυτη απογραφη πρωτη εγενετο ηγεμονευοντος της συριας κυρηνιου

Luke 2:2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. (NASB, 1995)

How can this be? Luke tells us very clearly how this can be,

1. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
2. just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
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 may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. (NASB, 1995)

Luke, according to is own testimony, “investigated everything carefully from the beginning,” but being a human being, he made a mistake. God did not make a mistake—Luke made the mistake, and his error has been preserved for us in his gospel. Many people, however, have made the mistake of not carefully reading Luke 1:1-4, and have jumped to the conclusion that that such an error would constitute an error in inspired Scripture. Conversely, inspired Scripture tells us that Luke “investigated everything carefully from the beginning,” and it tells us the result in this particular case.