Doctor Luke
Acts 16:10-13
This passage begins the series of “we” found in Acts. Dr Luke at these times is traveling with Paul in his missionary team.
Some of postulated that Luke was once a slave in the household of Theophilus. Theophilus sent Luke to medical school. Once Luke became a Christian, he told his master and he got saved. Soon afterwards he gave Luke his freedom.
It was also suggested that Luke and Paul first met each other studying in Tarsus
The Historian
In Imperial Rome there was an accrediting college at Rome that supervised the licensing of medical doctors. Collegium Archiatorum
Historian of Christ
Luke was the only Gentile writer of the Bible.
While Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years (the Roman capital of Palestine) Luke could have found eye witnesses and interviewed them for his record of Christ.
He records six miracles of Jesus nobody else mentions
He records 35 parables, 19 of which he only records
Good Samaritan, the rich fool, the prodigal son, the rich steward, rich man and Lazarus, the Pharisee and the publican
Luke had a Pauline view of Calvary and often used words like grace, salvation and Saviour
Historian of the Church
Luke traveled with Paul for much of his missionary journey and imprisonment
He gave a firsthand account of the activities in Acts
The book of Acts is an essential link between the Gospel records and the epistles
Luke carries the story of Acts in three movements: the founding emphasis of the church, the forward emphasis of the church and the foreign emphasis of the church
The Helper
Imagine all the troubles and tribulations that Paul had endured. It was his doctor that allowed him to keep going on physically
The Hero
When Paul appealed to Caesar, he was confident that he would receive a fair trial, since he was a Roman citizen.
Nero at this time seemed to be a good emperor. The first 5 years of his reign he was under the influence of his tutor Seneca, the Stoic philosopher and Afranius Burrus, the honest prefect of the Praetorian Guard
Paul was kept under house arrest for two years in Rome. During that time the Sanhedrin’s case was allowed to run out. There were severe punishments to those who brought frivolous charges
Paul was released from prison and he was allowed to resume his missionary journeys.
In 62 AD there was a change in Nero’s influences. Burrus died and was replaced with a corrupt official. His tutor retired. Nero divorced his wife and married a Jewish woman, who was a friend of the Jews and hated Christianity
In 64 AD Nero set fire to Rome and blamed the Christians. Paul was rearrested as the ringleader of the Christians and instead of house arrest he was thrown in a dungeon prison called Mammertine prison.
At this time in his life only Luke stayed with him. Some of Paul’s colleges abandoned him, others he sent away. Luke was willing to stay with him.
Paul was dependent on Luke for food. Luke had to dress his wounds