one to whom St. Luke addresses the books of his Gospel and
Acts of the Apostles, which he composed, Acts i, 1; Luke i, 3. It is
doubted whether the name Theophilus be here the proper name of a man, or
an appellative or common name, which, according to its etymology, may
stand for any good man, or a lover of God. Some think this name is
generic, and that St. Luke’s design here is to address his work to those
that love God; but it is much more probable that this Theophilus was a
Christian to whom the evangelist has dedicated those two works; and the
epithet of “most excellent,” which is given to him, shows him to have
been a man of great quality. Œcumenius concludes from thence that he
was governor or intendant of some province, because such a personage had
generally the title of “most excellent” given to him. Grotius
conjectures he might be a magistrate of Achaia, converted by St. Luke.
THERAPEUTÆ. One particular phenomenon which resulted from the
theosophico-ascetic spirit among the Alexandrian Jews, was the sect of
the Therapeutæ. Their head quarters were at no great distance from
Alexandria, in a quiet pleasant spot on the shores of the Lake Mœris,
where they lived, like the anchorites in later periods, shut up in
separate cells, and employed themselves in nothing but prayer, and the
contemplation of divine things. An allegorical interpretation of
Scripture was the foundation of their speculations; and they had old
theosophical writings which gave them this turn. They lived only on
bread and water, and accustomed themselves to fasting. They only ate in
the evening, and many fasted for several days together. They met
together every Sabbath day, and every seven weeks they held a still more
solemn assembly, because the number seven was peculiarly holy in their
estimation. They then celebrated a simple love-feast, consisting of
bread with salt and hyssop; theosophical discussions were held, and the
hymns which they had from their old traditions were sung; and mystical
dances, bearing reference to the wonderful works of God with the fathers
of their people, were continued, amidst choral songs, to a late hour in
the night. Many men of distinguished learning have considered this sect
as nothing but a scion of the Essenes, trained up under the peculiar
influence of the Egyptian spirit.
Acts of the Apostles, which he composed, Acts i, 1; Luke i, 3. It is
doubted whether the name Theophilus be here the proper name of a man, or
an appellative or common name, which, according to its etymology, may
stand for any good man, or a lover of God. Some think this name is
generic, and that St. Luke’s design here is to address his work to those
that love God; but it is much more probable that this Theophilus was a
Christian to whom the evangelist has dedicated those two works; and the
epithet of “most excellent,” which is given to him, shows him to have
been a man of great quality. Œcumenius concludes from thence that he
was governor or intendant of some province, because such a personage had
generally the title of “most excellent” given to him. Grotius
conjectures he might be a magistrate of Achaia, converted by St. Luke.
THERAPEUTÆ. One particular phenomenon which resulted from the
theosophico-ascetic spirit among the Alexandrian Jews, was the sect of
the Therapeutæ. Their head quarters were at no great distance from
Alexandria, in a quiet pleasant spot on the shores of the Lake Mœris,
where they lived, like the anchorites in later periods, shut up in
separate cells, and employed themselves in nothing but prayer, and the
contemplation of divine things. An allegorical interpretation of
Scripture was the foundation of their speculations; and they had old
theosophical writings which gave them this turn. They lived only on
bread and water, and accustomed themselves to fasting. They only ate in
the evening, and many fasted for several days together. They met
together every Sabbath day, and every seven weeks they held a still more
solemn assembly, because the number seven was peculiarly holy in their
estimation. They then celebrated a simple love-feast, consisting of
bread with salt and hyssop; theosophical discussions were held, and the
hymns which they had from their old traditions were sung; and mystical
dances, bearing reference to the wonderful works of God with the fathers
of their people, were continued, amidst choral songs, to a late hour in
the night. Many men of distinguished learning have considered this sect
as nothing but a scion of the Essenes, trained up under the peculiar
influence of the Egyptian spirit.