Otto III Evangeliar, Reichenau, ca. 1000

München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 4453, fol. 139v

Among the Evangelists Luke was the “Psychologist”, the careful researcher of sources; even his own artistic style is sometimes restrained towards the more coarse Aramaean sources. In the so-called Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians (notes by pupils of Paul), Luke is called a “Physician” and thus he entered the history and legend. Besides his theological knowledge Luke shows in his Gospel a philanthropic and social concern. For him, Christ was merely a paragon as protector of the poor and the underprivileged people, like women or persecuted persons, even sinners. In his Acts of the Apostles where various sources are utilized, Luke proves to be a reliable historian of the Early Christian times and their personalities, but also an apostle of Christian belief, especially as to the strength and forcefulness of the Holy Ghost, which is emphasized in all later traditions.