DECREE FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS (δογμα παρα Καισαρος Αυγουστου). Old and common word from δοκεω, to think, form an opinion. No such decree was given by Greek or Roman historians and it was for long assumed by many scholars that Luke was in error. But papyri and inscriptions have confirmed Luke on eve... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRST ENROLMENT (απογραφη πρωτη). A definite allusion by Luke to a series of censuses instituted by Augustus, the second of which is mentioned by him in Acts 5:37. This second one is described by Josephus and it was supposed by some that Luke confused the two. But Ramsay has shown that a peri... [ Continue Reading ]
EACH TO HIS OWN CITY (εκαστος εις την εαυτου πολιν). A number of papyri in Egypt have the heading enrolment by household (απογραφη κατ' οικιαν). Here again Luke is vindicated. Each man went to the town where his family register was kept.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO ENROL HIMSELF WITH MARY (απογραψασθα συν Μαριαμ). Direct middle. "With Mary" is naturally taken with the infinitive as here. If so, that means that Mary's family register was in Bethlehem also and that she also belonged to the house of David. It is possible to connect "with Mary" far back with... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED (του τεκειν αυτην).FOR THE BEARING THE CHILD AS TO HER . A neat use of the articular infinitive, second aorist active, with the accusative of general reference. From τικτω, common verb.... [ Continue Reading ]
HER FIRSTBORN (τον πρωτοτοκον). The expression naturally means that she afterwards had other children and we read of brothers and sisters of Jesus. There is not a particle of evidence for the notion that Mary refused to bear other children because she was the mother of the Messiah.WRAPPED IN SWAD... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIDING IN THE FIELD (αγραυλουντες). From αγρος, field and αυλη, court. The shepherds were making the field their court. Plutarch and Strabo use the word.KEEPING WATCH (φυλασσοντες φυλακας). Cognate accusative. They were bivouacking by night and it was plainly mild weather. In these very pastur... [ Continue Reading ]
STOOD BY THEM (επεστη αυτοις). Ingressive aorist active indicative. Stepped by their side. The same word in Acts 12:7 of the angel there. Paul uses it in the sense of standing by in Acts 22:20. It is a common old Greek word, εφιστημ.WERE SORE AFRAID (εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν). First aorist passiv... [ Continue Reading ]
I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY (ευαγγελιζομα υμιν χαραν μεγαλην). Wycliff, "I evangelize to you a great joy." The active verb ευαγγελιζω occurs only in late Greek writers, LXX, a few papyri examples, and the N.T. The middle (deponent) appears from Aristophanes on. Luke and Paul employ both... [ Continue Reading ]
Ις βορν (ετεχθη). First aorist passive indicative from τικτω. Was born.SAVIOUR (σωτηρ). This great word is common in Luke and Paul and seldom elsewhere in the N.T. (Bruce). The people under Rome's rule came to call the emperor "Saviour" and Christians took the word and used it of Christ. See inscr... [ Continue Reading ]
HOST (στρατιας). A military term for a band of soldiers common in the ancient Greek. Bengel says: "Here the army announces peace."PRAISING (αινουντων). Construction according to sense (plural, though στρατιας is singular).... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG MEN IN WHOM HE IS WELL PLEASED (εν ανθρωποις ευδοκιας). The Textus Receptus (Authorized Version also has ευδοκια, but the genitive ευδοκιας is undoubtedly correct, supported by the oldest and best uncials. (Aleph, A B D W). C has a lacuna here. Plummer justly notes how in this angelic hymn G... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID TO ONE ANOTHER (ελαλουν προς αλληλους). Imperfect tense, inchoative, "began to speak," each to the other. It suggests also repetition, they kept saying,NOW (δη). A particle of urgency.THIS THING (το ρημα τουτο). A Hebraistic and vernacular use of ρημα (something said) as something done.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH HASTE (σπευσαντες). Aorist active participle of simultaneous action.FOUND (ανευραν). Second aorist active indicative of a common Greek verb ανευρισκω, but only in Luke in the N.T. The compound ανα suggests a search before finding.... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE KNOWN (εγνωρισαν). To others (verse Luke 2:18) besides Joseph and Mary. The verb is common from Aeschylus on, from the root of γινωσκω (to know). It is both transitive and intransitive in the N.T.... [ Continue Reading ]
KEPT (συνετηρε). Imperfect active. She kept on keeping together (συν-) all these things. They were meat and drink to her. She was not astonished, but filled with holy awe. The verb occurs from Aristotle on. She could not forget. But did not Mary keep also a Baby Book? And may not Luke have seen i... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS NAME WAS CALLED JESUS (κα εκληθη το ονομα αυτου Ιησους). The κα is left untranslated or has the sense of "then" in the apodosis. The naming was a part of the ceremony of circumcision as is shown also in the case of John the Baptist (Luke 1:59-66).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAYS OF THEIR PURIFICATION (α ημερα του καθαρισμου αυτων). The old manuscripts have "their" (αυτων) instead of "her" (αυτης) of the later documents. But it is not clear whether "their" refers to Mary and Joseph as is true of "they brought" or to Mary and the child. The mother was Levitically... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LAW OF THE LORD (εν νομω Κυριου). No articles, but definite by preposition and genitive. Vincent notes that "law" occurs in this chapter five times. Paul (Galatians 4:4) will urge that Jesus "was made under the law" as Luke here explains. The law did not require that the child be brought t... [ Continue Reading ]
A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES, OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS (Ζευγος τρυγονων η δυο νοσσους περιστερων). The offspring of the poor, costing about sixteen cents, while a lamb would cost nearly two dollars. The "young of pigeons" is the literal meaning.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVOUT (ευλαβης). Used only by Luke (Acts 2:5; Acts 8:2; Acts 22:12) in the N.T. Common in ancient Greek from Plato on. It means taking hold well or carefully (ευ and λαβειν) and so reverently, circumspectly.LOOKING FOR THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL (προσδεχομενος παρακλησιν του Ισραελ). Old Greek... [ Continue Reading ]
IT HAD BEEN REVEALED UNTO HIM (ην αυτω κεχρηματισμενον). Periphrastic past perfect passive indicative. Common Greek verb. First to transact business from χρημα and that from χραομα, to use, make use of; then to do business with public officials, to give advice (judges, rulers, kings), then to get... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE PARENTS BROUGHT IN THE CHILD JESUS (εν τω εισαγαγειν τους γονεις το παιδιον Ιησουν). A neat Greek and Hebrew idiom difficult to render into English, very common in the LXX;IN THE BRINGING THE CHILD JESUS AS TO THE PARENTS . The articular infinitive and two accusatives (one the object,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE (κα αυτος). Κα as in Luke 2:21. Αυτος, emphatic subject, he after the parents.ARMS (αγκαλας). Old Greek word, here only in the N.T. It means the curve or inner angle of the arm.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW LETTEST THOU (νυν απολυεις). Present active indicative,THOU ART LETTING . The _Nunc Dimittis_, adoration and praise. It is full of rapture and vivid intensity (Plummer) like the best of the Psalms. The verb απολυω was common for the manumission of slaves and Simeon here calls himself "thy s... [ Continue Reading ]
OF ALL THE PEOPLES (παντων των λαων). Not merely Jews. Another illustration of the universality of Luke's Gospel seen already in Luke 1:70 in the hymn of Zacharias. The second strophe of the song according to Plummer showing what the Messiah will be to the world after having shown what the Messia... [ Continue Reading ]
REVELATION TO THE GENTILES (αποκαλυψιν εθνων). Objective genitive. The Messiah is to be light (φως) for the Gentiles in darkness (Luke 1:70) and glory (δοξα) for Israel (cf. Romans 9:1-5; Isaiah 49:6). The word εθνος originally meant just a crowd or company, then a race or nation, then the nation... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER (ο πατηρ αυτου κα η μητηρ). Luke had already used "parents" in Luke 2:27. He by no means intends to deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus so plainly stated in Luke 1:34-38. He merely employs here the language of ordinary custom. The late MSS. wrongly read "and Joseph" instead o... [ Continue Reading ]
IS SET FOR THE FALLING AND THE RISING UP OF MANY IN ISRAEL (Κειτα εις πτωσιν κα αναστασιν πολλων εν τω Ισραηλ). Present indicative of the old defective verb appearing only in present and imperfect in the N.T. Sometimes it is used as the passive of τιθημ as here. The falling of some and the rising... [ Continue Reading ]
A SWORD (ρομφαια). A large sword, properly a long Thracian javelin. It occurs in the LXX of Goliath's sword (1 Samuel 17:51). How little Mary understood the meaning of Simeon's words that seemed so out of place in the midst of the glorious things already spoken, a sharp thorn in their roses, a ve... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE ANNA A PROPHETESS (Hαννα προφητις). The word προφητις occurs in the N.T. only here and Revelation 2:20. In old Greek writers it means a woman who interprets oracles. The long parenthesis into verse Luke 2:37 tells of her great age. Montefiore makes it 106 as she was 15 when married, married 7... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH DEPARTED NOT (η ουκ αφιστατο). Imperfect indicative middle. She kept on not leaving. The Spirit kept her in the temple as he led Simon to the temple (Plummer). The case of "the temple" (του ιερου) is ablative.NIGHT AND DAY (νυκτα κα ημεραν). Accusative of duration of time, all night and a... [ Continue Reading ]
COMING UP (επιστασα). Second aorist active participle. The word often has the notion of coming suddenly or bursting in as of Martha in Luke 10:40. But here it probably means coming up and standing by and so hearing Simeon's wonderful words so that her words form a kind of footnote to his.GAVE THA... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEIR OWN CITY NAZARETH (εις πολιν εαυτων Ναζαρετ). See on Matthew 2:23 about Nazareth. Luke tells nothing of the flight to Egypt and the reason for the return to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem, the place of the birth of Jesus as told in Matthew 2:13-23. But then neither Gospel gives all the de... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILD GREW (ηυξανε). Imperfect indicative of a very ancient verb (αυξανω). This child grew and waxed strong (εκραταιουτο, imperfect middle), a hearty vigorous little boy (παιδιον). Both verbs Luke used in Luke 1:80 of the growth of John the Baptist as a child. Then he used also πνευματ, in spi... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY YEAR (κατ' ετος). This idiom only here in the N.T., a common Greek construction. Every male was originally expected to appear at the passover, pentecost, and tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-17; Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16). But the Dispersion rendered that impossible. But pious Palestinian Je... [ Continue Reading ]
TWELVE YEARS OLD (ετων δωδεκα). Predicate genitive. Luke does not say that Jesus had not been to Jerusalem before, but at twelve a Jewish boy became a "son of the law" and began to observe the ordinances, putting on the phylacteries as a reminder.THEY WENT UP (αναβαινοντων αυτων). Genitive abso... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HAD FULFILLED THE DAYS (τελειωσαντων τας ημερας). Genitive absolute again, but aorist participle (effective aorist). "The days" may mean the full seven days (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:6-8; Deuteronomy 16:3), or the two chief days after which many pilgrims left for home.AS THEY WERE RET... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE COMPANY (εν τη συνοδια). The caravan going together on the road or way (συν, οδος), a journey in company, then by metonymy the company itself. A common Greek word (Plutarch, Strabo, etc.). The women usually went ahead and the men followed. Joseph may have thought Jesus was with Mary and Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEKING FOR HIM (αναζητουντες αυτον). Present participle of the same verb. This was all that was worth while now, finding the lost boy.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THREE DAYS (μετα ημερας τρεις). One day out, one day back, and on the third day finding him.IN THE TEMPLE (εν τω ιερω). Probably on the terrace where members of the Sanhedrin gave public instruction on sabbaths and feast-days, so probably while the feast was still going on. The rabbis pro... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE AMAZED (εξισταντο). Imperfect indicative middle, descriptive of their continued and repeated astonishment. Common verb εξιστημ meaning that they stood out of themselves as if their eyes were bulging out. The boy had a holy thirst for knowledge (Plummer), and he used a boy's way of learning.A... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE ASTONISHED (εξεπλαγησαν). Second aorist passive indicative of an old Greek word (εκπλησσω), to strike out, drive out by a blow. Joseph and Mary "were struck out" by what they saw and heard. Even they had not fully realized the power in this wonderful boy. Parents often fail to perceive... [ Continue Reading ]
SON (τεκνον). Child, literally. It was natural for Mary to be the first to speak.WHY (Τ). The mother's reproach of the boy is followed by a confession of negligence on her part and of Joseph ( SORROWING , οδυνωμενο).THY FATHER (ο πατερ σου). No contradiction in this. Alford says: "Up to this... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY UNDERSTOOD NOT (ου συνηκαν). First aorist active indicative (one of the k aorists). Even Mary with all her previous preparation and brooding was not equal to the dawning of the Messianic consciousness in her boy. "My Father is God," Jesus had virtually said, "and I must be in His house." Bru... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS SUBJECT UNTO THEM (ην υποτασσομενος αυτοις). Periphrastic imperfect passive. He continued subject unto them, this wondrous boy who really knew more than parents and rabbis, this gentle, obedient, affectionate boy. The next eighteen years at Nazareth (Luke 3:23) he remained growing into man... [ Continue Reading ]
ADVANCED IN WISDOM AND STATURE (προεκοπτεν τη σοφια κα ηλικια). Imperfect active, he kept cutting his way forward as through a forest or jungle as pioneers did. He kept growing in stature (ηλικια may mean age, as in Luke 12:25, but stature here) and in wisdom (more than mere knowledge). His physi... [ Continue Reading ]