Question
Reading the book of Acts. I know Luke was a physician, but would like to know more about Luke. His Last name? Why was this book called Acts? What happened to Luke?
Answer
Eusebius and others say he was a Grecian and that he was born and raised at Antioch of Syria. Some think he was a proselyte (a Gentile converted to the Jewish religion) perhaps during the time of Christ, but we do not know when.
He joined Paul at Troas on his second missionary journey and went with him as far as Phillippi. After Paul is let out of prison there, Luke stays (Acts 16: 10-17). He does not meet Paul again until Paul returns to Phillippi on his third missionary journey. He goes back with Paul to Jerusalem to carry the money for the needy saints. There Paul is arrested and taken to Casearea for two years and then is taken to Rome (Acts 20-21). Luke goes with him. He was with Paul during both of his Roman imprisonments. (Col. 4: 14; 2 Tim. 4:11). Tradition says he suffered martyrdom in Greece.
Acts would probably be better describes as “Acts of the Apostles” because it is a history of events surrounding some of the apostles, mainly Peter and Paul.
We don’t know what Luke’s “last name” was. The Bible deals mainly in “first names”.
By Danny Stanford
