The Prologue to Luke

Luke chapter 1 verses 1 through 4.

Luke 1:1–4

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning things you have been taught." This is the prologue to Luke's gospel.

Those that have studied the manuscripts have said that this is written in the most classical sense of ancient literature. If you were going to have a classic, if you were going to have one of the all-time greats on your shelf, it would be written in a particular format, and these verses right here are in that same genre. In fact, those that have studied this particular text, such as Sir William Ramsey, says, "Luke is a historian of first rank. Not merely are his statements of factual trustworthy; he is possessed of the true historic sense. He sees the importance and critical events and shows their true nature at great length, while he touches lightly or omits entirely, much of that which was valueless for his purpose. In short, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians." So says Sir Ramsey. So if you're looking at this with a critical eye, those who are scholars say this ancient document is to be trusted from a historical standpoint of course you know that should be the case because the Holy Spirit also inspired Luke to do that.

Now what I'd like for you guys to do is to notice several things from this prologue. This preface tells us that there is a source from which this gospel is going to be written and it's apostolic.

And then he also gives us several purposes in these four verses. Look at verse 2 where he says that there were eyewitnesses. Do you guys see that? Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word. Who are these eyewitnesses? They're the ones that were taught by Christ. They are the apostles himself. Luke starts his gospel by talking about these men, these eyewitnesses, and I would like for you guys to keep your finger here and let's turn to the end of the book and look at chapter 24 verse 48. Luke is not only going to open up with these eyewitnesses with these apostles who are telling us what actually occurred during that time, but he ends his gospel in chapter 24 verse 48 with these words, "You are witnesses of these things." And who is he talking to? He's talking to his disciples. He's talking to his apostles.

What we have here is factual because he went to the eyewitnesses. He went to the apostles, those that are sent by the Lord Himself. Back in our opening verses, he tells us that he has undertaken to compile a narrative of things that have been accomplished, that have been completed, that have been fulfilled among us. Well, we can see this also in chapter 24 in verse 44. He says,"These are my words that I have spoken to you." This is Jesus speaking. "That while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." He's wanting you to know something very, very important, which leads us not only to the eyewitnesses, the sources, which are apostolic, but this now brings us into his purpose. He has at least three purposes, and one is to provide a narrative that completes the Old Testament and fulfills it. The Old Testament is a story without an ending. All of it is leading up to something, to someone, and Luke is saying, "This will help you see the end of that story.

It is Christ." Not only does he say that he wants to give something that is fulfillment of Old Testament narrative, but he also says, "I want to give you an orderly account. I want you to see that I have gone to the sources. I have talked to the eyewitnesses, the apostles, and some of the other people that were there, and I want to give you a complete account, a full-orbed picture of what is occurring." No doubt there were other gospels already written at this time, such as Mark's gospel and maybe even Matthew's gospel as well. Luke is not diminishing what the Holy Spirit has already done through them, but if you take a cursory look at the gospel of Luke, you will notice that the chapters are longer, and there are many chapters in here.

Just as a side note, when you look at Luke's gospel and his continuation in Acts, he has written more than any other New Testament writer. He writes about one-third of the New Testament, slightly more than Paul. Isn't that amazing?

Yes, and he wants to give us a full account of what occurs. He wants to set it out in an orderly, logical way, and he's done this. Look at verse 4, "That you may have certainty concerning the things that you have been taught." There's an apologetic realm to what he's about to say. Luke cares about those who have heard the good news, that Jesus is the Savior of the world, that you can be forgiven of your sins and brought into relationship with the Holy God, and he wants you to have confidence in what you were taught. Those of you that have been catechized, he says, I want to bring you assurance. In fact, that's what the word they're taught. We get the word catechesis from that, the question and answer. Here's a question that you ask the kids, and what's the answer?

He's saying, I want you guys to have assurance that this is, in fact, true of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do any of you guys need assurance? Do any of you guys need confidence that what we believe is, in fact, true? Luke has you in mind. Are you excited about this? Oh, man, this is going to be wonderful. Now, Ramsey said that we have a first-class historian, and I, Howard Marshall, says, Luke wishes to be taken seriously as a historian just because of the way that those first four verses are written, but we should take him more than just a historian. He's also a theologian.

Can't you see it in the way that he structured this? We've gone to the eyewitnesses, the apostles, and it's going to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. He wants to inform us theologically so that you can have certitude and confidence that the Old Testament Scriptures have now been fulfilled in the Savior, Jesus Christ. How's he going to do that, you ask? Well, I would like to submit to you that this is going to be seen by comparing and contrasting two men, the first being John the Baptizer, the Baptist, and then also Jesus the Savior. Let's take a look at chapter 1 just for a little bit, and we'll notice that as Luke writes his gospel, he sets up these episodes. He gives us passages that will contrast and show similarities between the two men. There will be a prophecy about them. There'll be songs about them. There'll be a birth count, a circumcision account. He'll have a summary statement about both of them, and then we'll see their debut to ministry.

You'll see one, you'll see the other. It'll go back and forth to some degree.

As you are looking in your own gospel, you'll see there in chapter 1 verse 5 that we start to hear about John the Baptist. Maybe your editors have even helped you by writing that in, "The birth of John the Baptist foretold." But not only is that spoken of about John, we can also see in verse 26 the birth of Jesus foretold in verses 26 through 38. After the prophecy of the birth of Christ, then in verse 46 we see a song, Mary's Magnificant, where her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God her Savior. So we see the prophecy of John, the prophecy of Jesus, and now there's a song that is sung. After that song is sung, then we see the birth and circumcision of John the Baptist in chapter 1 verse 57 and following. After that scenario is given, then we have the song that is sung by Zachariah, John's father, which is known as the Benedictus.

Because the first word in Latin there is to bless the Lord. You guys know at the end of the service a benediction is given. Bene meaning good, diction meaning word. There is a good word, and here we have the Benedictus of Zacharias. And Zachariah is blessing the Lord, the God of Israel.

Why? Because the Lord has visited his people. Well, there's the song that you now have for John the Baptist. After that there is a summary statement. Look at chapter 1 verse 80. "And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel." And that's the summary statement for John the Baptist. Now going back to the panels dealing with Jesus in chapter 2 verses 1 through 39, we see the birth of Christ and His circumcision all the way down to verse 39. And then there's a summary statement of Christ given in verse 40 and 52. Look at verse 40 of chapter 2. "And the child," that is Jesus, "grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him." Then in chapter 2 verse 52 we read, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." See how these panels are being placed there one right after the other? Isn't it wonderful?

And then you see the ministry of each one. Chapter 3, we see the Baptist.

He's going out into the wilderness and he's proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And of course, this is to fulfill Old Testament prophecy that he's one that's crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord." But then there's the ministry of Christ. Look at chapter 3 verse 23.

Jesus, when He began His ministry, was about 33 years of age. And then we not only see His genealogy that follows, but then the Spirit leads Him into temptation, right, out into the wilderness for the devil to take Him in several places. Three times He comes out victorious over these temptations, but that is His ministry there going on into chapter 4. So this great historian N. Theologian is setting up a picture for us to look at John the Baptizer and Jesus the Savior by looking at these panels back and forth, these episodes that are going.

Now, what I'd like for us to do now is to consider the similarities between these two men.

Going back to chapter 1.

In chapter 1 verse 5, we see a similarity about John. John is given a lineage. We find that John is going to be born from a priest named Zechariah, who's of the division Abijah, and his wife Elizabeth is one of the daughters of Aaron. But Jesus, in chapter 1 verse 27, we discover there that He has a different lineage, and it's not one of Aaron, but it's one of David.

You guys see it in verse 27 there? It says there that we have a virgin that was betrothed to a man that was Joseph of the house of David. Yeah, so we have that as well. Not only do they have a similarity of lineage, but the angel Gabriel comes and visits in all of these episodes.

The angel comes and visits, and those that are visited by the angel, Gabriel, they're troubled, they're perplexed, they're concerned and worried. Look at chapter 1 verse 12. It says Zechariah was troubled when he saw him. And then also in chapter 1 verse 29, we read, "And she that is merry was greatly troubled at the saying." But then, of course, Gabriel comforts each one of them in both scenarios, both cases.

Gabriel gives the name for both of the children. You're going to name him John, you're going to name him Jesus, and both of those children will be great. That's found in verse 15 and verse 32.

They're also told that they're going to have titles or offices that they will fulfill.

And then we also see that both question the pregnancies. How can this be? They both asked.

And both of their births or their conceptions were in fact miraculous.

So these are some similarities between the two. And this tells a whole lot, and we're very grateful that John and Jesus had these similarities.

And you might be wondering, so why would this even matter? Well, you know that Jesus said of the Baptist himself that he was the greatest prophet. So the similarities is not going to be as much of a payoff as their contrast. I hope you guys are ready for the contrast.

As wonderful as the similarities may be, the contrast is going to be even better.

When we look at the ancestry of John the Baptist, we said that, "Oh, yes, he was from the house of Aaron." But what's greater than that? That would be the house of David, where Jesus is from.

Yes, John the Baptist, we find that he was born in a barren womb, right? Elizabeth's womb.

But greater than that, Mary was virgin conceived and given birth.

How phenomenal is that? John was given a title of a prophet, but Jesus is given the title, the son of the Most High God. As similar as they could be, do you see that the contrast is stark?

The ministry of John the Baptist was to prepare a people, but Jesus is given a ministry of a rule of all people.

The extent of John the Baptist's ministry is one that is temporary, preparatory.

But the ministry of Jesus is that he will have a kingdom without end. It is eternal.

John's name means that the Lord is gracious. But the name of Jesus is that Yahweh, the covenant keeping God, delivers and brings salvation. Isn't this wonderful? This should exalt Christ in our eyes. When we read through the gospel narrative now, we should see what's happening from a literary standpoint. Here's John, here's Jesus, we're going back and forth and we see all these similarities. But things come into focus when we look at the contrast. Who is greater? Who is better? Who is more majestic? As you read the gospel accounts, you never see John the Baptizer upset about this, do you? No. He doesn't mind being lower on the totem pole at all. In fact, when we see his philosophy of ministry being manifested, especially when he's doing this in light of Jesus' ministry and its growth, which seems to be surpassing his own, John has a most remarkable phrase that he says that Christ, the majestic one, must increase.

His ministry must expand where mine must decrease.

I don't know about you guys, but many times I find out that I'm just worried about me and my world, my kingdom, my fiefdom, my area of influence. And this should stand as rebuke to me. And maybe it should stand as rebuke to you. Are you living in such a way like John did, where you're saying,"I don't have to shine brighter than anyone else. I am satisfied with what he has given me." As long as Christ is exalted, as long as he is given preeminence, as long as his kingdom is advancing, the Baptist said, "Christ must increase. I must decrease." That's so true, even on another level when we talk about not even ministry, but just on sanctification level. I've got a decrease.

Christ needs to increase in my life. There needs to be more of Christ in me and less of me in me.

As you read through the gospel of Luke, as you go back over these passages, think about that. Christ must be exalted. Christ is preeminent. He's the one up here. I should be the one lower down here on the totem pole.

David Kudding helps us by saying, "Luke's inspired presentation of Christ is arranged in two great movements. The first is the coming of the Lord from heaven to earth, and then his going from earth to heaven. Between them, they sum up Luke's message of salvation. The pre-existent and eternal Son of God came to our world and became a man like us so that he might secure for us here in this world forgiveness, wholeness, peace with God, and certainly that God's will shall eventually be done on earth as it is in heaven." But he goes on. He says, "But there is more." He says, "By his going, he has taken humanity to the pinnacle of the universe. All who trust him will one day be brought to share in his glory in that exalted realm and to reign with him at his return." You guys know how we started, don't you? We started with the prologue, eyewitnesses, apostolic testifying that this is true. This is true, and it fulfills the Old Testament.

This is not just history, this is redemptive history, that God is about redeeming a people, drawing sinners to himself, bringing them back into right relationship so that they can spend all of eternity with them. He is giving us an orderly and complete account of what has happened in the life, in the death, in the ministry, in the resurrection, and the reigning of Christ so that those of us who have been taught can be filled with confidence and assurance that this is true. Aren't you grateful for that? I need to go back and be reassured of those things that are true. Our world is built on things that are squishy, that are relative, but not when it comes to the things of the Lord. They are certain because God is certain. He is eternal and immutable, and he has communicated to us these truths so that we might have confidence and live a life of faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ because he is the fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture. And we do have an account that when we look at it, we know this is true.

We can have certainty and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's praise his name and bow our heads and pray. Almighty God, we do thank you for your word and how the Holy Spirit has inspired writers of the past to inscripturate your word so that we might know you, so that we might praise you, so that we might serve you. Lord, would you be pleased to use even this lesson to build up your saints or maybe even to prick the hearts of those that have not known Christ, that have not submitted to his lordship. We ask that you would do all of this so that he would be exalted, so that he would increase in our lives, in our minds, and in this world so that his kingdom would come. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

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