I am curious about Luke.

[rogue06]

I've heard everything from he was a Roman Official, a Jew from Alexandria, and even Paul's lawyer in Rome. There's even a school of thought that he was a Jewish High Priest, Theophilus ben Ananus.

I think the one thing we can agree on... Luke highly revered and respected him.

And there is the theory that since the name means "loving God" or "friend of God" that it isn't addressed to a specific person but rather to everyone who matches that description.


ETA: I see Terraceth already brought this up.

[One Bad Pig]

I think there's a clue in Luke 2:19-20, "But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart." How would Luke have known that? Apparently Luke had some kind of connection with Mary, which would have helped to give him insight to events surrounding the birth of Jesus that the other authors didn't have.

It seems fairly obvious that Luke (or one of Luke's sources) knew Mary well. Tradition attributes the origin of iconography to Luke, and there are a couple icons of Mary attributed to him.

[Faber]

It certainly is possible. I know that in John I believe that they talk about how you could never have a big enough book to record the life of jesus. Still it is intriguing to imagine. Imagine the gospel writers with an industrial printer

Imagine if they had digital technology back then. I couldn't imagine going to church with fifty volumes of books every week.

[Cow Poke]

Imagine if they had digital technology back then. I couldn't imagine going to church with fifty volumes of books every week.

I thought about that when CDROMs first came out!

[Adrift]

Maybe it's just me, but I always just assumed that when Luke says Theophilus (god lover), he is not writing it to one specific individual but is simply speaking to the reader. As in, the "theophilus" is anyone who read the gospel wanting to learn about Jesus.

And there is the theory that since the name means "loving God" or "friend of God" that it isn't addressed to a specific person but rather to everyone who matches that description.


ETA: I see Terraceth already brought this up.

Pretty sure that's where most scholars currently lean.

[Cow Poke]

Pretty sure that's where most scholars currently lean.

Not that it's a big deal (I'm perfectly fine with it being a general audience), but I've numerous times tried to find a "most scholars lean" source, and don't really find consensus. Care to elaborate?

[One Bad Pig]

Pretty sure that's where most scholars currently lean.

It seems to me that the "general audience" interpretation is a rather artificial one. Is there much evidence of writers in antiquity addressing a generic audience as if addressing a person?

[Adrift]

Not that it's a big deal (I'm perfectly fine with it being a general audience), but I've numerous times tried to find a "most scholars lean" source, and don't really find consensus. Care to elaborate?

I don't have a particular source. Just something I've picked up on in my reading, maybe stuff like Seeking the Identity of Jesus. I could be wrong about that impression, as Theophilus wasn't an uncommon name in the period.

[Cow Poke]

I don't have a particular source. Just something I've picked up on in my reading, maybe stuff like Seeking the Identity of Jesus. I could be wrong about that impression, as Theophilus wasn't an uncommon name in the period.

And others claim it wasn't so much a name, as a title. Most of what I've seen indicates that he was a person, either named that, or holding that title.

[mikewhitney]

And others claim it wasn't so much a name, as a title. Most of what I've seen indicates that he was a person, either named that, or holding that title.

no way. I can't find him on a people search -- he has no current email or mailing address.


It is interesting that we would not have a record of him somewhere since he has two great documents written to his name.

I also think that these writings by Luke are too much effort to be designed for a single person. This person, at minimal, would have to have a megachurch or something.

[Cow Poke]

no way. I can't find him on a people search -- he has no current email or mailing address.


It is interesting that we would not have a record of him somewhere since he has two great documents written to his name.

I also think that these writings by Luke are too much effort to be designed for a single person. This person, at minimal, would have to have a megachurch or something.

I think you're being too binary --- because they are "addressed" to a single person (if that's the case) in no way means that the message is limited to that person.

[KingsGambit]

Like Terraceth, I always sort of assumed Theophilus was a group identifier, but never put much thought into it because this really isn't an important issue. But the idea of "too much effort for one person" doesn't seem like a strong argument against him being one person. The way anything got done (like a writing/report) in that society would have been if a wealthy patron paid for it, and he certainly wasn't just keeping the report for himself (since it got circulated widely enough to make it into Scripture).

[mikewhitney]

Like Terraceth, I always sort of assumed Theophilus was a group identifier, but never put much thought into it because this really isn't an important issue. But the idea of "too much effort for one person" doesn't seem like a strong argument against him being one person. The way anything got done (like a writing/report) in that society would have been if a wealthy patron paid for it, and he certainly wasn't just keeping the report for himself (since it got circulated widely enough to make it into Scripture).

Have I mentioned before that most of the things I write about require someone to translate the writings for the broader community?

[Cow Poke]

Have I mentioned before that most of the things I write about require someone to translate the writings for the broader community?

You mean... the sumo wrestlers?

[rogue06]

You mean... the sumo wrestlers?

40s slang for wimmenfolk?