Luke 2:32

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES (THEN IN THICK DARKNESS), AND THE GLORY OF THY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL - already Thine, and now, in the believing portion of it, to be more gloriously so than ever. It will be observed that this 'swan-like song, bidding an eternal farewell to this terrestrial life,' to use the words of Olshausen, takes a more comprehensive view of the kingdom of Christ than that of Zacharias (cf. ), though the kingdom they sing of is one....

32._A light for the revelation of the Gentiles _Simeon now points out the purpose for which Christ was to be exhibited by the Father before all nations. It was that he might _enlighten the Gentiles, _who had been formerly in darkness, and might be _the glory of his people Israel _There is propriety in the distinction here made between the _people Israel _and the _Gentiles: _for by the right of adoption the children of Abraham “were nigh” (Ephesians 2:17) to God, while the _Gentiles, _with whom God had made no “covenants of promise,” were “strangers” to the Church, (Ephesians 2:12.) For this reason, _Israel _is called, in other passages, not only the son of God, but his_first-born, _(Jeremiah 31:9;) and Paul informs us, that “Jesu

25-35 The same Spirit that provided for the support of Simeon's hope, provided for his joy. Those who would see Christ must go to his temple. Here is a confession of his faith, that this Child in his arms was the Saviour, the salvation itself, the salvation of God's appointing. He bids farewell to this world. How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and salvation in his view! See here, how comfortable is the death of a good man; he departs in peace with God, peace with his own conscience, in peace with death. Those that have welcomed Christ, may welcome death. Joseph and Mary marvelled at the things which were spoken of this Child. Simeon shows them likewise, what reason they had to rejoice with trembling. And Jesus, his doctrine, and people, are still spoken against; his truth and holiness are still denied and blasphemed; his preached word is still the touchsto...

Verse 32. _A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES_] φως εις αποκαλοψιν εθνων - _A light of the Gentiles, for revelation_. By Moses and the prophets, a _light of revelation_ was given to the Jews, in the blessedness of which the _Gentiles_ did not partake. By Christ and his apostles, a luminous _revelation_ is about to be given unto the Gentiles, from the blessedness of which the _Jews_ in general, by their obstinacy and unbelief, shall be long excluded. But to all true Israelites it shall be a _glory_, an evident fulfilment of all the predictions of the prophets, relative to the salvation of a lost world; and the first offers of it shall be made to the Jewish people, who may see in it the truth of their own Scriptures indisputably evinced....

A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES - This is in accordance with the prophecies in the Old Testament, Isaiah 49; Isaiah 9:6; Psalms 98:3; Malachi 4:2. The Gentiles are represented as sitting in darkness that is, in ignorance and sin. Christ is a “light” to them, as by him they will be made acquainted with the character of the true God, his law, and the plan of redemption. As the darkness rolls away when the sun arises, so ignorance and error flee away when Jesus gives light to the mind. Nations shall come to his light, and kings to the brightness of his rising,...

EXPOSITION LUKE 2:1 _The Redeemer's birth_. LUKE 2:1 THERE WENT OUT A DECREE FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS, THAT ALL THE WORLD SHOULD BE TAXED; more accurately, _that there should be a registration_, etc.; that is, with a view to the assessment of a tax. On the historical note of St. Luke in this passage much discussion has arisen, not, however, of much real practical interest to the ordinary devout reader. We will glance very briefly at the main criticism of this and the following verse. Respecting this general registration it is alleged (1) no historian of the time mentions such a decree of Augustus. (2) Supposing Augustus had issued such an edict, Herod, in his kingdom of Judaea, would

A LIGHT TO LIGHTEN THE GENTILES,.... Or for the revelation of the Gentiles; to reveal the love, grace, and mercy of God, an everlasting righteousness, and the way of life and salvation to them. Reference seems to be had to Isaiah 42:6. "Light", is one of the names of the Messiah in the Old Testament, as in Psalms 43:3 Daniel 2:22, which passages are by the Jews k themselves interpreted of Christ; and is a name often used of him in the New Testament: it is true of him as God, he is light itself, and in him is no darkness at all; and as the Creator of mankind, he is that light which lightens every man with the light of nature and reason; and as the Messiah, he is come a light into the world: the light of the Gospel, in the clear shin

Luke 2:1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord cam...

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The Birth of Christ at Bethlehem (Luke 2:1)_ 2. The Glad Tidings Announced to the Shepherds. (Luke 2:8) 3. The Circumcision and Presentation (Luke 2:21) 4. Simeon and His Prophecy (Luke 2:25) 5. Anna the Prophetess (Luke 2:36) 6. In Nazareth (Luke 2:39) 7. In the Temple (Luke 2:41) 8. The Increase ...

SIMEON. As the family enters the Temple they are met by Simeon, an aged man whose devout life and expectation of Messiah had been rewarded by a Divine intimation that he should live to see the Christ. He has been guided by the Spirit, and taking the child in his arms thanks God for the fulfilment of his heart's desire. He blesses the astonished parents, and tells the mother that the babe is destined to be a stumbling-block (Isaiah 8:14; Matthew 21:44) to many in Israel, a token (Isaiah 11:12) that shall be disputed, and a touchstone of hearts. The astonishment of Joseph and Mary, and the mention of them as parents, point to a different source from that of the narrative of the annunciation. With the Nunc Dimittis _cf._