Who Was Luke in the Bible — Meaning Explained

Luke is identified by Paul as 'the beloved physician' (Colossians 4:14). He was a Gentile — the only non-Jewish author of a New Testament book. Luke accompanied Paul on several missionary journeys, as indicated by the 'we' passages in Acts (Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18, 27:1-28:16). His Gospel is the most literary and detailed of the four, addressed to 'most excellent Theophilus' (Luke 1:3). Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion for the poor, women, and outcasts. He carefully investigated his sources 'from the very first' (Luke 1:3) to produce an 'orderly account.' The Book of Acts continues the story, tracing the church's expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. Luke remained with Paul during his final imprisonment when others had departed (2 Timothy 4:11). His contributions give us the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the detailed account of Christ's birth.