Luke 1:3

Luke 1:3. To me also. He thus places himself in the ranks of the ‘many,' but in what follows indicates his superior qualification for the work. He does not claim, but certainly does not disclaim, inspiration. Some old Latin manuscripts add here: et spiritui sancto, ‘and to the Holy Spirit;' but how could the Holy Spirit be said to make historical researches?

Having traced down, etc. The inspired writers were moved by the Holy Spirit, not as passive machines, but as rational and responsible persons, who exercised their memory, judgment, and used all means of information, under divine guidance.

From the first. This extends further back than ‘the beginning' (Luke 1:2). We may therefore expect full statements about the early events. Luke could find many still alive from whom these facts would be learned, and that he had met James, ‘the Lord's brother,' is evident from Acts 21:17. All these statements are about matters occurring in the same family circle (Mary, Elisabeth, etc.).

In order. Luke lays claim to chronological accuracy in his Gospel, though his narrative in this respect plainly falls behind that of Mark. The comparison is, however, with the fragmentary sketches, referred to in Luke 1:1. He claims at all events systematic arrangement.

Most excellent. An official term, like our word ‘honorable,' not referring to moral character. (Comp. Acts 23:6; Acts 24:3; Acts 26:25; in all three cases applied to an immoral heathen governor.)

Theophilus. Evidently a man of mark and a Christian (Luke 1:4), but otherwise unknown. It has been inferred from Acts 23:8, that he was not a Jew, and from Chapter s 27, 28, that he lived in Italy, since those Chapter s assume an acquaintance with localities near Rome. The name means ‘lover of God,' and this had led some to the unsupported fancy, that the name was a feigned one, to designate believers. Ambrose: ‘It you are a lover of God, a Theophilus, it is written to thee;' Ford: ‘The name Theophilus imports the temper of mind which God will bless in the Scripture student.'