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Luke 1

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

What does Luke 1:4 mean?

Explanation

Luke 1:4 is a statement by the writer of the Gospel of Luke, traditionally believed to be Luke the Evangelist, a companion of the Apostle Paul.

This verse explains the purpose of the writing of the Gospel.

The word "certainty" in this context indicates that Luke's intention is to provide a reliable and accurate account of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, to reassure the reader, addressed as Theophilus, of the truth of the things he has been taught, possibly through oral tradition or other written sources.

This verse serves as a preamble that not only addresses Theophilus but also extends to all readers of the Gospel, aiming to confirm and solidify the teachings of Christianity.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Luke is believed to have been written around 80–110 AD, a considerable time after the death of Jesus Christ.

Theophilus, to whom it is addressed, may have been a patron or an influential person interested in learning more about the Christian faith.

Luke's audience largely consists of a Gentile Christian audience, distinguishing his writings in some aspects from those meant for predominantly Jewish Christians.

Given that the early Christians relied heavily on oral tradition, the transmission of the accounts of Jesus's life and teachings could result in variations.

Luke’s efforts seem to be an attempt to present a cohesive and investigated narrative.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, Luke 1:4 is significant because it expresses the importance of a carefully researched and factual account of religious teachings. Different theological views may interpret this verse in several ways:

Conservative theologians may argue that this affirms the divine inspiration of Luke's writings, asserting that the Holy Spirit guided him to compose an accurate historical account for the edification of believers.
Liberal theologians might emphasize the role of human effort in preserving the teachings of Jesus, seeing Luke's gospel as an example of early Christian scholarship and historiography.
Catholic tradition holds that Sacred Scripture along with Sacred Tradition make up the deposit of faith, seeing Luke's effort as part of the broader context of Church tradition.

Practical Applications

In practical life, this verse encourages individuals to seek certainty and truth in their belief system. It puts a premium on sound teaching and educated faith rather than blind faith:

Encourages the study of religious texts for a comprehensive understanding of faith.
Motivates believers to learn the historical and cultural contexts of spiritual teachings.
Suggests the importance of having reliable sources for spiritual formation and instruction.

Cross-References

Here are some related verses from the King James Version:

John 20:31 - "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
Acts 1:1-2 - "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:"

Language Study

The original Greek text uses the word "ἀσφάλεια" (asphaleia) for "certainty," which conveys a sense of firmness, stability, or reliability. Luke's intent is not just to inform but to assure, to make his account "asphales," or steadfast.

The term "κατηχηθέντα" (katēchēthenta) for "instructed" indicates systematic teaching , in this case, instruction about the Christian faith. This underscores the educational and catechetical nature of the Gospel.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this verse with other ancient religious texts, many cultures valued the recording of sacred history with accuracy - such as in the Vedas for Hinduism or the recording of Oral Torah in Judaism.

However, Luke's emphasis on certitude could be seen as a distinguishing factor in Christian scripture where personal faith is intricately connected with historical events, like the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern historical and literary criticism may apply scientific methodologies to understand the authorship and reliability of ancient texts, including the Gospels.

While asserting certainty in historical matters is complex, the quest for "substantial" or "reasonable" certainty is still a valuable pursuit in historical sciences.

This verse from Luke aligns with the modern value of thorough research and verification, even as it acknowledges the unique challenges of studying ancient texts.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer varied perspectives on this verse:

William Barclay notes that Luke’s attention to detail reveals his concern not just to tell the story of Jesus, but to tell it in such a way that it compels belief.
John Calvin emphasizes the certainty that comes from the eyewitness testimony, valuing Luke's narrative as a testimony of those who personally experienced the events.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the instructional aspect of Luke’s narrative, suggesting that Theophilus had already received some instruction in Christian truths and that this account was to ground him more firmly in his faith.

Luke 1

Luke 1

What does Luke 1:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 1:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?