The Careful Account
just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Luke 1:2 · Berean Standard Bible
He says his information comes from the people who were actually there from the very beginning and who dedicated their lives to sharing the message.
Luke didn't make any of this up. He got his information directly from people who walked with Jesus and saw everything with their own eyes.
Luke explains where his information comes from.
Luke wants you to know this isn't hearsay. He tracked down the original eyewitnesses, the people who were actually there, and built his account from their testimony.
Luke traces his sources to those who were ap' arches autoptai (eyewitnesses from the beginning) and hyperetai tou logou (servants/ministers of the word), establishing chain of testimony.
Autoptai is a technical term for eyewitness testimony used in Greek historiography. Luke distinguishes between firsthand witnesses and the oral tradition passed down (paredosan) to later generations.
Luke continues his prologue, citing his sources.
Luke grounds his account in eyewitness testimony, bridging the gap between the original events and his written record through careful verification of the oral tradition.
1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
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