In the opening verses of the book of Acts, which is dedicated to Theophilus (Acts 1:1), the author mentions his "former treatise" bearing the same dedication (Luke 1:3), and dealing with the Master's ministry. This "treatise"—which we know as the Gospel of Luke—finds its sequel in the evangelist's Acts of the Apostles.
We possess few details with regard to Luke's background. Tradition tells us that he was a native of Antioch, while Paul characterizes him as "the beloved physician" (Col. 4:14) —a word which according to Cruden was often used to describe "healers of the mind, comforters." His writings prove that he was a historian of no mean ability, while his Gentile birth contributed to the breadth of his outlook. He was a close friend of the Apostle Paul, who, in the closing weeks of his career, could write "only Luke is with me" (II Tim. 4:11), and indeed, apart from the autobiographical details in Paul's own letters, we have to trust to the book of Acts for the record of his life.
Even a brief study of the Acts of the Apostles makes it plain that in certain sections it provides an eyewitness account of the events recorded, while elsewhere the writer trusts to information from other sources. It is in Acts 16:10 that Luke first clearly speaks in the first person, using the pronoun "we" and thus identifying himself as a member of the pioneer group which included Silas, Timothy, and Paul himself. Paul at this time was pursuing his second great missionary journey and had just seen a vision in which a Macedonian appealed to him to undertake for the first time preaching on European soil. At this crucial point, Luke, who had apparently just joined the group, betrays alike his presence and his interest in the words, "immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them." In pursuance of this plan they all embarked for Philippi, but when Paul went farther afield, Luke seems to have remained behind, for we find him lapsing into the third person for several chapters, returning to his personal narrative in Acts 20:6, where we learn that he left Philippi to rejoin Paul at Troas. Thus Luke was doubtless present at the raising of Eutychus, and sailed with the apostle when he left Troas to make his way, via Miletus, to Caesarea in Palestine. Luke's vivid personal description of the storm and shipwreck during the course of Paul's voyage to Rome (Acts 27) confirms the fact that here again he played the part of fellow traveler and companion to the apostle.
