John Lightfoot on Luke 1:3

[Having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first.] This is not indeed ill rendered, having understood these things from the very first: but it may perhaps be better, having attained to an understanding of these things from above,--from heaven itself. So from above signifies from heaven, John 3:3,31, 19:11; James 1:17, 3:17, &c. For,

I. This version includes the other: for he that hath a perfect understanding of these things from above, or by divine inspiration, did understand them from the beginning.

II. Take notice of the distinction that is in Josephus, He that undertakes to give a true relation of things to others, ought himself to know them first very accurately, having either very diligently observed them himself, or learned by inquiry from others. Now if St. Luke had writ his history as "he had learned from others" (as they wrote whom he instances in verse 1), then he had been amongst those that had learned from others. Nor could he promise more than they might do, of whom he said, that many had taken in hand, &c.

[Most excellent Theophilus.] There is one guesses this most excellent Theophilus to have been an Antiochian, another thinks he may be a Roman; but it is very uncertain either who or whence he was. There was one Theophilus amongst the Jews, at that very time, probably, when St. Luke wrote his Gospel; but I do not think this was he. Josephus mentions him; "King Agrippa, removing Jesus the son of Gamaliel from the high priesthood, gave it to Mathias the son of Theophilus: in whose time the Jewish war began."