Luke 2:9

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. AND, LO, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON THEM, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD - `the brightness or glory which is represented as encompassing all heavenly visions,' to use the words of Olshausen, AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID. See the note at ....

9._And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them _He says, that _the glory of the Lord _(145) _shone around _the shepherds, by which they perceived him to be an angel. (146) For it would have been of little avail to be told by an angel what is related by Luke, if God had not testified, by some outward sign, that what they heard proceeded from Him. The angel appeared, not in an ordinary form, or without majesty, but surrounded with the brightness of heavenly glory, to affect powerfully the minds of the shepherds, that they might receive the discourse which was addressed to them, as coming from the mouth of God himself. Hence the _fear, _of which Luke shortly afterwards speaks, by which God usually humbles the hearts of men, (as I have formerly explained,) and disposes them to receive his word with reverence....

8-20 Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to his praise. Other works of God are for his glory, but the redemption of the world is for his glory in the highest. God's goodwill in sending the Messiah, brought peace into this lower world. Peace is here put for all that good which flows to us from Christ's taking our nature upon him. This is a faithful saying, attested by an innumerable company of angels, and well worthy of all acceptation, That the good-will of God toward men, is glory to G...

Verse Luke 2:9. _THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON THEM_] Or, _stood over_ _them_, επεστη. It is likely that the angel appeared in the _air_ at some little distance above them, and that from him the rays of the _glory of the Lord shone round about them_, as the rays of light are protected from the sun. _THEY WERE SORE AFRAID._] Terrified with the appearance of so glorious a being, and probably fearing that he was a messenger of _justice_, coming to denounce Divine judgments, or punish them immediately, for sins with which their consciences would not fail, on such an occasion, to reproach them....

THE GLORY OF THE LORD - This is the same as a “great” glory - that is, a splendid appearance or “light.” The word “glory” is often the same as light, 1 Corinthians 15:41; Luke 9:31; Acts 22:11. The words “Lord” and “God” are often used to denote “greatness” or “intensity.” Thus, “trees of God” mean great trees; “hills of God,” high or lofty hills, etc. So “the glory of the Lord” here means an exceedingly great or bright luminous appearance perhaps not unlike what Paul saw on the way to Damascus....

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

AND LO, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD,.... It may be Gabriel, who had brought the tidings of the conception of the Messiah to the virgin, and now the birth of him to the shepherds: CAME UPON THEM; on a sudden, unexpectedly, at once, and stood by them, as some versions read; or rather, stood over them, over their heads, just above them; so that he was easily and perfectly seen by them; AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM; or a very glorious and extraordinary light shone with surprising lustre and brightness all around them; by which light, they could discern the illustrious form of the angel that was over them: AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID; at the sight of such a personage, and at such unusual light and glory about them: they were not used to such appearances, and were awed with the majesty of God, of which these were symbols, and were conscious to themselves of their own sinfulness...

We WILL now read the story of our Saviour's birth as it is recorded in the Gospel according to Luke. 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._ Little did any idea enter into Caesar's head that he was accomplishing the purpose of God by bringing Mary to Bethlehem, at that particular time, so that her child might be born there. But God can accomplish the purpose of his providence, and of his grace, in any way that he plea

ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

LUKE 2:9 kai, (1) {B} On the one hand, the reading kai. ivdou, is in harmony with the solemn style of Luke in chaps. Luke 1:1 and Luke 2:1 (where ivdou, occurs ten times). On the other hand, however, it is difficult to imagine why, if ivdou, were present originally, copyists would have omitted it. The Committee preferred the shorter reading, attested as it is by a variety of good authorities....