Epilogue

LUKE: THE INTEGRATED GOSPEL

I have loved this commentary on Luke and feel so blessed to be able to pass it on to you. We began the book by saying Luke was the penultimate Renaissance man — lawyer, doctor, friend, historian, philosopher — I think that above all else I will remember Luke as a painter and committed friend and his ability to integrate all his massive and varying talents into one bold Gospel.

He stuck by Paul through thick and thin, preaching, arrest, trial and shipwreck in order to write what many consider to be a defense of Paul’s ministry to a Roman official called (or named) Theophilus.

For those who look close enough, almost every chapter is a contrast between light and dark. From the authoritarian leadership styles of Pontius and Herod contrasted with the authentic leadership of Jesus. From the women who went to visit Jesus’ tomb out of love to the male apostle’s who hid in broken ideology and idealism (Faith and Hope). Luke gives us the opportunity to learn about ourselves in these contrasts. Every chapter provides us an opportunity to ask who depicts me the most?