of the Gospel.  It is too early in our studies to attempt a literary

structure of the whole Gospel; all that we will indicate here is the

framework of the great central section Luke 4:14 to 22:53.

4:14 to 10:42

First Record

Nazareth to Bethany.

11:1 to 14:24

Second Record

Prayer and Parable.

14:25 to 22:53

Third Record

Discipleship, Cross

and Throne.

Luke leads his reader along three avenues converging on a common centre, the

cross and the resurrection and not by a continuous unbroken thoroughfare.

The headings given in the above analysis are tentative.  We are here simply

recognizing that the chronological problems of this great section suggest

that it is threefold and cannot be summed up under the words 'King and

Kingdom' without beclouding the essential nature of Luke's Gospel.  As our

study proceeds, these sections will yield to fuller analysis; for the present

we must leave them for a closer consideration of the introductory verses of

Luke 1:1-4.  Irenaeus says 'Luke set down in a book the Gospel preached by

Paul' which if not true, nevertheless contains an element of truth, namely,

that Luke's account provided the apostle Paul many features that would

justify his relation with the Gentile that would not have been discoverable

in either Matthew or Mark.  John's Gospel, it must be remembered, was not

written until long after Paul's death.

The introduction of Luke's Gospel is addressed to a person of some rank

or standing, 'most excellent Theophilus', the title kratistos being the same

as that given to such governors as Felix and Festus (Acts 23:26; 26:25).

That Luke does not feel under any necessity to be more explicit is in favour

of the genuineness of this Gospel; it is assumed that his primary readers

would know quite well who the most excellent Theophilus was.  While Paul said

to the Corinthians 'Not many noble are called' (1 Cor. 1:26), he said 'Not

Many', not 'Not Any', and the record of the Acts contains the further

'Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were

Greeks, and of men, not a few' (Acts 17:12).

The language used by Luke in this introduction is 'more laboured and formal'

(Alford) than that found in the remainder of the Gospel, and this was but

following the custom of the time, and is not unknown in the wording of

Prefaces and Addresses to this day.  'Forasmuch', the Greek word with which

this Gospel opens, is not found elsewhere in the Scriptures, but is found in

classical writers.  The introduction written by Luke is in marked contrast

with the opening of Matthew's Gospel, which takes the reader straight back to

David and Abraham.  This note we shall have to sound again and again and

believe that the very accumulation of instances in which Luke is seen leaning

to the Gentile side of the truth, where Matthew stresses some relation with

Jew and the earthly kingdom, will provide overwhelming proof that there is

every reason, when studying these four Gospels, to observe their differences,

rather than to attempt that which God alone could have inspired, namely one

composite presentation of the earthly life and ministry of the Son of God in

one account.  The Gentile aspect manifest in Luke's writing is as inspired as

the Jewish aspect of Matthew or the worldwide reach of John.  The failure on