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That You May Know the Truth
“Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.”
Luke 1:1-4
Today is the feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist, the author of the Gospel that bears his name. Suitably, in the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office, the Gospel lesson consists of this grand opening sentence from Luke’s Gospel.
Notice how Luke emphasizes that his book is the product of careful investigation. Luke has clearly been reading popular historians like Tacitus, indicating that he intends to follow the best historical practices of the day. Luke was not an eyewitness of the life of Jesus, but he took care to talk to many people who were, and one may assume that he took careful notes!
We may lose sight sometimes of this essential aspect of the Bible. Especially if we have heard a Bible story many times, it may start to take on that character in our minds — namely, that of a mere story. Now, I am a great lover of literature, but that is not what Luke is writing. He presents himself as a historian. Imagine if somehow, an archeologist discovered the notebook that Luke used to record his interviews. Imagine how we would react to finding a document filled with people describing their encounters with Jesus in their own words. Perhaps the margins would be filled up with little notes to himself — this part is good! Great fit for after the Prodigal Son parable! Remember to include this story of Jesus when He was 12; no one has written this one down before.
If we found such a notebook, we would be confronted afresh with what, in truth, we already have: the testimony of many eyewitnesses to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In his Gospel’s sequel, the Acts of the Apostles, Luke records St. Paul testifying to King Agrippa with these words: “I am speaking the sober truth! Indeed, the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely, for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.” (Acts 26:25-26)
Indeed, none of what Luke records was done in a corner. At the time, any reader who liked could go and undertake the same investigation and talk with the eyewitnesses for themselves. Luke wants us to know: this is the sober truth. This man Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, is now alive. If that is true, then He is alive right now, just as surely as you are reading the words on this page.
And if that’s true, doesn’t that change … well, everything?
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