Luke’s introduction is written in a very stylized manner similar to the works of Greek historians of Luke’s day, he also has an overall very high literary quality to his writing. This can give insight into his background, he was likely an educated man living somewhere outside of Palestine. His Greek introduction and high literary quality of his writings show that his audience was likely Gentiles, non-Jewish peoples who were more accustomed to the Greek influenced writings of their day, rather than Jewish Scriptures.

a) Luke’s prologue speaks of “[events] handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word”(Luke 1:2). Luke acknowledges his usage of the source Q, which is derived from the tradition of oral story-telling. Luke takes source Q as well as Mark as evident through comparison (Ehrman 96) and too, adapts and changes the story according to the audience and message he wishes to express through Christ. Luke promises to write an “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of these sources.

b) Luke acknowledges the prophetic power of John and Jesus from birth, by referencing the miraculous story of John, he is able to further validate the virgin birth of Jesus, as they support and show “evidence” for each other. Both Jesus and John are messengers and prophets of God, sent to “turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16), both their lives and births mirror each other. Luke has “improved” his story for the audience of his time, as Matthew and Mark did, Ehrman speculates that Jesus’ birth story may have been molded in a way that would make sense to a pagan reader who was “conversant with tales of other divine beings”. Since much of his audience was Gentile, this would prove effective.

a) Luke’s account of Jesus’ sermon in Nazereth is much more detailed and expounded upon than the other gospels. Jesus’ sermon from Isaiah is related to him in that it claims his divine annointed-ness, and praises the meek, “proclaim release to the captives” and “let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18). The crowd initially reacts positively, with the knowledge of Jesus’ divinity.

b) After the initial reaction, Jesus mentions the stories of Elijiah and Elisha, which highlight that Jesus and God will bless Gentiles and not those who are Jewish. This greatly upsets the Jews of the Synagogue, and they attempt to throw Jesus off of a cliff. Luke wishes to express and promote Christianity to his Gentile audience by showing that Jesus will help them even if they are not Jewish.