Bible Figure
Theophilus
biblical character
Theophilus was the person to whom Luke addressed both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke calls him 'most excellent Theophilus' in the Gospel and explains that he is writing an orderly account so that Theophilus may know the certainty of the things he had been taught.
Biography
Theophilus appears in the opening lines of Luke and Acts but nowhere else by name in the New Testament. Luke's Gospel is dedicated to him after a preface explaining the author's investigation of earlier testimony and intention to write an orderly account. The title 'most excellent' may indicate social or official standing, though it cannot prove a particular office. Acts begins by referring back to the 'first book' addressed to Theophilus and continues the story from Jesus' ministry to the spread of the Gospel through the apostolic church. The name means 'friend of God' or 'loved by God,' which has led some to suggest a symbolic audience, but the personal form of address and honorific title make an actual recipient entirely plausible. Scripture gives no secure further biography.
Biblical Significance
Theophilus is significant because Luke-Acts, more than a quarter of the New Testament by length, is explicitly presented for his instruction and assurance. The dedication emphasizes careful testimony, orderly narration, and confidence in the truth of the Christian message.