Day 3 – Most excellent Theophilus

Study Luke 1:1-4

“That you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” Luke 1:4 NKJV

Luke’s introduction to the Gospel reveals his methodology – he set out to investigate and record all he and his community had heard about Jesus. It is clear in verse 2 that “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” brought the Good News message to him … and he believed. The Greek word for eyewitness used here is 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘦̄𝘴, meaning 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵 (autopsy) or 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. Luke, as an educated physician, conducted an autopsy of everything ministered to him, and his endeavour confirmed the truth about Jesus the Saviour.

He also uses the Greek word 𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘴 for “word” when he refers to disciples (ministers of the 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱). 𝘓𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘴 is the written word. Letters and text. But it can also be translated as messages, records, and blueprints. Jesus is the eternal, creative word made visible to the world. He is the divine self-expression of all that God is, revealed in humanity. Just as we express ourselves through words, God expressed Himself through Christ.   

The Gospel letter is addressed to Theophilus, meaning 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 or 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥. Some scholars believe there was no person named Theophilus, but that Luke cleverly used the name as a greeting to all friends and lovers of God. Whether or not Theophilus was a real person, the Gospel of Luke is written to ensure that everyone knows with certainty that the recorded events of Jesus Christ are indeed true.

Pray with me: Father, thank You for the Gospel of Luke so we can embark on this journey to dissect the logos and know the truth of Jesus Christ with absolute certainty. Open our eyes, Lord, to see Jesus, the living God, in the written word. May every word we read, every verse we explore, and every account we study take root deep in our hearts. Amen.

Love, Pastor Iriza