BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JESUS 1-5. The census of Quirinius. There are two historical difficulties in connexion with St. Luke's mention of the census of Quirinius: (1) There is no direct evidence, except St. Luke's statement, that Augustus (31 b.c.-14 a.d.) ever held a census of the whole Roman empir... [ Continue Reading ]
AUGUSTUS] The first Roman emperor. His actual reign dated from the battle of Actium 31 b.c. to his death in 14 a.d. TAXED] RV 'enrolled.' This enrolment was perhaps simply a census or numbering of the inhabitants. The second enrolment under Quirinius in 7 a.d. was for purposes of taxation, and excit... [ Continue Reading ]
CYRENIUS] RV 'Quirinius.'... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO HIS OWN CITY] It was a fixed principle of Roman government to respect the feelings and even the prejudices of subject peoples, and Herod, being a foreigner whose rule was barely tolerated by patriotic Jews, had every reason not to give offence. He enrolled his pagan subjects, therefore, in the... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS ESPOUSED WIFE] RV 'who was betrothed to him.' Yet they were probably married, because it was contrary to Jewish custom for betrothed persons to live together, and Joseph would wish to protect Mary by making her his wife as soon as possible.... [ Continue Reading ]
7. THE NATIVITY. See on Matthew 2:1. There is an inward fitness that He, who for our sake emptied Himself of His glory, should be born in a stable and laid in a manger, but assuredly it would never have occurred to any one, Jew or Christian, to invent such a story, which accordingly may be accepted... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRSTBORN] A technical term among the Jews, signifying 'that which openeth the womb' (Exodus 34:19.), and not implying the birth of other offspring. That St. Luke uses it in this technical sense is clear from Luke 2:22; Luke 2:23. NO ROOM] It is clear from Matthew 2:11 that as soon as the enrolment... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEPHERDS] David himself had been a shepherd at Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:11). The flocks at Bethlehem were destined for the Temple sacrifices, and the shepherds who kept them occupied a higher social position than other shepherds, who were considered outcasts by the scribes because of their necessary... [ Continue Reading ]
ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS, WHO VISIT THE HOLY FAMILY. As Jesus was born in a stable, so His birth was first announced to peasants, in token that the gospel was meant for the poor and ignorant, as well as for the rich and learned.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO ALL PEOPLE] RV 'to all the people' (of Israel). There is here no express mention of the Gentiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
A SAVIOUR] The spiritual sense is certainly prominent here—'a Saviour from sin and death.' This title of Jesus is rare in the Gospels, being found only here and in John 4:42 several times in Titus and 2 Peter. CHRIST THE LORD] RM 'Anointed Lord.'... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall be_ A SIGN] RV 'is the sign.' The unusual sight of an infant in a manger would be a sign that the angel had spoken the truth.... [ Continue Reading ]
The 'Gloria in excelsis' (GLORY.. IN THE HIGHEST), in which the hosts of heaven praised God for His wondrous love to mankind shown in the Incarnation, was expanded into a morning hymn as early as the 2nd cent., and has been sung in the Communion service of the Western Church for many ages. Taking th... [ Continue Reading ]
Mary's was a quiet and reflective nature: cp. Luke 2:51. These two vv. suggest that it was from her the information contained in these Chapter s was derived.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CIRCUMCISION. Although our Lord was sinless, He was subjected to a rite which symbolised the putting off of the sinful lusts of the flesh. Although He was the Son of God, it behoved Him to be made a child of God through the covenant of Abraham. Now first His redeeming blood was shed, and the pai... [ Continue Reading ]
HER PURIFICATION] RV 'their purification,' i.e. either, (1) the Jews' purification, or (2) the purification of mother and child. Strictly speaking, however, only the mother (not the child) was ceremonially unclean. 25-35 SIMEON AND THE NUNC DIMITTIS] Simeon belonged, like Zacharias and Anna, to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PURIFICATION AND PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. Women after childbirth were unclean, for a boy forty days, for a girl eighty days. They were then bound to present an offering for Purification, viz. a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon for a sin offering. Poor women might offer two pigeons, as t... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVOUT] more exactly 'God-fearing.' The word is peculiar to St, Luke (Acts 2:5; Acts 8:2; Acts 22:12). THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL] a common expression among the rabbis for the Messianic age. 'So may I see the consolation' was a usual form of oath.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD'S CHRIST] the same as 'the Christ of God' (Luke 9:20), i.e. 'Him whom God has sent as the Messiah.' 29-32. This beautiful hymn (usually called the 'Nunc Dimittis'), which has been used in the evening service of the Church since the 4th or 5th century, is in thorough harmony with the spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
The meaning is, 'My master and owner, now thou givest freedom to thy slave by a peaceful death, according to the prophetic word that thou spakest' (Luke 2:26). Simeon regards his release from the toils and troubles of life as an enfranchisement from slavery, a change to a state of freedom and rest.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY SALVATION] is practically personal, meaning the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL PEOPLE] RV 'all peoples,' i.e. all the nations of the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LIGHT, etc.] RV 'A light for revelation to the Gentiles,' i.e. the Messiah is the Light of the Gentiles, sent by God to reveal His truth to the heathen world. He is also the glory of the chosen people, because all nations in glorifying the Messiah will glorify the nation from whom the Messiah spri... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH AND HIS MOTHER] RV 'his father and his mother.' Since Joseph filled the place of a father to Jesus, he was naturally called his father: cp. Luke 2:27, 'the parents.' 34, 35. These vv. contain the first hint in the NT. of the sufferings of the Messiah, and of His holy mother.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD THIS CHILD, etc.] This child will divide Israel into two opposite camps. Some will reject His claims. To such He will be 'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence' (Isaiah 8:14), i.e. the occasion of their spiritual ruin. Others will accept His claims. Such He will raise through their faith... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, A SWORD] This prophecy was fulfilled when Mary saw her Son rejected, condemned, insulted, scourged, and crucified. THAT THE THOUGHTS] i.e. that the true characters of men (as shown in their reception or rejection of Jesus) may be made manifest. 36-38. Anna the prophetess also recognises Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHETESS] The title shows that Anna was known as a prophetess before this incident. Other instances of prophetesses are Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Huldah, and the daughters of Philip. ASER] RV 'Asher.' It is clear that members of other tribes than Judah and Levi returned from the Captivity.... [ Continue Reading ]
If she was married at 12, which is possible in the East, she must have been 103 years old. DEPARTED NOT] i.e. was unfailing in her attendance.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THEM THAT LOOKED, etc.] see on Luke 2:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN TO NAZARETH. St. Luke represents the Holy Family as returning to Nazareth immediately after the Purification, without any allusion to the visit of the Magi, or the flight into Egypt. This seems to indicate that he did not use St. Matthew's Gospel.... [ Continue Reading ]
GROWTH AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF JESUS. The information may have been gained from the mother herself. WAXED STRONG IN SPIRIT] RV omits 'in spirit.' FILLED WITH WISDOM] lit. 'becoming full of wisdom': cp. Luke 2:52, 'increased in wisdom.' As Jesus was perfect God and perfect man, so He possessed c... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BOY JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. We know nothing directly of the childhood of Jesus except this one incident, which is recorded entirely for the sake of the remarkable utterance in Luke 2:49. 41. As women were not obliged to attend, Mary's regular keeping of the feasts is a mark of special piety: cp. L... [ Continue Reading ]
TWELVE YEARS] Jesus accompanied His parents for the first time, because He was approaching his thirteenth year, in which He would become, by Jewish custom, 'a son of the Law,' i.e. subject to its obligations.... [ Continue Reading ]
TARRIED BEHIND] Jesus was probably staying with friends, and thought that His parents would remain in Jerusalem for the whole Passover week. Instead of this they seem to have left after two days, as was often done.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THREE DAYS] They spent one day looking for Him in the caravan, one day in the return journey to Jerusalem, and found Him on the third day. DOCTORS] i.e. scribes or rabbis. Among the famous men who may possibly have been present were the aged Hillel and Shammai, Rabban Simeon, Gamaliel, Annas,... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW IS IT] 'Not a reproof, but an expression of surprise. He is not surprised at their coming back for Him, but at their not knowing where to find Him.' ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS] This translation is possible, but that of the RV, 'in my Father's house,' is more probable. The words mean: 'There is o... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDERSTOOD NOT] The lapse of twelve years during which no miracle had occurred, had partly obliterated the impression made by the remarkable circumstances of the Nativity. This and the next v. furnish another indication that St. Luke's information was obtained from St. Mary.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS SUBJECT] The evangelist guards against the possible supposition that Christ's words in Luke 2:49 were intended as a repudiation of His parents' authority over Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Luke 2:40.... [ Continue Reading ]