AT THAT TIME EMPEROR AUGUSTUS. Augustus Caesar, nephew and heir of Julius Caesar, was now the ruler of the civilized world. Herod was king of Judea, but Augustus Caesar was over him. TO REGISTER THEMSELVES FOR THE CENSUS. The word "tax" formerly meant "to register for the census," since in ancient t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THIS FIRST CENSUS TOOK PLACE. This reference to Quirinius as the governor of Syria clearly identified the time this happened, and Theophilus would clearly understand it. Scholars pinpoint the birth of Jesus in 4 B.C. by our calendar [_which is in error, since it is supposed to date from the bir... [ Continue Reading ]
EACH TO HIS OWN TOWN. Jewish and Roman customs were mixed together. The Jews registered people by Tribes and Families. Joseph was of the Family of David, and would have to register in David's town.... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH WENT FROM THE TOWN OF NAZARETH. There is no record of how long he had been living in Galilee. TO THE TOWN NAMED BETHLEHEM. This was David's town, because he had been born there.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WENT TO REGISTER HIMSELF WITH MARY. Women had to be registered too, and Mary was also of the Family of David. She would also be assessed the tax.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TIME CAME FOR HER TO HAVE HER BABY. The order from Emperor Augustus fulfilled scripture by bringing Mary and Joseph here, so Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:1-2).... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HER FIRST SON. PROTOTOKON. The language implies that Mary would be the mother of other children. See note on Matthew 1:25; John 2:12. WRAPPED HIM IN CLOTHS. New-born children were wrapped tightly in a long, narrow cloth. AND LAID HIM IN A MANGER. In the animal's feeding trough. Tra... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WERE SOME SHEPHERDS. David guarded his flocks of sheep here. WHO WERE SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THE FIELDS. At this time of the year, they stayed out in the open, guarding their sheep from wild animals and thieves. This argues against a winter date for the birth.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ANGEL OF THE LORD. An angel announced the coming birth of Jesus; an army of angels praise God at Jesus' birth; an angel strengthens Jesus at the temptation; an angel strengthens Jesus in the garden; at his raising from death, an angel rolls the stone away from the grave; as he was taken up to hea... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM HERE WITH GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. The bright dawn of salvation was about to shine on the whole human race. WHICH WILL BRING GREAT JOY TO ALL THE PEOPLE. The barrier between Jew and Gentile was about to be broken down. God's Truth was to be made available to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN DAVID'S TOWN. Seven hundred years before this, the prophet had told about this day (Micah 5:2). See note on Matthew 2:6. David was born here. Now David's Son begins his earthly career in this town. CHRIST THE LORD. The Anointed Lord the Messiah which the Nation eagerly awaited.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT WILL PROVE IT TO YOU IS THIS. The _prediction_ of what they will find is the _sign._ The proof will be the baby, the cloths, and the manger.... [ Continue Reading ]
SUDDENLY A GREAT ARMY OF HEAVEN'S ANGELS. Compare Revelation 5:11-12.... [ Continue Reading ]
_GLORY TO_ GOD. The life of Jesus upon the earth was the fulfillment of their song of praise. Every thought, word, and action of that life was the _translation_ of God's Love into visible forms which humans could see. Jesus brought _glory to God_ and _peace on earth._ See note on Philippians 4:7 for... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY HURRIED OFF. Note how quickly they respond to the angel's message!... [ Continue Reading ]
MARY REMEMBERED ALL THESE THINGS. A mother remembers things connected with her children. Probably the reference here is to what the shepherds told that the angels had said.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR THE BABY TO BE CIRCUMCISED. See note on Luke 1:59. Jesus lived under the Jewish Law (Galatians 4:4). He obeyed it perfectly. He was circumcised on the "eighth day" [a week after birth], because it was God's Law at that time and was to be obeyed as long as it was in force. [The... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CEREMONY OF PURIFICATION. Thirty-three days after the birth of a male child (sixty-six days for a female child), he was to be presented at the temple with the proper ritual (_see Leviticus 12)._... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY FIRSTBORN MALE. Compare Numbers 3:13. All the first-born were to be presented to the Lord and redeemed with an offering (Numbers 18:15-16).... [ Continue Reading ]
TO OFFER A SACRIFICE. The fact that they offer two birds shows they were poor. The Law (Leviticus 12:6-8) required a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a dove for a sin offering, but allowed two birds to be substituted by those who could not afford the lamb. Note the Magi had not yet brought... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE NAME WAS SIMEON. He was the first prophet to declare that Christ _had_ come. WAITING FOR ISRAEL TO BE SAVED. That is, the Coming of the Messiah. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS WITH HIM. To give him supernormal knowledge.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE HAD BEEN ASSURED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would live to see the Messiah in person.... [ Continue Reading ]
LED BY THE SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit directed him. Compare Acts 8:29. WHAT THE LAW REQUIRED. The ritual of the Law was strictly obeyed, because Jesus lived under the Law.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GAVE THANKS TO GOD. The "prophetic speeches" of Elizabeth, Mary and Simeon form a chain. Mary sings of the Messiah [who will come through her]; Zechariah praises the salvation of Israel; and Simeon announces a_ light_ to the Gentiles. Note Simeon announces Jesus as a _suffering_ Messiah (Luke 2:... [ Continue Reading ]
A LIGHT TO REVEAL YOUR WAY. Simeon announces that God's plans include the Gentiles. James later quotes the prophet Amos _in_ Acts 15:15-18. See also Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 49:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE AMAZED. That Simeon should know the child, and the things which he was predicting.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE DESTRUCTION AND SALVATION OF MANY. Christ destroyed the hopes of those who looked for a political Messiah. Unbelievers would "fall on him" and be broken to pieces (_see notes on_ Matthew 21:42-44). Christ brought a universal Kingdom, prepared for all nations. Many would reach out in faith to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SORROW, LIKE A SHARP SWORD. Happiness and sorrow will both fill her heart. He would be a king, but he must go by way of the Cross. The preaching of Christ produces either hate or love.... [ Continue Reading ]
A PROPHETESS NAMED ANNA. One who spoke by inspiration. DAUGHTER OF PHANUEL. Who must have been well known at that time. OF THE TRIBE OF ASHER. One of the Twelve Tribes, occupying land on the sea coast between Sidon and Carmel.... [ Continue Reading ]
A WIDOW FOR EIGHTY-FOUR YEARS. It was not unusual for a girl to marry at twelve years of age, so Anna must have been at least 103 years old at this time. Unusual, but still very possible. She evidently lived inside the temple walls, and probably was given living space because of her holy life.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SPOKE ABOUT THE CHILD. She announced to all that he was the promised child. She knew this by inspiration.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY RETURNED TO GALILEE. Luke does not mention the visit of the Magi, the escape into Egypt, and the return from there. Matthew tells about this in chapter 2. TO THEIR HOME TOWN OF NAZARETH. A mountain village in southern Galilee. This will be the home of Jesus until he is 30 years old.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILD GREW AND BECAME STRONG. He experienced human life to its fullest, by growing up in a normal childhood. HE WAS FULL OF WISDOM. "The divine nature revealed its own wisdom in proportion to the measure of the bodily growth." _Cyril._ See 1 Timothy 3:16. One of the riddles of time, is that the... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT TO JERUSALEM. The Law required every male Jew to come to the temple at Jerusalem three times a year, for the Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles [also called the Feast of Booths, and Succoth; similar to our Thanksgiving]. Women were not required to attend, but they often did, to wors... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD. At age twelve, a Jewish boy became a legal adult. From this time on it would be Jesus' personal responsibility to obey the Law.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE DAYS OF THE FEAST WERE OVER. The seven days of the Passover week. JESUS STAYED IN JERUSALEM. Because he was preoccupied in his talk with the Jewish teachers.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THE GROUP. People traveled in large groups for protection against wild animals and bandits, as well as to have someone to talk to. Since Jesus had probably been there every year, it would be reasonable for them to think he was somewhere in the crowd of people. Therefore, they did not begin to s... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE THIRD DAY. That is, on the third day after they had last seen him. IN THE TEMPLE. There were porches and rooms in the Women's Court where the teachers of the Law taught classes regularly. SITTING WITH THE JEWISH TEACHERS. Some of the greatest teachers in Jewish history lived about this time:... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR ME? _Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?_ They should have come straight to the temple, These words first reveal his consciousness of his "supernormal" birth.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND. They thought of him as "their son," and did not understand what he said about his Father's house,... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JESUS WENT BACK WITH THEM. His heart drew him to the Father's house, but duty called him back to Galilee. [Luke gives this isolated event from Jesus' childhood. There would have been more, _if Luke had more to tell._ Luke 2:41-52 are all we know of Jesus' early years.]... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS GREW. Jesus grew up in a remote province of the Roman Empire, a province conquered by occupation troops, in a little country village whose name was a "proverb" for futility, in poverty and manual labor in a carpenter shop. Perhaps this is God's "SENSE OF HUMOR" (compare 1 Corinthians 1:27-... [ Continue Reading ]