apparently lived on about 60-70 years after Jesus’ death. This is certainly believable since there are alive today a number of people who were living back during WWII, which ended in 1945.
Peter, one of Jesus’ most intimate of his 12 apostles, besides writing 2 general letters to Christians, apparently shared with his younger associate in Christ, Mark, details that enabled Mark to accurately record his gospel (1 Peter 5:13). In Peter’s 2nd general letter to Christians, notice what he had to say:
“We have not depended on made-up stories in making known to you the mighty coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With our own eyes we saw his greatness”—2 Peter 1:16 GNB
Although many were predictably beginning to “turn away from the truth, and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:4 NIV), because “false teachers . . . will exploit you with fabricated words” (2 Peter 2:1-3). This was not the case with true Christians who stuck with God’s reliably revealed word, the Bible.
Luke, written by Luke, the meticulous researcher, was written to, and dedicated to, Theophilus, who was probably one of Luke’s patrons.
=&0=&things accomplished=&1=&down=&2=&from=&3=&beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word” (Luke 1:1,2 NLT)
“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.” (Luke 1:3 NIV)
A patron would obviously know who he was patronizing, so Luke couldn’t have been anonymous! Furthermore, notice who Luke says he interviewed:
“Those who from the first were eyewitnesses.” (Luke 1:2 NIV).
Luke’s gospel was written by Luke, who interviewed many people who were actual eyewitnesses to the events that Luke recorded in his book.
“Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:23,24 NIV)
The anonymous disciple mentioned in verse 23, and other places in the 4th gospel, was known early on to be the Apostle John. Verse 24 says that he wrote the book. So the gospel of John was written by Jesus’ most intimate apostle, who was an eyewitness to many of the events recored in the gospel of John.
“Matthew the tax collector”—( read more
