Holier Than Thou

Who wrote the books of the Bible and when?

Gospel of Luke, a personal account of the life, teachings, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was likely written between A.D. 60 and 65 by Luke the gentile physician, a disciple of Jesus and companion of the Apostle Paul (Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24), to a Greek convert named Theophilus (Luke 1:3). This was one of the four gospels (proclamations of the good news) of the New Testament, which was Christ crucified for the salvation of the world and the fulfillment of many of the Old Testament prophecies. Since Luke mentions in the opening of his letter that many others had undertaken to write accounts of the teachings and miracles of Christ, it may be inferred that the Gospel of Matthew had already been written, as the two are very similar accounts. It is grouped together with Matthew and Mark in similarity of accounts, commonly referred to as the Synoptic Gospels. The Gospel of Luke includes accounts of the following events:

Address to Theophilus of the careful investigation of Luke
Birth of John the Baptist and Jesus foretold
Birth of John the Baptist and Jesus
Jesus presented at the Temple
John the Baptist prepares the way
Baptism of Jesus and anointing of the Holy Spirit
Genealogy of Jesus to Adam
Temptation of Jesus by Satan
Jesus heals many and drives out evil spirits
Jesus calls his disciples
The teachings and parables of Jesus
The twelve apostles, known simply as "the Twelve"
Jesus calms the storm
Jesus sends out the disciples
Jesus feeds the five thousand with a few loaves of bread and some fish
Peter's confession of Christ
The transfiguration
The sign of Jonah
Woes, warnings, and encouragements
Repent or perish
Coming of the kingdom of God
Predictions of Jesus' death
Triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a colt
Signs of the end of the age
The Last Supper
Judas betrays Jesus
Jesus arrested and mocked
Jesus tried before the Jewish leaders, Pilate, and Herod
The crucifixion and death of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus and scriptural fulfillment
Jesus appears to the disciples and ascends into heaven

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (Luke 24:44-53)

Note: The apparent contradiction between the genealogies recorded by Matthew and Luke have been explained by many that Luke didn't actually go through Joseph's family line, though it may seem that way (Luke 3:23), but through Mary's family line instead. The reason for this is the statement that Joseph was supposedly the father of Jesus, or "so it was thought", and so the author then detoured through the mother's lineage, which descends from David's son Nathan instead of Solomon.

Book of Acts, the continuation of the Gospel of Luke and an account of the acts of the first disciples and spread of the early church of Christ, covers a period between A.D. 33 and approximately A.D. 63 and was likely written between A.D. 63 and 70 by Luke the physician, a gentile disciple of Christ and companion of the Apostle Paul. Addressed again to Theophilus, it begins with the day of Pentacost shortly after the ascension of Jesus to heaven, where the Holy Spirit settled on the first disciples in Jerusalem and 3,000 people of all nationalities were converted. It ends with the missionary travels of Paul and his arrest and trip to Rome for trial before Caesar. Its emphasis is on the spread of the gospel from the Jews in Jerusalem to the Gentiles in the surrounding countries. It is thought by some to have been written later than A.D. 70, however, it does not record the the death of Paul cerca A.D. 68, nor the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

The Book of Acts includes accounts of the following events:

Adress to Theophilus by Luke
Ascension of Jesus to heaven
Matthias chosen to replace Judas
The Holy Spirit comes at Pentacost, the disciples speak in tongues, 3,000 people are saved
Peter's ministry
Peter and John warned by the Sanhedrin to stop spreading the gospel
The believers share their possessions
Seven disciples chosen for administration of affairs
Stephen stoned to death by the Sanhedrin
Saul leads the persecution of believers and the church spreads
Simon the sorcerer
Philip and the Ethiopian
Saul's conversion and blindness
Peter's vision and conversion of the house of Cornelius the centurion
Disciples become known as Christians at Antioch
Peter thrown in prison and released by an angel of the Lord
Barnabas and Paul's missionary travels throughout Syria
Law of Moses in dispute for Gentile believers
Timothy joins Paul and Silas
Paul and Silas freed from prison by an earthquake and conversion of the prison guard
Missionary work of Paul and Silas throughout Greece
Apollos preaches the Scriptures
The gospel is clarified for many new believers who had received only part of the message
A riot in Ephesus breaks out when Paul's gospel comes in dispute with the worship of Artemis
Eutychus brought back to life
Paul announces his ministry to the Gentiles before a large crowd in Jerusalem and is put in prison
Paul before the Sanhedrin
Paul before governor Felix
Paul appeals to Caesar before governor Festus
Paul before King Agrippa
The storm and shipwreck on the way to Rome
Paul preaches under house arrest in Rome for two years

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers; You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him -- you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. (Acts 7:51-8:1)