Notes for Luke 1:3-4

1. The Greek adjective akribos speaks of what is charaterized by exactness and thoroughness. When applied to information, it speaks of 'accuracy'. Applied to effort, it speaks of 'diligence' and 'thoroughness.' Applied to behaviour, it speaks of 'prudence,' 'thoughtfulness,' 'discrimination.' NKJ's "having had perfect understanding of all things" is difficult to substantiate.

2. The Greek adjective kathexes used by Luke occurs only in the NT. It can mean orderly in a chronological sense, though Geldenhuys (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, 53) is probably near the mark when he says that it meant that "by this [Luke] does not mean that he intended to relate everything in strict chronological order, but that it was his purpose to write a narrative which would form a connected whole. From a study of the Gospel it is abundantly clear that his object was realised."

3. I. Howard Marshall, Luke: Historian and Theologian (Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971), 40-41; italic his.