We remain ever indebted to those who followed Jesus and wrote down the things they saw and experienced. Luke shared his purpose as he wrote to a friend:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke, a physician trained to pay attention to detail, carefully investigated everything about Jesus. It’s always nice when someone takes notes. We should be grateful Luke did so. Without the details, we’re left with stories that fade into legends. But details bring hard edges, and helps us investigate the stories for ourselves.

And these stories deserve our scrutiny, as they carry life like no other.

Luke 1 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by The Climate Reality Project