Luke 1:1

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE.

-Usherian year of the World, 3999.

-Alexandrian year of the World, 5497.

-Antiochian year of the World, 5487.

-Constantinopolitan AEra of the World, 5503.

-Rabbinical year of the World, 3754.

-Year of the Julian Period, 4708.

-AEra of the Seleucidae, 307.

-Year before the Christian AEra, 6.

-Year of the CXCIII. Olympiad, 3.

-Year of the building of Rome, 748.

-Year of the Julian AEra, 41.

-Year of the Caesarean AEra of Antioch, 44.

-Year of the Spanish AEra, 34.

-Year of the Paschal Cycle or Dionysian Period, 529.

-Year of the Christian Lunar Cycle, or Golden Number, 15.

-Year of the Rabbinical Lunar Cycle, 12.

-Year of the Solar Cycle, 4.

-Dominical Letter, C.

-Epact, 4.

-Year of the Emperor Augustus, 25.

-Consuls, D. Laelius Balbus, and C. Antistius Vetus, from January 1 to July 1; and Imp. C. Julius Caesar Octav. Augustus XII. and L. Cornelius Sulla, for the remainder of the year. The reason why two sets of Consuls appear in this Chronology is this: the Consuls were changed every year in July, therefore, taking in the whole year, four Consuls necessarily appear: two for the first six months, and two for the latter half of the year.

CHAPTER I.

The preface, or St. Luke's private epistle to Theophilus, 1-4.

The conception and birth of John Baptist foretold by the angel

Gabriel, 5-17.

Zacharias doubts, 18.

And the angel declares he shall be dumb, till the accomplishment

of the prediction, 19-25.

Six months after the angel Gabriel appears to the virgin Mary,

and predicts the miraculous conception and birth of Christ,

26-38.

Mary visits her cousin Elisabeth, 39-45.

Mary's song of exultation and praise, 46-56.

John the Baptist is born, 57-66.

The prophetic song of his father Zacharias, 67-79.

John is educated in the desert, 80.

NOTES ON CHAP. I.

Verse Luke 1:1. Many have taken in hand] Great and remarkable characters have always many biographers. So it appears it was with our Lord: but as most of these accounts were inaccurate, recording as facts things which had not happened; and through ignorance or design mistaking others, especially in the place where St. Luke wrote; it seemed good to the Holy Spirit to inspire this holy man with the most correct knowledge of the whole history of our Lord's birth, preaching, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension, that the sincere, upright followers of God might have a sure foundation, on which they might safely build their faith. Luke 9:10.

Most surely believed among us] Facts confirmed by the fullest evidence - των πεπληροφορημενων πραγματων. Every thing that had been done or said by Jesus Christ was so public, so plain, and so accredited by thousands of witnesses, who could have had no interest in supporting an imposture, as to carry the fullest conviction, to the hearts of those who heard and saw him, of the divinity of his doctrine, and the truth of his miracles.