The remarkable agreement between Luke’s account of the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:9, 20), and Paul’s (1 Cor. 11:28-25) has often been noticed.  It is most naturally explained by the supposition that Luke recorded the transaction in the form in which he had often heard it from the lips of Paul.  But there is nothing in the character of this gospel which can warrant the supposition that the apostle exercised a formal supervision over its composition.  Such a procedure would be contrary to the spirit of the apostolic age.  The apostle himself wrote by an amanuensis.  But when one of his associates in the ministry wrote, in whom he had full confidence, he left him to the free exercise of his judgment under the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

28.  In respect to the date of this gospel, if we assume that the Acts of the Apostles were written at Rome about A.D. 63-65 (Chap. 5, No. 5), it is reasonable to suppose that the gospel, which is dedicated to the same personage, was composed not very long before, perhaps even during the two years of Paul’s imprisonment at Rome, in which case Rome would also be the place of its composition.  Whether Luke wrote before or after Mark is a question that has been differently answered, and cannot be determined with certainty.  The proof that all three of the first evangelists wrote before the destruction of Jerusalem has been already given.  Chap. 3, No. 14.

29.  Though Luke dedicates his gospel to Theophilus (chap, 1:1-4), it is not to be supposed that it was written for his use alone.  He had a more general end in view, and that is indicated by the form of our Lord’s genealogy as given by him.  While Matthew traces the Saviour’s lineage through David to Abraham, in conformity with his design to show that he is the promised seed of Abraham and king of Israel, Luke traces it back through David and Abraham to Adam “the son of God.”  He identifies Jesus of Nazareth not with the Messiah alone of Abraham’s and David’s line, but with man as man.  He is the second Adam, and as such the Saviour of the race.  This universal aspect of the gospel, as a gospel not for one nation but for all mankind, shines forth indeed in all the gospels, but it appears with wonderful sweetness and power in some of the parables which are peculiar to Luke, as those of the good Samaritan (chap. 10:30-37), the lost sheep (chap. 15:3-7), the lost pieces of silver (chap. 15:8-10), the prodigal son (chap. 15:11-32); in all which Jesus is set forth as the Saviour of suffering humanity.