NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
I

LUKE THE PHYSICIAN

THE AUTHOR OF THE THIRD GOSPEL

AND THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

BY
ADOLF HARNACK
PROFESSOR OF CHURCH HISTORY IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN
TRANSLATED BY
THE REV. J. R. WILKINSON, M.A.
LATE SCHOLAR OF WORCESTER COLLEGE,
OXFORD, AND RECTOR OF WINFORD
THIRD IMPRESSION
WILLIAMS & NORGATE
14 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON
NEW YORK : G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
1911

The great historical work, which has come down to us in two parts, the third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, is anonymous, but the unanimous report of ecclesiastical tradition, which ascribes it to an author Luke by name, can be traced back to the middle of the second century. In fact, there is no justifiable reason for doubting that Justin already regarded the third gospel as the work of St. Luke (“Dial.” 103). Indeed, a further step backwards is permissible; for those who first formed the collection of four gospels—and this was done before the middle of the second century, perhaps long before—gave this gospel the inscription KATA LOTKAN. It is therefore probable that Marcion, who assailed the other gospels while he accepted and edited the third gospel, was already acquainted with the name Luke as the name of its author. This, however, does not admit of stringent proof, and one must therefore rest satisfied with the knowledge that the Lukan authorship has been universally accepted since the years 140-150 A.D.