The prologue of the gospel of Luke reveals that writers followed Jesus just as stenographers did at that time. Since old one has supposed that the\u00a0‘eyewitnesses and servants of the word’ refer to the apostles after Jesus departure. However this is a misconception, the\u00a0term\u00a0refers to Jesus’ writers among his followers\u00a0…
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1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, Generally, the explanation of the prologue of the Gospel of Luke\u00a0is dominated by the term ‘eyewitnesses and servants of the word’. Since old times one has supposed that this referred to the apostles. Before Jesus\u2019 departure they were the eyewitnesses as his disciples and after Jesus\u2019 departure, as his apostles, they became the servants of the word, preachers of the gospel.\u00a0And so it is generally assumed that the prologue is in fact an introduction to two books: the history Luke\u2013Acts. Happily enough, this is a misconception as we will see.<\/p>\n A classical author writing a history in two books, would normally have used one title for the entire work, calling the two parts: Book 1 and Book 2. Moreover the books were always brought out together: Book 2 immediately followed Book 1. It is true that Acts was written as a sequel to the Gospel; Luke refers to it in the introduction of Acts\u00a0(1:1-2), but in writing the Gospel Luke did not intend from the outset to bring out two books. Consequently the prologue of Luke is to be taken as referring to the Gospel and NOT additionally to Acts.<\/p>\n The previous insight\u00a0determines\u00a0the meaning of the prologue definitely. \u2018The things accomplished among us\u2019\u00a0are the great deeds of Jesus as described in Luke\u2019s gospel, as he also decided (3) to write these occurrences. The art of stenography\u00a0 was invented and developed\u00a0in the Roman Empire by slaves.\u00a0It was introduced in the Roman senate on december 5,\u00a063 BC and the art became the new fashion of speedy writing in the Greco-Roman world. This important art of writing was able to spread over the entire Roman Empire from the west to the east. When Jesus – about 90 years later – taught the multitudes, everything was ready to preserve his words.\u00a0Stenographers were in Luke’s culture the professionals who acted precisely according to Luke’s description of ‘the\u00a0eyewitnesses and servants of the spoken word’.\u00a0Jesus’ writers\u00a0employed their ability under the inspiration of the\u00a0Holy Spirit they experienced in Jesus’ presence.<\/p>\n
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,<\/em>
3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.<\/em>
NASB Luke 1:1-4<\/strong><\/p>\nLuke-Acts, one historical work?<\/h3>\n
Classical\u00a0book writing<\/h3>\n
Comparing this with the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, we immediately see the differences. It is clear that the Gospel and Acts have two different titles, ‘According to Luke’ and, ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ respectively. There is no indication in the well-documented history of the New Testament books, that they ever had different names. In addition, these books were never delivered together as one historical work. We have to do here with two different works.<\/p>\nJesus’ writers<\/h3>\n
The meaning of the small word \u2018us\u2019 in this phrase is striking. They were the bystanders of the great deeds of Jesus he accomplished among us<\/em>, they were the spectators, the first generation until Jesus\u2019 Ascension.
To these spectators of Jesus the eyewitnesses delivered special information, and the content of it was: what they had seen <\/em>as eyewitnesses and what they had heard <\/em>as servants of the spoken word. That is the spoken word of Jesus and his interlocutors.
Yes, already in Jesus\u2019 ministry accurate information was handed down to the people who wanted to make trustworthy narratives. The eyewitnesses delivered written reports after the occurrences, as it can be excluded\u00a0that they started to preach after Jesus\u2019 preaching to tell what exactly had happened.
The first generation\u00a0only needed to copy short reports of the eyewitnesses and Luke made use of these reports later on. Writing his gospel he worked in the same way as the many did during Jesus\u2019 ministry. The concept of\u00a0an oral tradition preceding the gospels is one of\u00a0the biggest theological blunders ever<\/em>. For some this will be hard to hear, but for others it will be a joy to hear that the gospels are well documented books. This insight will also be indispensable for the Christian testimony in a modern and globalising world. Christianity doesn\u2019t depend on hearsay stories, but on truth.\u00a0This is part of\u00a0the staggering power of the gospels.<\/p>\nJesus\u2019 stenographers<\/h3>\n