The third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles, two books that together make up one of the main sections of the New Testament, were written by Luke. He illustrates the similarities between Christ's life and the existence of the Church in the two books. He is said to be a native of Antioch, which is a region of modern-day Turkey, and Paul refers to him as "our beloved physician." Between 70 and 85 A.D. is probably when his Gospel was written.

It's assumed that Luke was a Greek and a Gentile when he was born. That may also be the reason why Luke's gospel demonstrates a unique concern for evangelizing Gentiles. The parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus' praise of the faith of non-Jews like the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian (Lk.4:25–27), and the account of the one appreciative leper who is a Samaritan (Lk.17:11–19) can all be found in his gospel alone.

In modern times, it would be natural to presume that a doctor was wealthy, yet some academics contend that Luke may have been born a slave. Families would frequently teach slaves in medicine so that they would have a family doctor on staff. In addition to Paul's testimony, Luke is identified as a physician by Eusebius, Saint Jerome, Saint Irenaeus, and Caius, a writer from the second century.

To trace the course of Luke's Christian ministry, we must turn to Acts of the Apostles. Although we don't know anything about his conversion, we may discern where he joined Saint Paul by examining the language of Acts. Up until the sixteenth chapter, the narrative of the Acts is recounted in the third person, as a historian recording facts. Paul's company is described in Acts 16:8–9: "So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us." Then, at 16:10, "they" becomes "we": "When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them."

Hence it is believed that Luke first joined Paul's company at Troas around the year 51, following him into Macedonia where they first journeyed to Samothrace, then to Neapolis, and lastly to Philippi. After that, Luke resumes speaking in the third person, which seems to imply that he was not imprisoned alongside Paul and that, after Paul left Philippi, Luke stayed behind to support the local church. Seven years elapsed before Paul made his third missionary trip back to the region. The change from "you" to "we" in Acts 20:5 informs us that Luke left Philippi in 58 to reunite with Paul in Troas, where they initially met. Together, they made their way to Jerusalem via Miletus, Tyre, and Caesarea.

When Paul is imprisoned in Rome in the year 61, Luke is the devoted companion who stays by his side (Philemon 24). Luke is the only companion that Paul has left during his final incarceration and suffering after everyone else has abandoned him (2 Timothy 4:11). As he relates in his introduction to the Gospel Luke 1:1–3, Luke drew inspiration and information for his Gospel and Acts from his close friendship with Paul and his companions.

The six miracles and eighteen parables that Luke includes that are absent from the other gospels demonstrate his distinctive perspective on Jesus. Social justice and the poor are prominent themes in Luke's gospel. The narrative of Lazarus and the Rich Man who disregarded him is found only in Luke's gospel. The only other author to use "Blessed are the poor" in place of "Blessed are the poor in spirit" in the Beatitudes is Luke. We can only hear Mary's Magnificat in Luke's gospel, where she proclaims that God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:52–53).

Luke also had a specific affinity for Mary and the other female figures in Jesus' life. We only learn about the Annunciation, Mary's visit to Elizabeth and the Magnificat, the Presentation, and Jesus' absence in Jerusalem in Luke's gospel.

Luke places a high value on forgiveness and God's love towards sinners. We only hear the tale of the Prodigal Son being welcomed home by his delighted father in Luke. The narrative of the forgiven woman interrupting the feast by wiping Jesus' feet with her tears is found only in Luke. Jesus supports the sinner who seeks to return to God's mercy throughout Luke's narrative.

There are contradictory accounts of Luke's life after Paul's passing. He was allegedly martyred by some early writers, but others indicate he lived a long life. He is alleged to have preached in both Gaul and Greece. The earliest tradition we are aware of states that he passed away in Boeotia at the age of 84 after moving to Greece to write his Gospel.

Luke is regarded by ancient traditions as the creator of Christian iconography, making him a patron of artists, physicians and other medical professionals. He is frequently depicted with an ox or a calf as symbols of sacrifice - the sacrifice Jesus made for the entire world.

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