Luke 1:1-4

The servant through whom God works, the Son of God, the promised Messiah and the only way to the Father, Jesus’s birth, suffering, death and the promise of salvation that He would give to man was written about in the Old Testament, was fulfilled in the New Testament and will reach its conclusion when He returns. 

These verses suggest that Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ ministry, but that he had access to statements of those who were. Luke investigated his topic and he did it with care. He did not claim to know everything about Jesus, but what he described was studied and treated accurately.

The purpose of this term was to give assurance to Theophilus, a young believer. It is likely that Theophilus was a Gentile, since so much of Luke and Acts is concerned with Jewish-Gentile relationships. He not only needed to know the truth and accuracy of what the church taught, but also needed to be reassured. He might well have been wondering what he as a Gentile was doing in a movement which was originally Jewish, especially when so many Israelites were rejecting the message. Luke assured Theophilus and his other readers that Jesus is the Messiah. He is worthy of everyone’s worship because He is the Son of the living God.

Luke 1:1-4

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, ² just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.