History, Archaeology & Luke's Most Excellent Theophilus
In this brand new video, I provide additional evidence in favor of linking Luke's Theophilus with the Jerusalem high priest, and discuss the implications for our understanding of both Luke & Acts.
If you’re a fan of the podcast, you may have noticed that it’s been a while since I’ve released a new episode. In light of the new exposure I received from my last video on the Joanna ossuary (close to 200K views), I decided to create a follow-up video that presents additional evidence in favor of linking Luke’s Theophilus to Theophilus the high priest. In this video, I also spend time unpacking the implications this view has on our interpretation of Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts.
Here are some of the encouraging comments I received for my last video (and which encouraged me to create additional content in this video format):
Most Excellent Humble Skeptic, I will never read Luke and Acts the same way again. Thank you! — Teacher Deb
I had never heard this before, and I am a Bible archaeology nerd. Wow! — Mark
Great channel—please make more archaeology content! — Jordan
This infers that Luke wrote his Gospel and Acts to Theophilus as an explanation for, and a defense of, Joanna’s faith. Remarkable! I admit to being dumbfounded by this. — Tim
It’s fascinating to think that Luke and other apostles…were just documenting what they knew. Not composing a fiction, not inventing a doctrine. Just describing the events that actually took place. Fascinating! — Delicious Crepes
This evidence of Joana, granddaughter of Theophilus, definitely strengthens my faith in the Gospel of Luke. Glory to God & His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ —DA 1898
This is so well done. I'd say: It is the most relevant archeological/text-critical discovery of the past two millennia. — Hans
WOW, mind officially blown...Thanks for bringing this to our attention! — NSnowman
This is my first hearing of any of this. I didn’t even know there was a Joanna ossuary! Thank you so much for digging this all out so thoroughly. Great work! — RockofAlethia
The implications of this are enormous. The dating of Luke's writings according to this ossuary discovery places it between AD 37 and AD 67. I mean wow. Not far removed from the events of Jesus' life. Within the lifetime of both Theophilus and Joanna! — Echo-yr1cr
POW—mind blown! I love the Gospel of Luke [and] never considered Theophilus to be a real name but merely a title. Being the high priest of Judea fits perfectly. Thank you! — Gordon
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RELATED RESOURCES
Videos
History, Archaeology & Luke’s Most Excellent Theophilus
An Archaeological Discovery Sheds Light on Luke
Have Archaeologists Discovered Biblical Bethsaida?
Articles
Simon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, Shane Rosenthal
Julia Crispina…A Case Study in Historical Identification, Tal Ilan
Who is Theophilus? Notes to Ep. #79, Peter Bolt and others
The Implications of 70 AD, Shane Rosenthal
A Pre-70 Date for the Gospels & Acts, Shane Rosenthal
The Date of John’s Gospel, Revisited, Shane Rosenthal
Bart Ehrman on Jesus & The Claim of Resurrection, Shane Rosenthal
Who is Sergius Paulus? Shane Rosenthal
Is Luke a Trustworthy Historian?, Sir William Ramsay
Can We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane Rosenthal
On Faith & History, Shane Rosenthal
Episodes
Who is Theophilus? #79 with Peter Bolt
Luke, Theophilus & Joanna, #80 with Jim Sibley
A Forensic Approach to the Gospels, #81 with J. Warner Wallace
Did Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? Episode #77 with T.C. Schmidt
Jesus in Josephus & Other Ancient Texts, Episode #78 with T.C. Schmidt
Faith Founded on Facts, Episode #15 with Lennox, Bauckham, and others
Stories of Jesus: Can They Be Trusted? Episode. #61 with Peter J. Williams
Are the Gospels History or Fiction? Episode #52 with John Dickson
The Messiah’s Redemptive Mission, Episode #72
Jacob’s Ladder, Episode # 63 with Richard Bauckham and Michael Horton
Did The Exodus Ever Happen? Episode #69 with David Rohl
The Jesus of History, Episode # 12
The Gospel Creed, Episode #9
Books
Luke’s Key Witness, Shane Rosenthal
Who Are Joanna & Theophilus? (e-book) Richard Anderson
The Historicity of Saint Luke, Wesley W.S. Lukas
Jesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard Bauckham
Testimonies to the Truth, Lydia McGrew
Can We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. Williams