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Theophilus
By Wayne Blank
Theophilus, in Greek meaning lover
of God, was the man to whom Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:3) and the Book of Acts (Acts 1:1).
Nothing else is recorded about Theophilus,
however from the formal manner that Luke addressed him in Luke, he was likely a
Roman official of some sort, since Luke's referring to him as "most excellent" was an
apparent Roman title.
(Christians did not use pompous titles for
their teachers or leaders, such as the utterly blasphemous modern-day use
of “The Holy Father” for a mere human) that was recorded by Luke for only
two others in the Scriptures, both non-Christian Roman Procurators (governors)
of Judea - "most
excellent" Festus (Acts
26:25) and "most excellent" Felix (Acts 24:2).
It is interesting however that in the
later-written Acts, Luke refers to him simply and less formally as "O Theophilus," which,
although could be the result of a number of things, or nothing at all, may also
have been an indication that Theophilus gave up, or was removed from, his Roman
position in favor of his obviously-strong interest in Christianity.
To the Romans, their Emperor was
idolized as a god (just as some modern-day political leaders are revered as
divine), something that no Christian could ever accept (a great many
Christians, and Jews, were martyred by the Romans for that very reason, and
will be again - see Revelation 13).
Theophilus
When
we read the Gospel account of Luke, we are reading a report that was written
for Theophilus:
"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a
narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they
were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and
ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things
closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent
Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have
been informed." (Luke
1:1-4 RSV)
In
the later Book of Acts, Luke continues his account of Bible History to
Theophilus, which, as with the Gospel of Luke, includes much Prophecy:
"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all
that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He
had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had
chosen. To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs,
appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.
"And while
staying with them He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for
the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from Me, for John
baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit.’
"So when
they had come together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore
the kingdom to Israel?’
"He said to them, ‘It is not for
you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end
of the earth.’
"And when
He had said this, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took
Him out of their sight.
"And while
they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white
robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This
Jesus, Who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you
saw Him go into heaven.’" (Acts 1:1-11 RSV)
About Wayne Blank
I was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, but I have had nothing
what-so-ever to do with that organization since the early 1970s, the time that
I began basing my Christian beliefs solely upon the Word of God, the Holy
Bible. I have never been a member of any other
church organization.
My church membership today is that of the Biblical Church
of God. According to the Holy Scriptures, "church" actually means the
people, the "called out ones," who truly live by the Word of God
(see Can You See The Church?). I
now strongly disagree with the Church of Rome and any other Christian-professing
church organization, Catholic or Protestant, that contradicts the pure Word of
God as written in the Holy Scriptures.
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