Luke 1:4 Word by Word: Knowing the Certainty of the Truth

A Greek Study of Luke 1:4

Luke 1:4 is a short verse, but its Greek wording contains a profound statement about knowledge, instruction, truth, and certainty.

The Douay-Rheims translates the verse:

“That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.”
— Luke 1:4, Douay-Rheims

The Revised Standard Version expresses it:

“That you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.”
— Luke 1:4, RSV

The Greek text gives us an even richer picture.

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The Greek Text

Luke 1:4 reads:

ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τὴν ἀσφάλειαν.

Transliterated:

hina epignōs peri hōn katēchēthēs logōn tēn asphaleian

A very literal rendering would be:

“So that you may know the certainty concerning the words/things about which you were instructed.”

The verse contains several important Greek words.

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1. ἵνα — hina

Meaning: so that, in order that.

Luke begins by explaining his purpose.

He has written his account so that Theophilus may arrive at something.

The purpose is not merely reading.

The purpose is knowing.

The Gospel is intended to produce confidence concerning what has been taught.

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2. ἐπιγνῷς — epignōs

Meaning: you may know, recognize, come to know fully.

This verb comes from ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō).

It contains the idea of knowing or recognizing something with fuller understanding.

Luke therefore does not merely want Theophilus to hear information.

He wants him to know.

This is important because Christianity presents itself as something that can be known and believed, rather than merely something imagined by the human mind.

The Christian faith concerns claims about God, Jesus Christ, His works, His teaching, His death, and His resurrection.

Luke wants Theophilus to have confidence concerning these things.

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3. περὶ — peri

Meaning: concerning, about, regarding.

This word introduces the subject about which Theophilus is to have certainty.

Luke is not discussing certainty in the abstract.

He is referring to something specific.

He wants Theophilus to know the certainty concerning the things about which he has been instructed.

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4. ὧν — hōn

Meaning: which, whom, the things which.

This word refers back to the things about which Theophilus had already received instruction.

The Gospel therefore has a relationship to previous Christian teaching.

Theophilus had heard instruction.

Luke now provides an ordered account.

The result should be greater certainty.

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5. κατηχήθης — katēchēthēs

This is one of the most interesting words in the verse.

It comes from:

κατηχέω — katēcheō

Meaning:

to instruct, teach, give oral instruction.

The word is related to the English word catechesis.

Thus, Theophilus had already been instructed in the Christian faith.

Luke's Gospel provides a written and ordered account so that the reliability of this instruction may be established.

This gives us an important pattern:

Instruction → written testimony → knowledge → certainty.

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6. λόγων — logōn

This is the plural form of:

λόγος — logos

It can mean:

word, statement, saying, account, message, matter, or teaching, depending upon context.

Luke uses the word in connection with the things about which Theophilus had been instructed.

This is significant because logos is also the famous word used by John:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1, Douay-Rheims

However, we should not automatically assume that logos has exactly the same theological meaning in every New Testament occurrence.

In Luke 1:4, the immediate context concerns the words, teachings, or matters about which Theophilus had been instructed.

In John 1:1, Logos has the profound Christological meaning of the eternal Word.

The two passages can be connected theologically, but their immediate grammatical contexts should remain distinct.

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7. τὴν — tēn

This is the Greek definite article:

“the.”

It introduces the particular quality Luke wants Theophilus to know.

What is it?

The next word is the key.

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8. ἀσφάλειαν — asphaleian

This is perhaps the most important word in Luke 1:4.

It comes from:

ἀσφάλεια — asphaleia

Its meanings include:

certainty, assurance, reliability, security, firmness.

The Douay-Rheims translates it as:

“verity”

The RSV translates the overall expression as:

“the truth.”

But asphaleia carries the idea of something being firm, secure, certain, or reliable.

Luke therefore wants Theophilus to possess confidence in the reliability of what he has been taught.

This gives Luke 1:4 a powerful meaning:

The purpose of Luke's Gospel is that Theophilus may know with certainty the reliability of the Christian message he has received.

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The Complete Thought

Putting the important words together:

ἵνα — so that

ἐπιγνῷς — you may know

κατηχήθης — you were instructed

λόγων — words/teachings

ἀσφάλειαν — certainty/reliability

The thought can therefore be expressed:

Luke writes so that Theophilus may know with certainty the reliability of the things concerning which he has been instructed.

This is stronger than simply saying:

“Luke wrote some information.”

Luke's purpose is certainty.

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Luke 1:4 and the Meaning of Truth

This is where the verse becomes especially important for Christian theology.

Luke wants Theophilus to know the certainty of what he has been taught.

But what is the central subject of Luke's Gospel?

Jesus Christ.

The Gospel begins with the announcement of events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus.

The Gospel then presents Jesus' ministry, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Therefore, the certainty Luke wants Theophilus to possess concerns the Christian proclamation centered upon Jesus Christ.

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Luke 1:4 and John 1:17

John gives us a complementary statement:

“For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
— John 1:17, Douay-Rheims

Luke speaks about knowing the certainty of what has been taught.

John speaks about grace and truth coming through Jesus Christ.

Together, these passages point toward an important Christian theological theme:

Truth is not merely human speculation.

Christianity claims that Truth has been revealed by God.

And this revelation is centered upon Jesus Christ.

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Luke 1:4 and John 14:6

The connection becomes even stronger when Jesus says:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
— John 14:6, Douay-Rheims

Jesus does not merely claim to teach truth.

He says:

“I am ... the truth.”

Therefore, the Christian understanding of Truth becomes personal and Christological.

Luke says:

Know the certainty.

John says:

Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus says:

I am the Truth.

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Truth and Created Reality

This also connects with the distinction between created reality and illusion.

Creation is real.

God created the heavens and the earth.

The human body is real.

Human life is real.

Beauty is real.

Nature is real.

But created things are temporary.

The illusion occurs when the human mind treats a temporary created reality as though it were eternal.

For example:

Money is real.

But believing money can provide eternal security is an illusion.

Beauty is real.

But believing beauty will remain forever is an illusion.

The body is real.

But believing the mortal body is permanent is an illusion.

Pleasure is real.

But believing temporary pleasure can provide eternal fulfillment is an illusion.

The created thing may be real.

The false belief about it is the illusion.

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Luke's Certainty Versus Human Illusion

This gives us an important contrast.

The human mind can create assumptions.

The human mind can desire.

The human mind can imagine.

The human mind can misunderstand.

But Luke wants Theophilus to have certainty grounded in the Christian testimony.

The Gospel therefore moves the reader away from mere speculation toward a proclaimed account of what God has done in history.

The goal is not:

“Believe whatever your mind imagines.”

The goal is:

“Know the certainty of what has been taught.”

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From Instruction to Truth

Luke 1:4 can therefore be understood as a progression:

1. Instruction

Theophilus has been taught.

2. Investigation

Luke has carefully investigated the events.

3. Written Testimony

Luke records them in an orderly account.

4. Knowledge

Theophilus can know what he has been taught.

5. Certainty

He can possess confidence in its reliability.

This is a remarkable foundation for the Gospel.

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Theological Significance

Luke 1:4 demonstrates that Christian faith is deeply concerned with truth and certainty.

It does not suggest that faith is merely an escape from reality.

Instead, Luke presents his Gospel as an ordered testimony intended to establish confidence concerning the Christian message.

This is particularly significant in relation to Jesus Christ.

The Christian claim is that the eternal God has acted within human history.

The Word became flesh.

Christ lived among humanity.

Christ taught.

Christ died.

Christ rose.

And the Gospel announces these things so that people may believe and know the Truth.

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Conclusion

Luke 1:4 is a small verse with profound theological significance.

Its Greek vocabulary gives us a rich picture:

ἵνα — so that

ἐπιγνῷς — you may know

κατηχήθης — you were instructed

λόγων — words/teachings

ἀσφάλειαν — certainty, assurance, reliability

Luke's purpose is therefore not simply to provide information.

He writes so that Theophilus may have certainty concerning the Christian message he has received.

And the central subject of that message is Jesus Christ.

John declares:

“Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Jesus declares:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

Therefore, Luke 1:4 can be placed within a larger Christian theology of Truth:

Human thoughts can be uncertain.

Created things are temporary.

The human mind can form illusions.

But God's revelation provides Truth.

Luke writes so that this Truth may be known with certainty.

And the Truth proclaimed by the Gospel is ultimately centered on Jesus Christ, the eternal Word made flesh.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
— John 1:14, Douay-Rheims

The created world is real.

The illusion is confusing the temporary with the eternal.

The Gospel calls the human mind from uncertainty to certainty.

And the Truth revealed in the Gospel is Jesus Christ.