There are a number of things about Luke that make him stand out as very special among the four Gospel writers. He is traditionally believed to be the only Gentile author of a New Testament book. He was a partner with Paul on the latter missionary journeys, as indicated in Acts 16:10, where the narrative shifts to the first-person plural “we,” signifying Luke’s presence with Paul at that point. More than any other, Luke stands out as a historian in the way he was so precise in connecting the narrative to contemporary events and in providing the precise, accurate titles for government officials. That carefulness is also evident in the fact that he tells us in the opening paragraph that he has researched these matters to be able to record them accurately, which explains how he knew what Mary said, having almost certainly interviewed her. We talk about Luke as “the beloved physician,” which is interesting to see that among the reports of the woman healed from her 12-year hemorrhage, he is the one who doesn’t mention that she had spent all she had on doctors who didn’t help, but only made her worse, perhaps in deference to his fellow physicians!
For the purpose of this study, however, the additional factor in Luke’s life that makes him quite special is that he is the only one who includes what we’ve come to refer to as “the four nativity songs” or “canticles:” those of Mary (1:46-55), Zechariah (1:68-79), the angels (2:14), and Simeon (2:29-32). These have each come to be known by the opening Latin words in the 5th century Vulgate: Mary’s “Magnificat,” Zechariah’s “Benedictus,” the angels’ “Gloria,” and Simeon’s “Nunc Dimittis.” Of course, the Bible doesn’t actually call these “songs.” In fact, it describes the words as having been spoken. But each is so “poetic” and lyrical, that to describe them as songs does not seem at all out of character.