Lesson One, Question 2

2. How did Luke assure the accuracy of what he wrote? Why is this important? (1:2-4)

[REPOSTED FROM BARBARA T. ALEXANDER (MOM)]

He researced the writings of some of the eyewitnesses of Jesus' life, His works and His teaching .

It is important because there were some disconnected and ill-founded reports about Jesus, as well as some attacks by unbelievers.

2. Luke tells us that he has carefully investigated everything he reports from the beginning. He assures Theophilus that he can have certainty about their authenticity. This is important because, as Luke points out, many have made accounts of the life of Jesus. Luke puts his reputation as a man of science, a doctor, on the line to tell his readers that he has investigated each claim and presents here the truth as he has discovered it to be.

Tara Bernard wrote:2.   Luke tells us that he has carefully investigated everything he reports from the beginning.  He assures Theophilus that he can have certainty about their authenticity.  This is important because, as Luke points out, many have made accounts of the life of Jesus.  Luke puts his reputation as a man of science, a doctor, on the line to tell his readers that he has investigated each claim and presents here the truth as he has discovered it to be.

Re Question 2:

I was struck by your comments, and started thinking about Luke as a man. We do not know for sure, but it is possible that he maybe never even heard of the Hebrew belief in one true, all-powerful God, and that a Savior was coming to them. He probably believed in the Greek gods, or maybe held no beliefs at all.



Further, he was a doctor. Thinking about this is what struck me so powerfully….. doctors see death every day, and my guess is that no doctor believed that a person could come back from the dead, could be resurrected. Luke came to believe, like Mary, that with God nothing is impossible.





My comments and questions re Zechariah’s response to Gabriel (which precedes Question 3) But first, here is Luke 1:18 from several Bible translations:



KJV: And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.



ESV: And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”



NIV: Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.



Amplified Bible: And Zechariah said to the angel, By what shall I know and be sure of this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years.”







Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text (George Lamsa’s Translations From the Aramaic of the Peshitta): And Zechariah said to the angel,

How will I understand this? for I am an old man and my wife is well on in years



The Message: Zachariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m and old man and my wife is an old woman.”



Question: What is the best way to understand Zachariah’s question?



“Whereby shall I know this?” (i.e. by what means?), “How shall I know this?, “How can I be sure of this?”, “By what shall I know and be sure of this?” “How will I understand this?” and “Do you expect me to believe this?”



Is Zachariah asking for a sign? More words to assure him? Some further information to help him understand? What exactly is he asking?



I first read this verse in The Message: “Do you expect me to believe this?” Talk about contemporary language! But isn’t this something one of us might say today were we told of something to happen that goes against our understanding of “the laws of nature.”? (As in: You say I am going to have a baby? And me being 80 years old? !!!“You’ve got to be kidding!”)