Dear 365 Readers,

There are four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – and frequently we lump them all together.  I am certainly guilty of this!  However, it is fascinating to consider how each author chose a different style and emphasis for a different audience.  We start reading Luke tomorrow (10/21).

Luke probably did not know Jesus personally as he was not one of the twelve disciples, but he was a dedicated early convert and he accompanied the apostle Paul on missionary trips.  As Luke mentions in his opening paragraph, he felt the need to research eyewitness accounts and to write an orderly documentation of the life of Christ.  His book shows thoroughness and detail, starting with before Jesus’ birth and ending after His ascension into heaven.

If Matthew was focused on tying together key points and sermons as they related to Jewish audiences and history, and Mark was a gospel of action for non-Jewish readers, then Luke could be considered the gospel of relationships.  Luke notes many different ethnic, religious, and social groups and how they respond to Jesus, and he provides excellent character descriptions.  Additionally, there are two large sections in Luke not found in other gospels:  Chapters 1-2 on the birth of Jesus, and chapters 10-19 containing some of the most famous parables and teachings of Jesus.

Enjoy!