1Sintemal es viele unternommen haben, eine Erzählung von den Dingen, die unter uns völlig geglaubt werden, ordentlich zu verfassen, 2so wie es uns die überliefert haben, die von Anfang an Augenzeugen und Diener des Wortes gewesen sind, 3schien es auch mir gut, der ich allem von Anfang an genau gefolgt bin, es dir, vortrefflichster Theophilus, ordentlich zu schreiben; 4damit du die Zuverlässigkeit der Dinge erkennest, in welchen du unterrichtet bist. 5Es war in den Tagen Herodes’, des Königs von Judäa, ein gewisser Priester, Namens Zacharias, aus der Ordnung Abia, und sein Weib aus den Töchtern Aarons, und ihr Name war Elisabeth. 6Beide aber waren gerecht vor Gott, untadelig wandelnd in allen Geboten und Satzungen des Herrn. 7Und sie hatten kein Kind, weil Elisabeth unfruchtbar war, und beide in ihren Tagen weit vorgerückt waren. 8Es geschah aber, als er in der Reihe seiner Ordnung den priesterlichen Dienst vor Gott erfüllte, 9traf ihn, nach der Gewohnheit des Priesterthums, das Loos, in den Tempel des Herrn hineinzugehen, um zu räuchern. 10Und die ganze Menge des Volkes war draußen betend zur Stunde des Räucherns. 11Und es erschien ihm ein Engel des Herrn, stehend zur rechten Seite des Rauchaltars. 12Und als Zacharias ihn sah, ward er bestürzt, und Furcht überfiel ihn. 13Der Engel aber sprach zu ihm: Fürchte dich nicht, Zacharias, denn dein Flehen ist erhört, und dein Weib Elisabeth wird dir einen Sohn gebären, und du sollst seinen Namen Johannes nennen. 14Und du wirst Freude und Wonne haben,, und viele werden sich über seine Geburt freuen. 15Denn er wird groß sein vor dem Herrn; weder Wein noch starkes Getränk wird er trinken und schon von Mutterleibe an mit dem Heiligen Geiste erfüllt werden. 16Und viele der Söhne Israel wird er bekehren zu dem Herrn, ihrem Gott. 17Und derselbe wird vor ihm hergehen im Geiste und in der Kraft des Elias, um die Herzen der Väter zu bekehren zu den Kindern und Ungehorsame zur Weisheit der Gerechten, um dem Herrn zu bereiten ein zugerüstetes Volk. 18Und Zacharias sprach zu dem Engel: Woran soll ich dies erkennen, denn ich bin alt, und mein Weib ist weit vorgerückt in ihren Tagen? 19Und der Engel antwortete und sprach zu ihm: Ich bin Gabriel, der vor Gott stehet, und ich bin gesandt worden, zu dir zu reden und dir diese gute Botschaft zu verkündigen. 20Und siehe, du wirst schweigend sein und nicht sprechen können, bis zu dem Tage, da dies geschehen wird, weil du meinen Worten nicht geglaubt hast, die zu ihrer Zeit werden erfüllt werden. 21Und das Volk wartete auf Zacharias, und sie verwunderten sich, daß er im Tempel verzog. 22Als er aber herauskam, konnte er nicht zu ihnen reden, und sie erkannten, daß er ein Gesicht gesehen hatte im Tempel. Und er winkte ihnen und blieb stumm. 23Und es geschah, als die Tage seines Dienstes erfüllt waren, ging er weg nach seinem Hause. 24Nach diesen Tagen aber ward Elisabeth, sein Weib, schwanger und verbarg sich fünf Monate und sagte: 25Also hat mir der Herr gethan in den Tagen, in welchen er mich angesehen, meine Schmach unter den Menschen wegzunehmen. 26Und im sechsten Monat ward der Engel Gabriel von Gott gesandt in eine Stadt von Galiläa, Namens Nazareth, 27zu einer Jungfrau, die verlobt war einem Manne, Namens Joseph, aus dem Hause Davids; und der Name der Jungfrau war Maria. 28Und der Engel trat zu ihr hinein und sprach: Sei gegrüßt, du Begnadigte! der Herr ist mit dir; du bist gesegnet unter den Weibern! 29Sie aber, als sie hinsah, ward bestürzt über sein Wort und überlegte, was dies für ein Gruß sei. 30Und der Engel sprach zu ihr: Fürchte dich nicht, Maria, denn du hast Gnade gefunden bei Gott; 31und siehe, du wirst im Leibe empfangen und einen Sohn gebären, und sollst seinen Namen Jesus heißen. 32Dieser wird groß sein und Sohn des Höchsten genannt werden; und der Herr, Gott, wird ihm den Thron seines Vaters David geben; 33und er wird herrschen über das Haus Jakobs in die Zeitalter, und seines Reiches wird kein Ende sein. 34Maria aber sprach zu dem Engel: Wie wird dieses sein, dieweil ich keinen Mann kenne? 35Und der Engel antwortete und sprach zu ihr: Der Heilige Geist wird über dich kommen, und die Kraft des Höchsten wird dich überschatten; darum wird auch das Heilige, das geboren wird, Gottes Sohn genannt werden. 36Und siehe, Elisabeth, deine Verwandte, ist auch schwanger mit einem Sohne in ihrem Alter, und dies ist der sechste Monat bei ihr, welche die Unfruchtbare genannt war; 37denn bei Gott wird kein Ding unmöglich sein. 38Maria aber sprach: Siehe, die Magd des Herrn; es geschehe mir nach deinem Worte. Und der Engel schied von ihr. 39Maria aber stand auf in denselbigen Tagen auf und ging in Eile nach dem Gebirge in eine Stadt Juda, 40und kam in das Haus Zacharias' und begrüßte die Elisabeth. 41Und es geschah, als Elisabeth den Gruß der Maria hörte, hüpfte das Kind in ihrem Leibe; und Elisabeth ward mit dem Heiligen Geiste erfüllt 42und rief aus mit lauter Stimme und sprach: Gesegnet bist du unter den Weibern und gesegnet die Frucht deines Leibes! 43Und woher mir dieses, daß die Mutter meines Herrn zu mir kommt? 44Denn siehe, wie die Stimme deines Grußes in meine Ohren drang, hüpfte das Kind vor Freude in meinem Leibe. 45Und glückselig ist, die geglaubt hat, denn es wird zur Erfüllung kommen, was ihr vom Herrn geredet worden ist. 46Und Maria sprach: Meine Seele erhebet den Herrn, 47und mein Geist hat frohlockt in Gott, meinem Heilande; 48denn er hat hingeblickt auf die Niedrigkeit seiner Magd; denn siehe, von nun an preisen mich glückselig alle Geschlechter. 49Denn große Dinge hat der Mächtige an mir gethan, und heilig ist sein Name; 50und seine Barmherzigkeit ist von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht über die, so ihn fürchten. 51Er hat Gewalt gethan mit seinem Arm: er hat die Hochmüthigen zerstreuet in der Gesinnung ihres Herzens. 52Mächtige hat er von Thronen hinabgestoßen, und Niedrige erhöhet. 53Er hat Hungrige mit Gütern erfüllt und Reiche leer fortgeschickt. 54Er hat sich Israels angenommen als seines Knechtes, damit er eingedenk sei der Barmherzigkeit 55(wie er geredet hat zu unsern Vätern) gegen Abraham und seinen Samen in Ewigkeit. 56Und Maria blieb bei ihr bei drei Monaten und kehrte nach ihrem Hause zurück. 57Für Elisabeth aber ward die Zeit erfüllt, daß sie gebären sollte, und sie gebar einen Sohn. 58Und ihre Nachbarn und Verwandten hörten, daß der Herr seine Barmherzigkeit an ihr groß gemacht habe, und sie freueten sich mit ihr. 59Und es geschah am achten Tage, daß sie kamen, das Kindlein zu beschneiden; und sie nannten es nach dem Namen seines Vaters, Zacharias. 60Und seine Mutter antwortete und sprach: Nicht also, sondern er soll Johannes heißen. 61Und sie sprachen zu ihr: In deiner Verwandtschaft ist keiner, der mit diesem Namen genannt wird. 62Sie winkten aber seinem Vater, wie er wolle, daß er genannt werde. 63Und er forderte ein Schreibtäfelchen und schrieb und sprach: Johannes ist sein Name. Und sie verwunderten sich alle. 64Alsbald aber ward sein Mund aufgethan und seine Zunge, und er redete und lobte Gott. 65Und es kam Furcht über alle, die um sie her wohnten; und auf dem ganzen Gebirge von Judäa wurde insgemein über alle diese Dinge geredet. 66Und alle, die es hörten, nahmen es zu Herzen und sprachen: Was wird doch aus diesem Kindlein werden? Und die Hand des Herrn war mit ihm. 67Und Zacharias, sein Vater, ward erfüllt mit dem Heiligen Geiste und weissagte, sagend: 68Gelobt sei der Herr, der Gott Israels, daß er hat besucht und Erlösung geschafft seinem Volke, 69und hat uns aufgerichtet ein Horn des Heils in dem Hause Davids, seines Knechtes, 70(gleichwie er geredet hat durch den Mund seiner heiligen Propheten, die von Alters her waren), 71Rettung von unsern Feinden und von der Hand aller, die uns hassen; 72um Barmherzigkeit zu vollbringen gegen unsere Väter und zu gedenken seines heiligen Bundes, 73des Eides, den er Abraham, unserm Vater, geschworen hat, um uns zu geben, 74daß wir ohne Furcht, gerettet aus der Hand unserer Feinde, ihm dienen sollen 75in Frömmigkeit und Gerechtigkeit vor ihm alle unsere Tage. 76Und du, Kindlein, wirst ein Prophet des Höchsten genannt werden; denn du wirst vor dem Angesicht des Herrn hergehen, seine Wege zu bereiten, 77um Erkenntniß des Heils zu geben seinem Volke in Vergebung ihrer Sünden, 78durch die herzliche Barmherzigkeit unsers Gottes, in welcher uns besucht hat der Aufgang aus der Höhe, 79um zu leuchten denen, die da sitzen in Finsterniß und in Schatten des Todes, um unsere Füße zu richten auf den Weg des Friedens. 80Das Kindlein aber wuchs und ward stark im Geiste, und war in den Wüsteneien, bis zu dem Tage seines Auftretens vor Israel.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (
Luke 1:1-
Luke 1:4)
set forth in order--more simply, to draw up a narrative.
2 from the beginning--that is, of His public ministry, as is plain from what follows.
3 from the very first--that is, from the very earliest events; referring to those precious details of the birth and early life, not only of our Lord, but of His forerunner, which we owe to Luke alone.
in order--or "consecutively"--in contrast, probably, with the disjointed productions to which he had referred. But this must not be pressed too far; for, on comparing it with the other Gospels, we see that in some particulars the strict chronological order is not observed in this Gospel.
most excellent--or "most noble"--a title of rank applied by this same writer twice to Felix and once to Festus (
Acts 22:26;
Acts 24:3;
Acts 26:25). It is likely, therefore, that "Theophilus" was chief magistrate of some city in Greece or Asia Minor [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
4 that thou mightest know--"know thoroughly."
hast been instructed--orally instructed--literally, "catechized" or "catechetically taught," at first as a catechumen or candidate for Christian baptism.
5 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FORERUNNER. (Luke 1:5-25)
Herod--(See on
Matt 2:1).
course of Abia--or Abijah; the eighth of the twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see
1Chr 24:1,
1Chr 24:4,
1Chr 24:10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity (
Ezra 2:34-
Ezra 2:39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four--retaining the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service for a week each.
his wife was of the daughters of Aaron--The priests might marry into any tribe, but "it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests' line" [LIGHTFOOT].
6 commandments and ordinances--The one expressing their moral--the other their ceremonial--obedience [CALVIN and BENGEL], (Compare
Ezek 11:20;
Heb 9:1). It has been denied that any such distinction was known to the Jews and New Testament writers. But
Mark 12:33, and other passages, put this beyond all reasonable doubt.
7 So with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Elkanah and Hannah, Manoah and his wife.
9 his lot was to burn incense--The part assigned to each priest in his week of service was decided by lot. Three were employed at the offering of incense--to remove the ashes of the former service; to bring in and place on the golden altar the pan filled with hot burning coals taken from the altar of burnt offering; and to sprinkle the incense on the hot coals; and, while the smoke of it ascended, to make intercession for the people. This was the most distinguished part of the service (
Rev 8:3), and this was what fell to the lot of Zacharias at this time [LIGHTFOOT].
10 praying without--outside the court in front of the temple, where stood the altar of burnt offering; the men and women in separate courts, but the altar visible to all.
the time of incense--which was offered along with the morning and evening sacrifice of every day; a beautiful symbol of the acceptableness of the sacrifice offered on the altar of burnt offering, with coals from whose altar the incense was burnt (
Lev 16:12-
Lev 16:13). This again was a symbol of the "living sacrifice" of themselves and their services offered daily to God by the worshippers. Hence the language of
Ps 141:2;
Rev 8:3. But that the acceptance of this daily offering depended on the expiatory virtue presupposed in the burnt offering, and pointing to the one "sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savor" (
Eph 5:2), is evident from
Isa 6:6-
Isa 6:7.
11 right side--the south side, between the altar and the candlestick, Zacharias being on the north side, in front of the altar, while offering incense [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. But why there? The right was the favorable side (
Matt 25:33) [SCHOTTGEN and WESTEIN in MEYER]; compare
Mark 16:5.
13 thy prayer is heard--doubtless for offspring, which by some presentiment he even yet had not despaired of.
John--the same as "Johanan," so frequent in the Old Testament, meaning "Jehovah's gracious gift."
14 shall rejoice--so they did (
Luke 1:58,
Luke 1:66); but the meaning rather is, "shall have cause to rejoice"--it would prove to many a joyful event.
15 great in the sight of the Lord--nearer to Him in official standing than all the prophets. (See
Matt 11:10-
Matt 11:11.)
drink neither wine nor strong drink--that is, shall be a Nazarite, or "a separated one" (
Num 6:2, &c.). As the leper was the living symbol of sin, so was the Nazarite of holiness; nothing inflaming was to cross his lips; no razor to come on his head; no ceremonial defilement to be contracted. Thus was he to be "holy to the Lord [ceremonially] all the days of his separation." This separation was in ordinary cases temporary and voluntary: only Samson (
Judg 13:7), Samuel (
1Sam 1:11), and John Baptist were Nazarites from the womb. It was fitting that the utmost severity of legal consecration should be seen in Christ's forerunner. HE was the REALITY and PERFECTION of the Nazarite without the symbol, which perished in that living realization of it: "Such an High Priest became us, who was SEPARATE FROM SINNERS" (
Heb 7:26).
filled with the Holy Ghost, from . . . womb--a holy vessel for future service.
16 A religious and moral reformer, Elijah-like, he should be (
Mal 4:6, where the "turning of the people's heart to the Lord" is borrowed from
1Kgs 18:37). In both cases their success, though great, was partial--the nation was not gained.
17 before him--before "the Lord their God" (
Luke 1:16). By comparing this with
Mal 3:1 and
Isa 40:3, it is plainly "Jehovah" in the flesh of Messiah [CALVIN and OLSHAUSEN] before whom John was to go as a herald to announce His approach, and a pioneer o prepare His way.
in the spirit--after the model.
and power of Elias--not his miraculous power, for John did no miracle" (
John 10:41), but his power "turning the heart," or with like success in his ministry. Both fell on degenerate times; both witnessed fearlessly for God; neither appeared much save in the direct exercise of their ministry; both were at the head of schools of disciples; the success of both was similar.
fathers to the children--taken literally, this denotes the restoration of parental fidelity [MEYER and others], the decay of which is the beginning of religious and social corruption--one prominent feature of the coming revival being put for the whole. But what follows, explanatory of this, rather suggests a figurative sense. If "the disobedient" be "the children," and to "the fathers" belongs "the wisdom of the just" [BENGEL], the meaning will be, "he shall bring back the ancient spirit of the nation into their degenerate children" [CALVIN, &c.]. So Elijah invoked "the God Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," when seeking to "turn their heart back again" (
1Kgs 18:36-37).
to make ready, &c.--more clearly, "to make ready for the Lord a prepared people," to have in readiness a people prepared to welcome Him. Such preparation requires, in every age and every soul, an operation corresponding to the Baptist's ministry.
18 Whereby, &c.--Mary believed what was far harder without a sign. Abraham, though older, and doubtless Sarah, too, when the same promise was made to him, "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." This was that in which Zacharias failed.
19 Gabriel--signifying "man of God," the same who appeared to Daniel at the time of incense (
Dan 9:21) and to Mary (
Luke 1:26).
stand, &c.--as his attendant (compare
1Kgs 17:1).
20 dumb--speechless.
not able--deprived of the power of speech (
Luke 1:64). He asked a sign, and now he got it.
until the day that these things shall be performed--See on
Luke 1:64.
21 waited--to receive from him the usual benediction (
Num 6:23-
Num 6:27).
tarried so long--It was not usual to tarry long, lest it should be thought vengeance had stricken the people's representative for something wrong [LIGHTFOOT].
22 speechless--dumb, and deaf also (see
Luke 1:62).
24 hid five months--till the event was put beyond doubt and became apparent.
26 ANNUNCIATION OF CHRIST. (
Luke 1:26-
Luke 1:38)
sixth month--of Elisabeth's time.
Joseph, of the house of David--(See on
Matt 1:16).
28 highly favoured--a word only once used elsewhere (
Eph 1:6, "made accepted"): compare
Luke 1:30, "Thou hast found favour with God." The mistake of the Vulgate's rendering, "full of grace," has been taken abundant advantage of by the Romish Church. As the mother of our Lord, she was the most "blessed among women" in external distinction; but let them listen to the Lord's own words. "Nay, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it." (See on
Luke 11:27).
31 The angel purposely conforms his language to Isaiah's famous prophecy (
Isa 7:14) [CALVIN].
32 This is but an echo of the sublime prediction in
Isa 9:6-
Isa 9:7.
34 How, &c.--not the unbelief of Zacharias, "Whereby shall I know this?" but, taking the fact for granted, "How is it to be, so contrary to the unbroken law of human birth?" Instead of reproof, therefore, her question is answered in mysterious detail.
35 Holy Ghost--(See on
Matt 1:18).
power of the highest--the immediate energy of the Godhead conveyed by the Holy Ghost.
overshadow--a word suggesting how gentle, while yet efficacious, would be this Power [BENGEL]; and its mysterious secrecy, withdrawn, as if by a cloud, from human scrutiny [CALVIN].
that holy thing born of thee--that holy Offspring of thine.
therefore . . . Son of God--That Christ is the Son of God in His divine and eternal nature is clear from all the New Testament; yet here we see that Sonship efflorescing into human and palpable manifestation by His being born, through "the power of the Highest," an Infant of days. We must neither think of a double Sonship, as some do, harshly and without all ground, nor deny what is here plainly expressed, the connection between His human birth and His proper personal Sonship.
36 thy cousin--"relative," but how near the word says not.
conceived, &c.--This was to Mary an unsought sign, in reward of her faith.
37 For, &c.--referring to what was said by the angel to Abraham in like case (
Gen 18:14), to strengthen her faith.
38 Marvellous faith in such circumstances!
39 VISIT OF MARY TO ELISABETH. (Luke 1:39-56)
hill country--the mountainous tract running along the middle of Judea, from north to south [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
with haste--transported with the announcement to herself and with the tidings, now first made known to her, of Elisabeth's condition.
a city of Juda--probably Hebron (see
Josh 20:7;
Josh 21:11).
40 saluted Elisabeth--now returned from her seclusion (
Luke 1:24).
41 babe leaped--From
Luke 1:44 it is plain that this maternal sensation was something extraordinary--a sympathetic emotion of the unconscious babe, at the presence of the mother of his Lord.
42 What beautiful superiority to envy have we here! High as was the distinction conferred upon herself, Elisabeth loses sight of it altogether, in presence of one more honored still; upon whom, with her unborn Babe, in an ecstasy of inspiration, she pronounces a benediction, feeling it to be a wonder unaccountable that "the mother of her Lord should come to her." "Turn this as we will, we shall never be able to see the propriety of calling an unborn child "Lord," but by supposing Elisabeth, like the prophets of old, enlightened to perceive the Messiah's Divine nature" [OLSHAUSEN].
43 "The mother of my Lord"--but not "My Lady" (compare
Luke 20:42;
John 20:28)" [BENGEL].
45 An additional benediction on the Virgin for her implicit faith, in tacit and delicate contrast with her own husband.
for--rather, as in the Margin, "that."
46 A magnificent canticle, in which the strain of Hannah's ancient song, in like circumstances, is caught up, and just slightly modified and sublimed. Is it unnatural to suppose that the spirit of the blessed Virgin had been drawn beforehand into mysterious sympathy with the ideas and the tone of this hymn, so that when the life and fire of inspiration penetrated her whole soul it spontaneously swept the chorus of this song, enriching the Hymnal of the Church with that spirit-stirring canticle which has resounded ever since from its temple walls? In both songs, those holy women, filled with wonder to behold "the proud, the mighty, the rich," passed by, and, in their persons the lowliest chosen to usher in the greatest events, sing of this as no capricious movement, but a great law of the kingdom of God, by which He delights to "put down the mighty from their seats and exalt them of low degree." In both songs the strain dies away on CHRIST; in Hannah's under the name of "Jehovah's King"--to whom, through all His line, from David onwards to Himself, He will "give strength"; His "Anointed," whose horn He will exalt (
1Sam 2:10); in the Virgin's song, it is as the "Help" promised to Israel by all the prophets.
My soul . . . my spirit--"all that is within me" (
Ps 103:1).
47 my Saviour--Mary, poor heart, never dreamt, we see, of her own "immaculate conception"--in the offensive language of the Romanists--any more than of her own immaculate life.
54 holpen--Compare
Ps 89:19, "I have laid help on One that is mighty."
55 As he spake to our fathers--The sense requires this clause to be read as a parenthesis. (Compare
Mic 7:20;
Ps 98:3).
for ever--the perpetuity of Messiah's kingdom, as expressly promised by the angel (
Luke 1:33).
56 abode with her about three months--What an honored roof was that which, for such a period, overarched these cousins! and yet not a trace of it is now to be seen, while the progeny of those two women--the one but the honored pioneer of the other--have made the world new.
returned to her own house--at Nazareth, after which took place what is recorded in
Matt 1:18-
Matt 1:25.
59 BIRTH AND CIRCUMCISION OF JOHN--SONG OF ZACHARIAS AND PROGRESS OF THE CHILD. (Luke 1:57-80)
eighth day--The law (
Gen 17:12) was observed, even though the eighth day after birth should be a sabbath (
John 7:23; and see
Phil 3:5).
called him--literally, "were calling"--that is, (as we should say) "were for calling." The naming of children at baptism has its origin in the Jewish custom at circumcision (
Gen 21:3-
Gen 21:4); and the names of Abram and Sarai were changed at its first performance (
Gen 17:5,
Gen 17:15).
62 made signs--showing he was deaf, as well as dumb.
63 marvelled all--at his giving the same name, not knowing of any communication between them on the subject.
64 mouth opened immediately--on thus palpably showing his full faith in the vision, for disbelieving which he had been struck dumb (
Luke 1:13,
Luke 1:20).
65 fear--religious awe; under the impression that God's hand was specially in these events (compare
Luke 5:26;
Luke 7:16;
Luke 8:37).
66 hand of the Lord was with him--by special tokens marking him out as one destined to some great work (
1Kgs 18:46;
2Kgs 3:15;
Acts 11:21).
68 There is not a word in this noble burst of divine song about his own child; like Elisabeth losing sight entirely of self, in the glory of a Greater than both.
Lord God of Israel--the ancient covenant God of the peculiar people.
visited and redeemed--that is, in order to redeem: returned after long absence, and broken His long silence (see
Matt 15:31). In the Old Testament, God is said to "visit" chiefly for judgment, in the New Testament for mercy. Zacharias would, as yet, have but imperfect views of such "visiting and redeeming," "saving from and delivering out of the hand of enemies" (
Luke 1:71,
Luke 1:74). But this Old Testament phraseology, used at first with a lower reference, is, when viewed in the light of a loftier and more comprehensive kingdom of God, equally adapted to express the most spiritual conceptions of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
69 horn of salvation--that is "strength of salvation," or "mighty Salvation," meaning the Saviour Himself, whom Simeon calls "Thy Salvation" (
Luke 2:30). The metaphor is taken from those animals whose strength is in their horns (
Ps 18:2;
Ps 75:10;
Ps 132:17).
house of . . . David--This shows that Mary must have been known to be of the royal line, independent of Joseph; of whom Zacharias, if he knew anything, could not know that after this he would recognize Mary.
70 since the world began--or, "from the earliest period."
72 the mercy promised . . . his holy covenant . . .
73 the oath . . . to . . . Abraham--The whole work and kingdom of Messiah is represented as a mercy pledged on oath to Abraham and his seed, to be realized at an appointed period; and at length, in "the fulness of the time," gloriously made good. Hence, not only "grace," or the thing promised; but "truth," or fidelity to the promise, are said to "come by Jesus Christ" (
John 1:17).
74 That he would grant us, &c.--How comprehensive is the view here given! (1) The purpose of all redemption--"that we should serve Him"--that is, "the Lord God of Israel" (
Luke 1:68). The word signifies religious service distinctively--"the priesthood of the New Testament" [BENGEL]. (2) The nature of this service--"in holiness and righteousness before Him" (
Luke 1:75) --or, as in His presence (compare
Ps 56:13). (3) Its freedom--"being delivered out of the hand of our enemies." (4) Its fearlessness--"might serve Him without fear." (5) Its duration--"all the days of our life."
76 Here are the dying echoes of this song; and very beautiful are these closing notes--like the setting sun, shorn indeed of its noontide radiance, but skirting the horizon with a wavy and quivering light--as of molten gold--on which the eye delights to gaze, till it disappears from the view. The song passes not here from Christ to John, but only from Christ direct to Christ as heralded by His forerunner.
thou child--not "my son"--this child's relation to himself being lost in his relation to a Greater than either.
prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before him--that is, "the Highest." As "the Most High" is an epithet in Scripture only of the supreme God, it is inconceivable that inspiration should apply this term, as here undeniably, to Christ, unless He were "God over all blessed for ever" (
Rom 9:5).
77 to give knowledge of salvation--To sound the note of a needed and provided "salvation" was the noble office of John, above all that preceded him; as it is that of all subsequent ministers of Christ; but infinitely loftier was it to be the "Salvation" itself (
Luke 1:69 and
Luke 2:30).
by the remission of . . . sins--This stamps at once the spiritual nature of the salvation here intended, and explains
Luke 1:71,
Luke 1:74.
78 Through the tender mercy of our God--the sole spring, necessarily, of all salvation for sinners.
dayspring from on high--either Christ Himself, as the "Sun of righteousness" (
Mal 4:2), arising on a dark world [BEZA, GROTIUS, CALVIN, DE WETTE, OLSHAUSEN, &c.], or the light which He sheds. The sense, of course, is one.
79 (Compare
Isa 9:2;
Matt 4:13-
Matt 4:17). "That St. Luke, of all the Evangelists, should have obtained and recorded these inspired utterances of Zacharias and Mary--is in accordance with his character and habits, as indicated in
Luke 1:1-
Luke 1:4" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
80 And the child, &c.--"a concluding paragraph, indicating, in strokes full of grandeur, the bodily and mental development of the Baptist; and bringing his life up to the period of his public appearance" [OLSHAUSEN].
in the deserts--probably "the wilderness of Judea" (
Matt 3:1), whither he had retired early in life, in the Nazarite spirit, and where, free from rabbinical influences and alone with God, his spirit would be educated, like Moses in the desert, for his future high vocation.
his showing unto Israel--the presentation of himself before his nation, as Messiah's forerunner.