Did Luke Marry Lydia?

Two of the major characters in this missionary episode in Philippi are Luke and Lydia. Luke, was a physician and, like many physicians, was in all probability cultured, well educated, widely traveled and wealthy. Lydia is described as a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira (V. 14), which casts her in the role of an international merchant. David W. J. Gill, a New Testament scholar, draws from several sources to suggest that Lydia was "of some standing" socially, a member of the "social elite," a seller of "luxury items or exotic merchandise, such as purple dye or perfumes" and wealthy. In other words, like Luke, Lydia was cultured, well educated, widely traveled and wealthy. They were both Gentiles. Could it be that they were both single? According to Bradley Blue, the fact that Lydia was the owner of her own large home makes it quite likely, although not certain, that she was single.

Here is where the human interest comes in. After many exciting events in Philippi, the last place we find the missionaries, Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke, is in the house of Lydia where they had been lodged. But when they leave Philippi, the "we" suddenly changes to "they"! Luke obviously stayed behind. Did he stay lodged in Lydia's house? Could they have decided to marry each other and help form the nucleus of that wonderful church in Philippi that later sent substantial financial gifts to Paul and his missionary team? When Paul later wrote a letter to the church at Philippi and mentioned his "true companion" (Phil. 4:3), could that be a reference to Luke? Several commentators, F. F. Bruce among them, think it might well have been Luke.

Just a hypothesis!