The Gospel of St Luke : Preface

St Luke Chapter I : Verses 1-4

Contents

• Luke i. 1-4.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Annotations

Luke i. 1-4. 

St Luke. J-J Tissot (1886-94) Brooklyn Museum.

1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us;

Quoniam quidem multi conati sunt ordinare narrationem, quae in nobis completæ sunt, rerum :

2 According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:

sicut tradiderunt nobis, qui ab initio ipsi viderunt, et ministri fuerunt sermonis :

3 It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

visum est et mihi, assecuto omnia a principio diligenter, ex ordine tibi scribere, optime Theophile,

4 That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.

ut cognoscas eorum verborum, de quibus eruditus es, veritatem.

Annotations

[Taken from the Great Commentary of Cornelius À Lapide (1567-1637), except where otherwise stated]

    1.—Forasmuch as many. Maldonatus [1522-83] is of opinion that the Evangelists Matthew and Mark are intended; but these were not many, but only two. S. Luke rather seems here to allude to the Apocryphal Gospels, which were circulated under the names of Matthias, Thomas, and other apostles.

Most surely believed. Completæ sunt, Vulgate. πεπληροφορηαένων, Greek. This word signifies—1. fully accomplished; 2. surely ascertained: as it is rendered by S. Ambrose, Theophylact, Euthymius.

    2.—Which from the beginning were eye-witnesses, &c. Ipsi viderunt, Vulgate. αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου, Greek: that is who were eye-witnesses (oculares spectatores) and ministers of the word: which we may understand—1. of Christ, for He is the Word of the Eternal Father; the meaning then will be, “As the Apostles who saw Christ Himself and ministered to Him delivered them to us.” 2. Of ordinary preaching; the meaning then will be, “As they delivered them who saw the deeds of Christ, and were sent by Him to preach the Gospel.”

    3.—Having had perfect understanding. παρηκολουθηκότι, Greek: that is “carefully investigating,” and therefore “having understood.” [Ed. This seems to be a reference to St Luke's own diligent research.]

    In order. καθεξῇε, Greek; that is—1. successively, 2. distinctly, in order so as to relate, first the conception of Christ, then His nativity, afterwards His life, and lastly His death and resurrection.

    Theophilus. Theophilus was a noble and chief man of Antioch, who was converted by S. Peter and dedicated his house as a church in which S. Peter held assemblies of Christians, and placed his chair as primate, as S. Clement relates Recog. lib. 10, cap. ult. Baronius conjectures that S. Luke, who was a physician and painter of Antioch, wrote to Theophilus as a citizen and as his own intimate friend; Theophylact adds that S. Luke was a catechumen of Theophilus, for S. Peter by himself was not able to instruct the multitude who came together to be taught the faith of Christ, and therefore he made use of the labours of many others for instructing the faithful. He is called most excellent, [Ed.κράτιστε, o most mighty/powerful] which was a title given to governors and magistrates; he seems therefore to have been a senator or governor of Antioch.

BEDE. [672-735] (in proœm. Lucæ.) Theophilus means, “loving God,” or “being loved by God.” Whoever then loves God, or desires to be loved by Him, let him think this Gospel to have been written to him, and preserve it as a gift presented to him, a pledge entrusted to his care.

    4.—That thou mayest know the certainty. Veritatem, truth, Vulgate. ἀσφάλειαν, Greek, certainty, stability.

Additional Notes

Luke. "The name Lucas (Luke) is probably an abbreviation from Lucanus ... It is generally held that St. Luke was a native of Antioch... St. Luke was not a Jew. He is separated by St. Paul from those of the circumcision (Colossians iv.14), and his style proves that he was a Greek...  He was a physician by profession, and St. Paul calls him "the most dear physician" (Colossians iv.14). This avocation implied a liberal education, and his medical training is evidenced by his choice of medical language. Plummer suggests that he may have studied medicine at the famous school of Tarsus, the rival of Alexandria and Athens, and possibly met St. Paul there. From his intimate knowledge of the eastern Mediterranean, it has been conjectured that he had lengthened experience as a doctor on board ship. ... St. Luke its always represented by the calf or ox, the sacrificial animal, because his Gospel begins with the account of Zachary, the priest, the father of John the Baptist. He is called a painter by Nicephorus Callistus (fourteenth century), and by the Menology of Basil II, A.D. 980. A picture of the Virgin in S. Maria Maggiore, Rome, is ascribed to him, and can be traced to A.D. 847. It is probably a copy of that mentioned by Theodore Lector, in the sixth century." [Taken from the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia]

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text & notes

1. Because many have gone about to compile a Narration of the things that have been accompliſhed among vs;

2. according as they have delivered vnto vs, who from the beginning themſelves ſaw and were Miniſters of the Word; 

3. it ſeemed good alſo vnto me, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, Good Theophilus, 

4. that thou maiſt know the veritie of thoſe wordes wherof thou haſt been inſtructed.

    3. having diligently attained. Hereby we ſee, that though the Holy Ghoſt ruled the penne of the holy Writers that they might not erre, yet did they uſe human meanes to ſearch out and find the truth of the things they wrote of. Euen ſo doe  Councels,and the Preſident of them, Gods Vicar, diſcusse and examine al cauſes by humane meanes, the aſſiſtance of thc Holy Ghoſt concurring and directing them into al truth, according to Chriſtes promiſe Io. 16.13; as in the very firft Councel of the Apoſtles themſelues at Hieruſalem is maniſeſt. Act.15.7. and 28. Againe here we haue a familiar preface of the Authour as to his fricnd or to euery godly Reader (ſignified by Theophilus) conccrning the cauſc and purpoſe & manner of his writing, and yet the very ſame is confeſſed Scripture, with the whole booke folowing. Maruel not then if the Authour of the ſecond booke of thc Machabees uſe the like humane ſpeaches both at the beginning and in the later end; neither doe thou therfore reject the booke for no Scripture, as our Heretikes doe; or not thinkc him a ſacred Writer.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.