The prefaces to this Gospel and the Acts shew that both proceed from the same author, and the earliest traditions agree that he was Luke, the companion of Paul, mentioned Col. iv. 14; 2 Tim. iv. 11; Philem. 24. There is some reason for supposing that he was the same as Silas.

This Gospel, like the others, is not alluded to in any of the speeches in the Acts, nor in the Epistles.

A.D. 96. Clement of Rome has a passage agreeing exactly with Luke xvii. 2 ; but nearly the same sentence is in Mark.

A.D. 140. Justin Martyr mentions the visit of Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, in the words of Luke i. 35—38; and Christ's agony, in the words of Luke xxii. 42; both which texts have no parallel one in the other Gospels. He does not mention Luke by name, but frequently speaks of the Gospels or memoirs composed by the Apostles and their companions, as his authority.

A.D. 178. Irenæus is the first who names Luke as the author of a Gospel. After speaking of Mark, he says, “And Luke, the companion of Paul, put down in a book the Gospel preached by him.”—“But the Gospel according to Luke being of a priestly character, begins with Zacharias the priest, offering incense to God.”—But if any one rejects Luke, as if he did not know the truth, he will be convicted of throwing away the Gospel, of which he professeth to be a disciple. For there are many, and those very necessary parts of the Gospel, which we know by his means.”