Bible Brief: Luke the Historian
“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus; that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein thou wast instructed.” (Luke:1:1-4, American Standard Version, emphasis added)
I am an historian and a Christian. And one of the reasons I AM a Christian is because I AM an historian. Luke was also an historian, and every historian of ancient history knows he was a very good one. Materialist historians don’t like the miracles he records, but that is bias, and by an a priori dismissal of the possibility of the miraculous, an historian is not truly searching for the truth, wherever it might lead him. That is hardly good scholarship.
Luke did exactly what an historian is supposed to do: “having traced the course of all things accurately from the first.” Any good biographer should do the same. Much of Luke’s material is the same as Matthew’s and Mark’s, which, if you read three biographies of any famous person, you will discover that to be the case as well (as long as the historians were honest and trying to be accurate). There are always minor discrepancies, though not necessarily contradictions, in multiple eyewitness accounts. Any police detective will tell you that. Total, absolute agreement is considered conspiratorial. The first three writers of the New Testament record history, and Luke says that is what he decidedly intended to do, and he did his research to accomplish that. Divine inspiration (II Timothy 3:16-17) does not, and was never intended to, preclude historical research. The fourth gospel writer, John, no doubt aware of the other three biographical accounts, and writing for a different purpose and audience, records some additional worthwhile material about the life of Jesus.
Four records, all in substantial agreement, telling the same story. Especially about the resurrection of Christ, the most important event in human history (the crucifixion without the resurrection would be vain). Other historical documents, in the New Testament and otherwise, confirm various parts of the story of Jesus. People wouldn’t have made this story up if they could have, and they couldn’t have if they would have. Who wants to die for what they know is a lie?
Luke the historian is a major reason why Mark the historian is a Christian.