Luke Writes Two Letters

Luke wrote two letters to Theophiles regarding the life of Jesus and the early church. That which we call the Gospel of Luke and Acts.

I am having difficulties deciding the order in which the gospels were written. I am leaning towards Luke putting pen to paper first. My reasoning is that, Acts is the second letter Luke wrote, and it concludes with the release of Paul after two years under house arrest. IF Luke had written at a later date, surely he would have included Paul’s final imprisonment and death as well as Peter’s death. He would also have included Peter’s time in Rome as head of the church there. The absence of these stories leads me to believe that Luke’s account was written first.

The fact that Paul does not quote or even refer to any of the gospel writers leads me to believe that 1) Luke’s letter was not made public until later, and 2) that there had not been another account compiled. Paul was very respectful of the apostles. I believe he would have spoken of such a work from Peter and John Mark in particular.

I do hold reservations regarding Matthew’s gospel, as it focused on Jewish believers. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles. He may not have referenced Matthew’s work because of this focus.

While searching the internet, I have not come across a positive, definitive answer to whose first, so I’m going with my own understanding and interpretation. Feel free to disagree. You won’t hurt my feelings in the least.

I want to present the gospels’ writing from the author’s perspective, as I did with Paul’s letters. I will NOT be reproducing their entire work in the story. We have already borne witness to the events ‘as they unfolded’ in previous stories. But I would like to go into the mind of the author and look at their experience. This being said, I’m starting with Luke and will walk with him through both letters; Luke and Acts. Let’s jump into our story.

Holy Spirit, I REALLY need Your direction here. I want to do this story justice and there is no sure way to tell when, how, and what happened along the way. I’m relying on You to direct my path and attention. Let this story glorify You Lord.

♥ ♦ ♥

Luke sits in his home in Antioch and reads over the letter he received two days ago, one more time. The commission in this letter is daunting. His old mentor, Theophiles, is asking for an accounting of the new religion that is taking the world by storm.

Luke has been thinking about how to accomplish this task. He intends it to be a thorough explanation. One that will not only bring knowledge to his friend but also convince him of the truth; that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of the world. Jesus is the Messiah.

Luke has been traveling with and around Paul for some time. It is an exciting life, even if gets intense at times. Most of what he knows of the good news has come from Paul, by direct observation, or by listening to Paul’s recollections. He reflects back on the first time he met Paul.

Paul was on his second missionary journey. Silas, a faithful friend accompanied Paul. Timothy, a young believer rounded out the original group. They arrived in Troas one evening and Paul had a vison. In the vision, Paul was told to go to Macedonia. He began making arrangements right away. During Paul’s search, Luke and Paul cross paths.

Luke is speaking with the captain of the boat when Paul approaches.

“We will be ready to set sail first thing in the morning. We will not wait for you, so be here on time.”

Luke assures the captain that he will be prompt. “I have no intention of missing delaying my trip to Macedonia. I will be here, waiting and ready, by the time you pull up anchor.”

Paul steps closer. “Did you say that you are bound for Macedonia?” he asks the captain.

“Yes. We sail in the morning.”

“Do you have room for a few more passengers? We would be willing to lend a hand or back whenever needed.”

“How many are we talking about?” the captain asks with trepidation.

“There are three of us in all.”

“Yes, I can handle three more. This young physician will be aboard as well” the captain says while pointing to Luke.

The arrangements are made and the fair paid in short order. Paul invites Luke to spend the evening with him and his small group.

“That night was the first time I truly understood the new teaching coming out of Israel” Luke muses. “That was the night I gave my life to Jesus.”

Their first journey together was exciting, but short. Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke all crossed the sea together. After a few brief stops, they arrive in Philippi.

“What an adventure THAT was” Luke thinks to himself. “I witnessed my first baptism, my first persecution, my first beginnings of a church, and my first miracle, all in the span of a few days!” Luke reminds himself.

“That was the day we met Lydia, who hosted the church at Philippi. And things grew from there” Luke reminisces. “The time Paul and Silas ‘sang’ the doors off the hinges” Luke chuckles to himself. “You moved in a MIGHTY way that night Lord.”

Thinking over even more of his adventures, Luke realizes that there is something he has to do to make the story whole. He has to speak with Mary; Jesus’ mother. “Without her account of the beginning, there is no continuity for the story.”

Luke begins making notes of the questions he wants to ask Mary. He gives his pen freedom to roam on the page as questions pop into his mind.

How did you know? Did you know you were carrying the Son of God? What happened exactly? Did your family know? What did you do? Were you afraid? Important events from Jesus’ youth. What about Joseph? Did he know? How did you tell him?…

He finally stops himself after two full pages of questions. Shaking his head, he finally agrees on an approach. “I will simply let her tell me the stories, as she sees fit.”

Luke has heard part of the stories from the mouths of some of Jesus’ disciples, but he doesn’t have the full picture. He needs this for his work. He knows that Mary now lives near the town of Ephesus from his travels with Paul. They have never stopped in to spend time with her, but Paul has pointed out her home on occasions.

When morning breaks, Luke is ready for his journey. He is not the greatest fan of ‘long walks’ so he chooses a sea route. This will allow him time to get his thoughts in order. The voyage will have him onboard more than a week, but it will be much faster than walking and somewhat safer; weather permitting.

Luke books passage on a merchant ship and enjoys pitching in with chores along the way. The salt spray bathes him daily as the boat works its way up the coast. He feels good and weathered by the time they reach inner canal accessing the Port of Ephesus. The whole trip took eleven days.

As he bids his traveling companions farewell, he makes his way to an inn for a much needed bath. “That was invigorating but I doubt the mother of our Lord would welcome a man smelling of fish into her home.” He doesn’t really know much of Mary, beyond the stories he has heard.

Luke washes from head to toe and has his garments freshly laundered before heading out towards Mary’s home. “What will she be like? Will she welcome my questions? What has her life been like since Jesus’ death and resurrection?…”

A million new questions assault Luke’s mind before he lays even a hand on the door of the home of Mary. As he approaches the gate, he sees a woman working in the yard. She appears to be the right age, but looks can be deceiving. To keep from embarrassing himself, he simply rattles the gate to get the woman’s attention.

Mary turns at the sound and sees a man, whom she does not recognize, standing at the gate. She is no stranger to unexpected visitors. She walks over to the gate to greet this stranger.

“Shalom, my name is Luke and I am looking for Mary; the mother of Jesus. Is she about?”

Mary smiles and her chocolate eyes light up with curiosity. “I’m Mary. And, yes, my Son is Jesus. How can I help you?”

Luke’s eyes take in Mary’s openness and he breathes a sigh of relief. This may be easier than he thought. “I have been given a task of writing down an account of Jesus of Nazareth, and I know there is no better place to begin than the beginning. I would be most grateful if you would grant me an audience and tell me your stories.”

The longing in Luke’s eyes and voice are unmistakable. Mary is also excited to have someone finally write down the stories.

“That sounds like an excellent mission and I would be more than happy to provide you with stories of great importance in Jesus’ story.”

Mary takes Luke into the garden where they can enjoy the shade of an olive tree. After supplying him with a drink, she sits down, folds her hands and waits.

A few awkward moments pass before Luke realizes that she is waiting on him. “I’m sorry. I really don’t know how to go about this. I prepared so many questions, yet, now that I’m here, they have escaped me completely. I’m usually not at a loss for words. Being a physician, I am accustomed to seeking answers from my patients. But…” Luke raises his hands in surrender.

Mary laughs. “Many people are ‘awed’ by my presence, because of Jesus of course. But I am an ordinary woman, flesh and blood, like the rest of the world. You can ask me anything, or I can just start the story from the beginning.”

“Please! Start at the beginning.” Luke brings out a clay tablet and a stylus to take notes. He doesn’t want to miss a thing.

Mary’s eyes close for a moment as she thinks back to her time in the garden as a young girl. The day when her life changed forever. Smiling, she begins her story.

“Now, mind you, I was just a young virgin when all this began. I was engaged to be married to my husband, Joseph. But there was NOTHING special or extraordinary about either of us. Why the Lord chose me is beyond my understanding. Yet I know he did, because He sent me His angel Gabriel to announce this fact and to begin my journey.”

Mary recounts her encounter in the garden with Gabriel. “The first words out of his mouth almost knocked me over. ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ (Luke 1:28). At first I wondered if he was speaking to someone else, but no one else was present. Believe me, I looked all around me” Mary says with a chuckle. “Then he got down to business.”

Mary recounts the exact words for Luke, as they have been stored in her heart all this time. When she gets to the part where she learned about Elizabeth, she halts. “I should back up a bit and tell you what happened to my cousin, Elizabeth first. After all, her son John was the forerunner of my Son Jesus.”

“I only heard the whole story after Zechariah finally had his voice restored. He couldn’t speak from the moment the same angel appeared to him as appeared to me until he wrote John’s name on a tablet for his naming ceremony. When he wrote ‘His name is John’ his tongue let loose with praise to the Lord and he didn’t stop praising until the day they laid him in his tomb.”

Mary proceeds to lay out the facts of Zechariah’s encounter, Elizabeth’s answered prayer, and her own visit after hearing the news from Gabriel. “I stayed until Elizabeth delivered her only son, and until I heard the story from Zechariah. But the most amazing part of the whole visit was the initial greeting” Mary says while thinking back to that moment.

“I went straight to the home of Elizabeth as soon as I heard the news of her pregnancy. She had waited so long for this gift. She was in her sixth month. I just in the very beginning. The moment the Spirit of the Lord fell on me was the moment of conception. So, no one should have known that I was with child at all. But the moment my greeting reached Elizabeth’s ears, the babe in her womb LEAPED and she began to prophecy. She knew, without me even telling her, what had happened to me.”

Luke scribbles furiously on his tablet as Mary falls silent for a moment. He looks up from his work to see if anything was wrong. He sees a tear escape Mary’s eye. A frown crosses his own face, but he doesn’t want to break her rhythm of storytelling, so he waits patiently.

Mary finally begins her story again. “The hardest part for me, those first few months was thinking about what Joseph would do. I should have been terrified, but I knew I would be alright. Still, my heart ached for him. I knew I had to tell him. There was no hiding something like this. And I had no idea how he would react.” Mary takes a deep breath. “When I told him, he was more gracious than ANY woman in my condition could ever hope for. He decided not to marry me, but also not publicly shame me or put me to death. He had the right to do either. Yet, he decided to quietly divorce me.”

Another tear escapes Mary’s eye at this memory. “Of course I was hurt that he didn’t believe me.” Mary huffs out a breath. “Who would! He had every right to doubt my story. It sounded preposterous. But an angel appeared to him in a dream and confirmed my words to him.”

Mary shakes her head. “From that moment on, Joseph never left my side. He married me right away and NEVER ONCE doubted the words of the Lord. Even though we were married, we did NOT come together as husband and wife until after Jesus was born and all the requirements of a firstborn son were completed.”

Luke can’t hold his question as it bubbles up within him. “What about Jesus’ brothers and sisters? Were they yours?”

“Oh yes. We had a normal family life after Jesus was born. The Lord provided a houseful of children for us. I’m sure you know that James and Jude are part of the church leadership in Jerusalem.” Mary chuckles and shakes her head. “But while Jesus was ministering to the people, NONE of His brother and sisters believed in Him. They even convinced me to try and bring Him back home.” She shakes her head again. “He refused us all, but that is a story for later on. Let’s get back to the beginning.”

“Please. But don’t forget to come back to that story later on” Luke urges.

“I’m sure you can get a firsthand account of that day from any of His disciples. It is one that sticks out in their memories too.”

“I’ll be sure to ask them about it” Luke promises.

“The next event I should share would be Jesus’ actual birth. It was NOT an easy event. Not physically excruciating, but logistically challenging.”

Luke leans in closer, ready to hear the story.

Mary tells of the census that brought them to Bethlehem and how they had to stay with one of their family members. “In all of our relatives’ homes there wasn’t a guest room that wasn’t already filled to capacity. We wound up sleeping right next to the manger area of Joseph’s youngest brother’s home. In fact, after Jesus was born, the manger itself became His bed. He was actually in that manger when shepherds appeared at the door, wanting to see the Child the angels had told them about.”

Mary shares the story as the shepherds relayed it to her and Joseph that night. “I used to wonder why the Lord used shepherds as the first to hear the news, but after Jesus’ life, I know how God uses those who are overlooked or despised to show His great works.”

The evening is setting in by now. Mary invites Luke to spend time with her and John. “There are so many stories to tell. I can’t do Him justice in one setting. Besides that, John has even more stories that you will want to capture. Please stay with us a while.”

Just as Luke is about to answer, John comes to join them in the garden. After giving Mary a kiss on the cheek. “Please, stay and hear the stories,” John says as he turns to greet Luke.

“You do realize that I won’t be able to use every story. I will have to choose a path moving forward.”

John and Mary both laugh. “If EVERY story of Jesus were written down, the whole world couldn’t contain all of them.”

Luke smiles at that thought. “That is certainly beyond my capabilities. I will have to give some thought to the focus I want to bring. Probably something along the lines of Jesus being a Savior for ALL, even those no one else believes worthy. But I can wait a while before finalizing my focus. For now, I want to hear ALL the stories!”

Mary and John laugh again. “How many years do you have?” Mary asks with a twinkle in her eye.

Luke rubs his neck. “I suppose I will have to make that decision sooner than later. Let me sleep on it. Although I already have quite a few stories of Jesus from my travels with Paul and interviews of many of those who walked with Jesus.”

“Then, if we come to a story you already know, feel free to tell us to skip it.”

“Not on your life! Every perspective is unique and exciting.”

Luke spends three months with Mary and John, listening to their stories and taking notes before returning home to Antioch. He plans on finishing this letter and rejoining Paul, as he is still in Rome, under house arrest.

Luke spreads out all his notes on the table before him in the privacy of his own home. He looks over the accumulation of material and is daunted by the task. “Oh Lord, I cannot do this on my own. I need Your Spirit to guide me. Not only in helping me with the direction of this letter, but in choosing the stories to include, the order in which to place them, and the mere words to express the Gift that is Your Son, Jesus. Let me do justice to His story.”

As Luke prays, an outline develops. He begins arranging the material he has collected. Once everything is arranged in the order his spirit received, he brings out his writing material. Taking a deep breath and one final prayer; “Guide my mind and my pen, Lord”, he begins.

The words seem to appear on the page, unbidden and unexpected as Luke makes his way through the letter. The beginning was easy. He simply started with the earliest story connected to Jesus’ time on earth. By mid-letter, his thoughts speak so clearly of the line Jesus ‘drew’ in humanity. The line that connects ALL men together. The one that includes the outcast, the sinner, the tax collector, the sick, the injured, and even the dreaded ‘Gentiles’ to His love. Jesus left NONE of them out. He came to seek and save the lost.

Luke also sees in this letter how Jesus reproved the religious elite, looking for redemption even in their sin of rejection of Him. Those who saw themselves as ‘holy’ and needing no Savior were the ones in most need of Him. If only they would see that.

As Luke finished his letter, his heart aches. It aches for those who still refused Jesus’ invitation. It aches for the mission still in its infancy; reaching the rest of the world. And it aches to tell the stories that didn’t fit into the span of Jesus’ time here on earth.

“There is SO MUCH MORE to tell” Luke says as he lays aside his pen. But his spirit knows that this is the place the Lord has chosen to end; for now.

“Lord, thank You for allowing me to share Your message and reach to ALL of humanity. There is still so much more unsaid. IF You choose, I would LOVE to continue Jesus’ story and the reach His and the Spirit’s work has had in the world today.”

As Luke carefully blots and dries the ink, he thinks about the impact this letter will have on its intended recipient. “It will take him days to read it and even longer to glean all the truth contained in it. Only through the Spirit will he truly understand Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.”

Luke huffs out a breath. “Only through the Spirit was I able to pen all this! And I KNOW that there are truths buried deeper in this letter that I haven’t even scratched the surface of. Thank You again Lord for allowing me to do this work.”

Luke places his scroll in the hands of a runner on the way to the dock. He is on his way to Rome to meet up with Paul. In his heart he is already composing the next letter to Theophilus. “This one will begin where the last one left off and share the stories of the early developing church; the acts of the apostles.”

Luke arrives at the harbor and finds a ship headed to Crete. As a physician, he is welcomed on board with only a nominal fee for his food. Luke is pleased that this journey is taking place in the beginning of summer. This time of year doesn’t prevent problems, including sudden storms, but it has less obstacles than travel during other seasons.

Luke’s ship sets sail on the second of June under good weather. After navigating along the coastline on the leeward side of Cyprus, they head into open waters for the port of Fair Haven, on the southern coast of Crete. This is to avoid high winds in open waters.

This brings back many memories for Luke. He prays they do NOT have any more repeats from that voyage. As it is only the end of June, he feels safe traveling on. In Fair Haven Luke easily books passage for the final sea leg of his journey. It is another merchant ship with an experienced crew. The captain predicts they will make Puteoli, Luke’s final port of call, in no more than three weeks.

The Lord’s hand is on Luke’s journey and the ship reaches Puteoli in just over two weeks. Luke and the crew part company over a meal.

“Where are you bound from here?” one of the crew asks.

“I am headed for Rome. I plan to spend time with the apostle Paul, who is being held there currently.”

“I have heard of Paul. My brother was on the ship that carried him on his journey to Rome. He tells of Paul’s God’s favor when they were about to drown. He tells that he was one of the men planning on abandoning the ship in the lifeboats. He KNOWS that, if not for listening to Paul, he and his companions would have been killed.”

“Yes. I remember that journey well.”

“YOU sailed it with him? And you made a second journey! You must truly trust in Paul’s God.”

“I do. And He is my God as well. I have no doubt that He has called me to return to Paul’s side for a season.”

The sailor shakes his head in amazement. “I wish I had that much faith in the gods of the sea. My brother came home from that voyage and has never returned to the sea since.”

“The gods of the sea have no power. Only the true God of all creation does.”

Luke spends the evening sharing the gospel with this man, as he had done with several others while on the journey. Luke never pressed those around him to listen, but he was ready and willing to share the Lord as soon as any asked questions.

Three days later, Luke is standing at the gate of the home where Paul is under arrest. It is quickly approaching two years since Paul took up residence in this home with a guard chained to his waist at all times.

Timothy is the first to notice Luke as he looks around.

“Not much has changed since you last visited” Timothy says in a good natured welcome as he approaches.

“Shalom brother” Luke exclaims as he moves in to embrace Timothy. After they release and step back, Luke looks Timothy over with a practiced eye. “You, dear Timothy have changed.”

“How is that?” Timothy asks with skepticism.

“You look settled. When I last saw you, you were an eager young man, ready to take on the world. Now, that restlessness is absent.”

“I suppose I have settled in. I have been helping Paul write to the churches. He says he has plans for me later on too. But, with this” Timothy raises his hands, indicating the house and its surroundings, “hanging over our heads, only the Lord knows when and what that will be.”

“As is the case no matter the situation or surroundings” Luke replies with a smile.

“This is true brother. Come on in the house and say hello to Paul. I’m sure he is the reason you came. I won’t delay you any longer.”

“You are not a delay but a delight” Luke says while clapping a hand on Timothy’s shoulder before proceeding inside.

Paul smiles. “It’s about time you two came in. I would have joined you in the sunshine, except…”

Both men nod. “I wish you could have” Luke replies. “It would do you good.”

Paul shrugs. “I enjoy the sunshine, when it comes to me through the windows.”

“Fair enough” Luke answers with a nod.

“Now, I know you didn’t come all this way to discuss ‘sunshine.’ What brings you back to Rome my dear brother?” Before Luke can answer Paul holds his hands up. “NOT that I mind your company.”

Luke laughs. “I missed you too brother. I felt it was time for a visit. I want to tell you about my latest project and ask for your help in another project.”

“By all means, sit and share your news.”

The three men sit around the table as Luke explains the letter he completed for Theophilus.

“It was an accounting of Jesus’ life, from birth to ascension. It is by NO means inclusive of every event in His life, but the Spirit led me in choosing which events to include. As well as giving me the focus of the letter; Jesus’ reach to ALL men.”

“That sounds like a daunting task” Timothy offers.

“Had it not been for the Spirit’s hand on mine, I would never have accomplished it.”

Paul looks longingly at Luke. “Did you bring a copy of your work with you? I would LOVE to read it.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t. It hadn’t occurred to me to make another copy until after I was well underway on the ship. I trust that Theophilus will share it, after reading it himself. That may take some time though, as it was a lengthy letter.”

Paul shakes his head. “No matter. I can wait for a while. So what is the new task you have in mind?”

“My spirit burns within me to take up the story of the spread of the gospel. The beginnings of the body of Christ.”

“Only the Jews, or the Gentiles’ stories as well?” asks Paul.

“All of it brother. From the moment Jesus left until now.”

Paul’s eyes dance with excitement. “I would LOVE to help you write it.”

“You can, in a fashion. I want to hear ALL the stories of your travels. I have first hand experience in some of them, but others I was not present for the extraordinary events God has brought about in the spread of the gospel.”

“It’s not just my story though. There are many others who have walked this road from the beginning; especially Jesus’ own disciples.”

“I already have a large volume of stories that I have been gathering over time. And John was most helpful with stories as I interviewed Mary for my fist letter.”

“That sounds like an excellent start” remarks Paul.

“The Holy Spirit will certainly be my guide again as I have to decide which stories to include and the direction of the letter. I know Theophilus hasn’t asked for a second letter, but I feel compelled to provide one, just the same.”

“A calling from the Lord, no doubt” Timothy adds.

“Agreed” chimes Paul.

“Then let’s get started!” exclaims Luke.

The men spend the next two weeks sharing stories with Luke taking notes. Many of the stories are familiar to him and bring back fond memories.

“Remember the time you were in prison with Silas in Philippi” asks Luke.

“Do I ever! That night was on I will NEVER forget. The peace we felt, even with welts rising on our backs, could not be expressed in any other way but praising the Lord. And when the walls shook, it just added to our joy. The salvation of the jailer and his whole family topped everything off.” Paul shakes his head in wonder. “What a night!” he whispers to himself.

Timothy and Luke both grin as they watch Paul reliving that moment.

“The Lord has brought you a LONG way in His kingdom.”

“Make certain to share my past misdeeds in your work. Do NOT make me out as a perfect man. I once persecuted the followers of Jesus. People need to know that.”

“I have a feeling the Spirit will ensure that your conversion is truly understood. I leave the details in His hands.”

When they feel that all the stories have been told, and documented, Luke is ready to write the account. Not to be rude or discredit Paul’s ability to communicate the gospel, Luke decides to write alone.

“I feel the Spirit can work through me best if I am alone with Him. I’m going to rent a house for the duration. But come and get me if anything develops in your case Paul. I want to support you as well as be able to tell it in the letter.”

“Let us know if you need anything” Paul says as Luke gathers his materials.

Once again, Luke lays his stories out on the table and approaches the Lord. “Father God, You know the task You have placed in my heart. Telling the story of the beginnings of Your church is an insurmountable task, apart from Your guidance. Please, Holy Spirit, hold my pen in Your hands and tell Your story. The story of the comforter Who Jesus sent when He returned to His Father. The story that You still author today. One that will continue to be written for the rest of time. Allow me to tell the beginnings.”

Luke takes up his pen and begins writing where he left off in the last letter. John’s story of the day of Pentecost flies from his pen with such fervor that he can almost see the tongues of fire resting on each of Jesus’ disciples. That day brought over 3,000 people into the Kingdom of God through belief in Jesus’ work on the cross.

Luke shakes his head in wonder. “Talk about multiplying and Peter being a ‘fisher of men’.”

The Spirit continues guiding Luke’s inclusions and direction. It is almost effortless; this retelling. As Luke describes Paul’s journey to Rome and the mishaps along the way, he hears the waves and smells the salty air. But his pen abruptly stops shortly after their arrival in Rome.

“What is happening Lord? I don’t understand.”

In his Spirit, Luke hears the beginnings of an answer. “It’s time to wait.”

“For what” asks Luke, but he receives no answer.

The next morning, Caesar summons Paul to stand before him. Timothy hurries to find Luke.

“I think Caesar is going to sentence Paul today. He was called to him this morning.”

Luke grabs Timothy’s arm; “Then let’s get going” he shouts as he nearly pulls Timothy along beside him while nearly running to the judgment haul of Caesar.

When they arrive, they are both out of breath, but in time to join the back of the crowd looking on.

Caesar calls out to Paul, “Where are your accusers?”

Paul looks around, as if hunting for them in the crowd. He shakes his head after seeing no one from his earlier trials.

“Are there none to accuse this man?” Caesar calls out to the room at large. When no one steps forward, Caesar makes his ruling.

“It appears that those who would condemn you, do so no longer. By their absence, the charges are dropped completely and you are a free man.”

Paul bows respectfully and waits as his guard unlocks his chains.

“Pray that you don’t stand before me again. It might not go so smoothly next time” Caesar warns.

“I thank you Caesar for your wisdom. I trust that Caesar know that I was only in chains because I refused to be silent concerning Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf. If I stand before Caesar again, it will be for the same charges, as I have, and do, nothing against the empire of Rome or the Law of the Jews.”

“I have heard of your teachings. Pray that they do not anger the government of Rome, as they have the Jews.”

“I will pray that is so, my lord” Paul says as he bows one final time.

Timothy and Luke greet Paul as he emerges from the judgment hall.

“Praise the Lord! You are finally free” Luke exclaims.

“That we are” Paul says as he puts his arm around Timothy. “Let’s go home and pack. I want to be on our way by morning.”

“I still have a letter to finish. I believe that the Lord has just provided the ending that He had me wait for. You go on ahead. I will stop by before you leave.”

The three men part company and Luke returns to his writing. “Thank You Lord for the answer You gave Paul today. I was not ready to lose him to death yet. I know that day is coming for us all, but there is still much work to be done; including finishing this letter You have birthed in me.”

Luke’s pen begins to fly over the page again. This time it is a brief synopsis of Paul’s two years in Rome, ending with him being set free.

As the last of the line of Caesar’s decision flows from Luke’s pen, he knows that the story is done. “It is time to send it off to Theophilus” he says to himself.

Luke carefully blots the ink and lets it dry. He thinks about creating a copy of the letter but decides not to. “Paul doesn’t need this letter as he has lived it” Luke reasons within himself. “Besides, I trust Theophilus to share this letter as well.”

On the way to Paul’s home the next morning, Luke dispatches his letter. A runner will hand deliver it to his former mentor. At Paul’s home, Luke encounters Peter.

“Hello Peter. What brings you to Rome.”

“The work and urging of the Lord” Peter says with a grin.

“Of course” Luke replies with a shake of his head.

“Peter will be taking up the reigns of the church here in Rome so that Timothy and I can travel to Spain” chimes in Paul.

“That’s wonderful” exclaims Luke. “I may stay on here a while as well.”

“I think that would be a good idea. There are no better hands to leave the work in that yours.” Paul looks directly at Luke. “Did you finish your other task?”

“I did, and I dispatched the letter on my way to meet you.”

“Did you make a second copy?” asks Paul with pleading eyes.

Luke laughs. “I almost did, but I figured that you have lived most of the letter’s content in your own life that you needed no read about it too.”

Paul’s shoulders deflate. “Alright, I will wait, for a time.”

Luke and Peter settle into service in the church in Rome while Paul and Timothy make their way across Spain.

“Have you thought about writing a third letter” Peter asks one evening.

“NO. I believe my writing days are over. At least that is my hope.”

(to be continued)

Luke doesn’t write any more of the early church’s story. I wish he had, but where would he have ended his account? Fortunately, we have clues to what happened after Paul was released from house arrest. Reading the letters Paul wrote after his release helps fill in some of the blanks. The rest, we will have to wait to ask the Lord, when we see Him face to face.

I’ll do my best to bring you the stories from the writers, as the Spirit gives them to me.

Thank You Father God for sharing this story with me. Thank You for giving me direction and guidance in the telling of Luke’s story. I KNOW that I did not exhaust the material Your Spirit put into the original story. I just felt led to share the process and the heart of the man behind the story. Continue to lead me with the rest of the stories You have placed in my heart. I pray that my retelling of them may inspire others to dig deeper into the original stories.