Luke 1:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,

NIV: just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

NASB: just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,

CSB: just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us.

NLT: They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.

KJV: Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

NKJV: just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,

Christian beliefs did not originate with the writing of the Gospels. Years before books like the gospel of Luke were completed, letters such as those written by Paul (1 Corinthians 1:1–2) and James (James 1:1) were in circulation. The core beliefs of the Christian faith came even before then. What Luke presents is not a new, unknown story. These events were being spoken and written about by those who had seen, heard, and experienced Christ's ministry first-hand. Since Luke has extensive personal experience in these matters (Acts 16:10), he feels qualified to add his research to that conversation (Luke 1:1, 3).

Luke will explain that he wants to assure Christians about the truths of their faith. He seeks to promote certainty in those who read these records (Luke 1:4). Knowing these events are confirmed by those who saw them in person should inspire confidence. Believers in Jesus are not relying on shallow acceptance, but on facts established by eyewitnesses and reliable sources.

Luke 1:1–4 introduces the purpose of this gospel. Luke intends to compile an "orderly account" of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. His content is based on personal experience, eyewitness testimony, and other firsthand sources. These beliefs predate the writing of the New Testament, and Luke's goal is to inspire confidence in those truths. The book of Acts is a direct continuation of this process (Acts 1:1–3).

The angel Gabriel predicts two miraculous births. The first is a son born to Zechariah and Elizabeth: an older, childless priest and his wife. Because Zechariah initially doubts this message, he is temporarily made unable to speak. Their child will be known as John the Baptist, a powerful herald of the Messiah. The Promised One whom John will proclaim is the second birth predicted by Gabriel. He tells an engaged virgin, Mary, that God will miraculously conceive His Son in her. The two women meet and rejoice over their blessings. John's arrival sets the stage for Luke's familiar account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke was a travelling companion of the apostle Paul (Acts 16:10); his book of Acts is a direct "sequel" to the gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1–3). Those two books make up more than a quarter of the New Testament. Luke begins by explaining how his orderly approach is meant to inspire confidence in Christian faith. His work is based on eyewitness interviews and other evidence. The first chapter details the miraculous conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 continues with Jesus' birth.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/5/2024 5:48:03 PM