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Sadler has devoted a considerable portion of his introduction to Luke's Gospel to the links that are
observable between the Epistles of Paul and the Gospel of Luke. For the benefit of the reader, we will epitomise
these observations, but their full force can only be felt when the parallel passages are actually read together,
unfortunately limitations of space make it impossible to set out these parallels here.
Paul's Gospel had an historic basis (1 Cor. 15:1-10). It had moreover a definite doctrine of the Person of Christ
(Rom. 1:1-4), the birth, death and resurrection of the Son of God being basic.
In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul says of the risen Christ "He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve". Luke alone
mentions the appearance of Cephas (Luke 24:34).
Luke lays great stress upon the fact that the ceremonial law was observed at the birth of Christ (Luke 2:21),
which provides a background to the words of Galatians 4:4 and Colossians 2:11.
Paul's description of a "widow indeed" (1 Tim. 5:5) is foreshadowed by Anna (Luke 2:37).
The acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:19 and 2 Cor. 6:2); the title "steward" (Luke 12:42 and 1 Cor. 4:1);
the condition of alienation as one of death (Luke 15:24,32 and Eph. 4:18); the use of the word "revealed" in
connection with the second coming (Luke 17:30 and 1 Cor. 1:7); the comment "for all live unto Him" (Luke 20:38
with Rom. 14:7, 2 Cor. 5:14); the reference to the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24 and Rom. 11:25) and the
close association of the ascension with the resurrection observable in the gospel and the epistles.
Luke's record of the institution of the Lord's supper (Luke 22:19,20) is followed very closely by the record of
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, and it must be remembered that in both this institution, and the summary of the gospel given
in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul declares "I have received of the Lord" and "that which I also received".
Verbal coincidences as the use of katecheo "catechise" (Luke 1:4; Gal. 6:6); "children of light" (Luke 16:8; 1
Thess. 5:5); the possible reference in 1 Timothy 2:15 "the childbearing" to the account given of the birth of the
Saviour in Luke's Gospel and the use of the word ophthe in Luke 22:43 and 1 Timothy 3:16 "seen of angels".
If the exhortation "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16) refers to a scriptural record, a record
moreover that contains the only Christian hymns recorded in the New Testament then Luke's gospel may be
intended by the apostle under the heading "the Word of Christ" (e.g. Luke 1:46-55,68-79, etc.). Again when the
apostle beseeches the Corinthian Christians "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:1) some such
record as that of Luke seems intended.
Other links with Paul's Gospel will be brought to light when we institute a comparison between the Gospel of
Matthew and that of Luke.
The Distinctive Purposes of the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke demonstrated.
The words used by Luke and Paul have been tabulated, and it has been found that "every second word in the
Gospel of Luke is also used by Paul" and so close is the language of the Acts of the apostles to the diction of Paul's
epistles, that there is actually a volume of considerable interest published, entitled "Paul, the author of the Acts" (H.
Heber Evans). Moreover, among those who deny that Paul was or could be the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews,
are those who maintain that its author was Luke. This we do not believe, and have every confidence that Hebrews is
one of Paul's fourteen epistles--yet the closeness of language between Paul and Luke is emphasised by this
suggestion.
The message which was given to the apostle Paul for the Gentiles, and the ministry of the reconciliation
committed to him, arose out of the failure of Israel (speaking after the manner of men) to repent and believe the
good news of the kingdom. The great teaching of the apostle, which included the Gentile within the sphere of the
promise of Abraham (Romans and Galatians), is scarcely suggested by Matthew's Gospel. We have already seen
that Matthew's Gospel is divided into two parts, each part is connected with the relationship and covenants indicated
in Matthew 1:1. The first part, covering Matthew 4:17 to 16:20, is associated with the kingly title "Son of David";
the second portion, commencing with the announcement of suffering, death and resurrection (16:21), is the fulfilling