“Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught” (Luke 1:3-4 NLT).
Luke addressed both his gospel as well as the book of Acts to a man named “Theophilus,” whose name means “lover of God.” Luke addressed him with the title, “honorable,” or “most excellent,” which would imply that he was a person of prominence. Some have suggested that Theophilus was a man of wealth and position that Luke had been discipling in the faith. Perhaps he had offered to underwrite the expense of publishing Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts as well, which means that Luke addressed both of these books to him as his patron. The cost of copying these two works, so that they could be shared among the churches would have been great. There was no printing press, so the cost of copyists and paper was very high.
At any rate, Luke the physician, under the inspiration of the Spirit, offered a very well-researched and “accurate account” of the gospel of Jesus and the history of the early church. And we are able to hold this account in our hands and read it with our eyes and receive it into our hearts today!
Thank you Lord for inspiring Luke. Thank you Luke for your careful investigation and writing. And thank you Theophilus for your patronage. I suppose there’s a lot of other people who we will have time to thank in eternity for carrying the gospel to us today!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give You thanks for Your Word. For without it we would have no knowledge of our Savior, nor of salvation. Strengthen us to carry the gospel to the next generation that they may know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.