St. Luke by Simone Martini, Circa 1330
Luke 1:1-4
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things, which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them to us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word. It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus, that you might know the certainty of those things, wherein you have been instructed.
Luke also addressed the Book of Acts to Theophilus, the identity of whom is unknown. Several suggestions exist. One possibility is the name is a pseudonym since it literally means “lover of god”. Because Luke addresses him as “most excellent Theophilus” there is speculation that he was a Roman official. The statement of purpose, “that you might know the certainty of those things, wherein you have been instructed” makes me wonder if Theophilus was a fairly recent convert to the faith. It may be Theophilus was a pseudonym because being Christian might be a treat to his position.
There is also a theory this was Theophilus ben Ananus, who held the position of High priest from 37 to 41 AD This man was the son of Annas and the brother-in-law of Caiaphas. His son also served as the next to last High Priest before the destruction of the Temple by Rome in 70 AD. Archeologists uncovered an ossuary (burial place) bearing an inscription, “Johanna, granddaughter of Theophilus, the High Priest” [D. Barag and D. Flusser, “The Ossuary of Yehohanah Granddaughter of the High Priest Theophilus”, Israel Exploration Journal, #36 (1986), pp. 39-44]
(It is interesting it was Luke who mentions a Joanna (a variant spelling for Johanna) as one of the women following Jesus who went to the tomb on Resurrection Sunday. Is it possible these are one and the same person?)
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