
- Early tradition stated that Luke was a native of the city of Antioch. Antioch was the first Gentile church (Acts 11:19). While in the church at Antioch Luke would have had superb opportunities to learn from the founders of the church there and also the visitors that passed through. Peter visited the church in Antioch (Gal. 2:11). Manean, the foster brother of Herod Antipas and a key teacher in the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1) may have had a strong influence on Luke since Luke seems to show a special interest in the family of Herod in Luke's 2 volumes. Certainly Paul, who would have saturated himself after his conversion to learn about as much of the Messiah's life and ministry, would have shared information that he had learned to Luke in Antioch.
- Paul's visit to Jerusalem that landed him in captivity in Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27) would have given Luke large amounts of time to grow in his understanding of Jesus' life there in that Israeli region. We know he would have had chances to talk to James, the brother of Jesus and Jerusalem church leader, which could have had afforded more opportunities to talk to other members of Jesus' physical family and those who had lived closest to Him. There seems to be information that Philip and his family in Caesarea (Acts 21:8-9) passed on to Luke as well during that time.
- Then in Rome, when Luke travels with Paul in his imprisonment, contact with Mark is established (Col. 4:10, 14; Phm. 24), and much of what Mark had compiled from his association with Peter was included in Luke's account also. Luke tell us from the beginning that he had followed this story of Jesus accurately from the start and this following would certainly be from the vantage point of a serious historian that enabled his analytical mind to arrange the information he had received form these sources appropriately The time in Rome as companion of imprisoned Paul would have afforded the time and the context to put forward an explanation of who Jesus was and why He mattered to the Roman upper classes (as the addressed reader Theophilus seemed to be). Luke wanted his audience to take the claims of Christ seriously and not immediately dismiss them as mere myth in a pluralistic religious society of myths. Moreover, in his second volume addressed to the Roman leader Theophilus, Acts, Luke is describing the validity of the actions of the followers of the Christ Luke explained in his first volume, and what they were willing to die for.