The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-19
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
LIFE OF ST. LUKE.


permit.
1. 81. Luke's Festival.
1t Is we'll to keep in mind the lives of emil
nent persons. There is no objection to desg-
mated times for such study. The day set apart
by the Greek, Roman Catholic, Episcopal and
some other Christian bodies is Oct. 1S. We
find in the Kalandar of the Church of Car
thage as early as A. ID. 484 recognition of st.
Luke's day. Even in st. Paul's time st. Luke
had become eminent; so much so, ST. Paul said
OF him that his praise is in the Gospel
throughout all the churches" q Cor. 8: 18, 1877
AS st. Paul's fellow traveller, as q man of great
culture, as a noted physician, as author of q
Life of Christ, and as writer of the history of
the times of the Holy Apostles st. Luke was g
famous character. and it is no wonder early
Christians loved to keep him in memory by
special religious services. There could bs no
such expurgation of the Church Kalandar as
to exclude st. Luke's day. We love to keep
his memory fresh and vital. 1t Ia we'll TO spend
year with him.
2. Tbs Names Of ST. Luke.
There Is nothing peculiar about the name st.
Luke. Many interpret it as meaning luminous.
There would be fitness in such a name What
two towering and refulgent lights are the Cos
pei of st. Luke and tho Acts of the Apostles
Most hold the name Luke to be a contracted
form for Lucanus That was quite common
name among the Romans. Lucanus Anneus
was prominent poet, and Lucanus Ocellus was
weil-known philosopher
A Lucius is spoken of In the New Tesla
ment. (Acts, ID: /; ROM, 10 /: 81 He was
native of CyreDe and kinsman of st. Paul.
he il not, however, to be COMPOUNDED with st.
Luke.
We notice the name Luke In the Received
Version is spelled Lucas, in Phil, "a. The Re-
vised Version has Luke It is better to print the
name in uniform spelling.
nh han.v .Inl ia -
Greece" He was with st. Paul in establishing
churches In Greece, and in Greek cities of
Asia Minor. And he was himself associated
with Achaia.
3. ParentGgs
We know nothing Of either the father or the
mother of ST. Luke. We know nothing rs to
either his related ancestors or descendants.
4. Time and Place Of Birth
We do not know the date of st. Luke's birth.
lie was probably a young man when he and
st. Paul met. We may say st. Luke was born
about A. D. 20. We have the authority of the
historian Eusebius and of Jerome for stating st.
Luke's birthplace was Antioch, Syria.
s. Nationality.
We cannot state with certainty the racial or
national derivation of st. Luke. It has been
said, hrst, he was q Jew; secondly, he was
GENTLE; thirdly, he was one-half Jew and one
half GENTLE
Why suppose he was JewH 1. He readily
adapts himself to Hebrew idioms In compost
ton. z. He was very familiar with jewish
rites, customs, preiudiccs, opinions. 3. When
St Paul was at Jerusalem Acts, 81 2S, 29) the
Jews became greatly enraged, because they be-
lieved that st. Paul had presumed to take Tro-
phemus a Gentle, into the temple; but they
ind no fault as to st. Luke gaining admission
into that sacred structure.
Why suppose him GentIlsl /. He had
great versatility in the use of the Greek lam
gusge. 2. When st. Paul was writing TO the
Colossians, "a: 10 and IL compared with w. H.
no sent to them the sautations of Aristarchus,
Marcus and Justus adding they were of the
circumcision. Then, just afterward, he states
Luke and Demas also greet them. He seems to
make distinction between those of the cir
eumcision, 10 wit. jews, and those who wore
not, viz, Gentilss.
Many who hold Sc. Luke was born n GENTLE
say he became proselyte 10 the Jewish faith.
It Ii Ia certain there were blended in him both
Greek and Hebrew characteristics His intro
ductlon to his Gospel and that to the book Of
the Acts of the Apostles. and indeed all that he
wrote, independents Of direct quotation, are of
The purest, most classical and elegant Greek.
9. Marriage
We have no record of the marriage of Sc.
Luke. Jerome declares st. Luke never married
2. Education.
st. Luke was fortunate to have been born
in Antioch. That city was q renowned GEN.
tor of culture. There were in it schools of
high grade, having able teachers In the arts and
sciences. Learned men travelled thither and
many such made it their homo. 1t is clear St
Luke was intellectual, and availed himself Of
the opportunities Mt hand for securing thor
ough education. In addition to liberal course
of studies he pursued professional-the med
ical. Then such training derived in the schools
was supplemented by culture gotten from for
eign travel 10 famous seats OF learning, az
Athens and Rome and Thebais.
8. Vocation
There ID no question but that st. Luke was n
physician, and that as such he was held in great
esteem and affection. (Col., { IA We notice
he never takes part in q miracle of cure Be- |
ing doctor of medicine, there might be sus-
picion he cured without supernatural aid, and |
thus the moral effect always sought in q |
miracle would DO lost. At the same time he |
was fitted To be critical reporter of all such |
miracles, since he would, ip their explanation,
discover any human cause if such existed, and |
denounce any pretenses of miraculous products |
1t Is observable that he is moro accurate in re-
porting miracles of cure than is any other New |
Testament writer. He is moro technical. He |
writes. g. Of tho disease and cure of the father
OF Publius at Malta with tho accuracy of n /
medical gentleman. His travel abroad was /
probably with special reference to perfecting |
his knowledge of the medicinal art All tho |
early writers affirm he was physician. We |
observe that the fact he was a professional /
gentleman is not in itself positive proof of /
superior social rank, since We read of slaves in
early times becoming doctors of medicine. One
reading the Gospel of ST. Luke is also struck
with the more sensitive dealing at the hands of |
So. Luke OF all physical suffering. We see this
in his accounts of the closing
scenes of agony in tho life of our Savior
There Is u tradition having considerable sup
port that st. Luke was also given to the art OF
portrait painting Indeed, some portraits are
extant said TO have been from his hand These
arc OF the Blessed Virgin Mary. Had It been
clear Sc. Luke was born jew we could object
to the superstition no became an artistic painter
from the fact Jews were not given to that pro-
fession. Nevertheless, st. Luke is regarded az
tho patron Saint of painters.
o. Writings
ST. Luke wrote the Gospel bearing his mama
and also the books of the Acts of the Apostles
IL Ia said he wrote the purest Greek of any
New Testament author. He was evidently a
cultured person. Granting he was Gentile,
he was the New Testament writer not a jew
by birth. Probably Elihu, q Gentile, was author
Of the book of Job, and Nebuchadnezzar, Gem
tile, wrote the fourth chapter of Daniel One
sees in tho introductions to the two books
written by st. Luke evidences of "a stately.
erudite style. 1t Is clear the author was an OBJ
serving person, we'll acquainted with the cus-
toms of elevated GENTLE society. Ifone do not
agree with him he must yet respect his knowl-