Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke (literally, according to Luke; Greek, Κατά Λουκαν, Kata Loukan) is a synoptic Gospel, and the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. The text narrates the life of Jesus, with particular interest concerning his birth, ministry, death, and resurrection; and it ends with an account of the ascension.

The author is characteristically concerned with social ethics, the poor, women, and other oppressed groups. Certain well-loved stories on these themes, such as the prodigal son and the good Samaritan, are found only in this gospel. The Gospel also has a special emphasis on prayer, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and joyfulness. D. Guthrie stated, “it is full of superb stories and leaves the reader with a deep impression of the personality and teachings of Jesus. It is perhaps for this reason that for many it is their favourite gospel.

The introductory dedication to Theophilus, 1:1-4 states that "many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word", and that the author, "after investigating everything carefully from the very first" has decided likewise to compose an orderly account for Theophilus. Luke intended to write a historical account, bringing out the theological significance of the history. The author's purpose was to portray Christianity as divine, respectable, law-abiding, and international.

Scholarship today is in wide agreement that both the Gospel and Acts have the same author. Likewise, the traditional view of Lukan authorship is “widely held as the view which most satisfactorily explains all the data.” However, there is scholarly division concerning the traditional attribution that the text was written by Luke the companion of Paul (named in Colossians 4:14), division which R. E. Brown characterized as "evenly divided". Scholars are also in disagreement concerning the date of the Gospel, arguing either for a pre- or post-70 date, though most all would agree that the text is a first century work.