forsook him. "All in Asia have left me." First Phygellus and Hermogenes, then Demas,

and Luke alone left--loyal, faithful, unobtrusive Luke!

Luke's appearance in the Acts of the Apostles is indicated by the presence of the

pronoun "we", he joined the apostle at Troas after he had seen the vision of the man of

Macedonia (16: 10). Luke apparently continued with Paul until he left Philippi (17: 1).

He rejoined the apostle at Philippi (20: 5) and continued with him until he arrived at

Jerusalem (21: 18). He again enters the narrative at Acts 27: 1, continuing with the

apostle right through to Rome and remained with him there while he wrote the epistles to

the Colossians and Philemon, and is found with him at the end*. (* See "The Apostle of

the Reconciliation", p.6, the "We" sections.)

Timothy alone of all Paul's fellow-workers appears to have been dearest to Paul.

Luke was his physician, Luke was his biographer, and Luke was his cheer. Whether his

eyes ever again beheld the face of his beloved son in the faith--whether winter or death

intervened before Timothy could reach Rome--we know not, but we are particularly sure

that among the last of human faces upon which Paul's eyes rested before they closed in

glorious martyrdom, was the face of Luke the beloved, Luke the loyal, Luke the

unobtrusive. That Luke was a physician, is proved beyond question by his choice of

words, words found in the medical works of Hippocrates, Aretaeus, Galen and

Dioscorides, covering a period from B.C.460 to 100-200A.D.

A very full examination of Luke's medical language will be found in the book of

Hobart on the medical terms used by Luke, and in our own book "The Apostle of the

Reconciliation", pages 11 and 12 we have given seventeen examples.

It is not proper or possible to write here concerning our own selves and our witness

over these forty years, but those few who really know the inner history of this

testimony*, and the Lord Himself Who has watched over it all this time, they know that

history has repeated itself, and that if there have been those like Phygellus, Hermogenes

and Demas who have, for various reasons, failed us, and if there have been those like

Alexander the coppersmith who have opposed us, there have been those who most

certainly have filled the role of Luke the beloved physician, Tychicus a beloved brother,

faithful minister and fellow servant, Timothy the son in the faith, the homely fellowship

of Priscilla and Aquila and others of Paul's stalwart friends.

In direct contrast with Demas, is Mark, and it is noteworthy that Demas is never

mentioned without Mark's name being associated with him (Col. 4: 14; Philemon 24

and II Tim. 4: 10, 11).

Demas is an example of one who did run well but who failed to finish the course.

Mark is an encouragement to those timid souls who make a poor show at the start, yet