Scripture Reading: Luke 1:1-4
The Holy Spirit has chosen to give us four accounts of the life of Christ, and not just one account. Like four men standing around a great mountain, each writing what he sees, the gospel writers each wrote from a different viewpoint what he 'saw' when he looked at Christ.
Matthew and John were apostles and so they were eyewitnesses of Christ's life. Mark seems to have seen Christ as well, though he was not an apostle. Luke, however, places himself outside of the group of eyewitnesses (Lk 1:2).
Luke, whom Paul calls "the beloved physician" (Col 4:14) was a companion of Paul, seeming to join him on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:9,10 ... "we sought to go"). Luke continued, in some fashion, with Paul until the end of Paul's life (2 Tim 4:11).
In the first paragraph of Luke's gospel, he gives us a general purpose for his writing ... namely, to confirm the faith of a certain Theophilus. This gospel certainly strengthens the faith of all who take to heart what is written about Christ.
Luke's gospel comes the closest to 'biography' than the other three gospels. He seems to be writing gospel for the Gentile public, displaying Jesus as the Savior of the world.
