Proper Order

The Gospel of Luke alone has a preface to the message of Jesus Christ. Luke traced everything to its source. Thus, we do not have the word of Luke, but the Word of God by Luke. Luke made a diligent search into every detail. Furthermore, he wrote in sequence because he said, “…it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:3-4). Thus, Luke was determined to pass things on to others as they would then pass them on to others.

Luke does not suggest that the memorabilia of the “many” are to be rejected. Therefore, Paul said in his second letter to Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (II Tim. 2:2-7). What a lesson for us!

The outline of the preface to Luke’s narrative in verses 1-4 would be something like this: (1) Luke was qualified to write. (2) The apostles were eyewitnesses and attendants of the Word. (3) The purpose was the spiritual benefit of Theophilus (name means ‘friend of God’). He was a real person—not a symbol. The proper order of The Acts of the Apostles, his second book, is doctrine, salvation, worship, and service. Luke is the only one of the Gospel writers who stated method and purpose at the beginning of his book.

The application of the preface has an order as has been shown. Luke draws a portrait of Jesus Christ that met the highest ideals of the Greeks. Being a physician (Col. 4:14—“beloved physician”), he investigated things accurately from their source in order that others may know the reliability of the report. Luke was determined to pass the truth on to others who have hearing ears. In order that one may know (aorist active subjunctive of epiginosko) makes a thing the subject of observation. The prefix epi means full knowledge in addition to what he already had. In a good sense, Luke was a critic in order that he might be a rational and strong believer. He wanted the same for Theophilus—the friend of God.

Luke was determined to pass things on to others. We are not told who the “many” (v. 1) were who were mentioned by Luke. The record states, “In as much as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word” (Luke 1:1-2). This is another lesson for us! However, all that can be said with certainty is that it was written before the death of Paul (about 65 A.D.), for it was written before the Acts. “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen” (Acts 1:1-2).

Luke gives us a narrative to strengthen faith. He draws a portrait of Jesus Christ that met the highest ideals of the Greeks. Being a physician, Luke learned more about people than their diseases. Being not only a physician but a man of God, he was in a greater position to know the character of men. Paul said, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (I Thess. 2:13). Peter said, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (II Pet. 1:20-21).

Luke made a diligent search into every detail. Mary was representative of that humanity with which Jesus Christ was to be identified. Christ did not identify Himself with the fallen race, but with the elect viewed in Divine grace. Hebrews 2:14 states, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He [Christ] Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death….” In Christ’s earthly life and ministry, He never identified with the degradation of fallen mankind; He identified Himself with that which was of God. All titles and designations which the Lord assumed associate Him with the elect as the subjects of Divine grace. It would be blasphemy to say that Christ was identified with fallen mankind except in the atonement. Religionists become angry with men who expose heresy, not at the heresy exposed.

Now for the answer to the question at this point—What about the inspiration of the Spirit? We must approach the Bible the same way we approach the God-Man—the Son of God, the Son of man. Religionists make the same mistake with the Bible that they do with the Person of Christ Jesus. The following statement has been made: “All the way through, we have to discern the treasure in earthen vessels: the divinity in Christ’s humanity…the word of God in the fallible words of men.” The truth is the very opposite of this statement. There are certain parallels between Christ’s physical birth and the Christian’s spiritual birth. However, it must be clearly understood that Jesus Christ, the unique Person, needed no second birth.

John’s preparation was subsequent to the people having been prepared. Thus, we go from an aorist active infinitive to a perfect passive participle (Luke 1:17). God’s man cannot help others to be ready who have not first been made ready. The first verb is etoimadzo which means prepare or make ready. The second verb is kataskeuadzo and means who have been made ready. Its inflected form is a perfect passive participle. Luke would put his findings in a chronological sequence. He wanted a work shaped into a panoramic scene—an extended pictorial view of unfolding events of the history of the God-Man.

We must not overlook the fact that Jesus Christ, although Man, is the God-Man. The two natures of Christ have the same support—one Person and two natures. Christ’s human nature was never in conflict with the Divine nature. Advocates of peccability believe the Holy Spirit produced an unholy nature. If Jesus Christ in the flesh was capable of sinning, Mary was stained with unchastity; Christ was the seed of man rather than the woman; He was like all other men; He was not the Mediator; He was not free from original sin; He would have had to pray, “Father forgive Me”; and He would have had to have a new birth. There is no such thing as a fallen nature. The word “fallen” must be applied to a person—not a nature.

Method is the manner in which the Scriptures have come to us. Here is a Biblical example of the human element in inspiration: “It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3). The Scriptures must be approached the same way we approach Jesus Christ. The eternal Son of God became the Son of Man in time. The word of God, which is forever settled in heaven, must be understood before one considers the men from God who spoke being guided by the Holy Spirit. As to the first Scripture, the Psalmist said, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89). As to the second Scripture, Peter said, “For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (I Pet. 1:21). This is the proper order.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.