Who was Luke writing to in Luke chapter 1?

Answer 1

The two letters are addressed to Theophilos (normally transliterated as Theophilus). The precise identity of Theophilus is uncertain. A word that Luke uses to describe him could suggest that he was a member of Roman nobility or civic administration.

On the other hand, the word "Theophilos" means either "beloved of God" or "God-lover", so it is at least possible that the gospel was not directed to any specific individual, but rather to each individual believer.

Luke doesn't give us enough information to conclusively know the identity of the recipient of his text.

Answer 2

A: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 unto 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 unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed."

The author of Luke's Gospel was telling Theophilus that this book contains the things that he and his fellow-Christians believed to be true. The name Theophilus means 'Friend of God' in Greek, but otherwise nothing is known of him. Three possible explanations have been suggested:

1. Theophilus was a wealthy patron and recent convert to Christianity;
2. Theophilus was not an actual person, but represented all Christians;
3. As the author of this Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles is believed to have relied on the works of the Jewish historian Josephus to provide historical background, Theophilus is a reversion of Epaphroditus, the name of Josephus' actual patron. As a name Epaphroditus was not uncommon, but has the meaning, 'Touched by Aphrodite'.

Answer 3

Luke was writing his Gospel to a man named Theophilus, likely a high-ranking Roman or Greek official. The purpose of his writing was to provide an orderly account of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection for Theophilus and other readers.