Feast of Saint Luke, 2002

It is hard to imagine a more wretched existence than that of the galley slaves of antiquity. Usually they were prisoners of war. Their overseers felt little sympathy for them. Some stretches they were forced to row strenuously all day long. If they died in the effort their cadavers were dragged up to the deck and dumped overboard. Life was so hopeless that they gave up and sought death. This was a big problem until someone discovered that the galley could be cheered up by keeping a monkey in the quarters.

Galley monkeys did not solve all the problems. Diseases became extra contagious in poorly ventilated and filthy compartments. When this happened passengers who had not become infected were permitted to disembark after examination by a Roman official. In extreme cases he would order the ship towed out to sea with its burden of stricken galley slaves and set afire.

It is told that Luke once voyaged in such a vessel. The slaves below were hit with a plague and the vessel was threatened. Luke asked the ship's captain if he could visit the slaves and treat them. The captain refused. According to him everything that could be done had been done. As many rats as possible had been killed, herbs had been burned to stop the creeping infection. Since that did not work, the plan was to sail to the nearest port, change ships, and allow the officials to dispatch with the galley slaves.

Luke's heart throbbed with pity for the slaves. He persuaded Cusa, his traveling companion, to sneak into the hull late at night and treat the slaves. At about three in the morning on a moonless night they made their move. First, they bribed the guard with a flask of wine. Next, Luke's partner, a former thief, picked the lock. The door opened and they descended into the dark, stench-filled hole. Besides the odor of death, they were greeted with agonizing groans, clanking chains and shackles, and a pile of dead and dying along the wall. The floor was a layer of bilge, blood, feces and urine.

The shackled slaves didn't know what was happening. Their bodies were scorching hot with fever. The overseer objected to Luke and Cusa entering until Luke explained what they wanted to do. They started their grim task. Those beyond help were put in a heap with the expired. Luke coaxed the prisoners one at a time to gulp down a vial of his heavy sedation. He applied medicines. They sponged the men with buckets of water and tried to clean the bottom of the vessel. The dead were pulled out and committed to the sea. It was hard, hot, dirty work. Luke and his assistant were just finishing up as the sun peaked the horizon. He left the remainder of his vials of sedation with the overseer, instructing him to give the slaves a drink every three hours. To make a long story short, the galley recovered. The men healed. [Taken from Taylor Caldwell's Dear and Glorious Physician.]

This story is fictional, but it rings true. Though we do not know that much about St. Luke, what we do know makes him one of the fascinating figures of Scripture. He was a physician, an adventurer, a writer and an artist; a man of amazing spiritual, intellectual, and physical gifts. On this his feast day we do well to examine the life, and learn from the example of St. Luke.

Let's begin with Luke's education. Outside of the apostle Paul, Luke was probably the most literate of all the New Testament characters. He was a doctor. Paul calls him, "The beloved physician" in Colossians 4:14. He was also an historian/journalist. We appreciate his journalistic talent in the books he wrote: the Gospel of Luke and The Acts of the Apostles. Luke could also have been a painter. How was it possible for Luke to acquire so many skills? He probably came from a family of nobility. Virtually all the Jews educated their children, but Luke was a Greek, and only families of wealth gave their sons an education.

What was medicine like in those days? Pretty primitive, but things were improving. The doctors were trained in the tradition of Hippocrates. It was from Hippocrates that we get the Hippocratic Oath.

Luke and his family were not believers. This is another notable fact. So how did he come to Christian faith? We don't know the circumstances. We can only surmise. It seems that his family was from Antioch. After Stephen was stoned, many Christians fled Jerusalem and wound up in that city (Acts 11:19). Maybe Luke encountered these Christians, heard the Gospel from them, responded in faith and was baptized (Acts 11:20, 21). Be that as it may, Luke joined the new church and became totally devoted to the expansion of Christianity.

His involvement in missionary work is connected to the Apostle Paul. The Church Father Irenaeas states, "Luke was inseparable from Paul, and his fellow-laborer in the Gospel" (Against Heresies, Book 3, Chap. XIV. 1; p. 437.) How did Luke meet up with Paul? After the Antiochian parish sprang up Barnabus went to Tarsus and brought back Paul. For a whole year Paul and Barnabus preached and taught together. Luke met Paul and a lifelong friendship resulted.

Luke became Paul's partner during his second missionary journey. This second trip began about the time Paul and Barnabus had their falling out over Mark. Barnabus wanted to take Mark with them and Paul didn't. Consequently, the two divided. Barnabus set out with Mark to do missionary work, and Paul took off with Silas and Timothy. Let's read Acts 16:6-10. [Read them.]

Did you notice the change from "they" to "we"? It is almost imperceptible. Luke is the author of this account of Paul's second missionary journey. Five times he uses the pronoun "they." "They" went here, "they" did this; "they" did that. Then in verse ten Luke writes, "Now after [Paul] had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them." There is no fanfare; no bragging. Luke is so humble and self-effacing that you hardly know of his arrival. Yet, there he appears planting churches alongside of Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

God helped the four men establish a church in the city of Philippi. The next leg of Paul's missionary journey took him to Thessalonica by way of Amphipolis and Apollonia. Luke relates that in Acts 17:1. Acts 17:1 says, "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews." If you look at a map you can see that these Greek cities are within walking distance. Notice also that the pronouns change. Luke says, "Now when 'they' had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia" The pronoun changes from 'we' to 'they' and it implies that Luke stayed on at Philippi. Most likely, he stayed to preach, teach, and disciple the new church. God must have blessed his efforts, because later on Paul writes to the Philippian parish and calls them his "joy and crown" (Phil. 4:1). The epistle of Philippians exudes his deep love and gratitude to the brethren there.

Luke remained at Philippi until Paul's third missionary journey. Acts chapter twenty announces how Paul and his half dozen helpers arrive in Philippi. Remember this is Luke's parish. Once there, Paul ships the other men off to Troas. The plan is to meet up at that port city later on. Acts 20:6 explains that that is what occurred: "But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days."

Again, as you read the book of Acts, you can tell when Luke is with Paul when the pronouns change from they to we, or them to us. Luke remains at the apostle Paul's side all during the eight last chapters. Finally, on Paul's fourth and last missionary journey St. Paul is once more imprisoned in Rome. While he awaits his trial everyone finds an excuse to desert him. His situation becomes gloomy. It is at this point that he writes his second letter to Timothy. He discloses, "only Luke is with me," "please bring my coat and books." It is a touching comment. Only Luke is with me. He is the only one who remains to assist me.

Could it be that Luke wrote his gospel during this last imprisonment in Rome? Some scholars think so. It is here that Paul and Luke's partnership comes to an end. After this, the Bible has no more to say about the two. According to extra-biblical sources, the vicious Emperor Nero had Paul executed. Luke survived and went on to other mission fields.

According to traditions that may or may not be reliable, Luke was martyred in Greece. He was hanged from an olive-tree when he was 80 years old. Then, his cadaver was carried to Constantinople and buried.

What a life! As we read the book of Acts we can discern when he is personally involved by noting the pronouns. Intent on avoiding the limelight, he accompanies Paul on his most dangerous journeys: to Jerusalem, to Rome, his shipwreck on the island of Malta, his several imprisonments, etc. Luke could have written a riveting autobiography. Nevertheless, he prefers to tell about others and let them get the credit.

What can we learn from the life and example of Luke? Several things. His humility is impressive. We scarcely know he is doing great things unless we pay attention to the pronouns "they" and "we." He was content to submit to Paul and accompany the apostle through thick and thin. His was a humility that cared nothing of the honor of men, only for the honor that comes from God (John 5:44).

Luke teaches us as well the importance of education. Luke used his learning to write books, his medical background to treat the sick, and his aesthetic talent to create works of art. Education made him an essential right-hand man for St. Paul in the growth and extension of the primitive Church. Luke wasn't the only educated Christian. It was the Holy Scriptures that made the Jewish families emphasize education. Christianity took up and continued this focus. The Church did not separate faith and education. Granted, there have been anti-intellectual and illiterate eras in the Church's history, but whenever the Church has upheld the ultimacy of Scripture she has led the way in education, powerfully transforming culture.

Furthermore Luke's education was no ivory tower affair. He was involved in the nitty gritty of life. His was a muscular faith. He got shipwrecked and persecuted; he healed people and traveled all over the Roman Empire. Why? So that he could do something for people. The tendency of modern academics to spend the totality of their lives in the classroom would have been unthinkable to Luke. He was a well-rounded man. He balanced reflection with action. He put his knowledge into practice. Along with Paul He wanted to get the Gospel to the nations. Wherever Luke went he was of value to Christ's cause. He was humble and he got involved in helping people.

No doubt a very good way to spread the Gospel light is by missionary activity. That is something we all need to consider. Luke's example calls us to carry the Gospel to distant lands. Too many of us are not going like Christ commanded us, and that is a shame. God is calling some of you to missionary activity and you ought to do it.

On the other hand, unless the Lord is sending you somewhere else, He has sent you where you are as a salesman, secretary, homeschooler, artist, nurse, computer specialist, teacher, carpenter, whatever you do now. If you are where the Lord meant you to be, in school, on the soccer team, playing your musical instrument, working on computers, managing a business, whatever it is, please do something now. How about where you live? Do people have the opportunity to sit at your table and discuss God's truth? Do they know you are interested in them? Do they know that you are available to help them with a problem? That is the lifestyle of which Luke inspires us. Wherever God has placed you, whatever your position, please do something for Christ's kingdom. He has given you a task. He desires that the nations be baptized and discipled. He is able to fulfill His promises: "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger."

Let us be as earnest as St. Luke in taking the bread of life to those who lay in darkness and the shadow of death. They need it. Come now to the bread of life. You need it too.

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