_And it came to pass in those days_ That is, about the time in which
John the Baptist was born, and Christ conceived, in the manner related
in the preceding chapter; _there went out a decree from Cesar
Augustus_, the Roman emperor, _that all the world should be taxed_ the
word οικουμενη, here render... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this taxing_ (rather _this enrolling_) _was first made when
Cyrenius was governor of Syria_ According to the Jewish historian,
Josephus, Cyrenius was not governor of Syria till ten or twelve years
after our Saviour's birth, after Archelaus was deposed, and the
country brought under a Roman proc... [ Continue Reading ]
_And all went to be taxed_, (enrolled,) _every one to his city_
“When the census was made in any country, the inhabitants were
obliged to attend in the cities to which they belonged, Livy, 50. 42.
c. 10. The reason was, without a precaution of this kind, the census
would have been excessively tediou... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joseph also went up from Galilee_ Being thus obliged by the
emperor's decree; _out of the city of Nazareth_ Where he then dwelt;
_into Judea_ Properly so called; _unto the city of David, called
Bethlehem_ The town where his ancestors had formerly been settled;
_because he was of the house, &c.,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And while they were there, the days were accomplished_, &c. Whatever
views Mary might have in going up to Bethlehem, her going there was
doubtless by the direction of Divine Providence, in order that the
Messiah might be born in that city, agreeably to the prophecy of Micah
5:2. _And she brought fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field_
Here we see, that as Abraham and David, to whom the promise of the
Messiah was first made, were shepherds, so the completion of this
promise was first revealed to shepherds. _Keeping watch over their
flocks by night_ Which it was ne... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them_ Επεστη
αυτοις, _stood over them_, that is, appeared in a visible form,
standing in the air over their heads; _and the glory of the Lord shone
round about them_ Not only a great light, but such a glorious
splendour as used to represent the presence of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
_And suddenly there was with the angel_, &c. The welcome news was no
sooner published, than a multitude of heavenly beings were heard
celebrating, in songs and hymns divine, the praises of God, on account
of his unspeakable mercy and love to men; _and saying, Glory to God in
the highest_, &c. The sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the angels were gone away_ Probably they saw them ascend; _the
shepherds said, Let us now go;_ without delay; _and see this thing_
This wonderful and important event; _which is come to pass: and they
came and found Mary and Joseph_, &c. Though it is not mentioned, it
seems the angel had describe... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when eight days were accomplished_ That is, not when the eighth
day was ended, but when it was come: _for the circumcising of the
child_ A ceremony which the law of Moses required to be performed on
every male child at that age, and to which Christ was made subject,
that he might wear the badge... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the days of her purification were accomplished_ “It appears,
from Leviticus 12:1, that for the first seven days, every woman who
had borne a child, was considered as unclean in so great a degree,
that whoever touched or conversed with her was polluted. For
thirty-three days more, she was still... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold there was a man_, &c. There was now in Jerusalem one Simeon,
venerable on account of his age, piety, and virtue. For, _he was just
and devout_ Righteous toward his fellow-creatures, and holy toward
God; _waiting for the consolation of Israel_ A common phrase for the
Messiah, who was to be th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Simeon blessed them_ Namely, Joseph and Mary. He pronounced them
blessed who had the honour to be related to this child, and were
intrusted with the bringing him up. He prayed for them, that God would
bless them, and, doubtless, wished others to do the same. _Behold,
this child is set for the f... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there was one Anna, a prophetess_ A person of some note; _she was
a widow of about fourscore and four years_ These were the years of her
life, and not of her widowhood only; _who departed not from the
temple_ The meaning is, not that she abode continually in the temple:
for none lived there sav... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they_ Namely, the parents of Jesus; _had performed all
things according to the law_ Which they made conscience of doing, that
they might _fulfil all righteousness; they returned into Galilee_, &c.
Full of admiration, doubtless, at the glorious testimonies that were
given to their child; _t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now his parents went to Jerusalem at the passover_ As it was usual
for those families to do that were remarkably religious, though only
the adult males were, by the law, obliged to appear before the Lord on
that occasion. _And when he was twelve years old_ And so, according to
the Jewish maxims, ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they saw him they were amazed_ The clause, thus rendered,
signifies, that Joseph and Mary were amazed when they saw him, but it
may be translated, _They who saw him were amazed_, namely, not his
parents only, or chiefly, but others. In this sense Dr. Campbell
understands it, as suiting bet... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he went down with them to Nazareth_ That he might not seem to
encourage disobedience in children, by withdrawing himself in that
weak age from under the government of his parents, he very willingly
retired with them into the obscure city of Nazareth, where for many
years he was, as it were, bur... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature_ In the perfections of his
divine nature there could be no increase; but this is spoken of his
human nature, consisting of a reasonable soul and human flesh; his
body increased in stature and bulk, and his soul in wisdom and in all
the endowments of a human... [ Continue Reading ]