Luke 1:68

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, BLESSED. There is not a word in this noble burst of divine song about his own relationship to this child, nor about the child at all, until it has expended itself upon Christ. Like rapt Elizabeth, Zacharias loses sight entirely of self in the glory of a Greater than both. BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL - the ancient covenant-God of the special people; FOR HE HATH VISITED AND REDEEMED HIS PEOPLE - that is, visited in order to redeem "his people" - returning to His own after long absence, and now for the first time breaking the silence of centuries. In the Old Testament God is said to "visit" chiefly for judgment, in the New Testament for mercy. Zacharias-looking from the Israelite point of view-would as yet have but imperfect apprehensions of the design of this "visit" and the nature of this "redemp...

68._Blessed be the Lord God _Zacharias commences with thanksgiving, and in the raptures of the prophetic spirit describes the fulfillment of the redemption formerly promised in Christ, on which the safety and prosperity of the church depended. The reason why _the Lord, _to whose government the whole world is subject, is here called _the God of Israel, _will more fully appear from what follows, that to the seed of Abraham, in a peculiar manner, the Redeemer had been promised. Since, therefore, God had deposited with one nation only his covenant, of which Zacharias was about to speak, he properly mentions the name of that nation, for which the grace of salvation was especially, or at all events in the first instance, designed. The word ἐπεσκέψατο _, he hath visited, _contains an implied contrast: for the face of God had been turned away for a time from the unhappy children of Abraham. To s...

67-80 Zacharias uttered a prophecy concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah. The gospel brings light with it; in it the day dawns. In John the Baptist it began to break, and increased apace to the perfect day. The gospel is discovering; it shows that about which we were utterly in the dark; it is to give light to those that sit in darkness, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It is reviving; it brings light to those that sit in the shadow of death, as condemned prisoners in the dungeon. It is directing; it is to guide our feet in the way of peace, into that way which will bring us to peace at last, Romans 3:17. John gave proofs of strong faith, vigorous and holy affections, and of being above the fear and love of the world. Thus he ripened for usefulness; but he lived a retired life, till he came forward openly as the forerunner of the...

Verse 68. _BLESSED_ be _the Lord God of Israel; for_, c.] Zacharias praises God for two grand benefits which he had granted to his people. 1. He has _visited_ them. 2. He has _ransomed_ them. 1. He speaks by the spirit of prophecy, which calls things that _are not_, as though they _were_ because they are absolutely determined by the Most High, and shall be all fulfilled in their season. God _visits_ his people in the _incarnation_ of Jesus Christ; therefore this Christ is called by him, κυριοςοθεος, _Jehovah the God_ of Israel. Here the highest and most glorious character of the Supreme Being is given to Christ. 2. This God _redeems his people_: it is for this end that he _visits_ them. His soul is about to be made a sacrifice for sin: he becomes _flesh_, that he may suffer and die for the sin of the world. God, by taking upon him the nature of man, has _redeemed_ that nature from eter...

BLESSED - See the notes at Matthew 5:3. HATH VISITED - The word here rendered “visited” means properly “to look upon;” then to look upon in order “to know the state of anyone;” then to visit for the purpose of “aiding those who need aid,” or alleviating misery. Compare Matthew 25:43. In this sense it is used here. God “looked upon” the world - he saw it miserable - he came to relieve it, and brought salvation. AND REDEEMED - That is, was “about to redeem,” or had given the pledge that he “would redeem.” This was spoken under the belief that the Messiah, “the Redeemer,” was about to appear, and would certainly accomplish his work. The literal translation of this passage is, “He hath made a “ran

EXPOSITION THE origin of the Gospels—the four histories which relate in detail the circumstances of the foundation of Christianity—will ever be an interesting study. Here we shall never know the exact truth of the compilation of these writings, the foundation-stones of all our hopes and fears; a reverent, scholarly speculation is all that can be offered to the student of the Divine memoirs. The speculation, however, probably in this case comes very near the truth. After the Ascension and the events of the first Pentecost, which quickly followed their Master's return to heaven, the twelve and a few others who had walked in the company which followed Jesus during the years of his public ministry no doubt often met together and talked over the teaching and the acts of their risen and now glorified Master. As time passed on, a certain number of these acts, a certain number of the public and...

BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,.... This was a form of blessing of long standing, Psalms 72:18 and very likely was in use, more or less, ever since Israel was distinguished from other nations, became a body politic, and were settled in the land of Canaan, in the enjoyment of peculiar privileges, both civil and religious; see other forms before it in Genesis 9:26 and now, this was very near being antiquated, and out of date; for upon the birth of Christ, the Son of God manifest in the flesh, the New Testament form of blessing runs, as in 2 Corinthians 1:3 The reason of its being now made use of might be, because the Messiah, the principal subject of this song, was peculiarly promised unto Israel, was raised up for

REDEEMED (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 3:24). _...

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE Analysis and Annotations I. The Birth and Childhood -- Chapter 1-2:52 CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Introduction. (Luke 1:1)_ 2. Zacharias and Elizabeth; the Vision. (Luke 1:5) 3. John the Baptist, his birth and ministry announced. (Luke 1:13) 4. Zacharias' Unbelief and Punishment. (Luke 1:18) 5. The Angel's Announcement to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:27) 6. Mary's Question and the Answer. (Luke 1:34) 7. Mary Visits Elizabeth ...

THE BIRTH OF JOHN. THE BENEDICTAS. In due course Elisabeth bore her son and received the congratulations of her friends. When the babe has been circumcised and named, his mother rejects the proposal to call him Zacharias and insists on John. The deaf and dumb father confirms his wife's wish, and his power of speech is restored. The whole incident made a great impression in the district, and people recognised that some great future was before the lad, for as he grew up (the last clause of Luke 1:66 is anti cipatory) he was seen to be Divinely guided and protected. Meanwhile Zacharias is inspired and utters a song-prophecy. Luke 1:68, in thoroughly Jewish tone, predicts the deliverance of Israel from the oppressor by a scion of the house of David, and the restoration of the theocracy. In...