_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 ]