Chapter 14

§ 1.

Further: that this Luke was inseparable from Paul, and his fellow-workman in the Gospel, he makes plain himself,¹ not as boasting, but led on to it by the simple truth. For, after Barnabas and John who was called Mark were separated from Paul, they having sailed into Cyprus,² we came, saith he, unto Troas: and when Paul had seen in a dream a man of Macedonia,³ saying, Come into Macedonia and help us,⁴ O Paul; straightway, saith he, we sought to go into Macedonia, understanding that the Lord called us forth to preach the Gospel unto them. Sailing therefore from Troas, we steered for Samothracia: and so he goes on to set forth accurately the whole of what remains, appertaining to their arrival at Philippi, and how they spake their first discourse,⁵ viz., We sat down, saith he, and spake unto the women that had come together: and who believed, and how many.

And again he saith,⁶ But we sailed from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came to Troas, where also we tarried seven days. And all the rest he relates orderly, with Paul, with all care pointing out places and cities, and the number of days, until they went up to Jerusalem; and what befel Paul there, how he was sent bound to Rome, and the name of the Centurion who took charge of him, and the ensigns of the ships, and how they were wrecked, and in what island they were delivered, and how they received kindness there, Paul healing the chief man of that island, and how they sailed from thence to Puteoli, and thence came to Rome, and how long they staid at Rome. Luke being present at all this, diligently wrote it down; so that he cannot be convicted either of falsehood or of vainglory: since all these things are well established; as also that he is elder than all those who now teach otherwise and is not ignorant of the Truth.

That he was not only an attendant but even a fellow-worker with the Apostles,⁷ and chiefly of Paul, Paul too himself hath shewn in his epistles,⁸ saying, Demas hath forsaken me, and is departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia: only Luke is with me. Whereby he shews that he was always joined with him, and inseparable from him. And again in the Epistle to the Colossians,⁹ he saith, Luke the beloved physician greeteth you.

Now if even Luke, who always preached with Paul,¹⁰ and was called by him Beloved, and preached the Gospel with him, and was trusted to report the Gospel to us—if he learned nothing else from him, as has been shewn from his words; how do these who never had intercourse with Paul boast that they have learned hidden and unspeakable mysteries?

§ 2.

But that what things Paul knew, those also he simply taught, not only to his own companions,¹¹ but to all his hearers, he himself makes evident. For in Miletus, having called together the Bishops and Presbyters which were of Ephesus, and of the other towns in the neighbourhood,¹²—because he himself was hastening to spend Pentecost at Jerusalem,—testifying unto them at large, and telling them what must befal him at Jerusalem, he added, I know that ye shall see my face no more;¹³ I testify therefore to you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not kept back from declaring unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath set you over them as Bishops, to rule the Church of the Lord which He formed to Himself by His own Blood. Then pointing out the evil teachers that would be, he said,¹⁴ I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall come unto you, not sparing the flock: and of yourselves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to attract disciples after them.

I have not kept back,¹⁵ saith he, from declaring unto you the whole Counsel of God. Thus the Apostles, simply, and without grudging any, used to deliver unto all those things which they had themselves learned of the Lord. And so accordingly Luke, grudging no man, delivered unto us what he had learned of them, as he himself testifieth,¹⁶ saying, As they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eye witnesses and ministers of The Word.

§ 3.

But should any one reject¹⁷ Luke, as though he had not known the Truth, he will he evidently casting away the Gospel, whereof he claims to be a disciple. For there are very many, and those the more essential, parts of the Gospel, which we have known through him; as the birth of John, and the history concerning Zacharias, and the coming of the Angel to Mary, and the exclamation of Elizabeth, and the descent of the Angels to the Shepherds, and what they said, and the witness of Anna and Simeon to Christ, and that at twelve years old He was left in Jerusalem, and the Baptism of John, and at what age the Lord was baptized, and that it was in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar. And in His teaching, that which was said to the rich:¹⁸ Woe unto you, ye rich men, for ye are receiving your consolation:¹⁹ And, Woe unto you who are filled,²⁰ for ye shall hunger, and who laugh now, for ye shall weep: And, Woe unto you when all men shall bless you; for so did your fathers also to the false Prophets.

As we have known all the aforesaid by Luke alone, so we have learned by him very many doings of the Lord, whereof also all avail themselves: as the multitude of the fishes,²¹ which Peter and his companions inclosed: when the Lord commanded them to cast the nets.²² And the things which a certain woman had suffered for eighteen years, and then was healed on the Sabbath day.²³ And concerning the dropsical person, whom the Lord healed on the Sabbath day, and how He reasoned about His healing on that day:²⁴ and how He taught His disciples not to seek the highest rooms to sit down in; and how one ought to invite the poor and feeble, who have nought to repay. And of him who knocks at the door by night to receive some loaves and because of his earnest importunity does receive them,²⁵ and how,²⁶ when He was sitting at meat in the Pharisee’s house, a woman that was a sinner kissed His Feet, and anointed them with ointment, and all that our Lord said to Simon because of her concerning the two debtors; and of the parable of that rich man who stored up what had been produced for him, to whom also it was said, In this night they will require thy soul of thee:²⁷ then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?—as also of that rich man who was clothed with purple,²⁸ and enjoyed himself elegantly; and touching the poor Lazarus: and the answer which He spake to His disciples, when they said to Him, Increase our faith:²⁹ and the conversation which took place with Zacchæus the Publican;³⁰ and about the Pharisee and the Publican who were worshipping together in the Temple.³¹ And of the ten lepers, whom He cleansed together in the way:³² and how from the streets and lanes He commanded the lame and the blind to be gathered to the wedding,³³ and the Parable of the Judge who feared not God,³⁴ whom the earnestness of the widow caused to avenge her.³⁵ And of the fig-tree which was in the vineyard, which bare no fruit. And there are many other things, which may be found spoken by Luke alone: made use of both by Marcion and Valentinus. And besides all these, what He said in the way to His disciples after His Resurrection,³⁶ and how they knew Him in breaking of bread³⁷.

§ 4.

It follows then of course that they must either receive the remaining part also of what he said,³⁸ or give up even this. For it is not allowed them by men of understanding, while they receive some of Luke’s sayings, as belonging to the truth, to reject others as if he had not known the truth.

And if on the one hand Marcsion’s party reject these, they will have no Gospel, (for this Gospel according to Luke, as we have before said, mutilated, is the Gospel which they glory in possessing); and Valentine’s School again will have to leave off very much of their vain talk (for from Luke they have received in many instances the occasion of their subtle discourse, daring to interpret ill what he said well): But if they be constrained to accept the rest also, earnestly regarding the perfect Gospel, and the Apostles’ doctrine; they must do penance, in order to be saved from their danger.