1 Theff. ii. 14. 15. Ye became followers of the churches of God in Judea. For ye alfo have fuffered like things of your own countrey-men, even as they of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jefus, and their own Prophets. It might be not amifs to observe also Acts xxviii. 17... 19. And I might refer to other places.

That this Evangelift was a Jew, is the opinion of many learned and judicious moderns: particularly, Mr. S. Bafnage, whom I have cited at note (t) and J. A. Fabricius, who (x) likewife is clearly of the fame opinion. Indeed, I think, it ought not to be questioned.

6. Luke, the Evangelift, was, probably, an early Jewish believer, foon after Chrift's afcenfion, if not a hearer of Chrift, and one of the feventy difciples.

Our moft ancient writers, as we have seen, speak of Luke as a difciple of the Apoftles. Some have reckoned him one of the Seventy, others have thought him to be Lucius, mentioned by St. Paul in the epistle to the Romans, and others have fuppofed, that he was one of the two difciples that met Jefus in the way to Emmaus.

The large accounts, which Luke has given in the book of the Acts of feveral, below the rank of Apoftles, has made me think, that he was one of the fame rank, and poffibly one of them. There are three inftances of this kind. The firft is Stephen, one of the seven Deacons, who, as we learn, was full of faith and power, and did great wonders and miracles among the people against whom there arose a strong oppofition, fo that he was the very firft Martyr for Chrift and his doctrine, and of whom St. Luke has recorded a long difcourfe before the Jewish Council. ch. vii. The fecond is Philip, another of the Seven, of whom St. Luke writes, that he first preached Chrift to the Samaritans. ch. viii. 5... 8. fo that the people with one accord gave heed to thofe things, which Philip spake, hearing, and feeing the miracles which he did, and what follows. The fame Philip afterwards, having firft explained the fcriptures to him, and brought him to fincere faith in Jefus as the Chrift, baptized the Chamberlain and Treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia, a Jewish profelyte, and a man of great diftinction. ver. 26. . . . 40. The third inftance of this kind is that of the men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who travelled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to Jews only. Who foon after their coming to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them. And a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. ch. xi. 19. . 21. These were the men, who first preached to Gentils out of Judea: as Peter was the first, who preached to Gentils at the houfe of Cornelius in Cefarea. ch. x. and not long be fore them. We have, as it feems, the names of three of those men, ch. xiii. 1. Simeon, called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen. The fecond perfon, here named, may be our Evangelift.

A like argument may be formed in favour of St. Luke's having been one of Christ's seventy disciples, in that he, and he only of all the Evangelifts,

(x) Lucas, five Lucius,. . . incertum, num idem cum Luca Medico Col. iv. 14. quin Judæus fuerit, at antequam Chrifto nomen daret, ne dubito quidem, præcipue fi verum eft quod legas in Origenis five Adamantii cujuf dam dialogis, adverfus Marcionitas, et Epiphanii LI. II. eum fuiffe e numero LXX. difcipulorum. Bib, Gr. 1. 4. c. v. T. 3. p. 132.

gelifts, has inferted in his Gospel an account of the commiffion, which Chrift gave unto them. ch. x. I. . . . 20.

And indeed fome learned men of later times, as well as formerly, have been of opinion, that Luke was one of the Seventy.

Among thefe is our Dr. Whitby, who (b) reckoned both Mark and Luke to have been of that number.

7. A. Fabricius (c) was inclined to be of the fame opinion. And in favour of it refers to the paffages of Adamantius and Epiphanius, before taken notice of by us. This likewife was the fentiment of (d) Mr. Bafnage.

Dr. C. A. Heumann has lately published a differtation concerning Christ's Seventy Difciples, containing many curious obfervations. And he supposeth, that (*) these feveral following were of that number. Matthias, chofen in the room of the traitor, Jofeph, called Barfabas, furnamed Juftus, and probably, the feven Deacons, or however, fome of them, and the four teachers and Prophets of Antioch, Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, whom he thinks to be our Luke the Evangelift, and Manaen. Acts xiii. 1.

His argument is to this purpofe. We have not in the Gospels the names of thofe Difciples. Nor did Chrift form a college or companie of them, as he did of the Twelve, because it was a temporarie office, which fubfifted for a fhort time only. They were but once fent forth. And when they were returned, their commiffion was at an end. Nevertheless they hereby became qualified for public fervice. And it may be reckoned very probable, that if an opportunity was afforded, they would be very willing, after Chrift's afcenfion, to exert themselves in his cause. And it is very likely, that fome of thefe Seventy were chofen, and employed by the Apostles, as men, who had been already exercised in the fervice of the gofpel, and were thereby fitted for farther usefulnesse.

So that learned writer. And it must be acknowledged, that this is a fpecious argument. But it is rather founded in an ingenious fpeculation, than in the authority of teftimonie. Which, in this cafe, would be more valuable.

Indeed Epiphanius, befide the places (e) formerly alleged, where he fays, Mark and Luke were of the Seventy, has another: where (f) he mentions a great many, who were faid to be of that number: as the feven deacons, all whom he mentions by name, and alfo Matthias, Mark, Luke, Juftus, Barnabas, Apelles, Rufus, Niger. And therefore, we can

(b) See his Preface to St. Luke's Gofpel.

not

(c)... præcipue, fi verum eft, quod legas in Origenis feu Adamantii cujufdam Dialogis adverfus Marcionitas, et Epiphanii H. LI. n. xi. Neque adeo repugnat et Lucam et Marcum ex illis fuiffe, licet Veteres miro confenfu, ut Marcum Petri, ita Lucam tradunt Pauli fuiffe interpretem et fe&tas torem. Haud dubie enim Apoftolorum etiam præ LXX illis magna prærogativa erat. &c. Bib. Gr. 1. iv. cap. v. T. 3. p. 133.

(d) Ann. 60. num. xxviii.

(*) Differtatio de Septuaginta Chrifti Legatis. ap. Nov. Syllog. Differtat. Part. i. p. 120... 154. (ƒ) H. 20. num, iv.

(e) Haer. LI. num, vi, xi,

not deny, that in the time of Epiphanius there were fome, who entertained an opinion, that all these were of Chrift's feventy Difciples. Nevertheless we do not find it in Irenaeus, or Clement of Alexandria, or Origen, or any others of the highest antiquity, and beft credit: nor in Eufebe, or Jerome, that I remember, who were acquainted with the writings of those ancient authors, and many others, which are not come to us. Eufebe has a chapter concerning the Disciples of our Saviour. He fays, the names of Chrift's twelve Apoftles were well known: but (g) there was no where any catalogue of the Seventy. However, he mentions Barnabas, Matthias, and the difciple put up with him, and one or two more, who were faid to be of the Seventy. But he takes not here any notice of Mark, or Luke, or of any of the feven Deacons.

Matthias and Barfabas certainly were fuch men, as are described Acts i. 21. 22. And they may have been of the Seventy. But we cannot be certain, because we have not been affured of it by any accounts, that demand full affent. Some of the feven Deacons may have been of the Seventy, as Stephen and Philip. But we do not know, that they were. It is very probable, that all thofe Deacons were not of the Seventy, particularly, Nicolas a profelyte, of Antioch. If Luke, the Evangelift, be the fame as Lucius, of Cyrene, there arifeth a strong objection against his having been one of the Seventy. Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, mentioned Acts xiii. 1. and the men of Cyprus and Cyrene, (of whom thofe two, just mentioned, were a part:) were early believers, after Chrift's afcenfion, and they may have heard and feen the Lord in perfon. But they cannot be well fuppofed to have been of the Seventy. Chrift's twelve Apoftles were of Galilee. It is likely, that the Seventy also were of the fame countrey, or near it. Chrift fent them forth from him, to go over the land of Ifrael, and to return to him in a short time, where he should be. And his ufual refidence was in Galilee. It does not appear to me at all probable, that our Lord put into that commiffion any men, who were born, and ufually refided abroad, in other countreys, out of the land of Ifrael. Hitherto, then, we have not any full proof, that our Evangelift was one of the Seventy. Let us proceed.

St. Luke ch. xxiv. 13... 34. relates how two difciples met Jefus after his refurrection, as they were going to Emmaus. And he says, that the name of one of them was Cleophas. Theophylact in his comment upon this place, as (b) formerly fhewn, obferves: "Some (i) fay, that one of thefe two was Luke himself: but that the Evangelift concealed his own name." Nicephorus Callifti (k) in one place, makes not doubt, that Luke was the other difciple not named. It is likely, that he had met with it in more ancient writers. Sam. Bafnage (1) readily declares himself of

the

(g) Τῶν δὲ ἑβδομήκοντα μαθητῶν κατάλογος μὲν ἐδεὶς εὐδαμῶ φέρεται. Η. Ε. l.i. c. 12.

(b) Vol. xi. p. 423.

(1) Τινὲς τὸν ἵνα τέτων τῶν δύο αυτὸν τὸν λουκᾶν εἶναί φασι· διὸ καὶ απέκρυψε τὸ ἑαυτὸ ὄνομα ὁ ἰυαγγελικής. Theoph. in Luc. cap. xxiv. β. 539.

(4) Τοῖς περὶ λυκᾶν καὶ κλείπαν τήν ὁδον παρισι γνωρίζεται, πρὸς ἑσπέραν εἰς δεῖπνον αὐτοῖς συγκατακλιθείς. Niceph. l. i. c. 34. ρ. 117.

() Nulla fane magis idonea ratio obfervatur animo, cur Cleopæ, non alterius, Lucas meminerit: quomodo Joannes, ubi de fe mentionem agitat,

nomen

the fame opinion. Indeed, I think, it has a great appearance of probability. It is much more likely, than the tradition, or interpretation in Epiphanius, that (m) it was Nathanael. The fame Bafnage fays that if Nathanael had been the other, St. Luke would have named him.

St. Mark ch. xvi. 12. 13. has a like account, but briefer, of two, to whom Chrift appeared, as they were walking into the countrey. He does not name either of them. Grotius (n) allows, that Mark's and Luke's hiftories are of the fame perfons. Both the Evangelifts speak of these as two of them. They were not of the Twelve, but yet they were of their companie, fuch as had been with Jefus : as is allowed by (0) Grotius, and (p) Beza. Nevertheless they fay, that (9) Luke is not the other. He is excluded, as they fay, by the tenour of his introductions both to his Gofpel, and the Acts. Their reafonings will be confidered presently.

However, fuppofing Luke to be the perfon here intended, I do not think, that he is thereby fhewn to be one of the Seventy. Cleophas and the other were difciples of Chrift, and eye-witneffes. But it does not therefore follow, that they were of the number of the Seventy.

We proceed. Among the Salutations in the epiftle to the Romans are thefe, ch. xvi. 20. Timothie my work-fellow, and Lucius, and Jafon, and Sofipater, my kinfmen, falute you. All these were Jewith believers, and, the three last mentioned, as it seems, were the Apostle's relations. That by Lucius some supposed the Evangelift Luke to be intended, we have been informed by fo ancient a writer, as Origen. And it is very likely, that St. Luke's name was writ differently: Lucas, Lucius, and LuThere is the more reason to think, that the Evangelift is here intended, because he must have been with the Apostle at the time of writing the epiftle to the Romans. Says Mr. Tillemont: "Many (r) "believe, that St. Luke is he, whom St. Paul in his epiftle to the Romans

canus.

"calls

nomen diffimulat fuum. Si de grege Apoftolorum fuiffent, aut virorum multa laude in Evangelio celebratorum, uti Nathanael, quod Epiphanio visum, iterum atque iterum dicemus, tam ejus quam Cleopæ nomen fœneraffet. Ann. 33. num. CL.

(m) See vol. viii. p. 316.

(n) Quare immerito Enthymius hic aliam putat hiftoriam indicari, quam eam, quæ a Luca copiofe describitur. Grot. ad Marc. xvi. 12.

(ο) . . δυσὶν ἐκ αυτῶν.] τῶν μετὰ ἰησὺ γενομένων, ut fupra dixit ver. 10. Nam hoc nomine etiam alii extra xii. cenfentur, præcipue qui de numero erant illorum feptuaginta. Grot. ad Marc. xvi. 11,

(p) Ex iis, i dura, nempe difcipulis, non autem ex Apoftolis. Aliorum enim præter Apoftolos mentio facta fuit præcedente verfu 9. Bex, in Luc.

xxiv. 13.

(9) Alterum fuiffe hunc noftrum Lucam, quidam ex veteribus arbitrantur, quorum opinio refellitur ex præfatione Actis Apoftolorum præpofita. Bex. ad Luc. xxiv. 18.

Duo ex illis, nempe eorum, quos modo aov, ceterorum nomine defignarat, e fectatoribus Chrifti. Probabiliter fentiunt Veteres, fuiffe hos de numero Alterum LXX... Nomen alterius infra exprimit Lucas, Cleopam vocans. ipfum Lucam multi putârunt, quos fatis ipfe refellit in Evangelii anteloquio, ab occulatis teftibus fe feparans. Grot. ad Luc. xxiv. 13.

(r) Mem, Ec. Tom. 2. §. Luc.

"calls Lucius, making his name a little more Latin. And it is the more "likely, inasmuch as the Acts affure us, that St. Luke was then with St. "Paul. If that be fo, he was related to this Apoftle." Grotius, who fuppofed our Evangelift to have been of Antioch, taking notice of the above-mentioned obfervation of Origen, fays, that (s) Lucius, in Rom. xvi. is the fame, as Lucius of Cyrene, mentioned Acts xiii. 1.

Fabricius (t) efteemed it somewhat probable, that Lucius is the Evangelift.

Dr. Heumann fupposes (u) this Lucius to be St. Luke, and the fame as Lucius of Cyrene, whom (x) he computes to be one of the feventy Difciples, as before seen.

Mr. Bafnage likewife argues very ftrongly, that (y) Lucius is our Evangelift.

Indeed this opinion cannot be well faid to be deftitute of probability: fince there is a good deal of reafon to think, that Luke was in the Apoftle's companie, when he wrote the epiftle to the Romans. And if Lucius be not he, no mention is made of him. Which is very unlikely.

If this be our Evangelift, we hence learn, that he was a Jew, and related to the Apostle. And if this be Lucius of Cyrene, we know his character, and, in part, his historie, from Acts xi. 19.. 21. and xiii. 1 ... 4. He was an early Jewish believer after Chrift's afcenfion, and together with others was very ferviceable in early preaching the gospel to Jews and Gentils out of Judea. And, once more, if the other, who accompanied

(s) Docet nos Origenes, in annotationibus epiftolæ ad Romanos, fuiffe qui crederent Lucium eum, qui in eadem epiftola nominatur. xvi. 21. effe hunc ipfum Lucam, et Lucium dici flexione Romana, Lucam Græca. Ego Lucium illum, cujus ibi meminit Paulus, puto non alium effe a Cyrenenfi, quem nofter hic nominat Actor. xiii. 1. Grot. Præf. ad Evang.

S. Luc.

(t) Fuerunt enim jam olim, qui tefte Origene Lucam eundem putârunt cum Lucio, quem Paulus inter ovyyereis fuos refert Rom. xvi. 21. Neque verifi. militudine deftituitur hæc fententia. Fab. Bib. Gr. ubi fupra. p. 132.

(z) Lucas non eft verum, id eft, pure expreffum nomen Evangeliftae, fed vel Lucanus, (quem in modum ut ex Silvanus factum eft Silas,) vel Lucius. Ac perverifimile eft, Evangeliftam noftrum effe Lucium illum Cyrenæum, cujus fit mentio Act. xiii. 1. Quem nec diverfum effe credo ab illo Lucio, quem Paulus Rom. xvi. 21. vocat cognatum fuum, fimulque teftatur, eum in fuo comitatu fuiffe. Heuman. Ep. Mife. T. 2. p. 519.

(x) Jure igitur credimus, et hos quatuor [Act. xiii. 1.] fuiffe e feptuaginta illorum difcipulorum numero. Jam inter hos fi Lucius non eft alius quam Lucas Evangelifta, merito et Lucam noftrum recenfemus inter feptuaginta illos difcipulos. Diff. de Lxx. Chrifti Legat. §. xx. p. 149.

(y) Lucam Evangeliftam Paulo confanguineum fuiffe verifimilitudinis multum habet. Lucium fane, cujus nomine Romanos falutat Apoftolus, ex ipfius cognatis unus erat. Sunt vero non pertenues conjecturæ, quibus adducamur ad exiftimandum unum eundemque virum cum Luca Lucium effe. Que antiqua fane fententia fuit, cujus meminit Origenes in Rom. xvi. . . . Silam quidem Paulus ipfe Silvanum vocat. Aderat etiam Paulo comes Lucas, cum miffa eft ad Romanos epiftola, quem infalutatos præteriiffe, prorfus fit incredibile: quod tamen factum fuiffet, fi Lucius eft à Luca diverfus. Bafn, ann. 60. n. xxxiii.