Rick Morris
Liberty University – Seminary
NBST 520-B02
Discussion Board Post
Forum 1 1. Give the evidence to support Luke as author of Acts. How could Luke become aware of privileged information such as found in Acts 23:25–30, 25:14–22, and 26:30–32? How important are the "we" passages in Acts to determining authorship?
John A. Battle, Th.D., provided insight to the authorship of Act stating that there is external and internal evidence to support Luke, the Physician as the author. The external evidence can be seen in the writings of Paul found in Colossians, Philemon and 2 Timothy, according to Battle who shares Henry Cadbury’s quote from his article titled “The Tradition.” Church tradition is external evidence that has been supported by Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius and Jerome. An interesting fact that Battle brings up is the earliest copies of Luke’s Gospel has the title Kata Loukan, “According to Luke.”
Battle goes further to provide internal evidence and references work by John C. Hawkins, Horae Synopticae. A point that supports the authorship of Luke is found in the “we sections.” Part of the understanding of the we sections can be attributed to being a companion of Paul. The author of Acts is using we to reference the work and witness of himself and Paul, Acts 16:10, 20:5-21:18 and 27:1-28:16.
Perhaps one of the most compelling is the demonstration of linguistics and order. W.K. Hobart wrote, The Medical Language of St. Luke, and compared 400 medical words that occur in Acts with the vocabulary of Greek physicians. The findings were astonishing and related much of the linguistic to a physician. In looking at those who were companions of Paul the only one who was a physician was Luke. The systematic approach to the historicity of Luke as well as attention to detail is evident of one who has a scientific background.

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