the role of the lukan parables in terms of the purpose of luke's gospel

desired impact of his works on readers.” Therefore, in his view, in verse 3
means “one who has followed with the mind” and the traditions of the (‘all the
events or matters’) that have been “delivered over from those tradents of the word from the
beginning.” 41
As for the extent of the investigation, Luke employs the term in the phrase
which could be interpreted as “from the beginning all events
42
carefully.” In which case, the term can mean either “from the beginning” or “for a
long time.” 43 In view of the Lukan usage in Luke 1:1 and Acts 26:4-5 with , the
former translation fits the phrase. On the other hand, Fitzmyer raises the question whether the
beginning referred to here is the start of Jesus’ life, or the beginning of the apostolic tradition.
Given the emphasis of Luke on fulfillment in the infancy material and this period of Jesus’
life, his investigation would seem to go back to the very beginning of his life. 44 In this vein,
it is most natural to view as a reference to events that in the masculine point to the
study of all the sources, not merely to apostolic tradition. Luke investigates the material
“carefully” () from the beginning of Jesus’ life, so that his study can be brought to
fruition. As Green claims, if the adverb could modify the main verb “to write,” then
it presents a claim for “accuracy” for Luke’s literary product. 45 On the other hand, D.L.
Balch argues that the term means “fully,” not “accurately,” and is governed by the
infinitive , not by the participle , in which case the interpretation is
not so much “to have followed accurately,” as “to write a full narrative.” Balch claims that
Luke, in contrast to his forerunners who wrote briefly, wanted to write a more complete form.
Therefore, with types and purposes of speeches in Hellenistic historiography in mind, he
accomplished this goal by constructing speeches that denote “the causes and consequences of
the events of salvation history.” 46
41. Moessner, “The Appeal and Power of Poetics (Luke 1:1-4),” 85-88.
42. Büchsel, F. “,” TDNT, I, 378; NKJV (from the first); NIV; NASB.
43. Cadbury and Marshall; BDAG, 77; RSV.
44. Bock, “Understanding Luke’s Task: Carefully Building on Precedent (Luke 1:1-4),” 194-95.
45. Green, Luke, 42.
46. David L. Balch, “… (Luke 1:3): To Write the Full History of God’s Receiving All Nations,”
in ed., D.P. Moessner, Jesus and the Heritage of Israel (Pennsylvania: Trinity Press International, 1999), 229-50,
here 238-39. According to him, a full translation of verse 3 is as follows: “I, too, having mentally followed all
things from the beginning with respect to cause and effect, decided to write you in a full and orderly manner,
most excellent Theophilus.” For understanding Luke’s method of presenting speeches analogous to that of
Thucydides, Polybius, Julius Caesar and Sallust, see Conrad Gempf, “Public Speaking and Published Accounts,”
in ed., Bruce W. Winter and Andrew D. Clarke, The Book of Acts in Its First-Century Setting, vol 1: The Book of
Acts in Its Ancient Literary Setting (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1993), 259-303.
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