Was Luke Really a Gentile?
Posted: Wednesday, December 24, 2008
by Rabbi Stanley
Mosaic Ministries
There is absolutely no proof that Luke was a gentile.
Why is it even important? As I've said many times before, "Everything in the Bible is important, every jot and every yud". Luke is especially important because if you take a look at your bible you'll see the Brit Hadasha has more of Luke's writings then any other writer. That makes him an important figure in New Testament theology. This in turn means that the L-rd entrusted a Gentile with more pages of the New Testament then He did to any other writer. If that was true, then the Bible is a lie. That makes this issue very, very important.
Rom 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Rom 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
If we (Jews) were given the Oracles then Luke was a not a Gentile. "Oh he was a converted Jew!" No he wasn't. He was born a Levite! Luke gave extensive details in describing the rotating selection of the Levitical priests for service according to their families. He further described the position of the priest before the altar of incense in Luke 1:8-20, where the angel appeared to Zacharias! Not only that he showed more intimate knowledge of the temple then any other Gospel writer. It also seems the book of Luke is more directed towards the Tzeddukim (Sadducees) rather then the Perushim (Pharisees).
There are 3 reasons why Gentile Christians think that Luke was a Gentile.
- It's been taught throughout church history for so long and so consistently, that it is assumed without question that it must be true.
- Because his writing in Greek is far superior then the Greek of the other Gospels. It's so beautiful they say, he must've been Greek.
- Because he has written so much more then the other New Testament writers, he must be "their guy" (Gentile).
Here are the problems with each of those reasons.
- Just because it's been taught that way and no one has challenged it, doesn't make it true no mater how many commentators repeat it.
- The New Testament wasn't written in Greek anyway so it was a Greek translator who had better Greek skills.
- Pride is the reason that they think it was "their guy".
If someone wants to tell me that Luke was a Gentile, they must assume the burden of proof because it should be assumed that he was a Jew in the first place.
Some Messianics use as a proof that Luke was a Jew by pointing out that that "Miriam would not have been that friendly with a Gentile." But that doesn't hold up if he was a convert. In the first century a convert was considered as a Jew and it was forbidden for any other Jew to ever, ever remind him that he was a convert.
If Luke really did come from Antioch, as Tertullian mentions, Antioch had a large Jewish community and would explain why he never had to worry about his provisions and could attend Paul for so long as his personal physician. Antioch is where many Jews fled after the stoning of Stephen.
Some have said that Luke being a physician is proof that he was a Gentile. C'mon, do you really think that?
Rabbi Stanley
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Yes, very much so
I'd also like to add here that Peter said to Cornelius that he couldn't associate with him because he was a Gentile. Luke was obviously a Jew, the Disciples associated all the time together with Luke.
Rabbi Stanley
This is the first time I have ever heard that Luke was a Jew.
I was raised Christian in a community of like minded people. Most of my life has been as this. Somewhere in the early 1990's a Messianic Jew and his wife came to our church and demonstrated how Yeshua was in the Passover. I was mesmerized.
For many years afterward, my husband and I financially supported Jews for Jesus. I would tell everyone about this event and if ever they have opportunity to hear a messianic jew speak, don't miss it. It would be 20 years before I would hear another messianic jew speak.
The Holy Spirit in me leapt up that night and said to me "Listen to him. He is right."
It took 20 yrs for me to come to Torah observance. I came strictly from Holy Spirit and The Word showing me the way. I came in the midst of fellow gentile believers who thought I was a bit daft.
Once I got here, I found so many Messianic Jews spouting so much wisdom. Not all of course. There are certainly wolves among the sheep here too. But that same Holy Spirit keeps leading me to Truth.
Torah for me is the roadmap of His Way. Trying to walk His path without His roadmap is futile.
Romans 11:15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
I believe with all my heart and soul, that Yeshua cannot return until all His people come together.
I believe I have heard Truth spoken again today. I will store this thought about Luke in my brain and compare it to the scriptures as I study. Thank you YHWH for bringing the Jews to Yeshua in my day! They bring with them your instructions on how to live successfully. Your Will oh Father. How many classes have I attended in my life trying to determine the Will of my Father for me? Ridiculous search when the answer is found in Torah.
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