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THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION
36
The Acts opens with a renewed witness concerning the kingdom of Israel and David's throne, but also links with
it the wider covenant made with Abraham. Luke, who wrote the `Acts', had already written a `former treatise of all
that Jesus began both to do and teach'; and in that treatise he had laid a foundation for Paul's gospel of the
reconciliation. He does not stay at Abraham when he gives the genealogy of the Lord, but goes back to Adam, the
father - not of all who believe, but of all who live - irrespective of the question of faith or works, law or promise.
Before drawing attention to one or two features of Luke's Gospel which indicate its peculiar testimony, we
would ask the reader's consideration of the close literary association which is observable between the writings of
Luke and the epistles of Paul. Words, phrases, turns of expression, which are found repeated in the Gospel, Acts,
and Epistles, are found nowhere else in the New Testament. We cannot avoid the conclusion that the preparation of
the third Gospel was intimately connected with the personal ministry of the apostle Paul, and had that ministry
continually in mind. The phenomenon of language is so pronounced that one investigator seeks to prove that Paul is
the writer of the Gospel according to Luke. While we do not hold that this is the case, the remarkable literary
connection is too unmistakable to be ignored. H. Heber Evans, in his book `Paul, the Author of the Acts', has
brought together a mass of evidence which we do well to consider.
Luke uses 1,750 distinct words, of which 875 are found in Paul's epistles. This computation excludes `Hebrews',
but we remember upon one occasion hearing a student of the Word express his belief that Luke wrote `Hebrews'; so
that there is evidently a further connection with that epistle. However, we must omit this epistle for the time being,
although believing that Paul was the writer of it. Every second word in the Gospel of Luke is also used by Paul.
The following is a summary of the literary connection between Luke's writings and the epistles of Paul:
1,450 distinct words are used in Acts.
550 of them are found in Paul's epistles.
Peculiar Words.
What is more important is to note the words which, while used by both Paul and Luke, occur nowhere else.
50
words in both Luke and Acts occur nowhere else but in Paul's epistles.
80
other words in Luke, peculiar to Paul.
89
other words in Acts, peculiar to Paul.
30
Proper names which occur.
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249
Total
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An even more decisive test is the matter of the usage of particles. Any two writers upon any given theme might
use similar words, without of necessity collaborating; but intimate peculiarities of tiny particles would indicate
something akin to joint authorship. The following is the case for the particles:
Particles peculiar to Paul, Luke, and Acts.
10
Luke, Acts, and Paul only.
7
Luke and Paul only.
11
Acts and Paul.
Phrases common to Luke, Paul, and Acts.
More than 100 common to Luke and Paul.
Not all,
however,
More than 100 common to Acts and Paul.
peculiar.
But 50 phrases in Luke, and
60 phrases in Acts are peculiar to Paul.
Space does not allow us to go further. H. Heber Evan's work is well worth study.