_CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 1:1. MANY.—St. Luke cannot here refer exclusively to the works of the other evangelists. He alludes to narratives drawn up by writers who derived their information from the testimony of “eye-witnesses and ministers of the word.” The first and fourth Gospels, written by “eye-wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 1:5. HEROD, THE KING OF JUDÆA.—He also ruled over Galilee, Samaria, and the greater part of Peræa. He was the son of Antipater, an _Edomite_, and had been imposed upon the Jewish nation by the Romans. The sovereignty of Herod and the enrolment under Cæsar Augustus (Luke 2:1) ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 1:26. THE SIXTH MONTH.—_I.e._ not of the year: the reference is to the time indicated in Luke 1:24. NAZARETH—St. Luke alone informs us that this village was the place of Mary’s residence before the birth of Jesus; from St. Matthew’s narrative we might have inferred that it was... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 1:39. CITY OF JUDAH.—The city is not named. Probably it was not Hebron, as a place so well known would most likely have been named. The conjecture that Judah is a corruption of Juttah, a priestly city (Joshua 21:16), is unsupported by MS. authority. Probably the place referred... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 1:58. COUSINS.—Rather, “kinsfolk,” which was the original meaning of “cousins.” HOW THE LORD.—Rather, “that the Lord” (R.V.). Luke 1:59. ON THE EIGHTH DAY.—The stated time for administering the rite of circumcision (Genesis 21:4; Luke 2:21; Philippians 3:5). The custom from th... [ Continue Reading ]