Theophilus the High Priest

Acts of the Apostles (1)

Introduction

The longest book in the New Testament is the gospel of Luke. The second longest is volume 2 of this same set, the Acts of the Apostles, the book where we are now going to spend some time. These two books were written by the same man and were dedicated to the same man—Theophilus. While we are beginning to work through the Acts, it is important to remember to keep this book connected in your minds and hearts with what Luke recorded about the Lord’s ministry earlier. This first message is going to focus on that.

The Text

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach . . .” (Acts 1:1).

Summary of the Text

Luke begins the book of Acts by making explicit reference to the gospel of Luke. It is clear that he the author sees them as a matching set. He is addressing this treatise (logos) to Theophilus, the same man who was addressed in the account given in the gospel of Luke. He then says that the first account was concerning all that Jesus began to do and teach. The implication is that this book of Acts will be an account of what Jesus will continue to do and teach. Clearly this will be done through the expansion of His body, the church.

So this will be accomplished because the Spirit of Christ will be poured out at the very beginning of this book, as we shall see, and so the Lord will continue His teaching and deeds through His appointed (and anointed) servants (v. 1). Christ indwells believers, and this means that these believers are His hands and feet out in the world. Jesus continues His ministry through His body. Christ, the hope of glory, is in us (Col. 1:27). Christ is being formed in us (Gal. 4:19), and this in turn has an impact on the world . . . because we are in the world.   

Who Was Luke?

The author of the third gospel—and of our only inspired account of the early church—is a bit of a mysterious figure to us. We are introduced to him (obliquely) in Acts 16. In Acts 16:8, the account says that they came to Troas. Then Paul was given a vision in the night.

And in the next verse, v. 10, it says that immediately we endeavored to go to Macedonia. So this is the place where Luke teamed up with Paul, and so it seems related to the vision somehow. If Luke is the man in the vision, this lends support to the long tradition that Luke was a Gentile—he would be a man of Macedonia, northern Greece. In support of this, the Greek of these two books is the most polished and sophisticated of all the New Testament, written by an educated man who knew Greek well. We also know, with many points of confirmation, that he was a first class historian as well.    

We know that he was a medical doctor because of a passing remark that Paul makes in Colossians. “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you” (Colossians 4:14). Not only was Luke a faithful member of Paul’s entourage, he remained so until the end of Paul’s life. “Only Luke is with me . . .” (2 Timothy 4:11a). And he is mentioned only one other time, at the conclusion of Philemon (v. 24).

Nevertheless this man has had a pronounced impact on the character of the church. His gospel pays close attention to Gentiles, as well as to those who were suffering in various ways, or oppressed. His urbanity, careful scholarship, and compassion have helped to set the tone for countless numbers of believers throughout the history of the church.   

Who Was Theophilus?

Different suggestions have been made regarding the identity of this Theophilus. Was he an unbelieving seeker that Luke was wanting to evangelize? Was he the patron who financially backed Luke’s research? Who was he?

In my view, the most likely candidate is Theophilus ben Ananus, who was the High Priest from 37 A.D. to 41 A.D. This would make him the son of Annas (Luke 3:2), and brother-in-law of Caiaphas (Matt. 26:3). In Luke, the honorific “most excellent” is attached. This identification does not make Theophilus a friendly, as though the son of the corrupt Annas was about to become a Christian. But it does make him a player, and so it makes sense that such a dedication would be attached to these two great apologetic works. Think of it like John Calvin dedicating the Institutes to King Francis I, a Catholic monarch who was decidedly unsympathetic to the Reformation.

How would someone write an account for a hostile authority? In such a scenario, the two great questions would be: who was this Jesus? And who are these Christians?

Invited by Luke

These books were not composed in some slapdash way. We are invited by Luke to read this two-volume set side-by-side, both of them together. Consider these parallels, as gathered by a scholar named Mark Powell. 

Address to Theophilus (Luke 1:1-4), address to Theophilus (Acts 1:1-5). The Spirit descends on Jesus while He is praying (Luke 3:21-22), the Spirit descends on disciples as they were praying (Acts 2:1-13). A sermon announces prophecy fulfilled (Luke 4:16-27), a sermon announces prophecy fulfilled (Acts 2:14-40). Jesus heals a cripple (Luke 5:17-26), Peter heals a cripple (Acts 3:1-10). Religious authorities attack Jesus (Luke 5:29-6:11), religious authorities attack apostles (Acts 4:1-8:3). A centurion invites Jesus to his house (Luke 7:1-10), a centurion invites Peter to his house (Acts 10:1-23). Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17), Peter raises a widow from the dead (Acts 9:36-43). A missionary trip to Gentiles (Luke 10:1-12), a missionary trip to Gentiles (Acts 13:1-19:20). Jesus goes to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-19:28), Paul goes to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21-21:17). Jesus received favorably (Luke 19:37), Paul received favorably (Acts 21:17-20). Jesus was devoted to the Temple (Luke 19:45-48), Paul was devoted to the Temple (Acts 21:26). Sadducees oppose Jesus and scribes support Him (Luke 20:27-39), Sadducees oppose Paul and Pharisees support him (Acts 23:6-9). Jesus breaks bread, giving thanks (Luke 22:19), Paul breaks bread, giving thanks (Acts 27:35). Jesus seized by a mob (Luke 22:54), Paul seized by a mob (Acts 21:30). Jesus slapped by high priest’s aides (Luke 22:63-64), Paul slapped by order of the high priest (Acts 23:2). Jesus is tried 4 times and declared innocent 3 times (Luke 22:66-23:13), Paul is tried 4 times and declared innocent 3 times (Acts 23:1-26:32). Jesus is rejected by the Jews (Luke 23:18), Paul is rejected by the Jews (Acts 21:36). Jesus regarded favorably by a centurion (Luke 23:47), Paul regarded favorably by a centurion (Acts 27:43). Final confirmation of fulfilled Scripture (Luke 24:45-47), final confirmation of fulfilled Scripture (Acts 28:23-28).

Christ and His Body

As we reflect on what Jesus did during His earthly ministry, and as we study how He worked in the first century through those who had believed in Him, we are going to learn a great deal about how to read the narrative that is unfolding all around us now.

What does it mean for fallen but forgiven sinners to walk in the footsteps of Jesus? What does it mean for Christ to work through His body? We have a template set out for us here, enabling us to look to Christ effectively. When you are instructed in a sermon to “look to Christ,” and you say to yourself “I think I did,” the question “how can I know?” remains. As we learn to look to Christ as a body of believers, we will be enabled by the Spirit to see the results of it, holding it up to the lessons gleaned from our brothers and sisters in the first century.