It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of [ pareekoloutheekoti (G3877 ) - rather, 'having closely followed,' or 'traced along'] all things from the very first, х anoothen (G509) pasin (G3956) akriboos (G199)] - 'all things with precision from the earliest;' referring particularly to the precious contents of his first two chapters, for which we are indebted to this Evangelist alone,
To write unto thee in order, х kathexees (G2517) = efexees] - i:e., consecutively; probably in contrast with the disjointed productions he had just referred to. But we need not take this as a claim to rigid chronological accuracy in the arrangement of his materials (as some able Harmonists insist that we should do); a claim which, on a comparison of this with the other Gospels, it would be difficult in every case to make good.
Most excellent, [ kratiste (G2903 )] Theophilus. Since the term here applied to Theophilus was given to Felix and Festus, the Roman governors (Acts 23:26; Acts 24:3; Acts 26:25), he probably occupied some similar official position.