Luke the Historian in Light of Research

The work of the last fifteen years has created new interest in the writings of Luke. The relation of Lukes Gospel to Marks Gospel and the Logia of Jesus has sharply defined his own critical methods and processes. The researches of Harnack Hobart and Ramsay have restored the credit of Luke with many critics who had been carried away by the criticism of Baur and who looked askance upon the value of Luke as the historian of early Christianity. It has been like mining--digging now here now there. The items in Lukes books that were attacked have been taken up one by one. The work has been slow and piecemeal of necessity. But it is now possible to gather together into a fairly complete picture the results. It is a positively amazing vindication of Luke. The force of the argument is cumulative and tremendous. One needs to have the patience to work through the details with candor and a willingness to see all the facts with no prejudice against Luke or against the supernatural origin of Christianity.--From the Preface