THE GOSPELS
STUDY GUIDE 4.1
Lesson 4: The Gospel of Luke
Section 1: Background


OUTLINE FOR NOTES

Introduction

I. Background

A. Author

  1. Traditional View

  2. Personal History

B. Original Audience

  1. Theophilus

  2. Broader Audience

C. Occasion

  1. Date

  2. Purpose




REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why do most scholars think that the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts were written by the same person?

2. Explain the evidence that shows Luke was the author of Luke and Acts.

3. What are the common ways to date an ancient manuscript?

4. What is the name of the manuscript, dated around AD 180, that says in the title, "Gospel According to Luke"?

5. What is the name of the earliest known document (AD 170-180) that lists the canonical books of the New Testament, and that clearly assigns the third gospel to Luke?

6. Write down what the Anti-Marcionite Prologue says about the third gospel.

7. How did Luke obtain the information about the life of Christ that he reports in his gospel?

8. Write down key facts about Luke, the author of the third gospel.

9. Write down key facts about the person to whom the gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts were addressed.

10. Besides the person he addressed at the beginning of the gospel, who was the wider audience of Luke as he wrote the gospel?

11. Mention factors that help us find the probable date when Luke wrote his gospel.

12. What was the purpose of the Gospel of Luke?


APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. What difference does it make to you to know the background information about the Gospel of Luke? How does it affect the way you study this gospel?

2. What can we learn from the lives of Luke and Theophilus? Did anything about them surprise you?