Wednesday 18 October 2023

Background

 Today we take a break from the letter to the Hebrews because it is the feast day of Luke the Evangelist. St Luke was the author of both Luke’s Gospel and The Acts of the Apostles. Luke accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys and there are a number of passages in Acts (Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–37; 28:1-16) written in the third person plural (we). This suggests that Luke was present for these events. The rest of his material (both in his Gospel and its sequel) was sourced from other writers and witnesses.

If I had been born a boy, I would have been called Luke because Luke's Gospel is my mother’s favourite. My father’s name is Paul and I have a cousin (on my father’s side) called Timothy. So, today’s passage reminds me of my family relationships – as do all the references to my maiden name (Priest) in the letter to the Hebrews.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul is clearly writing to people who knew the people he knew. He mentions lots of names: Demus, Crescens, Titus, Mark, Tychicus, Carpus, Alexander and Luke. We know even less about most of these people than we do about Melchizedek, who featured in yesterday's reading.

It’s probably also worth pointing out that Paul seems to be expressing his disappointment at the behaviour of some of them. Demas has deserted him (v. 10) and Alexander has done him great harm (v. 14). That information, together with the news that Paul’s life will soon come to an end (v. 6), adds greater poignancy to the fact that "only Luke is with me" (v. 11).

We know that Luke was a doctor. So, his presence may have helped to ease Paul’s physical pain as well as his emotional wounds. Perhaps Luke was also acting as a secretary for Paul, writing this letter under dictation, as well as making notes for his future publications! Luke’s companionship provided both practical and spiritual support to Paul.   

To Ponder:

• If you could only have one person with you at the end of your life, who would it be?
• Which is your favourite gospel?
• How could you offer practical or spiritual support to someone today? 

Prayer
Almighty God, you called Luke the physician, whose praise is in the gospel, to be an evangelist and physician of the soul: by the grace of the Spirit and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel, give your Church the same love and power to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(The Collect for St Luke the Evangelist, from Common Worship  © The Archbishops' Council 2008 and published by Church House Publishing)