20th SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST
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Readings: 2 Timothy 4: 5-17 and Luke 10: 1-9
Today, October 18 is the day traditionally kept to remember St Luke the Evangelist. We think of the four great Evangelists whose work gives us nearly all we know about the earthly life of Jesus. They are, of course, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Matthew and John were amongst the twelve first disciples, not so Mark and Luke. The title ‘Evangelist’ comes from the word ‘Evangel’, which ‘gospel’, which, in turn, means ‘good news.’
Luke did not just write the gospel of Luke but also the Acts of the Apostles. Although I have not counted the words myself I understand that as the author of both Luke and Acts this makes him the biggest single contributor to the collection of writings in the New Testament, writing even more words than St Paul. We know that the same person wrote both Luke and Acts because in the introduction to both the author addresses himself to ‘the most excellent Theophilus’ saying that he has investigated everything and now writes an orderly account for him. Who Theophilus was we don’t know; this was a fairly common name of the time, but, being addressed as ‘Most excellent’ suggests he was someone of high standing.
So Luke and Acts are essentially a two-volume work by the same author but they are quite different in character. The gospel is a careful reconstruction of events as told to Luke by eyewitnesses. But a great deal of Acts is written from Luke’s personal experience of life as an early Christian and as a companion to Paul on his missionary journeys. At various points in Acts Luke starts writing in the first person plural – We did this, we set sail from such a place; we came to…and so on. Luke was heavily involved in the spread of the gospel he proclaimed.
He is said to have been a native of Antioch and must have acquired some considerable skill in contemporary medicine, and he was referred to as a Physician. We know nothing about his family background but he was probably a Gentile convert possibly first to Judaism and then as a follower of Jesus. He became attached to St. Paul as his diarist and recorder, but also his personal doctor. Luke joined Paul on his second missionary journey, their story together beginning about 50 AD – and this took them to Philippi, Caesarea, Jerusalem and Rome, where Acts ends.
In the reading we heard from 2 Timothy, Paul mentions that some of his party have gone off to do other things, and one, Demas, has deserted him. ‘Only Luke is with me’ he says. We can assume that Luke was not only Paul’s medical advisor but a friend who gave him much needed support and advice. As a physician Luke is the patron saint of doctors, as you might expect. But he is also the patron saint of painters and artists and he is often depicted as a painter with brushes and a palette. He is even said to have painted the first icon of Mary. Whether or not that is true it is so that Luke displays an artistic eye in his gospel writings as he beautifully depicts scenes from the life of Jesus. Some of the greatest paintings in the world have been inspired by Luke’s descriptions of the annunciation or the birth of Jesus, or the shepherds coming to the manger. We rely on Luke for much of the detail about Jesus’ early life.
I said a moment ago that Luke’s gospel was written as a result of his enquiries of those who were eye witnesses to the events, and traditionally, it is thought that Luke’s gospel contains reminiscences of Mary. Bible scholars tell us there is clear Jewish style and flavour about the language of the early episodes – the annunciation, visitation, and birth, the presentation and Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These accounts may all reflect the influence of Mary. In case you think that is rather fanciful, let us not forget that Mary was present at the start of the book of Acts, and so could well have been a primary source for him.
Now each of the four gospels has their own particular flavour or style and it is clear that Luke emphasised some aspects of the message of Jesus more than the other Evangelists. Luke has a special concern for the poor. His gospel opens, very nearly, with Mary’s song Magnificat which talks about filling the hungry with good things. Luke describes the birth of Jesus taking place in the humblest of circumstances, and Joseph and Mary are shown as poor folk when they present him in the temple. We have the parable of Dives and Lazarus – the poor beggar who waits at the gates of the rich man’s house. In another parable there is the suggestion that if we give a party we should always include some poor people among the guests, and Luke’s version of the Beatitudes also reflects sympathy with the poor.
Many women are introduced into Luke’s gospel and Acts. He notes the many women who travelled with Jesus and his disciples – Mary Magdalen, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Susanna and others. Luke portrays Jesus as addressing women with courtesy and respect. He gives them a higher profile than the other gospels-writers. It was women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus after his death, but found his body gone. It was Mary Magdalen and a small group of women who went and told the disciples that Jesus’ body had gone and so gave the first notice of the resurrection.
As a gentile convert it is also clear that Luke had a special heart for those who found themselves outside the bounds of mainstream Judaism, and his is a gospel of inclusion. We find the account of the calling and redemption of Zacchaeus the tax collector, the Roman centurion who had faith, and the story of the prodigal son which has so much to say about God gracious’ patience for those who have strayed. And, as a physician, Luke gives many stories of healing.
There is a strong tradition that Luke lived into old age, dying aged 84 and being buried at Thebes from where his relics were transferred to Constantinople in the year 357.
So, today we celebrate the Feast of St Luke – physician and evangelist. These roles are inseparable – for an evangelist tells the good news of salvation, and salvation means healing. The root of the word salvation is the Latin word salvere – to be well, to be in good health, to be whole. Salvation is not just of spirit in the world to come, but of health of body and mind now.
St Luke was self-effacing. The accounts and stories he wrote down were not about him and his ministry. Good journalists will tell you that they are there to report on what they see; to record facts, and not to put their own interpretation or spin on any event. As an Evangelist Luke was about promoting the Gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ. That because of who Jesus was, God born on Earth, and because of what he did for us in his life, in his death on the cross and in his resurrection we can be made whole once again.
The gospel today records Jesus commissioning seventy people to go out and tell the good news and proclaim the Kingdom. Some ancient sources claim that Luke was one of the seventy. It’s encouraging to observe that, even today, in our highly technological age, the good news is spread primarily by word of mouth and by the example and witness of ordinary Christians. At our gathering with Bishop Hugh on Thursday, he encouraged us to live and imagine ourselves as ‘Kingdom People’: to live in the kingdom, to look for the kingdom, and to work for the kingdom, as St Luke did, so that God’s Kingdom might come in the places where we live, work and serve, on earth as it already is in heaven.