Happy New Year, everyone!
I'm starting a daily journey through Luke's gospel, by reading the first 4 verses today. I remember somebody once comparing the gospel of Luke to one of those large coffee table books you get for Christmas. It looks great when you unwrap it, but it's too heavy to read in bed. Not a very flattering comparison, and I think Luke deserves much better, but it was the introduction that led to this idea.
Was the gospel written for a rich, Roman audience? People with time on their hands to sit and think about new ideas? And was Theophilus, this "God-lover", the sort of person who would appreciate a carefully researched biography on the latest person that the chattering classes would love to talk about? Was Luke aiming for the conspiracy theory market?
"The truth about Jesus of Nazareth. Did he really rise from the dead? We speak to the people who knew him best, and uncover the shocking story of the man behind the Messiah."
Ah well, if I ever want to give up the vicaring, maybe there's a job for me writing publisher's blurb.
So what do I think? Let me cut through the holiday mode waffle and let these words impact me.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honourable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
Two things strike me - first, this is written for someone outside the Jewish belief system. Luke adopts a journalistic, educated style that is different from Mark's instant reportage, or Matthew's lengthy list of fulfilled prophecies, or John's abstract philosophising. And second, the repeated word careful, or carefully. I need to bear that word in mind. Luke is writing with care. He cares about his subject, and he's taking care to be honest and accurate.
I'm not sure if that pun works in Greek - let me just go away and look it up. [Gets commentary from the shelf]
No it doesn't. It means, accurately, diligently. Not, with loving care. Never mind - it's till a helpful idea to me. Luke cares about what he's written, and he's written it with care.
Theophilus, my dear sir, you can trust me.
I'll be posting a new thought every weekday this year (more or less). This means that you've got three days to digest this first one, before we really get cracking!
"A careful account". Some versions of the Bible translate this as "in consecutive order" but if I read my Greek Interlinear Bible it would seem to mean an orderly or carefully written account but not to a chronological sequence. Also, the name "Theophilus" means "Loved by God" or "One who loves God" so it would seem that he had some form of Christian belief. It was common in Luke's day to dedicate a literary work to a Financial Patron and for Luke to call him "Most Noble" would indicate that he was someone of high social status.
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