A second person of great importance to Paul was Luke, whom Paul calls “the beloved physician,” Colossians 4:14. He is mentioned three times in Paul’s epistles. In his gospel and the book of Acts, which he authored, he never mentions himself by name.
The book was written by Luke, but he doesn’t claim to have been an eyewitness to our Lord’s ministry, but to have gone to the best sources of information within his reach, and to have written an orderly narrative of the facts, Luke 1:1-4. Luke was a Gentile and a literate, educated and intelligent man.
His origin and home are unknown, but it is clear that he joined Paul on his second missionary journey at Troas, Acts 16:10. Luke is a very valuable addition to Paul’s mission team.
A noticeable mark of his accompanying Paul is the “we” passages, which let us know he was with Paul each time he uses “we.” It seems clear that Luke was never an eyewitness to the life and preaching of Jesus. He received information for his gospel from reliable sources; however, being with Paul, he would have had reliable information for what he wrote in Acts.
On Paul’s third visit to Philippi, Acts 20:5-6, we again meet with Luke, who probably had spent all the intervening time in that city, a period of seven or eight years. From this time, Luke was Paul’s constant companion during his journey to Jerusalem, Acts 20:6-38 / Acts 21:1-18.
He again disappears from view during Paul’s imprisonment at Jerusalem and Caesarea and only reappears when Paul sets out for Rome, Acts 27:1, where he accompanies him, Acts 28:2 / Acts 28:12-16, and where he remains with him till the close of his first imprisonment, Philemon 1:24 / Colossians 4:14.
He, like Timothy, became an almost constant companion of Paul from Troas till the end of the two years Paul spent in prison in Rome. He seems to be the sole companion of Paul for a while during Paul’s second imprisonment, 2 Timothy 4:11.
Considering Paul’s physical abuse, sickness, and his “thorn in the flesh,” 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, we wonder if Dr Luke may have extended the life of Paul by the personal medical attention he could have given to Paul.
The last notice of the ‘beloved physician’ is in 2 Timothy 4:11. There are many passages in Paul’s epistles, as well as in the writings of Luke, which show the extent and accuracy of his medical knowledge.