Luke’s reliability as a historian is taken up by Colin Hemer, a classical scholar who also focused on the New Testament. Hemer’s book titled The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History goes through Luke’s second letter (i.e. the book of Acts) in exacting detail. What he unveils is a wealth of historical confirmation, ranging from facts that would have been common knowledge, to specific details which only a local person would have known. Over and over again, Luke’s accuracy is established: From the sailings of the Alexandrian corn fleet to the particular titles of local officials. Luke’s accuracy as a historian is exceptional. And given Luke’s excellence in writing the book of Acts, there is all the more reason to also have confidence in his Gospel about the life of Jesus.
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Reference
Colin J Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, ed. Conrad H. Gempf (Mohr Siebeck, 2019).