Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul, was a physician and hence the detail in this gospel that we do not find in the others. The narrative starts with the birth of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist, and gives a detailed version of the birth of Christ, the story that our own Christmas traditions are based on. There is a genealogy given, of Jesus, that goes right back to Adam!
The compassion and forgiveness of Jesus, as well as the many healings, are characterized in this gospel while the enemies of Jesus are relentless in their pursuit of entrapment. He is eventually crucified but the grave cannot hold him and he continues on, saving people, to this day.
Impressions: After looking it up, I realized that this is the only book of the Bible that is written by a Gentile. That is perhaps why he makes no reference to Old Testament passages, other than those directly quoted by Jesus, such as during His temptation in the wilderness. What comes through very clearly is the value of the 'downtrodden and outcastes' in a society that was very class conscious. Much like today.
Readability: 5 stars
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