Lexical Summary Theophilos: Theophilus Original Word: Θεόφιλος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Theophilus. From theos and philos; friend of God; Theophilus, a Christian -- Theophilus. see GREEK theos see GREEK philos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom theos and philos Definition "friend of God," Theophilus, the addressee of Luke and Acts NASB Translation Theophilus (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2321: ΘεόφιλοςΘεόφιλος, Θεοφιλου (Θεός and φίλος), Theophilus, a Christian to whom Luke inscribed his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles: Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1. The conjectures concerning his family, rank, nationality, are reviewed by (among others) Winer's RWB, under the word; Bleek on Luke 1:3; (B. D., under the word); see also under κράτιστος. Topical Lexicon Meaning of the Name Theophilus means “friend of God” or “one loved by God,” hinting that the man himself—as well as every reader addressed through him—stands under the gracious favor and summons of the God who reveals Himself in Jesus Christ. Biblical Occurrences 1. Luke 1:3 “Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,”. “In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,”. Historical Identity Early Christian writers (Irenaeus, Eusebius, Jerome) accepted Theophilus as an historical person, not a literary device. The honorific “most excellent” in Luke 1:3 parallels Luke’s use of the same adjective for Roman governors Felix (Acts 23:26; 24:3) and Festus (Acts 26:25), suggesting that Theophilus held official status—likely an educated Gentile of means and influence, possibly residing in Antioch or Rome. His social standing would have enabled him to underwrite the production and dissemination of Luke’s two-volume work on high-quality papyrus scrolls, an expensive undertaking in antiquity. Role as Addressee of Luke–Acts 1. Patron: Patrons customarily received dedications in the opening lines of Greco-Roman histories. By addressing Theophilus, Luke both thanks his supporter and authenticates the work in the eyes of other readers. Literary Function within Luke–Acts Luke structures both volumes around reassurance. The Gospel culminates in the resurrection and ascension; Acts records the ongoing work of the risen Christ through the Spirit. By addressing the same individual at the beginning of each book, Luke welds the two volumes into a single narrative arc that moves from the incarnation in Judea to gospel proclamation in Rome. Theophilus thus anchors continuity: what Jesus “began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1) He continues through His body, the Church. Theological Significance • Reliability of Revelation: Luke appeals to eyewitness testimony and diligent research, underscoring that faith rests on objective events interpreted by inspired Scripture. Ministerial and Devotional Applications 1. Apologetics: Luke’s meticulous historiography equips believers to present a reasoned defense of the faith, demonstrating that Christian claims are rooted in verifiable history. Summary Theophilus stands at the doorway of Luke–Acts as patron, representative believer, and literary hinge uniting the life of Christ with the life of the Church. His brief appearance frames two inspired volumes that offer a historically grounded, Spirit-empowered narrative of redemption “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Forms and Transliterations Θεοφιλε Θεόφιλε θεράπαινα θεράπαιναι θεράπαιναί θεραπαίναις θεραπαίνης Theophile TheóphileLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 1:3 N-VMSGRK: γράψαι κράτιστε Θεόφιλε NAS: most excellent Theophilus; KJV: in order, most excellent Theophilus, INT: to write most excellent Theophilus Acts 1:1 N-VMS |
    |