ABSTRACT
This book is written with some of these questions in mind. By writing, Luke was, consciously I suggest, controlling and shaping the traditions. He shaped traditions that were not much beyond their infant stage, the traditions of ‘the things about Jesus’, and the ‘the things that had been accomplished/ fulfilled among us’ which included the things about Peter and Paul, Stephen and others. Conzelmann, while not interested in the issue, recognizes accurately Luke’s role: ‘He understands himself to be the steward of the tradition. He does not limit himself to handing it on, but he reflects on the nature of the tradition by defining his own standpoint in the chain of tradition’ (1976: 305; italics his). Conzelmann goes even further, ‘He offers not a contribution to the tradition, but the tradition’ (1976: 305; italics his). I agree whole-heartedly, but on whose authority did Luke do this? Who was he, and who did he think he was? What status, office, role or reputation did any of the Evangelists (including Luke) have to write down the traditions? I suggest that there is the reasonable possibility that Luke had authority and status as a Jewish priest.
