Of the Second Persecution of the Christians, in the Year 93

Luke, the third among the holy evangelists, was, according to the testimony of the ancients, a Syrian of Antioch, and a physician by occupation. Bybelsch Naemboeck, about Luke, from Euseb. and Hieron. Colossians 4, verse 14. [n122-1]

It was the will of the Lord to use him as a physician of souls; and to that end he has left to mankind two excellent books on spiritual medicine, namely, his holy Gospel and the Acts of the holy Apostles.

Nothing is mentioned anywhere about his parents; so little or almost no account can be given of his natural descent, except his birthplace, and that he came from the Syrian nation. It is supposed that he had no wife, though nearly all the other apostles and evangelists were married.

According to the opinion of Jerome, he was, before his conversion, a Jewish proselyte, though of Gentile descent. This is quite probable, since, according to the judgment of linguists, his style is far more excellent and perfect in Greek than in Hebrew. Joh. Gys., in Hist. Mart., from Hieronimo. [n122-2]

Afterwards, through the preaching of Paul, he became a Christian in the year 38, after he had come from Thebes to Antioch. Konst tooneel, and so on, in the life of Luke. [n122-3]

He became a disciple of the apostles, but especially a traveling companion of the apostle Paul, so that he was with him in many perils and difficulties at sea and on land.

He was so close to Paul, and his special friend to such a degree, that according to the ancients he wrote the Gospel under his dictation and instruction. He had also given a faithful account of Paul's principal travels up to his first imprisonment at Rome. Joh. Gys. Hist. Mart., concerning Luke the evangelist. [n122-4]

Paul makes frequent mention of him in his epistles; for to the Colossians he writes: "Luke, the physician, . . . greet you" (Colossians 4, verse 14). To Philemon: "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers" [n122-5] (Philemon, verses 23 and 24). Likewise, to Timothy: "Only Luke is with me" (Second Timothy 4, verse 11).

Luke was therefore, as it appears, a companion of Paul, not only in his travels, but also during his imprisonment at Rome, so that he was twice brought, together with Paul, before the Emperor Nero. P. J. Twisck, taken from Paul's epistles to Timothy.

As to his end, some write that, while he was preaching in Greece, he was hanged by the ungodly on a green olive tree; others relate that he was in the eighty-fourth year of his age at the time of his death. Bybelsch Naemboeck, letter L, on the name Luke, folio 624, column 1. Konst tooneel van veertig, [n122-6]