RENAN, the critic, declared that Luke is the most beautiful book in the world. With this judgment all scholars, so far as I know, are agreed. It is most beautiful in that it presents the beautiful life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is also beautiful because it is written in the very best style of the Greek language. Experts in Greek admit that it is the highest type of literary Koine (Koine is the word that is used to refer to the Greek language of the period from approximately 300 B.C. to A.D. 300) that is in existence today. As a matter-of-fact literary critics concede the point that the introduction to Luke is in every way equal to that of Thucydides, who is recognized as a master of Greek literary style.

Luke, of the four records of the Gospel, gives the most complete picture of the life of our Lord. It is just a little longer than Matthew and quite a bit longer than John. Luke gives the most complete account of our Lord's life. There are fewer gaps in his narration than in any of the other records. While he does give some of the discourses of our Lord (for example, the Sermon on the Mount (6:20-49) and the Olivet Discourse (Luke, chap. 21), he devotes his entire time largely to that of narrating what Jesus did, where He went, and the reception which was accorded Him. It is true that he passes over the early Judean ministry of Jesus, which is given by John alone (John 2:13-3:36). He alone gives us the great Perean ministry in detail; although Matthew, for instance, did give some few particulars, as is found in Matthew 19:1-20:28. Luke alone gives the latter Judean ministry and His labors in other parts of the land toward the close of His ministry.

Luke is full in his account of the details of the last week of our Lord's life upon earth. He likewise tells us of his post-resurrection appearances to different ones of His disciples. Mark and Luke alone give us an account of His last appearance and His ascension to the right hand of the throne of God.

While all four of the records of the Gospel are indispensable for a complete understanding of our Lord's life, Luke by many is considered the most precious in that it gives more details and a fuller and a more complete picture of Jesus during His earthly ministry than does any of the other writers. Many, however, are partial to the Gospel of John because it lays great emphasis upon His divine-human nature. While John lays the emphasis upon the twofold nature of our Lord, Luke and the other Synoptic writers recognize the twofold nature of Jesus. The absolute assumption from which both Matthew and Luke wrote was a recognition of the pre-existence of the Lord Jesus as the one who appeared upon earth as the Hebrew Messiah. Mark likewise, assumed this same pre-existence and His divine nature, though he does not lay the emphasis upon it that is found in either Matthew or Luke. Of course, as we have already seen, John puts practically all of his emphasis upon the divine-human nature of Jesus.

In the Old Testament there are four passages which speak of the Messiah under the symbol of a branch. This figure is grounded in what is called David's "swan song" (II Sam. 23:1-7). This general thought is expressed in the words: "Although he maketh it not to grow" (II Sam. 23:6). A perusal of this song shows clearly that the prophet David had in mind the Messiah before whom he bows in humble submission. The Messiah is here conceived of as a root growing out of the ground. Of this root David asserted that God at that time had not made it grow. But, knowing that the promises of God are infallible, and that God will redeem every word He says, David was assured of the fact that at the proper time this shoot, or root, would spring forth and would grow. From this germinal thought and figure three of the prophets moulded their predictions concerning the Messiah.

Speaking in terms of this figure, Jeremiah declared: "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness" (Jer. 23:5,6).

In this passage the prophet Jeremiah saw the Messiah of Israel, the Branch as the King of the Jews, who will reign in power, glory, and majesty. When He thus reigns Judah and Israel will dwell securely in their own land. From other passages we learn that, when this prophecy is fulfilled, all nations will enjoy the peaceful righteous reign of King Messiah.

It is very plain that Matthew wished to present Jesus of Nazareth as the King of the Jews concerning whom Jeremiah and the other prophets spoke. Matthew was led by the Spirit to incorporate in his record those incidences and speeches of our Lord that show conclusively His being the King of the Jews.

Zechariah likewise spoke of the Messiah of Israel as God's servant, and identified Him as "the Branch" (Zech. 3:8). Isaiah is very fond of using the term "servant" in referring to the Messiah of Israel (Isa. 42:1-4; 49:1ff; 50:1-11; 52:13-53:18). Zechariah, in speaking thus of this "servant of Jehovah" likewise spoke of Him as "the Branch." In presenting this Branch as the servant of Jehovah, emphasis is laid upon the fact that He does not come to do His own will, but to carry out and perfect the will of God upon earth among men. A perusal of Mark's record of the Gospel shows that he presented Jesus as the servant of Jehovah, always being alert to do the will of God in every particular. The catchwords of this second record of the Gospel are "immediately," "straightway." Mark lays emphasis upon the activities of our Lord, rather than upon His speeches and discourses. In this book, therefore, we see Jesus as the Branch, as the servant of Jehovah.

Zechariah also spoke of the Messiah as the Branch and emphasized the fact that this one is a man. "Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah; even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both" (Zech. 6:12,13). In this passage the prophet, in speaking of the Branch of Jehovah, emphasizes the fact that He is a man. The occasion of this prophecy is this: There was held a service and a ceremony in which Joshua, the high priest at the time was dressed in the proper apparel with a double crown upon his brow. At the right time in the ceremony the prophet pointed to Joshua and uttered this oracle. It is clear from the statements of Zechariah that he was not meaning that Joshua was the one who was called "the Branch"; because the prophet declared of this Branch that He "shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah ..." Thus the man whose name is the Branch had not appeared upon the historic scene at the time of Zechariah. We are therefore to conclude that, in pointing to Joshua the high priest, the prophet was simply trying to convey to his auditors minds the fact that sometime in the future God would raise up the Branch, the Messiah, who will wear the priestly mitre and the royal crown, and who will build the temple of Jehovah and sit upon His throne, controlling the world. But in making this prediction Zechariah emphasized the thought that Messiah is the man -- a perfect man.

While Luke recognizes the twofold nature of Messiah, he is very insistent upon presenting Jesus as a perfect human, the ideal man. To present Christ in this manner would naturally appeal to the Greeks for whom Luke was writing.

Isaiah likewise spoke of the Messiah in terms of a branch: "In that day shall the branch of Jehovah be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel" (Isa. 4:2). In this verse the human nature of the Messiah is spoken of as "the fruit of the land," or earth. Whereas His divine nature is thought of as "the branch of Jehovah." In this verse, therefore, the divine-human nature of Messiah is presented. An examination of the Gospel of John shows that he selected that material from the life of our Lord that enabled him to present Christ in His twofold nature -- as the God-man.

God has given us a fourfold portrait of the Branch of Jehovah, the Messiah-- as King of the Jews, as the Servant of Jehovah, as the Ideal Man, and as the God-man. The four Evangelists writing the Gospels, figuratively speaking, go on the witness stand and testify concerning the things which they knew from actual experience and association about Jesus the Nazarene. Each one is led by the Spirit of God to present that material which will show the Messiah in the capacity in which he desired his readers to see the Lord Jesus. Each of the writers is an independent witness of the things which he saw and knew.

Similarities and dissimilarities are to be found by an examination of their testimonies. When, however, the dissimilarities are examined honestly, conscientiously and thoroughly, the contradictions, which to the superficial thinker look large upon the horizon, disappear completely. The harmony existing between them is perfect. For the truth seeker, then, our Lord stands in His majesty and glory, and at the same time in His humanity, as our Kinsman-Redeemer, who opened up the way of salvation for us, and who will come again as King, not only of the Jews, but of all nations. At this future advent He will establish His reign of righteousness upon earth.

Luke informed his readers that he had made thorough and accurate investigation concerning the things which had been fulfilled among the believers, and which were believed by the faithful band of early Christians. He consulted "eye-witnesses and ministers of the word." He traced out all things accurately from the very beginning of the movement back to God that was first inaugurated by John the Baptist and then was led by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

After he did his research, the Holy Spirit guided him infallibly to record those things which he had traced out as a scientific historian. That Luke should be guided by the Holy Spirit was guaranteed by the promise of the Lord Jesus to His disciples (John, chap. 14.) That Luke was an accurate historian is proved by the fact that his historical references, which have been challenged by unbelievers and critics, have been proved to be absolutely and literally correct. Archaeological evidence has been brought to light that verifies Luke's statements, and that discredits the position of the critics.

The Lord has thus given us this most beautiful and marvelous book which presents Jesus of Nazareth to us as not only our Lord and Saviour, our Lord and Israel's King, but as our Kinsman-Redeemer, who has purchased redemption for us at the terrible price of laying down His life for us on the cruel cross of Calvary.

May we enter the study of the Gospel according to Luke in the spirit of reverence with only one thought in mind, which is, that we may learn more of Him and of His blessed work for us and His great interest in us. His and the Father's great concern and thoughts, are more numerous than all the sands beside all seashores. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.