VER 1. FOR A SMUCH AS MANY HAVE TAKEN IN HAND TO SET FORTH IN ORDER A DECLARATION OF THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE MOST SURELY BELIEVED AMONG US, 2. EVEN AS THEY DELIVERED THEM TO US, WHICH FROM THE BEGINNING WERE EYEWITNESSES, AND MINISTERS OF THE WORD: 3. IT SEEMED GOOD TO ME ALSO, HAVING HAD PERFECT UND... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 1A. IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD,... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 5. THERE WAS IN THE DAYS OF HEROD, THE KING OF JUDEA, A CERTAIN PRIEST NAMED ZACHARIAS, OF THE COURSE OF ABIA: AND HIS WIFE WAS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF AARON, AND HER NAME WAS ELIZABETH. 6. AND THEY WERE BOTH RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD, WALKING IN ALL THE COMMANDMENTS AND ORDINANCES OF THE LORD BLAMELESS.... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 8. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHILE HE EXECUTED THE PRIEST'S OFFICE BEFORE GOD IN THE ORDER OF HIS COURSE, 9. ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF THE PRIEST'S OFFICE, HIS LOT WAS TO BURN INCENSE WHEN HE WENT INTO THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD. 10. AND THE WHOLE MULTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE WERE PRAYING WITHOUT AT THE... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 11. AND THERE APPEARED TO HIM AN ANGEL OF THE LORD STANDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ALTAR OF INCENSE. 12. AND WHEN ZACHARIAS SAW HIM, HE WAS TROUBLED, AND FEAR FELL UPON HIM. 13. BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO HIM, FEAR NOT, ZACHARIAS: FOR YOUR PRAYER IS HEARD; AND YOUR WIFE ELISABETH SHALL BEAR YOU A S... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 15. FOR HE SHALL BE GREAT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND SHALL DRINK NEITHER WINE NOR STRONG DRINK; AND HE SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, EVEN FROM HIS MOTHER'S WOMB. 16. AND MANY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL HE TURN TO THE LORD THEIR GOD. 17. AND HE SHALL GO BEFORE HIM IN THE SPIRIT AND... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 18. AND ZACHARIAS SAID TO THE ANGEL, WHEREBY SHALL I KNOW THIS? FOR I AM AN OLD MAN, AND MY WIFE WELL STRICKEN IN YEARS. 19. AND THE ANGEL ANSWERING SAID TO HIM, I AM GABRIEL, THAT STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD; AND AM SENT TO SPEAK TO YOU, AND TO SHOW YOU THESE GLAD TIDINGS. 20. AND, BEHOLD, YOU... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 23. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT, AS SOON AS THE DAYS OF HIS MINISTRATION WERE ACCOMPLISHED, HE DEPARTED TO HIS OWN HOUSE. 24. AND AFTER THOSE DAYS HIS WIFE ELISABETH CONCEIVED, AND HID HERSELF FIVE MONTHS, SAYING, 25. THUS HAS THE LORD DEALT WITH ME IN THE DAYS WHEREIN HE LOOKED ON ME, TO TAKE AWA... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 26. AND IN THE SIXTH MONTH THE ANGEL GABRIEL WAS SENT FROM GOD TO A CITY OF GALILEE, NAMED NAZARETH, 27. TO A VIRGIN ESPOUSED TO A MAN WHOSE NAME WAS JOSEPH, OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID; AND THE VIRGIN'S NAME WAS MARY. THEOPHYL; Because either the Incarnation of Christ was to be in the sixth age of th... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 28. AND THE ANGEL CAME IN TO HER, AND SAID, HAIL, YOU THAT ARE HIGHLY FAVORED, THE LORD IS WITH YOU: BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN. 29. AND WHEN SHE SAW HIM, SHE WAS TROUBLED AT HIS SAYING, AND CAST IN HER MIND WHAT MANNER OF SALUTATION THIS SHOULD BE. AMBROSE; Mark the virgin by her manner of li... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 30. AND THE ANGEL SAID TO HER, FEAR NOT, MARY FOR YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. 31. AND, BEHOLD, YOU SHALL CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BRING FORTH A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS. 32. HE SHALL BE GREAT, AND SHALL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE HIGHEST: AND THE LORD GOD SHALL GIVE TO HIM THE THRONE... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 34. THEN SAID MARY TO THE ANGEL, HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN? 35. AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL COME UPON YOU, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU: THEREFORE ALSO THAT HOLY THING WHICH SHALL HE BORN OF YOU SHALL BE CALLED THE SON OF GOD... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 36. AND, BEHOLD, YOUR COUSIN ELISABETH, SHE HAS ALSO CONCEIVED A SON IN HER OLD AGE: AND THIS IS THE SIXTH MONTH WITH HER, WHO WAS CALLED BARREN. 37. FOR WITH GOD NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE. 38. AND MARY SAID, BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD; BE IT TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. AND THE ANGEL DE... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 39. AND MARY AROSE IN THOSE DAYS, AND WENT INTO THE HILL COUNTRY WITH HASTE, INTO A CITY OF JUDA; 40. AND ENTERED INTO THE HOUSE OF ZACHARIAS, AND SALUTED ELISABETH. 41. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT, WHEN ELISABETH HEARD THE SALUTATION OF MARY, THE BABE LEAPED IN HER WOMB; AND ELISABETH WAS FILLED... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 46. AND MARY SAID, MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD. AMBROSE; As evil came into the world by a woman, so also is good introduced by women; and so it seems not without meaning, that both Elisabeth prophesies before John, and Mary before the birth of the Lord. But it follows, that as Mary was the gr... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 47. AND MY SPIRIT HAS REJOICED IN GOD MY SAVIOR. BASIL; The first-fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy. Because then the holy Virgin had drunk in all the graces of the Spirit, she rightly adds, And my spirit has leaped for joy. She means the same thing, soul and spirit. But the frequent mention... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 48. FOR HE HAS REGARDED THE LOW ESTATE OF HIS HANDMAIDEN: FOR, BEHOLD, FROM HENCEFORTH ALL GENERATIONS SHALL CALL ME BLESSED. GREEK EX. She gives the reason why it becomes her to magnify God and to rejoice in Him, saying, For he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden; as if she said, "He... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 49. FOR HE THAT IS MIGHTY HAS DONE TO ME GREAT THINGS; AND HOLY IS HIS NAME. THEOPHYL. The Virgin shows that not for her own virtue is she to be pronounced blessed, but she assigns the cause saying, For he that is mighty has magnified me. AUG. What great things has He done to you; I believe th... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 50. AND HIS MERCY IS ON THEM THAT FEAR HIM FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. THEOPHYL; Turning from God's special gifts to His general dealings, she describes the condition of the whole hole human race, And his mercy is from generation to generation on them that fear him. As if she said, Not only... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 51. HE HAS SHOWN STRENGTH WITH HIS ARM, HE HAS SCATTERED THE PROUD IN THE IMAGINATION OF THEIR HEARTS. THEOPHYL; In describing the state of mankind, she shows what the proud deserve, and what the humble; saying, He has shown strength with his arm, &c. i.e. with the very Son of God. For as your... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 52. HE HAS PUT DOWN THE MIGHTY FROM THEIR SEATS, AND EXALTED THEM OF LOW DEGREE. THEOPHYL; The words, He has showed strength with his arm, and those which went before, And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation, must be joined to this verse by a comma only. For truly t... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 53. HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; AND THE RICH HE HAS SENT EMPTY AWAY. GLOSS. Because human prosperity seems to consist chiefly in the honors of the mighty and the abundance of their riches, after speaking of the casting down of the mighty, and the exalting of the humble, he goes o... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 54. HE HAS HOLPEN HIS SERVANT ISRAEL, IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS MERCY; 55. AS HE SPOKE TO OUR FATHERS, ABRAHAM, AND TO HIS SEED FOR EVER. GLOSS. After a general mention of the Divine mercy and holiness, the Virgin changes the subject to the strange and marvelous dispensation of the new incarnation,... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 56. AND MARY ABODE WITH HER ABOUT THREE MONTHS, AND RETURNED TO HER OWN HOUSE. AMBROSE; Mary abode with Elisabeth until she had accomplished the time of her bringing forth; as it is said, And Mary abode, &c. THEOPHYL. For in the sixth month of the conception of the forerunner, the Angel came t... [ Continue Reading ]
VER57. NOW ELISABETH'S FULL TIME CAME THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED; AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH A SON. 58. AND HER NEIGHBORS AND HER COUSINS HEARD HOW THE LORD HAD SHOWN GREAT MERCY UPON HER AND THEY REJOICED WITH HER. AMBROSE; If you carefully observe, you will find that the word signifying fullness is... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 59. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT ON THE EIGHTH DAY THEY CAME TO CIRCUMCISE THE CHILD; AND THEY CALLED HIM ZACHARIAS, AFTER THE NAME OF HIS FATHER. 60. AND HIS MOTHER ANSWERED AND SAID, NOT SO; BUT HE SHALL BE CALLED JOHN. 61. AND THEY SAID TO HER, THERE IS NONE OF THE KINDRED THAT IS CALLED BY THIS... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 65. AND FEAR CAME ON ALL THAT DWELT ROUND ABOUT THEM: AND ALL THESE SAYINGS WERE NOISED ABROAD THROUGHOUT ALL THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDEA. 66. AND ALL THEY THAT HEARD THEM LAID THEM UP IN THEIR HEARTS, SAYING, WHAT MANNER OF CHILD SHALL THIS BE! AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS WITH HIM. THEOPHYL. AS... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 67. AND HIS FATHER ZACHARIAS WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND PROPHESIED, SAYING, 68. BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL; FOR HE HAS VISITED AND REDEEMED HIS PEOPLE. AMBROSE; God in His mercy and readiness to pardon our sins, not only restores to us what He has taken away, but grants us favor... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 69. AND HAS RAISED UP AN HORN OF SALVATION FOR US IN THE HOUSE OF HIS SERVANT DAVID. THEOPHYL. God seemed to be asleep, disregarding the sins of the multitude, but in these last times coming in the flesh, He has risen up and trodden down the evil spirits who hated us. Hence it is said, And he h... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 70. AS HE SPOKE BY THE MOUTH OF HIS HOLY PROPHETS WHICH HAVE BEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN. THEOPHYL. That Christ was born of the house of David, Micah relates, saying, And you, Bethlehem, are not the least in the city of Juda, for out of you shall come a governor who shall rule my people Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 71. THAT WE SHOULD BE SAVED FROM OUR ENEMIES, AND FROM THE HAND OF ALL THAT HATE US. THEOPHYL; Having first briefly said, He has raised up a horn of salvation to us, he goes on to explain his words, adding, of salvation from our enemies. As if he said, He has raised up to us a horn, i.e. He has... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 72. TO PERFORM THE MERCY PROMISED TO OUR FOREFATHERS, AND TO REMEMBER HIS HOLY COVENANT; 73. THE OATH WHICH HE SWORE TO OUR FATHER ABRAHAM, 74. THAT HE WOULD GRANT TO US. THEOPHYL; Having announced that the Lord, according to the declaration of the Prophet, would be born of the house of David,... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 74. THAT WE, BEING DELIVERED OUT OF THE HANDS OF OUR ENEMIES, MIGHT SERVE HIM WITHOUT FEAR. CHRYS. Having said that a horn of salvation had risen up to us from the house of David, he shows that through it we are partakers of His glory, and escape the assaults of the enemy As he says, That being... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 75. IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE HIM, ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE. CHRYS. Zacharias glorifies the Lord, because He has made us to serve Him with full confidence, not in the flesh as Judah did with the blood of victims, but in the spirit with good works. And this is what he means by in holi... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 76. AND YOU, CHILD, SHALL BE CALLED THE PROPHET OF THE HIGHEST: FOR YOU SHALL GO BEFORE THE FACE OF THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS. AMBROSE; In prophesying of the Lord he rightly addresses the prophet, showing that prophecy also is a gift of the Lord, in order that he might not, while enumerating... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 77. TO GIVE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION TO HIS PEOPLE BY THE REMISSION OF THEIR SINS. THEOPHYL. For the manner in which the forerunner prepared the way of the Lord he explains, adding, To give knowledge of salvation. The Lord Jesus is salvation, but the knowledge of salvation, i.e. of Christ, was gi... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 78. THROUGH THE TENDER MERCY OF OUR GOD; WHEREBY THE DAY-SPRING FROM ON HIGH HAS VISITED US. THEOPHYL. Because God has forgiven our sins not for our works sake, but through His mercy, it is therefore fitly added, Through the tender mercy of our God. CHRYS. Which mercy we find not indeed by our... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 79. TO GIVE LIGHT TO THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS AND IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, TO GUIDE OUR FEET INTO THE WAY OF PEACE. THEOPHYL; Christ is rightly called the Day-spring, because He has disclosed to us the rising of the true light, as it follows; To give light to them that sit in darkness and in th... [ Continue Reading ]
VER 80. AND THE CHILD GREW, AND WAXED STRONG IN SPIRIT, AND WAS IN THE DESERTS TILL THE DAY OF HIS SHOWING TO ISRAEL. THEOPHYL; The future preacher of repentance, that he might the more boldly reclaim his hearers from the allurements of the world, passes the first part of his life in the deserts. H... [ Continue Reading ]