1:3-4 Who is Theophilus to whom Luke addressed this gospel account?
1:3-4 Who is Theophilus to whom Luke addressed this gospel account?
Scriptures do not record who Theophilus is - his name means "one who loves God". Some think that the name refers to the Christian reader, but the general consensus among Bible commentators is that Theophilus was a Roman official.
Though Luke addressed his gospel to Theophilus as an individual, it is intended to give all believers the assurance that Christianity is not just another religion, but that it is founded in God's eternal purpose upon His Son, Jesus, who has redeemed all men unto Himself by His propitiatory death on the cross (cp Jn 1:29; 1Jn 2:2).
Luke also addressed his record of the Acts of the Apostles to Theophilus (cp Ac 1:1).