Theophilus in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
the-of'-i-lus (Theophilos, "loved of God"): The one to whom
Luke addressed his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles
(compare Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1). It has been suggested that
Theophilus is merely a generic term for all Christians, but
the epithet "most excellent" implies it was applied by Luke to
a definite person, probably a Roman official, whom he held in
high respect. Theophilus may have been the presbyter who took
part in sending the letter from the Corinthians to Paul, given
in the "Acta Pauli" (compare Hennecke, Neutestamentliche
Apokryphen, 378). There is also a magistrate Theophilus
mentioned in the "Acts of James" as being converted by James
on his way to India (compare Budge, The Contendings of the
Apostles, II, 299), but these and other identifications,
together with other attempts to trace out the further history
of the original Theophilus, are without sufficient evidence
for their establishment (compare also Knowling in The
Expositor Greek Testament, II, 49-51).
C. M. Kerr
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