VISITATION.— 1. The ecclesiastical term applied to the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elisabeth three months before the birth of the Baptist (Luke 1:39-56), commemorated in Western Church Calendars on 2nd July.
2. ἐ?πισκοπή (Luke 19:44). Occurs only once in the Gospels, but is found also in Acts 1:20, where it = ‘charge,’ ‘office,’ ‘bishopric’ (Authorized Version); cf. 1 Timothy 3:1, where it = ‘oversight,’ ‘office of a bishop’ (Authorized Version). It occurs in a sense more nearly approaching that of Luke 19:44 in 1 Peter 2:12, where, however, ‘the day of visitation’ (ἡ?μέρα ἐ?πισκοπῆ?ς) seems to imply trial and affliction, whereas in Luke 19:44 ‘the time of visitation’ (ὁ? καιρὸ?ς τῆ?ς ἐ?πισκοπῆ?ς) is suggestive rather of the special care and mercy of God, and the opportunity thereby afforded.
In classical Greek ἐ?τισκοτή is found only in Lucian, ἐ?τίσκεψις being the usual form. In LXX Septuagint פְ?קד, פְ?ק֖?דּ?ה are rendered by ἐ?πισκέπτομαι, ἐ?πισκοπή (Genesis 50:24-25, Exodus 3:16, Exodus 13:19, Isaiah 10:3 [ἡ? ἡ?μερα τῆ?ς ἐ?τισκοτῆ?ς, as in 1 Peter 2:12 ], Jeremiah 10:15 [καιρος ἐ?τισκοπῆ?ς, as in Luke 19:44 ], Psalms 8:4). In the Apocrypha the word is used in the sense of inspection or examination, though in Wis_14:11 there is an implication of Divine wrath, derived, however, mainly from the context. In NT ἐ?τισκέπτομαι is used to signify visitation in sympathy or compassion (Matthew 25:36, Matthew 25:43, James 1:27); God’s gracious regard (Luke 1:68, Luke 1:78, Luke 7:16, Acts 15:14, Hebrews 2:6); in the sense of ‘going and seeing’ (Acts 7:23); and to imply enquiry for the purpose of selection (Acts 6:3).
To the general use of ἐ?πισκέπτομαι, ἐ?πισκοπή, we may find a parallel in the use of the English word ‘regard,’ which, in addition to the sense of ‘observation,’ may imply also a kindly or gracious purpose. ἐ?πισκοπή may be said generally to signify critical inspection (by God), in which due regard is had to the good and bad features in the characters of the persons inspected. ἐ?πισκέπτομαι implies also a Divine purpose of blessing. [The technical use of ἐ?πισκοπή, indicated above, to denote the office of a bishop, is of course secondary]. Thus in Luke 19:44 we may understand the ‘time of visitation’ as being either the time during which Jerusalem was being critically regarded by God, and neglected, through ignorance of this inspection, to display those features of national character which would have redeemed it in God’s eyes; or the time of spiritual opportunity, afforded by the presence of ‘God manifest in the flesh,’ in which it might have known and sought ‘the things which belonged unto its peace.’ in the latter sense, the ‘time of visitation’ would be equivalent to ‘this thy day’ in Luke 19:42.
S. J. Ramsay Sibbald.