It is said -that there is no trace of such a decree in secular history." The answer is that (α) the _argumentum e silentio_is here specially invalid because there happens to be a singular deficiency of minute records respecting this epoch in the -profane" historians. The history of Nicolaus of Damas... [ Continue Reading ]
_this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria_ Rather, THIS FIRST ENROLMENT TOOK PLACE (literally -took place as the _first_") WHEN QUIRINUS WAS GOVERNOR OF SYRIA. We are here met by an apparent error on which whole volumes have been written. Quirinus (or Quirinius, for the form of... [ Continue Reading ]
_every one into his own city_ This method of enrolment was a concession to Jewish prejudices. The Roman method was to enrol each person at his own place of residence. Incidentally this unexplained notice proves that St Luke is dealing with an historical enrolment.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the city of David_ 1 Samuel 17:12, "David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-Judah whose name was Jesse." _Bethlehem_ Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Micah 5:2, "Thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah … out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel." Cf. Luke 4:8, "And thou,... [ Continue Reading ]
_to be taxed_ Rather, TO ENROL HIMSELF. _with Mary_ It is uncertain whether her presence was obligatory (Dion. Hal. iv. 5; Lact. _De Mort. Persec_. 23) or voluntary; but it is obvious that at so trying a time, and after what she had suffered (Matthew 1:19), she would cling to the presence and prote... [ Continue Reading ]
_the days were accomplished_ There is a reasonable certainty that our Lord was born b. c. 4 of our era, and it is _probable_that He was born (according to the unanimous tradition of the Christian Church) in winter. There is nothing to guide us as to the actual _day_of His birth. It was unknown to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_firstborn_ The word has no bearing on the controversy as to the -brethren of Jesus," as it does not necessarily imply that the Virgin had other children. See Hebrews 1:6, where first-born=only-begotten. _wrapped him in swaddling clothes_ Ezekiel 16:4. In her poverty she had none to help her, but ... [ Continue Reading ]
The Angels to the Shepherds 8. _in the same country_ Tradition says that they were natives of the little village Beth-zur (Joshua 15:58; Nehemiah 3:16). They were feeding their flocks in the same fields from which David had been summoned to feed Jacob, God's people, and Israel His inheritance. _sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lo_ The phrase often introduces some strange or memorable event. _the angel_ Rather, AN ANGEL. _came upon them Epestê_a common word in St Luke, who uses it eighteen times, Luke 24:4; Acts 12:7, &c. It may mean _stood by them_. _the glory of the Lord_ The Shechinah, or cloud of brightness whic... [ Continue Reading ]
_good tidings_ the rendering of the verb _euangelizomai_(see on Luke 1:19). _of great joy_ See Isaiah 52:7; Isaiah 61:1; Romans 5:11; 1 Peter 1:8. The contrast of the condition of despair and sorrow into which the heathen world had sunk and the joy of Christians even in the deepest adversity as whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_a Saviour_ It is a curious fact that -Saviour" and -Salvation," so common in St Luke and St Paul (in whose writings they occur forty-four times), are comparatively rare in the rest of the New Testament. -Saviour" only occurs in John 4:42; 1 John 4:14; and six times in 2 Pet. and Jude; -salvation" o... [ Continue Reading ]
_a sign_ Rather, THE SIGN. _the babe_ Rather, A BABE.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a multitude of the heavenly host_ The Sabaoth; Romans 9:29; James 5:4. "Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him," Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11-12. The word is also used of the stars as objects of heathen worship, Acts 7:42.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the highest_ i. e., in highest heaven, Job 16:19; Psalms 148:1; comp. "the heavenlies" in Ephesians 1:3, &c.; Sir 43:9. _on earth peace_ "No war or battle's sound Was heard the world around; The idle spear and shield were high uphung: The hookèd chariot stood Unstained with hostile blood,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us now go_ Rather, COME NOW! LET US GO.... [ Continue Reading ]
_found_ The word is not merely εὗρον but ἀνεῦρον, _discovered_after search. The lamp hung from the centre of a rope would guide them to the khan, but among a crowd it would not be easy to find the new-born babe of the humble travellers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_made known abroad_ Thus they were the first Christian preachers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_all these things_ or -words." _pondered_ Literally, "_casting together_," i. e. comparing and considering; like our -casting in mind." Comp. Genesis 37:11, "his father _observed_the saying." She did not at once understand the full significance of all these events.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Circumcision 21. _for the circumcising of the child_ Genesis 17:12. Doubtless the rite was performed by Joseph. "Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision" (i. e. went to the Jew first) "for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers," Romans 15:8. Thus it became him -t... [ Continue Reading ]
The Presentation in the Temple 22. _her purification_ Rather, THEIR PURIFICATION. The reading αὐτῆς, -her", of the Received Text is almost unsupported. All the Uncials read αὐτῶν, -their," except D, which probably by an oversight reads αὐτοῦ, -His." Strictly speaking, the _child_was never purified,... [ Continue Reading ]
_as it is written in the law of the Lord_ The tribe of Levi were sanctified to the Lord in lieu of the firstborn, and originally all the firstborn in excess of the number of the Levites had to be redeemed with five shekels of the sanctuary (about 15 shillings), a rule afterwards extended to _all_the... [ Continue Reading ]
_A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons_ The offering appointed was a yearling lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin-offering, which were to be brought to the door of the tabernacle and with which "the priest made an atonement for her and she shall be clean." But... [ Continue Reading ]
Simeon and the Nunc Dimittis 25. _a man … whose name was Simeon_ This cannot be Rabban Shimeon the son of Hillel (whom the Talmud is on this account supposed to pass over almost unnoticed), because he would hardly have been spoken of so slightly as "_anthropos_," -a person." The Apocryphal Gospels... [ Continue Reading ]
_it was revealed unto him_ Christian legend says that he had stumbled at Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive," and had received a divine intimation that he should not die till he had seen it fulfilled (Nicephorus, a. d. 1450). The notion of his extreme age is not derived from Scripture but... [ Continue Reading ]
_by the Spirit_ Rather, IN THE SPIRIT. _brought in the child_ The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy (vi.) says that he saw Him shining like a pillar of light in His mother's arms, which is probably derived from Luke 2:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in his arms_ Hence he is sometimes called _Theodokos_, -the receiver of God," as Ignatius is sometimes called _Theophoros_, -borne of God," from the fancy that he was one of the children whom Christ took in His arms (see on Luke 9:47).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace_ Rather, NOW ART THOU SETTING FREE THY SLAVE, O MASTER, ACCORDING TO THY WORD, IN PEACE. This rapturous Psalm the _Nunc Dimittis_has formed a part of Christian evening worship certainly since the fifth century. _Despotes_is not often used of God (A... [ Continue Reading ]
_thy salvation_ Not τὴν σωτηρίαν but τὸ σωτήριον which seems to have a wider meaning.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to lighten the Gentiles_ Rather, FOR REVELATION TO. A memorable prophecy, considering that even the Apostles found it hard to grasp the full admission of the Gentiles, clearly as it had been indicated in older prophecy, as in Psalms 98:2-3. "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joseph_ The undoubted reading is "_His father_," א, B, D, L, &c. _of him_ Rather, ABOUT HIM.... [ Continue Reading ]
_is set_ Literally, "_lies_." The metaphor is taken from a stone which may either become -a stone of stumbling" and -a rock of offence" (Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:32-33; 1 Corinthians 1:23), or -a precious cornerstone" (1 Peter 2:7-8; Acts 4:11; 1 Corinthians 3:11). _for the fall and rising again of man... [ Continue Reading ]
_a sword_ The word _rhomphaia_, probably a broad Thracian sword, only occurs elsewhere in the New Testament in Revelation 1:16, &c., but it is used in the LXX., as in Zechariah 13:7, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd." Almost from the very birth of Christ the sword began to pierce the soul of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Anna the Prophetess. The Return to Nazareth 36. _Anna_ The same name as Hannah (1 Samuel 1:20), from the root _Chânan_, -he was gracious." _a prophetess_ like Miriam, Deborah, Huldah (2 Chronicles 34:22). _Phanuel_ -The Face of God;" the same word as Peniel, Genesis 32:30. _Aser_ Though the Ten... [ Continue Reading ]
_departed not_ She was present (that is) at all the stated hours of prayer; unless we suppose that her position as a Prophetess had secured her the right of living in one of the Temple chambers, and perhaps of doing some work for it like trimming the lamps (as is the Rabbinic notion about Deborah, d... [ Continue Reading ]
_that looked for redemption_ See Luke 24:21; Mark 15:43; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28. See Excursus VII. _in Jerusalem_ The readings vary. Perhaps it should be _for the redemption of Jerusalem_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Between this verse and the last come the events narrated by St Matthew only namely the Visit of the Magi; the Flight into Egypt; and the massacre of the Innocents. It is difficult to believe that either of the Evangelists had seen the narrative of the other, because the primâ facie inference from ei... [ Continue Reading ]
_filled_ Rather, BEING FILLED. The growth of our Lord is here described as a natural human growth. The nature of the -Hypostatic Union" of His Divine and Human nature what is called the _Perichoresis_or _Communicatio idiomatum_is one of the subtlest and least practical of mysteries. The attempt to d... [ Continue Reading ]
The Passover Visit to the Temple 41. _his parents_ The great Rabbi Hillel had _recommended_women to attend the Passover. It was not enjoined by the Law, but the Jews admired it as a pious practice. (_Mechilta_, f. 17. 2 in Schöttgen.) _at the feast of the passover_ Exodus 23:15-17; Deuteronomy 16:... [ Continue Reading ]
_when he was twelve years old_ No single word breaks the silence of the Gospels respecting the childhood of Jesus from the return to Nazareth till this time. We infer indeed from scattered hints in Scripture that He "_began to do_" His work before He "_began to teach_," and being "tempted in all poi... [ Continue Reading ]
_fulfilled the days_ Exodus 12:15. _the child Jesus_ Rather, "_the boy Jesus_" (ὁ παῖς). St Luke seems purposely to have narrated something about the Saviour at every stage of His earthly existence as babe (Luke 2:16), little child (Luke 2:40), boy, and man. _tarried behind_ Among the countless thr... [ Continue Reading ]
_went a day's journey_ Probably to _Beeroth_, six miles north of Jerusalem. In the numerous and rejoicing caravans of kinsmen and fellow-countrymen relations are often separated without feeling any anxiety. _sought him_ The word implies _anxious_and _careful_search.... [ Continue Reading ]
_after three days_ This, in the Jewish idiom, probably means -on the third day." One day was occupied by the journey to Beeroth; on the second, they sought him in the caravans and at Jerusalem; the next day they found him in the Temple. The unsettled state of the country would add to their alarm. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_were astonished_ Similar incidents are narrated of Rabbi Eliezer Ben Azariah; of Rabbi Ashi, the compiler of the Babylonian Talmud; and (by himself) of Josephus (_Vit_. 2). See Excursus VII.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they were amazed_ The "_people of the land_," such as were the simple peasants of Galilee, held their great teachers in the deepest awe, and hitherto the silent, sweet, obedient childhood of Jesus had not prepared them for such a scene. _Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us_?] Rather, MY CHILD, W... [ Continue Reading ]
_about my Father's business_ Rather, IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE. See Excursus I. These words are very memorable as being _the first recorded words of Jesus_. They bear with them the stamp of authenticity in their half-vexed astonishment, and perfect mixture of dignity and humility. It is remarkable too, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_they understood not_ Words which might stand as the epitome of much of His ministry, Luke 9:45; Luke 18:34; Mark 9:32; John 10:6; John 1:10-11. The meaning however is not that they had any doubt as to what the grammatical construction of His words implied; but only as to their bearing and appropria... [ Continue Reading ]
_with them_ We may infer from the subsequent omission of Joseph's name, and from the traditional belief of his age, that he died shortly after this event, as the Apocryphal Gospels assert. _to Nazareth_ In many respects there was a divine fitness in this spot for the human growth of Jesus "as a tend... [ Continue Reading ]
_increased_ Rather, ADVANCED. The word is derived from pioneers _cutting down_trees in the path of an advancing army. Comp. 1 Samuel 2:26, and the description of an ideal youth in Proverbs 3:3-4. _stature_ Rather, AGE (as in Luke 12:25), though the word sometimes means stature (Luke 19:3). _favour... [ Continue Reading ]