SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:3
me ha parecido tambin a mí , despus de haber entendido todas las cosas desde el principio con diligencia, escribírtelas por orden, oh buen Tefilo,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 1:3
Verse 3. Having had perfect understanding] parhkolouqhkoti anwqen, Having accurately traced up-entered into the very spirit of the work, and examined every thing to the bottom; in consequence of which investigation, I am completely convinced of the truth of the whole. Though God gives his Holy Spirit to all them who ask him, yet this gift was never designed to set aside the use of those faculties with which he has already endued the soul, and which are as truly his gifts as the Holy Spirit itself is. The nature of inspiration, in the case of St. Luke, we at once discover: he set himself, by impartial inquiry and diligent investigation, to find the whole truth, and to relate nothing but the truth; and the Spirit of God presided over and directed his inquiries, so that he discovered the whole truth, and was preserved from every particle of error.
From the very first] anwqen, from their origin. Some think anwqen should, in this place, be translated from above; and that it refers to the inspiration by which St. Luke wrote. I prefer our translation, or, from the origin, which several good critics contend for, and which meaning it has in some of the best Greek writers. See Kypke.
Theophilus] As the literal import of this word is friend of God, qeou filov, some have supposed that under this name Luke comprised all the followers of Christ, to whom, as friends of God, he dedicated this faithful history of the life, doctrine, death, and resurrection of our Lord. But this interpretation appears to have little solidity in it; for, if all the followers of Christ are addressed, why is the singular number used? and what good end could there be accomplished by using a feigned name? Besides, kratiste, most excellent, could never be applied in this way, for it evidently designates a particular person, and one probably distinguished by his situation in life; though this does not necessarily follow from the title, which was often given in the way of friendship. Theophilus appears to have been some very reputable Greek or Roman, who was one of St. Luke's disciples. The first four verses seem a private epistle, sent by the evangelist with this history, which, having been carefully preserved by Theophilus, was afterwards found and published with this Gospel.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. It seemed good to me also , etc.] Being moved to it by the Holy Ghost; for he did not undertake this work of himself, merely by the motion of his own will, but was influenced, and directed to it by the Spirit of God, as well as by him assisted in it: having had perfect understanding of all things ; relating to the subject of this Gospel, concerning the conception, birth, ministry, baptism, and death of John the Baptist; concerning the conception, birth, private and public life of Christ, together with his sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension.
The Syriac and Persic versions refer the word all to persons, to the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word; rendering the clause thus, who have been studiously near to them all: and both senses may be taken in, and the meaning be, that Luke had diligently sought after, and had attained unto a perfect knowledge of all the affairs of Christ; having studiously got into the company of, and intimately conversed with all, or as many as he could, who had seen Christ in the flesh; and were, from the very first of his ministry, attendants on him, that he might have the most certain and exquisite account of things, that could be come at: from the very first ; and to the last; from the conception of John, the forerunner of the Messiah, which is higher than any other evangelist goes, to the ascension of Christ; though some choose to render the word here used, from above, as it may be, and sometimes is; and may signify, that the evangelist had his perfect knowledge of things by a revelation from above, by divine inspiration; and this moved him to write, and which he mentions, that Theophilus, to whom he writes, and every other reader, may depend, with certainty, on what is said in it. This clause is omitted in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, but is in all copies, and by all means to be retained: this being the case, these reasons prevailed upon him, as he says, to write unto thee, in order, most excellent Theophilus ; which regards not so much the order of time, which he does not always strictly observe, as the particulars of things, related in order, and with great exactness: who this Theophilus was, to whom he writes his Gospel, cannot be said; by his title, which is such as was given to governors of provinces, as to Felix and Festus, ( Acts 23:26 26:25), he seems to be, or to have been, a civil magistrate in some high office; for though not many rich, and mighty, yet some have been, and are, called by grace. Theophylact says, he was of the order of the senators, and perhaps a nobleman, or prince: however, this name was not a general name, for every lover of God, as the word signifies, as Salvian thought; but the name of a particular man, who believed in Christ, and was an acquaintance of Luke's; though Epiphanius makes a doubt of it which it should be.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Luke will not write of things about which Christians may safely diffe from one another, and hesitate within themselves; but the things whic are, and ought to be surely believed. The doctrine of Christ is what the wisest and best of men have ventured their souls upon with confidence and satisfaction. And the great events whereon our hope depend, have been recorded by those who were from the beginnin eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, and who were perfected in their understanding of them through Divine inspiration.
Greek Textus Receptus
εδοξεν 1380 5656 V-AAI-3S καμοι 2504 P-1DS-C παρηκολουθηκοτι 3877 5761 V-RAP-DSM ανωθεν 509 ADV πασιν 3956 A-DPN ακριβως 199 ADV καθεξης 2517 ADV σοι 4671 P-2DS γραψαι 1125 5658 V-AAN κρατιστε 2903 A-VSM θεοφιλε 2321 N-VSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Having had perfect understanding (parhkolouqhkoti). Incorrect. The verb means to follow closely, and hence to trace accurately. See 2 Timothy iii. 10, where Rev. reads thou didst follow for thou hast fully known. Rev. renders here having traced the course. The word occurs frequently in medical writings, and sometimes, as here, with ajkribwv, accurately. Tynd., having searched out diligently.From the very first (anwqen). Lit., from above; the events being conceived in a descending series.
Accurately (akribwv). From akron, the highest or farthest point. Hence to trace down to the last and minutest detail. In order (kaqexhv). Used by Luke only.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:3 {It seemed good to me also} (edoxe kamoi). A natural conclusion and justification of Luke's decision to write his narrative. They had ample reason to draw up their narratives. Luke has more reason to do so because of his fuller knowledge and wider scope. {Having traced the course of all things} (parekolouqekoti pasin). The perfect active participle of a common verb of the ancient Greek. Literally it means to follow along a thing in mind, to trace carefully. Both meanings occur abundantly in the ancient Greek. Cadbury (Appendix C to _Beginnings of Christianity_, Vol. II, pp. 489ff.) objects to the translation "having traced" here as implying research which the word does not here mean. Milligan (_Vocabulary_) is somewhat impressed by this argument. See my discussion of the point in Chapter XVI of _Studies in the Text of the N.T._ (The Implications in Luke's Preface) where the point is made that Luke here claims fulness of knowledge before he began to write his book. He had the traditions of the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word and the narratives previously drawn up. Whether he was a personal contemporary with any or all of these events we do not know and it is not particularly pertinent. He had _mentally_ followed along by the side of these events. Galen used this verb for the investigation of symptoms. Luke got himself ready to write before he began by full and accurate knowledge of the subject. akribws (accurately) means going into minute details, from akron, the topmost point. And he did it {from the first} (anwqen). He seems to refer to the matters in Chapters #1:5-2:52, the Gospel of the Infancy. {In order} (kaqexes). Chronological order in the main following Mark's general outline. But in #9:51-18:10 the order is often topical. He has made careful investigation and his work deserves serious consideration. {Most excellent Theophilus} (kratiste qeofile). The name means god-lover or god-beloved. He may have been a believer already. He was probably a Gentile. Ramsay holds that "most excellent" was a title like "Your Excellency" and shows that he held office, perhaps a Knight. So of Felix (#Ac 23:26) and Festus (#Ac 26:25). The adjective does not occur in the dedication in #Ac 1:1.
