Luke

About the book of Luke

The Gospel of Luke is the third book of the New Testament. Its author was Luke, a physician and a close travel companion of the apostle Paul. He addressed the book to a man named Theophilus and describes it as a carefully researched, orderly account of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, drawn from people who had seen it for themselves. Luke wrote to show that Jesus is the Savior of all nations, not only of Israel.

Main themes

Luke pays special attention to people that society tends to overlook: women, shepherds, the poor, tax collectors and outcasts. Some of the best-loved stories of Jesus appear only in this Gospel, including the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and the lost son in Luke 15.

Underneath all of this runs the theme of God’s mercy. Luke shows a God who seeks and saves, who keeps his promises to Israel and opens the door to the whole world. Faith in Luke is often quiet and ordinary: a young woman who believes an angel, shepherds who go to see for themselves, a worried crowd told to look at the flowers of the field.

Verses from Luke on our apparel

Three verses from Luke are on our designs, and each comes as a T-shirt, a hoodie and a crewneck.

In Luke 1:45 Elizabeth greets Mary, who has just been told by an angel that she will bear a son, with these words: “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Mary trusted God’s word before she could see how it would happen. Our Blessed Is She design carries the verse for anyone holding on to a promise that has not come true yet.

In Luke 2:11 an angel brings good news to shepherds keeping watch outside Bethlehem: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” The news comes first to working men in the night fields, and it gives the child three titles at once: Saviour, Christ and Lord. Our Happy Birthday Jesus design prints the verse for Christmas gatherings.

In Luke 12:27 Jesus speaks to worried disciples while a crowd presses around him: “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” If God clothes a wildflower so well, he will not forget the people he loves. Our Consider the Lilies design keeps that comfort close on days when bills and plans feel heavy.

Frequently asked

Who was Theophilus? Luke addresses him in Luke 1:3 and again in Acts 1:1. He was probably the first reader or patron of the two books, and the Bible tells us nothing more about him.

How is Luke different from Matthew and Mark? Luke includes many scenes the others leave out, from the birth stories of John and Jesus to the visit of the shepherds, and he tells them with special care for the poor and the forgotten. He also continues the story in the book of Acts.

Verses from Luke