WEEK 1 : Dedication to Theophilus

1. SCRIPTURE

1:1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have fulfilled among us.
1:2 Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the Lord.
1:3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.
1:4 So that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke 1:1-4 (NKJV) Other versions ...

2. COMMENTARY

Vs. 1,2: It has been taught for a long time that Mark wrote his Gospel first (proto-Mark theory), and Matthew and Luke copied from him and an earlier writing called “Q”. Most Hebrew scholars now believe that Luke wrote his Gospel first, not Mark. The eyewitnesses that he drew from were the disciples of Yeshua and the women that followed Him, especially Miriam, the mother of the Lord. It is a very real possibility that the Gospel writers used a Hebrew Gospel of Matthew mentioned by the early church fathers, such as Jerome (referenced 19 times in his writings) Tertulian, and Origen. Both Matthew and Luke evidently each had their own private sources because each contain material found only in that Gospel. These sources have been labeled “M” and “L” respectively. It is thought by some that “Q” could have been that lost Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. There are no copies extant today. “Q” stand for “Quelle,” the German word for well or source.

The Greek writers used a pieced-together text for their translations. This came about because the Rabbis always ended their sermons with two parables to punctuate the point of their sermon. This practice carried forward into the N,T. Church. But since Bibles weren’t readily available, they would take only the parts of te scrolls that they needed for their sermon and then return them after they were finished. Matthew’s Gospel is a very good example of how over time the text became mixed up. Each Gospel tells the same basic story, but in a different way. That is why they are called the Synoptic Gospels. It is the first four verses of Luke’s Gospel that tells us of this rearranging process that was taking place.

Vs. 3,4: The name “Theophilus” means a “person loved by God.” Evidently Luke saw some significance in this as both his writings (Luke and Acts) embrace the message that the whole world, including the Gentiles, is loved by God. There are at least three possibilities for the use of this name. First, it may very well have been generic, since Luke is writing to Jew and Gentile alike, Hebraically, it could have been a way to address his writing to everyone, and yet to no one in particular.

Secondly, he may have had in mind some well known member of either Jewish or Roman society. The use of the adjective “your excellency” suggests this. It seems that possibly this man possessed an initial interest in the Gospel and that he was in need of being steered away from some misconceptions of the faith that he entertained.

The third possibility is a man with the Hebrew name of Yedidah, which is translated in Greek “Theophilus”. Yedidah was High Priest in Jerusalem from 37 to 41 C.E. The son of Hana, the son of Seth, he was appointed by Vitellius, the Roman governor of Syria, in place of his brother Jonathan. He served in that office until removed by King Agrippa I. Mattathias, the son of Theophilus, was High Priest when the war against Rome broke out in 66 C.E. Yedidah’s position as High Priest could certainly justify the use of the term “your excellency.” Since most learned Judeo-Christian scholars today believe that the Gospels were written prior to the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E., it is very possible that Luke is writing to this individual.

The Greek word used here for “order” means chronological order. Luke is the only Gospel writer that claims to put the life of the Messiah in true chronological order. The other Gospel writers were not that concerned about the chronological sequence of events. But, Luke is very much concerned with history, and so he is concerned with putting the life of Yeshua in chronological order. As we shall see later on, there are some possible problems with Luke’s chronological sequence also.

3. QUESTIONS

Here are some discussion starters. They may or may not be useful to you, but we have to start somewhere ...

1. Is it important to know about the origins of the Gospels? Why should it matter? discuss ..
2. Why should it matter who this Theophilus was? discuss ..
3. What is different about Luke's gospel? discuss ..

4. DISCUSSIONS

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