{Forasmuch as} (epeid(8870)er). Here alone in the N.T., though
common in literary Attic. Appears in the papyri. A triple
compound (epei = since, d(885c) = admittedly true, per =
intensive particle to emphasize importance). {Many} (polloi).
How many no one knows, but certainly more than two or three. We
know that Luke used the Logia of Jesus written by Matthew in
Aramaic (Papias) and Mark's Gospel. Undoubtedly he had other
written sources. {Have taken in hand} (epecheir(8873)an). A literal
translation of epicheire(935c) (from cheir, hand and epi, upon).
Both Hippocrates and Galen use this word in their introduction to
their medical works. Here only in the N.T., though a common
literary word. Common in the papyri for undertaking with no idea
of failure or blame. Luke does not mean to cast reflection on
those who preceded him. The apocryphal gospels were all much
later and are not in his mind. Luke had secured fuller
information and planned a book on a larger scale and did surpass
them with the result that they all perished save Mark's Gospel
and what Matthew and Luke possess of the Logia of Jesus. There
was still room for Luke's book. That motive influences every
author and thus progress is made. {To draw up, a narrative}
(anataxasthai di(8867)(8873)in). Ingressive aorist middle infinitive.
This verb anataxasthai has been found only in Plutarch's
_Moral_. 968 CD about an elephant "rehearsing" by moonlight
certain tricks it had been taught (Moulton and Milligan,
_Vocabulary_). That was from memory going regularly through the
thing again. But the idea in the word is plain enough. The word
is composed of 	ass(935c), a common verb for arranging things in
proper order and ana, again. Luke means to say that those
before him had made attempts to rehearse in orderly fashion
various matters about Christ. "The expression points to a
connected series of narratives in some order (	axis), topical
or chronological rather than to isolated narratives" (Bruce).
"They had produced something more than mere notes or anecdotes"
(Plummer). Di(8867)(8873)is means leading or carrying a thing through,
not a mere incident. Galen applies this word some seventy-five
times to the writing of Hippocrates. {Which have been fulfilled}
(	(936e) pepl(8872)(9370)hor(886d)en(936e)). Perfect passive participle from
pl(8872)ophore(935c) and that from pl(8872)(8873) (full) and pher(935c) (to
bring). Hence to bring or make full. The verb is rare outside of
the LXX and the N.T. Papyri examples occur for finishing off a
legal matter or a financial matter in full. Deissmann (_Light
from the Ancient East_, pp. 86f.) gives examples from the papyri
and inscriptions for completing a task or being convinced or
satisfied in mind. The same ambiguity occurs here. When used of
persons in the N.T. the meaning is to be convinced, or fully
persuaded ( Ro 4:21  14:5  Heb 6:11  10:22 ). When used of things
it has the notion of completing or finishing ( 2Ti 4:5,17 ). Luke
is here speaking of "matters" (pragmat(936e)). Luke may refer to
the matters connected with Christ's life which have been brought
to a close among us or accomplished. Bruce argues plausibly that
he means fulness of knowledge "concerning the things which have
become widely known among us Christians." In  Col 2:2  we have
"fulness of understanding" (	(8873) pl(8872)ophorias t(8873) sunese(9373)). In
modern Greek the verb means to inform. The careful language of
Luke here really pays a tribute to those who had preceded him in
their narratives concerning Christ.