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Luke the Evangelist
c. 1 – c. 84 · b. Antioch
Theologian
Quick facts
- Born
- c. 1, Antioch
- Died
- c. 84
- Region
- syria
- Era
- apostolic father
- Significance
- Major Father(3/4)
- Also known as
- Luke the Physician
Highlights
- Main contribution
- Luke gave the church its only continuous narrative from Jesus' ministry into the mission of Paul.
- Primary source
- Colossians 4:14
Physician and companion of Paul, traditional author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Identified by Irenaeus as 'a follower of Paul'.
Why Luke the Evangelist matters
Luke gave the church its only continuous narrative from Jesus' ministry into the mission of Paul. His Gospel preserves parables, songs, women disciples, table fellowship, mercy to outsiders, and the road to Emmaus; Acts then follows the gospel from Jerusalem toward Rome. The 'we' passages show the author close to parts of Paul's mission, and early tradition names him as Luke the physician. Without Luke-Acts, the first generation after the resurrection would be much harder to see as a connected story.
Recommended reading near Luke the Evangelist
A cover-visible starting point chosen from the curated reading path, either by this figure or by their era.
Chain to Jesus
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Common questions
- Who was Luke the Evangelist?
- Luke the Evangelist (1–84) — Physician and companion of Paul, traditional author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Identified by Irenaeus as 'a follower of Paul'.
- Who taught Luke the Evangelist?
- Paul of Tarsus.
Sources for biography
- Colossians 4:14 primary
- 2 Timothy 4:11 primary
- Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1; 3.14.1 primary
documented connections(1)
- taught (incoming) Paul of TarsusLuke is named as Paul's companion in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24, 2 Timothy 4:11; Irenaeus calls him 'a follower of Paul'.Colossians 4:14 · 2 Timothy 4:11 · Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1
External resources
📖WikipediaFull encyclopedic biography with footnotes and further reading.🔗WikidataStructured data hub linking to library catalogues, archives, and academic sources worldwide.🏛️WikisourcePublic-domain primary texts and translations (search).⛪Catholic Encyclopedia1913 reference — long entries, useful for less-known figures (search for Luke the Evangelist).