Verse 1-2
Luke 1:1-2. Forasmuch as many
have taken in hand — Who they
were to whom the apostle here
alludes, who had, from vague
reports, (for so his words seem
to imply,) rashly published
narratives not entirely to be
depended on, it is impossible
for us now to discover. It is
true, the word επεχειρησαν, have
undertaken, used here by Luke,
does not necessarily imply any
censure on the writers of such
accounts, but the scope of the
place seems to imply it, if not
on all, at least on some of
them: for if all, or even most
of them, had furnished true
narratives, the number was an
argument rather against a new
attempt than for it. Grotius
justly observes, that the
spurious gospels, mentioned by
ancient writers, are forgeries
manifestly of a later date than
the time of Luke. That there
were, however, some such
performances at the time when
Luke began to write, the words
of this evangelist are a
sufficient evidence: for, to
consider this book merely on the
footing of a human composition,
what writer of common sense
would introduce himself to the
public by observing the numerous
attempts that had been made by
former writers, some of whom at
least had not been at due pains
to be properly informed, if he
himself were actually the first,
or even the second, or the
third, who had written on the
subject; and if one of the two
who preceded him had better
opportunities of knowing than
he, and the other fully as good?
But the total disappearance of
those spurious writings,
probably no better than hasty
collections of flying rumours,
containing a mixture of truth
and falsehood, may, after the
genuine gospels were generally
known and read, be easily
accounted for. At midnight, the
glimmering of the taper is not
without its use, but it can make
no conceivable addition to the
light of the meridian sun. It
deserves, however, to be
remarked by the way, that
whatever may be thought to be
insinuated here by the
evangelist, concerning the
imperfect information of former
historians, there is no hint
given of their bad designs. It
is justly observed here by Dr.
Campbell, that the very
circumstance of the number of
such narratives, at so early a
period, is itself an evidence
that there was something in the
first publication of the
Christian doctrine, which,
notwithstanding the many
unfavourable circumstances
wherewith it was attended,
excited the curiosity and
awakened the attention of
persons of all ranks and
denominations; insomuch that
every narrative, which pretended
to furnish men with any
additional information
concerning so extraordinary a
personage as Jesus, seems to
have been read with avidity. To
set forth in order a declaration
— Greek, αναταξασθαι διηγησιν,
to compose a narrative; of those
things which are most surely
believed among us — As the great
foundation of our common faith.
The expression, πραγματων,
refers not only to the things
believed, but also to the things
performed by Christ and his
apostles; this first history of
Luke being designed to record
what Jesus himself said or did,
Acts 1:1; and his second, to
relate the acts of the apostles:
and the participle,
πεπληροφορημενων, translated,
most surely believed, is rather
to be understood as referring to
the fulness of that evidence
with which the things were
attended, than to the confidence
with which they were credited.
It not only signifies that the
doctrines were taught and the
things done, but that they were
taught and done with such
circumstances, as laid a
foundation for πληροφορια της
πιστεως, a full assurance of
faith, as to the truth of the
doctrines, and the reality of
the facts. Even as they
delivered them, which from the
beginning — Of Christ’s
ministry; were eye-witnesses and
ministers of the word — Because
the persons, according to whose
information the writers referred
to by Luke composed their
histories, are said to have been
eye-witnesses as well as
ministers of the word, ( του
λογου,) several writers have
supposed that, by the word, Luke
meant Christ himself, one of
whose titles is, the Word, John
1:1, and, the Word of God,
Revelation 19:13. Others,
however, by the word, understand
the transactions of our Lord’s
public life; his sermons,
miracles, death, resurrection,
and ascension, because these
things were the great subjects
of the preaching of the
apostles, who were eye and ear
witnesses of them. And to
Christians these were matters of
such moment, that the knowledge,
consideration, and remembrance
of them, were the great business
and comfort of their lives. It
is no wonder, therefore, that
those who were able should set
down in writing such particulars
of them as they had learned,
whether from the conversations
or sermons of the apostles and
eye-witnesses. But histories
thus drawn up, though they might
contain many things highly
worthy of the notice of
Christians, must needs have been
defective both in their matter
and manner. Wherefore, Luke,
having attained a thorough
knowledge of our Lord’s history
from the very beginning, thought
fit to give a more full,
regular, and connected account
of it than had hitherto
appeared, as he signifies in the
next verse.
Verse 3-4
Luke 1:3-4. It seemed good to me
also — That is, I have judged it
to be my duty; Luke, doubtless,
was moved by the Holy Ghost to
write his history, as he was
also to write in the manner he
has done; but in both he was
moved as a reasonable creature,
and not as a machine: having had
perfect understanding of all
things — Greek, παρηκολουθηκοτι
ανωθεν πασιν ακριβως, having
accurately traced all things
from their first rise: “Luke
might have this thorough
knowledge by intimate
conversation with the apostles,
and particularly with Paul,
whose companion he was for a
long time; or perhaps he was
present himself at a number of
transactions which he has
recorded. The assurance with
which he speaks of his own
knowledge of these things, leads
us to think that he was an
eye-witness of some of them. On
this supposition, his reasoning
in this preface will be more
conclusive than on any other,
and will stand thus: Seeing many
have written from the
information of the eye-witnesses
and ministers, I, who from the
very first have had perfect
knowledge of all things, both by
conversing with the
eye-witnesses, and by being
present myself at many of the
transactions of Jesus, have
thought it incumbent on me to
write his history, for the more
certain information of mankind.”
To write unto thee in order —
Greek, καθεξης σοι γραψαι, to
write an orderly account to
thee. So Dr. Doddridge; who
observes, “It is chiefly on the
authority of this clause that Le
Clerc, and many other modern
harmonizers (of the gospels)
have thought, as Beza also did,
that all the other gospels are
to be reduced to the order of
Luke wherever they differ from
it: a conclusion which I
apprehend to be an occasion of
many errors, and particularly
injurious to the character of
Matthew. The foundation of it is
very precarious; since it is
evident this evangelist might,
with great propriety, be said to
have given an orderly account of
the history of Christ, as the
leading facts [such as his
conception, birth, childhood,
baptism, preaching, miracles,
passion, resurrection,
ascension] are placed in their
due series, though some
particulars are transposed.”
Most excellent Theophilus — As
the word Theophilus signifies
lover of God, some have thought
it is not a proper name here,
but a general title, applicable
to every true Christian. But, as
Dr. Campbell justly observes, if
the evangelist meant to address
his discourse to all pious
Christians, and had no one
individually in view, he would
certainly have put his intention
beyond all doubt, by using the
plural number, and saying,
κρατιστοι θεοφιλοι, most
excellent lovers of God.
Besides, to have addressed all
true Christians under the
appearance of bespeaking the
attention of an individual, does
not seem agreeable to the
simplicity of style used in the
gospel; and must have appeared
to the writer himself as what
could not fail to be
misunderstood by most readers,
proper names of such a form as
Theophilus, and even this very
name, being common in Greek and
Latin authors. The word is,
therefore, undoubtedly the
proper name of a person: and the
title, κρατιστε, most excellent,
is given him, not to describe
his character, although
doubtless he was a truly pious
and excellent Christian, but on
account of his office or rank in
civil society, the same title
being commonly given to persons
in high stations of life; and
particularly to the Roman
governors. Accordingly Paul uses
it in addressing Felix and
Festus. This Theophilus, as the
ancients inform us, was a person
of eminent quality at
Alexandria. In Acts 1:1, Luke
does not give him this title. He
was then probably a private man.
The evangelist, by inscribing
his two books to him, bestowed
on him a fame which will last
while Christianity subsists.
That thou mightest know — More
fully and circumstantially; the
certainty — The exact and
certain truth; of those things
in which thou hast been
instructed — Namely, formerly,
by those who had been made the
instruments of initiating him
into the Christian faith. The
word κατηχηθης, here used, doth
with great accuracy express the
instructions given to those who
were training up for admission
to the Christian Church, whose
name of catechumens was, as it
is well known, derived from
hence, and applied without any
particular regard to the age of
the persons concerned. Compare
Acts 18:25. We are not to
suppose that Luke had the
edification of Theophilus merely
in view, in writing his history;
he also doubtless meant it for
the instruction of persons of
all nations and ages into whose
hands it should fall.
Verse 5
Luke 1:5. There was in the days
of Herod, the king of Judea —
This is he who is commonly known
by the name of Herod the Great,
a cruel, ambitious man, who,
without any title, obtained the
crown of Judea from the Roman
senate, to whom he was
recommended by Mark Antony.
Under his government the Jews
were very uneasy, because he was
a foreigner. Nevertheless, the
Roman generals in those parts
having given him possession of
the throne, by his own prudence
and address he maintained
himself in it for the space of
forty years. His reign, though
celebrated on many accounts, was
remarkable for nothing so much
as that, toward the conclusion
of it, the Messiah and his
forerunner were born. Besides
Herod the king, there are two
others of this name mentioned in
Scripture, namely, Herod
surnamed Antipas, his son, who
was inferior to his father both
in dignity and dominion, being
only a tetrarch, and having no
dominions but Galilee and Perea:
it was this Herod that beheaded
the Baptist, and with his men of
war mocked our Lord. The other
was Herod Agrippa, the grandson
of Herod the king by Aristobulus,
and brother to Herodias,
Philip’s wife. He killed James
the apostle with the sword, and
imprisoned Peter to please the
Jews; and was himself eaten up
of worms for his affecting
divine honours. Agrippa, before
whom Paul pleaded his cause, was
the son of this Herod, for which
reason he is commonly called
Agrippa. Of the course of Abia —
The priests were become so
numerous in David’s time, that
they could not all minister at
the tabernacle at once. He
therefore divided them into
twenty-four courses, or
companies, who were to serve in
rotation, each company by itself
for a week. The time of their
ministration, as well as the
course itself, was called
εφημερια, a name which
originally belonged to the
Athenian magistrates, who being
fifty men chosen by lot out of
each tribe, and each man
governing the city a single day,
the days which any tribe
governed, as well as its fifty
governors succeeding one
another, were called εφημεριαι.
Now there being a considerable
resemblance between this
division and succession of the
Athenian magistrates, and that
of the Jewish priests, the Greek
interpreters of the Old
Testament applied the same name
to the courses of the priests,
though somewhat improperly, as
their ministry lasted not for a
day but a week. The course of
Abia, (that is, that of which
Abia, or Abijah, was the head in
David’s time,) was the eighth.
See the notes on 1 Chronicles
24:3-10.
Verse 6
Luke 1:6. They were righteous
before God — They were sincerely
and really righteous; they were
so in God’s sight, whose
judgment, we are sure, is
according to truth; they
approved themselves to him who
searcheth the heart; and he was
graciously pleased to accept
them. It is a happy thing when
those that are joined to each
other in marriage are both
joined to the Lord! And it is
especially requisite that the
priests, the Lord’s ministers,
should, with their yoke-fellows,
be righteous before God, that
they may be examples to the
flock, and give them cause of
joy. Walking in all the moral
commandments and ceremonial
ordinances of the Lord blameless
— Thus they manifested their
righteousness: it shone forth in
the whole course of their
conversation; in every branch of
piety and virtue. How admirable
is the character given of this
pious pair! May our behaviour be
thus unblameable, and our
obedience thus sincere and
universal! The two words,
εντολαις και δικαιωμασι, here
used, are generally interpreted,
the former of the moral, the
latter of the ceremonial
precepts of the divine law. It
is certain, however, that they
are often taken in a much more
extensive sense; and that
undoubted examples may be
produced, to prove that both
terms are used promiscuously in
both senses.
Verse 7
Luke 1:7. And they had no child
— The providence of God so
ordering it, that the birth of
John the Baptist might be the
more remarkable, and might
excite the greater attention;
because that Elisabeth was
barren — Even when in the flower
of her age. And they both were
now well stricken in years —
Here, then, was a double
obstacle in the way of their
having children, both the
natural barrenness of Elisabeth,
and the old age of them both;
and, consequently, a double
proof of the supernatural agency
of God in the birth of John,
evidently showing him to be a
person miraculously sent by God.
It is worthy of observation
here, that many eminent persons
under the patriarchal and Mosaic
dispensations, were born of
mothers that had been long
barren, as Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
Samson, Samuel, and here John
the Baptist, to render their
birth the more extraordinary,
and the blessing of it the more
valuable in the eyes of their
parents; and to show, that when
God keeps his people waiting
long for a particular mercy, he
is sometimes pleased to
recompense them for their
patience, by doubling the worth
of it when it is given.
Verse 9
Luke 1:9. His lot was to burn
incense — “Because some parts of
the sacred service were more
honourable than others, both the
priests and Levites divided the
whole among them by lot. The
Jews tell us, that there were
three priests employed about the
service of the incense; one who
carried away the ashes left on
the altar at the preceding
service; another who brought a
pan of burning coals from the
altar of sacrifice, and, having
placed it on the golden altar,
departed; a third, who went in
with the incense, sprinkled it
on the burning coals, and, while
the smoke ascended, made
intercession for the people.
This was the part that fell to
Zacharias, and the most
honourable in the whole
service.” — Macknight. When he
went into the temple of the Lord
— As the original word here is
not το ιερον, but τον ναον, it
ought to have been rendered, the
house, or sanctuary. The former
word, properly signifying the
temple, comprehended the whole
edifice, with all its
enclosures, piazzas, and other
buildings; the latter included
only what is termed, by way of
eminence, the house, consisting
of the vestibule, the holy place
or sanctuary, and the most holy.
The altar of incense, on which
the perfumes were burned, was in
the sanctuary; the people who
were praying without, were in
the temple, εν το ιερω, in the
court of Israel, though not in
what was strictly called the
house of God. See note on
Matthew 21:12.
Verse 10
Luke 1:10. The whole multitude
of the people, &c. — The manner
in which the evangelist
expresses himself here, shows
that a more than ordinary
concourse of the people was in
the temple on this occasion,
from which we may infer that it
was a sabbath, or some high
festival time; for often on
ordinary week-days, few of the
people were present at the
morning and evening sacrifices,
and therefore “four and twenty
men were employed to attend this
service, as representatives of
the people of Israel, to lay
their hands on the head of the
sacrifice, to pray, and to
receive the blessing. These were
called, from their office,
stationary men.” — Macknight.
This circumstance of there being
a multitude present, would give
great publicity to the facts
here recorded, and cause them to
become the subject of much
inquiry and conversation, both
in Jerusalem and through all the
country. In consequence of
which, doubtless, an expectation
would be excited in the minds of
many, that God was about to
visit his people in some
extraordinary way; which would
tend greatly to prepare them for
the reception of the gospel,
when it should be offered to
them. The people were praying
without at the time of incense —
This the pious Jews constantly
did, and that not only in the
temple, but everywhere else;
choosing to present their
supplications to God at the
hours of sacrifice and incense,
while the ministers of religion
interceded for the nation. Hence
these hours were called the
hours of prayer, Acts 3:1. And
this was the foundation of that
elegant figure, by which prayer
is, in Scripture, so often
compared to incense. And perhaps
one reason of ordaining incense
might be, to intimate the
acceptableness of those pious
prayers which accompanied it, as
well as to remind the
worshippers of that sacrifice of
a sweet-smelling savour, which
was in due time to be offered to
God for them, and of that
incense which was and is
continually offered with the
prayers of the saints, upon the
golden altar that is before the
throne, Revelation 8:3-4.
Observe, reader, 1st, All the
prayers which we offer to God
here, in his courts, are
acceptable and successful only
by virtue of Christ’s
intercession in the temple of
God above. 2d, We cannot expect
to have an interest in his
intercession, if we do not unite
our own supplications to his,
and sincerely and fervently pray
for ourselves. Nor, 3d, is it
sufficient for us to be present
where God is worshipped, if our
hearts do not join in the
worship, and go along with the
minister in all the parts of it.
If he burn the incense ever so
well; if he pray in ever so
pertinent, judicious, and lively
a manner, if we be not at the
same time engaged in prayer in
concurrence with him, what will
it avail us?
Verse 11-12
Luke 1:11-12. There appeared
unto him an angel — About four
hundred years had passed since
God had vouchsafed to his
ancient people any supernatural
communication, either by
prophecy, the ministry of
angels, or in any other
extraordinary way. But as he was
now about to send them the
Messiah, and establish through
him a new dispensation, by which
a new and more spiritual way of
intercourse with himself should
be opened and settled, he sends
an angelic messenger to announce
his intentions, and prepare
their minds for the reception of
so great a blessing. For as the
law, an inferior economy, was
given at first, in a great
measure, by the ministry of
angels, it was proper that the
gospel, a more excellent
institution, should not want at
least an equally extraordinary
and honourable introduction.
When Zacharias saw him, he was
troubled — Although he was
accustomed to converse with God,
yet we see he was thrown into a
great consternation at the
appearance of his angelic
messenger, nature not being able
to sustain the sight. Is it not
then an instance of the
goodness, as well as the wisdom
of God, that the services which
these heavenly spirits render us
are generally invisible?
Verse 13
Luke 1:13. But the angel said,
Fear not, &c. — Thus encouraging
him with great gentleness of
aspect and voice. For thy prayer
is heard — I do not come unto
thee with a message of terror,
but am sent to assure thee, thy
prayer is heard, and thy wife
shall bear thee a son — “No
doubt this good man had often
prayed for children; but as he
seemed now to have given up all
expectations of that kind, it is
reasonable to conclude, that
these words chiefly relate to
his prayers for the deliverance
of Israel by the Messiah, whose
appearance was then expected by
pious persons conversant in the
sacred writings, (Luke 2:25;
Luke 2:38; Luke 19:11; Luke
23:51;)and the more earnestly
desired just at this time, as
they suffered so many grievous
things by the oppression of the
Romans and the tyranny of Herod,
which toward the close of his
reign grew more and more
insupportable.” — Doddridge. The
priests, it must be observed, in
this office, considered
themselves as the mouth of the
people, and made the welfare of
the nation the subject of their
prayers. Therefore, since it is
reasonable to suppose that
Zacharias now interceded for the
coming of the Messiah, in whom
all the families of the earth
were to be blessed, we may
consider the angel’s words as
having a reference to such a
prayer, thus: “The Messiah, for
whose coming thou prayest, is
about to be born, for thy wife
shall bring forth his
forerunner.” We may observe here
with pleasure, that the prayers
of pious worshippers come up
with acceptance before God; to
whom no costly perfume is so
sweet as the fragrancy of an
upright heart. An answer of
peace was here returned, when
the case seemed to be most
helpless. Let us wait patiently
for the Lord, and leave to his
own wisdom the time and manner
wherein he will appear for us.
Thou shalt call his name John —
John signifies, the grace or
favour of Jehovah. A name well
suiting the person who was
afterward so highly in favour
with God, and endued with
abundance of grace; and who
opened a way to the most
glorious dispensation of grace
in the Messiah’s kingdom.
Verses 14-16
Luke 1:14-16. Thou shalt have
joy and gladness — He shall be
such a son as thou shalt have
reason to rejoice in. As if he
had said, Many parents, if they
could foresee what their
children will prove, instead of
rejoicing at their birth, would
wish they had never been. But I
will tell thee what thy son will
be; and then thou wilt not need
to rejoice with trembling, as
the best must do at the birth of
their children, but thou mayest
rejoice with triumph. And many
shall rejoice with thee — All
the relations of the family will
rejoice on the occasion, and all
its well-wishers; yea, and all
good people, that are made
acquainted with the
circumstances of the case, and
with the character and office
the child shall bear. The word
αγαλλιασις, rendered gladness,
properly answers to the word
exultation, or leaping for joy —
See 1 Peter 1:8; 1 Peter 4:13;
Matthew 5:12. For he shall be
great — A person of
extraordinary eminence and
usefulness, and that not only in
the opinion of men, but in the
sight of the Lord — The
sovereign and infallible Judge.
Those are great indeed, that are
so in God’s sight, not those
that are so in the eye of a vain
and carnal world. John was to be
great in respect of his
character, his office, his
inspiration, and the success of
his ministry, as the angel here
explains the expression. And
shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink — As he is to
preach repentance, and the
crucifixion of all sinful lusts,
affections, and dispositions, in
order to the remission of sins,
he shall show mankind a pattern
of that self-denial which he
enjoins; wholly avoiding a
delicate and self-indulging way
of living, and being remarkable
for his continued abstinence and
mortification. By the word
σικερα, here rendered strong
drink, fermented liquor of every
kind seems to be intended. Some
would confine the term to a
liquor made of dates, the fruit
of the palm-tree, a drink much
used in the East: but there does
not appear to be any sufficient
reason for such a limitation of
its meaning. The word is
originally Hebrew, שּׁכר,
shecher, and is rendered by
Buxtorf, inebrians potus,
inebriating drink. All fermented
liquors, therefore, as being
capable of producing this
effect, must be understood as
implied in it. It is
distinguished from wine,
Leviticus 10:9; Numbers 6:3; and
elsewhere. He shall be filled
with the Holy Ghost from his
mother’s womb — Shall be
influenced by the Spirit of God,
even from the instant of his
birth, sanctifying his nature,
and communicating into him
wisdom and piety in an
extraordinary measure, to
qualify him for the high and
important office to which he is
designated. “In Scripture, to be
filled with the Holy Ghost,
commonly signifies, that degree
of inspiration by which the
prophets anciently spake.
Accordingly in this chapter it
is applied to Elisabeth, to
Mary, and to Zacharias, in cases
where they all spake by a
particular afflatus. When the
angel, therefore, told Zacharias
that his son should be filled
with the Holy Ghost even from
his mother’s womb, his meaning
(at least in part) was, that he
should be very early inspired to
teach the doctrines and
precepts, of true religion. Nor
will this seem strange, when it
is remembered, that at the age
of twelve years our Lord
exercised his prophetical gifts
among the doctors in the
temple.” — Macknight. Many of
the children of Israel shall he
turn — By true repentance and
unfeigned faith, productive of
new obedience; to the Lord their
God — Whose ways they have so
generally forsaken, even while
they are professing themselves
to be his peculiar people, and
boasting in such an
extraordinary relation to him.
In this way John was to prove
his divine mission.
Verse 17
Luke 1:17. He shall go before
him — Namely, before Christ; in
the spirit and power of Elias —
With the same integrity,
courage, austerity, and fervour,
and the same power of God
attending his word. The son of
Zacharias equalled, if not
exceeded, Elijah in zeal for
God, in severity of manners, in
fortitude, and in sustaining
persecutions. “For he was clad
in a garment of camel’s hair,
fed on locusts and wild honey,
rebuked sinners of the highest
distinction with great boldness,
and was put to death on that
account. He had the power also
of Elijah; for though he did no
miracle, he was honoured with
the like success in restoring
the lost spirit of true religion
among his countrymen. Nay, he
even excelled Elijah in that
which is properly the power of a
prophet, and to which all other
gifts are subservient, the power
of converting men; being in this
more successful without miracles
than Elijah had been with them.”
To turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children — To
reconcile those that are at
variance, to put an end to the
most bitter quarrels, such as
are very frequently those
between the nearest relations;
and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just — Or, the
righteous. And the most
obstinate sinners to true
wisdom, which is only found
among them that are righteous
before God. Dr. Waterland reads,
To turn the hearts of the
fathers with the children, (thus
also Dr. Hammond,) and the
disobedient to a sense of
righteousness; Greek, και
απειθεις εν φρονησει δικαιων.
Nearly to the same purpose is
Dr. Doddridge’s paraphrase.
“According to that prediction of
Malachi with which the sacred
canon concludes, he shall meet
with such glorious success in
his ministry, as to convert the
hearts of the fathers with those
of the children; that is, he
shall bring many, both of the
rising and the declining age, to
that real piety toward God,
which will be the surest band of
their mutual duty toward each
other: and many of those who
have hitherto been disobedient
to the wisdom of the just, that
is, insensible of the
obligations to real religion,
which is the greatest wisdom,
shall he make ready, as a people
prepared for the Lord, raising
in their minds an expectation of
the Messiah, and a disposition
to welcome him when he shall
appear.” See the former clause
more fully explained in the note
on Malachi 4:6.
Verses 18-20
Luke 1:18-20. Zacharias said,
Whereby shall I know this? — In
how different a spirit did the
blessed Virgin say, How shall
this be? Zacharias disbelieved
the prediction, as appears from
Luke 1:20, and therefore was
justly punished: Mary had no
doubt of the fulfilment of what
was foretold, but only inquired
concerning the manner of it. And
the angel said, I am Gabriel —
“I am the same servant of God
(so the name Gabriel signifies,
being, by interpretation, vir
Dei, a man or servant of God)
who, as the Scripture informs
thee, appeared anciently to the
Prophet Daniel with a message
concerning the Messiah. And now
I am not come of myself, but I
am sent of God to communicate to
thee the glad tidings of the
near accomplishment of the
things which I long ago showed
to Daniel at a great distance.
Thou, therefore, whose advanced
age ought to have been venerable
by an advanced knowledge of
divine things, as well as by a
strong faith in the power of
God, art deserving of much
blame, for calling in question
the truth of my message,
especially as by the prophecies
of Daniel thou mightest have
understood that this is the
period determined for the coming
of the Messiah and his
forerunner.” There seems to be a
remarkable gradation in the
angel’s words here, enhancing
the guilt of Zacharias’s
unbelief. As if he had said, I
am Gabriel, a holy angel of God,
yea, one of the highest order,
even of those who stand in the
presence of God. Not only so,
but I am now peculiarly sent
from God, and that with a
message to thee in particular:
nay, and to show thee glad
tidings, such as ought to be
received with the greatest joy
and readiness. And behold thou
shalt be dumb — The original
word, κωφος, signifies deaf as
well as dumb: and it seems plain
that he was as unable to hear as
he was to speak; for his friends
were obliged to make signs to
him, that he might understand
them, Luke 1:62. Thus the angel
gave him a sign, which was also
a chastisement of his offence.
Because he had sinned with his
lips, the angel struck him dumb,
declaring that he should
continue so till the message,
the truth of which he doubted,
was verified by the
accomplishment.
Verse 21-22
Luke 1:21-22. And the people —
Who had been praying in the
court of the temple, while the
incense was burning; waited for
Zacharias — To come out and
bless them; for so the priests
used to do after burning the
incense; and marvelled that he
tarried so long, εν τω χρονιζειν
αυτον, at his delaying, or,
spending time in the temple; εν
τω ναω, in the house, or
sanctuary. See note on Luke 1:9.
All that is here said to have
taken place between the angel
and Zacharias, might have passed
in a few minutes; since,
therefore, the people took
notice of his continuing so much
longer than was usual in the
holy place, it is probable, that
after the angel had left him, he
employed some time in secret
devotion, to which the mixture
of holy affections that would
naturally arise in his mind on
so great and extraordinary an
occasion would powerfully
incline him; and while thus
occupied, he might easily forget
how fast the moments passed
away. When he came out, he could
not speak unto them — A
circumstance which must have
greatly astonished them; and
they perceived that he had seen
a vision — That is, a divine
vision; in the temple — Or holy
place. As the signs which he
made, left them no room to doubt
that some extraordinary and
supernatural revelation had been
made to him by God. For he
beckoned unto them, and remained
speechless — He continued deaf
and dumb during the remainder of
his stay at Jerusalem; a
circumstance wisely ordered by
Providence to awaken a greater
and more general expectation, as
to the event of so strange an
occurrence; which, as a great
multitude were now present in
the court of the temple, (see
Luke 1:10,) would of course be
widely spread, not only through
Jerusalem but all Judea.
Verses 23-25
Luke 1:23-25. As soon as the
days of his ministration were
accomplished — Though he was
both deaf and dumb, he was still
able to burn incense, and
perform the other duties of his
office. He therefore continued
at the temple till the time of
his ministration was ended; when
he returned to his house; which
is generally supposed to have
been at Hebron, a city of the
priests, about twenty miles from
Jerusalem. See on Luke 1:39. And
after these days — Probably very
soon after; his wife Elisabeth
conceived — According to the
prediction of the angel; and hid
herself five months — Retired
from company, that she might
have the more leisure to
meditate on the wonderful
goodness of God toward her and
her husband, and might praise
him for it, and rejoice therein.
Or, as some think, she kept
herself retired, and avoided
seeing company, that she might
conceal her pregnancy for a
while, lest she should expose
herself to ridicule by speaking
of it before she knew certainly
that it was a reality. Saying,
Thus hath the Lord dealt with me
— Hath miraculously interposed,
and done this great work for me;
in the days wherein he looked
upon me — In his own good time,
in which he hath had respect to
me, to take away my reproach —
Namely, barrenness, which was a
great reproach among the Jews.
To which may be added, “that a
branch of the family of Aaron
should fail, would be looked
upon as a particular calamity,
and might be interpreted as a
judgment; and so much the
rather, considering the many
promises God had made to
increase the families of his
obedient people.” Thus Dr.
Doddridge, who takes occasion
here to observe further, “that,
considering how the whole Jewish
polity was interwoven with those
acts of religion which were to
be performed by the priests
alone, it might seem wonderful
that no provision at all should
be made for entailing the
priesthood on any other family,
if that of Aaron should happen
to be extinct. Leaving this
contingency unprovided for, was,
in effect, putting the whole
credit of the Jewish religion
upon the perpetual continuance
of the male branches of that
family; an issue on which no man
of Moses’s prudence, nor indeed
of common sense, would have
rested his legislation, if he
had not been truly conscious of
its divine origin, especially
after two of Aaron’s four sons
had been cut off in one day, for
a rash act in the execution of
their office, as soon as they
were initiated into it, and died
without any children, Numbers
3:4.
Verse 26-27
Luke 1:26-27. In the sixth month
— Namely, after Elisabeth had
conceived; the angel Gabriel —
The same angel who had been the
messenger of such good news to
Zacharias; was sent from God
unto a city of Galilee — A
country which lay “in the most
northern part of Palestine, and
was bounded on the north by
Lebanon and Syria, on the west
by Phœnicia, on the south by
Samaria, and on the east by
Jordan and the sea of Tiberias.
Yet, from the gospels it
appears, that a part of the
country north of the sea and
eastward of Jordan was reckoned
Galilee: which, therefore,
comprehended the possessions of
the tribes of Issachar, Zebulon,
Naphtali, and Asher. It was
divided into Upper and Lower
Galilee, whereof the former was
called Galilee of the Gentiles,
Matthew 4:15, because it
bordered upon the Gentile
nations, and was partly
inhabited by them. Of the
populousness and fertility of
this country see notes on
Matthew 15:16. Named Nazareth —
A small city in the tribe of
Zebulon, now reduced to a very
low and contemptible condition,
Matthew 2:23. To a virgin
espoused — It was customary
among the Jews, for persons that
married to contract before
witnesses some time before. And
as Christ was to be born of a
pure virgin, so the wisdom of
God ordered it to be of one
espoused, that to prevent
reproach he might have a reputed
father, according to the flesh.
To Joseph, of the house of David
— Joseph was a descendant of
King David, though now in low
circumstances. It is of the
greatest importance to prove
that Christ was lineally
descended from David, this being
one of the characteristics of
the Messiah; but certainly this
cannot be inferred from the
genealogy of Joseph, because he
was only the reputed father of
Christ: nor is it necessary to
understand the evangelist here
as speaking of Joseph’s being of
the house of David. His words
may be understood differently,
as indeed they are read by Dr.
Whitby and many others, thus: to
a virgin of the house of David,
(espoused to a man whose name
was Joseph,) and the virgin’s
name was Mary. What strengthens
this interpretation is, that
this and the preceding verse
refer wholly to the virgin, who
is described by the place of her
residence, Nazareth; by her
relation to Joseph, being
espoused to him; by her lineage
and descent, of the house of
David; and by her name, Mary.
Verse 28
Luke 1:28. The angel said, Hail,
thou that art highly favoured —
Greek, κεχαριτωμενη, who hast
found mercy, or favour, with
God, as it is explained, Luke
1:30. The Lord is with thee —
Or, The Lord be with thee, as
Dr. Campbell renders κυριος μετα
σου: Blessed art thou among
women — That is, according to
the Hebrew idiom, thou art the
happiest of all the women that
ever lived. It must be observed,
that this salutation gives no
room for any pretence of paying
adoration to the virgin; as
having no appearance of a
prayer, or of worship offered to
her. Besides, similar
expressions are applied to
others. Hail, is the salutation
used by our Lord to the women
after his resurrection: thou art
highly favoured, or, hast found
favour with God, is no more than
was said of Noah, Moses, and
David. The Lord is with thee,
was said to Gideon, 6:12; and,
Blessed shall she be above
women, of Jael, 5:24. “The
Church of Rome,” observes a
pious writer, “saying ten Ave
Marias for one Pater Noster,
idolatrously uses these words as
a prayer to the holy virgin,
whereas they are only a
salutation, declaring that she
above all women had the honour
freely conferred by God upon
her, to be the mother of the
Messiah. The original word,
κεχαριτωμενη, signifies, not
full of grace, but freely
beloved. Compare Mary with other
renowned women, and what had
she, besides this favour, more
than they? Had she the spirit of
prophecy? so had they. Had she
the spirit of sanctification? so
had they: and she had no more
immunity and freedom from sin
and death than they. Accordingly
the angel says, Blessed art thou
among women, not, Blessed art
thou above women. How senseless
are they, 1st, In turning a
salutation into a prayer! 2d, In
making use of these words upon
every occasion, which were
spoken by an angel upon a
special occasion! 3d, In
applying these words to her now
in heaven, which suited with her
only when she was here on earth,
saying, Full of grace, to her
who is full of glory, and, The
Lord is with thee, to her who is
with the Lord!”
Verse 29-30
Luke 1:29-30. When she saw him
she was troubled — διεταραχθη,
disturbed or perplexed; at his
saying — A salutation so unusual
from a being of a superior order
(for such his form, which was
more than human, bespoke him to
be) put Mary into a great
perturbation of spirit; and no
wonder; for if Zacharias, a
venerable and aged minister of
God, and one accustomed to have
intercourse with heaven, was
amazed at the appearance of an
angel, how much more might a
young virgin be so, her sex
peculiarly subjecting her to the
passion of fear. And she cast in
her mind — δειλογιζετο, she
reasoned with herself; what
manner of salutation this should
be — What should be its
intention, and from what
original it could come. It is
not improbable but she suspected
that it might possibly proceed
from the artifice of some evil
spirit, to inspire her with
sentiments of vanity and pride.
And the angel — Speaking with a
gentle and smooth accent, in
order to remove her doubts, and
inspire her with confidence and
courage; said, Fear not, Mary —
Thus preparing her for the
reception of his message; for
all passions, but particularly
that of fear, disquiets the
heart, and makes it unfit to
receive messages from God. For
thou hast found favour with God
— And I have no other design but
to assure thee of it. Observe,
reader, those that have found
favour with God ought not to
give way to disquieting,
distrustful fears. Does God
favour thee? then fear not,
though the world frown upon
thee. Is he for thee? then it
signifies little who is against
thee.
Verses 31-33
Luke 1:31-33. Behold, thou shalt
conceive in thy womb — Though a
virgin, strange to say, thou
shalt have the honour of being a
mother; thou shalt bring forth a
son, and that son no ordinary
person, but the restorer of
human nature, and Saviour of the
world; and therefore thou shalt
call his name Jesus — Or Joshua,
a Saviour. He shall be great —
Great indeed! greater than all
others that ever partook of the
human nature: great in respect
of his person, his offices, and
his kingdom: for he shall be
called, and shall be, the Son of
the Highest — And that in a
peculiar sense, a sense in which
no man or angel is or can be
God’s son, being not only
unspeakably dear to him, as a
son is dear to his father, but
of the same nature with him, as
a son is of the same nature with
his father. Therefore, the Lord
God shall give unto him the
throne of his earthly father,
David — Or the throne typified
by that of David. And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob —
The spiritual Israel, even over
all who imitate the faith and
obedience of that good
patriarch; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end — So
Isaiah 9:8, Of the increase of
his government and peace there
shall be no end. All other
kingdoms have had, or shall
have, their periods, but the
gospel church, which is Christ’s
kingdom, shall continue for
ever; first on earth, in its
militant state, and then in
heaven, in a state triumphant.
See the notes on the places
referred to in the margin. “The
kingdom of Christ,” the reader
must observe, “is twofold: 1st,
His spiritual kingdom, or the
dominion of righteousness in the
minds of men. 2d, His temporal
kingdom, or the outward
dispensation of the gospel,
together with an exercise of
government over the world: by
which all events are ordered, so
as to promote the empire of
righteousness in the hearts of
men. This distinction removes
the difficulty arising from 1
Corinthians 15:28, where we are
told, that after the worlds are
judged, Christ shall deliver up
the kingdom to God the Father;
compared with what Gabriel said
to Mary, on this occasion, and
with the other passages of
Scripture, which affirm that our
Lord’s kingdom shall be
everlasting. His temporal
kingdom, or the gospel
dispensation, will end with the
world, being of no further use.
At that period, likewise, he
will deliver up to God the
government of the world, that
was committed to him for the
good of his church, after having
accomplished the end of his
coming by putting down all rule,
and all authority, and power
opposite to God’s. But his
spiritual kingdom, or the
dominion of righteousness in the
minds of reasonable beings,
which he came down to establish,
will continue with them to all
eternity; and Jesus will still
preside as head over the
redeemed society in heaven, and
perform such acts of government
as their condition allows and
circumstances require, though
still in subordination to the
Father. See 1 Corinthians 15:28,
and Macknight.”
Verses 34-38
Luke 1:34-38. Then said Mary,
How shall this be — How can I
immediately conceive a child,
(for so the angel meant, and so
she understood him to mean,)
seeing I know not a man? — This
was not the language of
distrust, or of doubt,
respecting what the angel said,
but of a desire to be further
instructed, for the direction of
her conduct. She so inquired
concerning the manner, as not to
doubt of the fact. Some would
render the clause, What? shall
this be, if I have no
intercourse with a man? as if
she desired to be resolved,
whether the birth were to be
produced in a common, or a
miraculous manner. But it is
much more natural to suppose,
that she understood the former
words as an intimation that the
effect was immediately to take
place, to which her present
circumstances seemed, humanly
speaking, an invincible
objection. She, however, asks no
sign for the confirmation of her
faith, as Zacharias had done,
nor insinuates that she would
not believe till a miracle was
wrought to convince her; but
only that she did not understand
how her pregnancy could be
effected in her virgin state,
and desired him to explain it to
her, not doubting but it was
possible. Wherefore, the
weakness of her apprehension
being consistent with faith, and
her request being conceived with
modesty and humility, the angel
told her that the wonderful
event should be accomplished by
the interposition of the Holy
Spirit, and special energy of
the power of God, who would
preserve her reputation entire,
at least in the opinion of
impartial judges, and protect
her from any injury which this
mystery might expose her to;
for, by the Jewish law, a severe
punishment was inflicted on
women betrothed, who proved with
child before cohabiting with
their husbands. Therefore also —
Because thou shalt conceive by
the immediate operation of the
Holy Ghost; that holy thing
which shall be born of thee —
That holy offspring of thine;
shall — With regard to this
miraculous conception, as well
as another, and yet greater
consideration, be called the Son
of God. And behold, thy cousin
Elisabeth, &c. — For the
confirmation of her faith the
angel acquaints her with the
pregnancy of her relation
Elisabeth, who was then past the
age of child-bearing; that being
a thing similar, though
inferior, to her own pregnancy,
which he had been predicting.
Mary and Elisabeth might be
cousins, as the text affirms,
although the former was a
descendant of David, and the
latter a daughter of Aaron;
because the law, Numbers 36:6,
forbidding women to marry out of
their own tribes, related only
to heiresses, and consequently
did not include the tribe of
Levi, which had not heritable
possessions that could be
alienated by such marriages.
Accordingly, Leviticus 22:12, it
is supposed a common case, that
a priest’s daughter might be
married to a stranger. And Mary
said, Behold the handmaid of the
Lord, &c. — In this answer Mary
expressed both great faith and
great resignation. She believed
what the angel had told her
concerning her conception, and
wished for it; not regarding the
inconveniences she might be
exposed to thereby, well knowing
that the power of God could
easily protect her. Thus Mary,
though a young virgin, readily
believes an event much more
wonderful than that which
Zacharias, though an aged
priest, had found it so
difficult to credit: and thus
does God, as it were, out of the
mouths of babes and sucklings
perfect his praise. It is not
improbable, that this time of
the virgin’s humble faith,
consent, and expectation, might
be the very time of her
conceiving.
Verses 39-45
Luke 1:39-45. Mary arose in
those days — That is, soon after
the time that she had received
the extraordinary message
mentioned above; and went into
the hill-country — Where
Elisabeth dwelt, although it was
at least seventy miles distant
from Nazareth. It is probable
she was eager to know the
certainty of her cousin’s
pregnancy, which the angel had
mentioned, to show her the
possibility of her own. Into a
city of Juda — Probably Hebron,
which belonged to the house of
Aaron, and was situated in
Judea, the mountains of which,
running from south to north,
gave the name of the
hill-country to a part of it.
And saluted Elisabeth —
Immediately on her entering
Zacharias’s house: and she no
sooner spake than the child in
the womb of Elisabeth leaped, as
transported with joy, as if
sensible of the approach of Him
whose forerunner he was
appointed to be. And the holy
woman Elisabeth was so
enlightened by the extraordinary
influence of the Holy Ghost,
that she instantly knew her
cousin Mary had conceived with
child of the Messiah, and
therefore saluted her by the
grand title of, the mother of my
Lord. Being also in a divine and
prophetic ecstasy, she uttered
things which had an evident
relation to the particulars of
Mary’s interview with the angel;
things, therefore, which she
could only know by revelation;
so that she astonished Mary
exceedingly, and exalted her
faith beyond every doubt. And
she spake with a loud voice —
Such as testified the greatness
of the emotion of her mind; and
said, Blessed art thou among
women — The same salutation
wherewith Gabriel had addressed
Mary; and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb — Alluding probably
to the child’s being the
promised seed in whom all the
families of the earth were to be
blessed, and who for that reason
was blessed himself. Psalms
72:17. And whence is this, that
the mother of my Lord should
come to me? — If Elisabeth had
not been extraordinarily
inspired, she could not so much
as have suspected that Mary was
to be the mother of the Messiah;
but this being revealed to her,
she was greatly struck with the
honour that was done her, and
expressed her sense thereof by
asking, in a rapture of
astonishment, how it came to be
conferred upon her. As if she
had said, “How have I deserved
this honour, that the mother of
the Messiah, my Lord and
Saviour, should deign to visit
me?” And blessed is she that
believed — Here Elisabeth
plainly commends the faith and
humility which Mary had
expressed, when the angel
assured her that she should
become pregnant in her virgin
state; contrary to the behaviour
of Zacharias, who, it seems, had
informed Elisabeth by writing of
all that had happened, or she
might come to the knowledge of
it by revelation. For there
shall be a performance of those
things, &c. — Dr. Campbell reads
this clause in connection with
the preceding, thus: Happy is
she who believed that the things
which the Lord hath promised her
shall be performed;
understanding the latter clause
to be the object of Mary’s
faith: and for this reading he
assigns solid reasons. Indeed,
it is the reading of the margin.
Verses 46-48
Luke 1:46-48. And Mary said —
Under a prophetic impulse,
several things which perhaps she
herself did not then fully
understand. Having heard
Elisabeth speak, as above
related, she likewise was filled
with the Holy Ghost, and under
his influence uttered extempore
a hymn, remarkable for the
beauty of its style, the
sublimity of its sentiments, and
the spirit of piety which runs
through the whole of it: and
manifesting the deep sense she
had of her own unworthiness, and
of the goodness of God in
choosing her to the high honour
of being the Messiah’s mother.
It is observable, most of the
phrases which she uses are
borrowed from the Old Testament,
with which the pious virgin
seems to have been very
conversant; especially from the
song of Hannah, in which there
were so many passages remarkably
suitable to her case. See 1
Samuel 2:1-10. My spirit hath
rejoiced in God my Saviour — She
seems to turn her thoughts here
to Christ himself, who was to be
born of her, as the angel had
told her he should be the Son of
the Highest, whose name should
be Jesus, the Saviour. And she
rejoiced in hope of salvation
through faith in him, which is a
blessing common to all true
believers, more than in being
his mother in the flesh, which
was an honour peculiar to her.
And certainly she had the same
reason to rejoice in God her
Saviour that we have: because he
had regarded the low estate of
his handmaid — In like manner as
he regarded our low estate; and
vouchsafed to come and save her
and us, when we were reduced to
the lowest estate of sin and
misery. All generations shall
call me blessed — ΄ακαριουσι,
shall call me happy. So Dr.
Doddridge, who justly observes,
that there are several other
texts in which μακαριος should
rather be rendered happy, than
blessed, which is the proper
signification of ευλογητος. See
1 Timothy 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:15;
Revelation 20:6.
Verses 49-51
Luke 1:49-51. He that is mighty
— Beyond all our conceptions,
even the Almighty God, to whom
this strange event is not only
possible, but easy; hath done to
me great things — Miracles, as
the words μεγαλα and μεγαλεια
often signify in the Old
Testament, being applied by the
LXX. to the miracles wrought in
Egypt, and in the wilderness.
Probably, Mary had now in her
eye her miraculous conception of
the Messiah, being astonished
that God should have chosen her,
a person of the meanest
condition, to be his mother. Yet
from her belief of the divine
perfections, she was convinced
that all was done in wisdom and
truth, and therefore she adds,
and holy is his name. And his
mercy is on them that fear him —
It always has been so; he has
ever looked on them with an eye
of peculiar favour, who have
looked up to him with an eye of
filial fear. But he hath
manifested his mercy, so as he
had never done before, in
sending his Son to bring in an
everlasting righteousness, and
work out an everlasting
salvation for them that fear
him, and this from generation to
generation: for there are gospel
privileges, transmitted by
entail, and intended for
perpetuity. Those that fear God,
as their Creator and Judge, are
encouraged to hope for mercy
from him, through their Mediator
and Advocate; and in him mercy
is settled upon all such, while
the world stands. In Christ he
keepeth mercy for thousands. He
hath showed strength with his
arm — That is, he hath shown the
exceeding greatness of his
power. She speaks prophetically
of those things as already done
which God was about to do by the
Messiah. Grotius observes, that
God’s great power is represented
by his finger, his greater by
his hand, and his greatest by
his arm. The production of lice
was by the finger of God, Exodus
7:18; and the other miracles in
Egypt were done by his right
hand, Exodus 3:20. But the
destruction of Pharaoh and his
host in the Red Sea was brought
to pass by his arm, Exodus
15:16. Wherefore the virgin’s
meaning is, that in this
dispensation of his providence,
God mightily manifested his
sovereign power. He hath
scattered the proud, &c. — In
the course of God’s providence
it is his usual method to cross
the expectations of men, and
proceed quite otherwise than
they promise themselves. Proud
men expect with ease to effect
their purposes, and carry all
before them; but he scatters
them in the imagination of their
hearts; breaks their measures,
blasts their projects; nay, and
brings them low by those very
counsels, with which they
thought to advance and establish
themselves. Some read this
clause, He hath scattered those
that prided themselves in the
imagination, or thought, of
their heart. But the words will
better bear the translation
which we give them, which
certainly expresses a more
emphatical sense, and one
“peculiarly applicable to the
gospel, in which God doth not
only cast down imaginations and
every high thing, &c., (2
Corinthians 10:5,) by the
humbling scheme of his
recovering grace, but hath
remarkably confounded his most
insolent enemies in their own
most elaborate projects, and
established his sacred cause by
the violent attempts they have
made to suppress it: compare
Psalms 2:1-3; a triumph of
divine wisdom, of which
succeeding ages furnish out
memorable and frequent
instances.” — Doddridge.
Verses 52-56
Luke 1:52-56. He hath put down
the mighty from their seats —
The mighty think to secure
themselves by might in their
seats, but he puts them down and
overturns their seats; while, on
the other hand, those of low
degree, who despaired of ever
advancing themselves, and
thought of nothing else but
being very low, are wonderfully
exalted. To apply this to the
subject which gave occasion to
this divine hymn: “The kings who
sprang from David, had, no
doubt, one after another
expected to be the parents of
the Messiah; and when the
kingdom was taken from them,
such of the royal progeny as
were in the highest station,
would reckon this their certain
and high privilege. But now
their hope was wholly
overthrown. They were brought
down by God from that height of
dignity to which, in their own
imagination, they had exalted
themselves; and a person in the
meanest condition of all the
royal seed was raised to it.” He
hath filled the hungry, &c. —
“Both the poor and the rich are
here represented as waiting at
God’s gate in the condition of
beggars, the rich in expectation
of receiving the honour of
giving birth to the Messiah; the
poor in expectation, not of that
blessing, but hoping for such
small favours as suited their
condition. While they wait in
this state, God, by an exercise
of his sovereignty, bestows the
favour, so much courted by the
rich, on a poor family, to its
unspeakable satisfaction, and
sends the rich away disappointed
and discontented.” See
Macknight, and notes on 1 Samuel
2:3-9. He hath holpen his
servant Israel — Dr. Campbell
reads this and the next verse,
He supporteth Israel his
servant, (as he promised to our
fathers,) ever inclined to mercy
toward Abraham and his race. The
word αντελαβετο, here rendered
he hath holpen, properly
signifies, to interpose in
favour of a person in great
necessity or extreme danger; and
also to hold by the hand, to
sustain from falling, or to lift
up when fallen, and so to afford
aid or help; this he hath done,
saith the virgin, in remembrance
of his mercy; for then God is
said signally to remember his
people, when, after a long
oppression, in which he seemed
to have forgotten them, he works
a mighty salvation for them,
(see Psalms 136:23.) And he did
this, also, in pursuance of his
promise made to our forefathers,
to send the Messiah to be an
everlasting blessing to all that
should believe in him, and so
become the seed of Abraham by
faith. And Mary abode with her
about three months — Till very
near the time of her delivery;
and returned to her own house —
Having, to her unspeakable
satisfaction and great comfort,
found all things as the angel
had told her; and soon after
took a journey with Joseph to
Bethlehem.
Verses 57-66
Luke 1:57-66. Now Elisabeth’s
full time came — Exactly
according to the prediction of
the angel; that she should be
delivered — Though this child
was conceived in the womb by a
miracle, he continued in the
womb according to the ordinary
course of nature, as did our
Saviour also. Promised mercies
are to be expected when the full
time for them is come, and not
before. And her neighbours and
cousins rejoiced with her —
Having heard that the Lord, in
so illustrious and remarkable a
manner, had magnified his mercy
to her, they came together to
testify their joy, and sincerely
congratulated her on the happy
occasion. And on the eighth day
they came to circumcise the
child — According to the
appointment in the law: not
before that day, because the
mother was considered as unclean
seven days, Leviticus 12:1-2;
and so was the child, by
touching her, and therefore was
not then fit to be admitted into
covenant: moreover, till that
time he was weak, and could not
well endure the pain of
circumcision. And they called
him Zacharias, after the name of
his father — The law did not
enjoin that the child should
have his name given him at
circumcision; but it was
customary to do it then, because
at the institution of the rite,
God changed the names of Abraham
and Sarah, Genesis 17:5; Genesis
17:16. And his mother said, Not
so; but he shall be called John
— In this she might be
influenced by revelation; or
Zacharias might have explained
the whole affair to her in
writing. They said, There is
none of thy kindred — None of
the relations of thy family that
is called by this name; and
therefore, if he may not have
his father’s name, yet let him
have the name of some of his
kindred, who will consider it as
a token of respect to have such
a child named from them. And
they made signs to his father,
&c. — Wishing to know his mind
in the matter, for it was
properly his office to name the
child. From their inquiring of
him by signs, we may conclude
with certainty he was deaf as
well as dumb. He asked for a
writing-table — πινακιδιον,
either a tablet, or little book.
The ancients frequently wrote on
a thin board, smeared over with
wax. And he wrote, His name is
John — The name which the angel
had commanded him to give the
child; a name very proper for
him who was to be the first
preacher of the kingdom of
grace, and who was to point out
him from whose fulness we
receive grace for grace, John
1:16. See note on Luke 1:13. And
his mouth was opened immediately
— He had no sooner done writing
than he recovered his speech;
the angel’s prediction being
then fully accomplished.
Accordingly, with an audible,
articulate voice, he praised God
in holy raptures, to the
astonishment of all present. And
fear — That is, a religious awe
and fear of offending God; came
on all that dwelt round about
them; and all these sayings (or
rather things, as τα πηματα here
signifies, and as it frequently
does elsewhere) were noised
abroad, &c. — Being very
extraordinary events, they were
much talked of in that country,
and people formed many
conjectures concerning the
child. And the hand of the Lord
was with him — Here, by the hand
of the Lord, we are not to
understand the spirit of
prophecy, which is frequently
the meaning of the expression in
the book of Ezekiel; but that he
was remarkable, even from his
infancy, for the qualities both
of his body and mind; and was
favoured in an eminent degree
with the grace, protection, and
blessing of God. It is of
importance to observe here, that
the extraordinary circumstances
above mentioned, namely, “the
appearing of the angel to
Zacharias in the temple;
Zacharias’s dumbness;
Elisabeth’s pregnancy when past
the age of child-bearing; and
the restoration of Zacharias’s
speech on the day of his son’s
circumcision; were all wisely
ordered by Providence to
accompany the conception and
birth of John, that he, who was
the Messiah’s forerunner, might
not seem an obscure and ordinary
man, but one that was the
peculiar object of the decrees
and counsels of heaven. He was
introduced into the world in
this magnificent manner, that
the attention of his countrymen
being awakened, and high
expectations of him raised, he
might execute the duties of his
ministry with greater advantage,
and effectually prepare the
people for receiving the
Messiah, who was soon to appear
in person.” — Macknight.
Verse 67
Luke 1:67. And Zacharias was
filled with the Holy Ghost — Was
endued with a more than ordinary
measure of the Spirit of God,
supernaturally enlightening his
mind in the knowledge of divine
things: and even of future
events. God not only forgave him
his unbelief and distrust, which
was signified by discharging him
from the punishment of it, but,
as a specimen of his abounding
grace and mercy toward
believers, he filled him with
the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation, that he might speak
to his praise, and the
instruction and edification of
mankind of that and every future
age and nation. And he
prophesied — Of things
immediately to follow, which
proved the accomplishment of
God’s promises made to Abraham,
and the other patriarchs and
prophets, concerning the
redemption and salvation of
God’s people by the Messiah. By
prophesying, no more is
sometimes meant in the
Scriptures than celebrating the
praises of God with great
elevation and affection of soul,
as 1 Chronicles 25:1, Where
Asaph and Jeduthun are said to
prophesy with the harp and
cymbal, which, Luke 1:3, is
explained by their giving praise
and thanks to God. But as
Zacharias is said, on this
occasion, to have uttered
predictions concerning the
kingdom and salvation of the
Messiah, and the office and
ministry of his own son, the
ordinary sense of the word
prophesy may be here very
properly admitted.
Verses 68-70
Luke 1:68-70. Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel — Who is also
the God of the spirits of all
flesh: but Zacharias, speaking
of the work of redemption calls
him only the God of Israel,
because to Israel the
prophecies, promises, and types
of redemption, had hitherto been
given, and to them the first
offers and proposals of it were
now to be made. Israel, as a
chosen people, was a type of the
people of God to be called out
of all nations and ages, whom
God had a particular eye to in
sending the Saviour. For he hath
visited, &c., his people — In
sending the Messiah, God made a
gracious visit to his people,
whom, for many ages, he had
seemed to neglect, and be
estranged from. He is said to
have visited his people in
bondage, when he delivered them,
Exodus 3:16; to have visited
them in famine, when he gave
them bread, Ruth 1:6. He had
often sent to them by his
prophets, and had kept up a
correspondence with them, but
now he himself made them a
visit, for Christ was Immanuel,
God with us, God manifest in the
flesh. And redeemed his people —
εποιησε λυτρωσιν τω λαω αυτου.
He hath wrought out redemption
for his people, complete and
illustrious redemption. This was
the errand on which Christ came
into the world, to redeem those
that were sold for sin and sold
under sin; even God’s own
people, his Israel, need to be
redeemed, and are undone if they
be not. Christ redeems them by
price out of the hands of God’s
justice, and redeems them by
power out of the hands of
Satan’s tyranny, as Israel out
of Egypt. And hath raised up a
horn of salvation for us — That
is, a mighty, victorious, and
glorious Saviour, who saves his
people with an abundant
salvation. The expression is
metaphorical, taken from beasts,
whose strength, defence, and
victory over other animals, lies
chiefly in their horns, as also
the beauty and glory of several
of them; the property likewise
of the ancients consisting
chiefly in their flocks and
herds. Accordingly, the word
horn is used in Scripture
emblematically, to denote
strength or power, Lamentations
2:3; Lamentations 2:17; Psalms
75:10; also honour and triumph,
as, when the horn is exalted,
Psalms 89:24. From the union of
these, it signifies the power of
a king or kingdom, Revelation
13:1. This is the chief import
of the word in this place, the
house of David being the regal
family, and the word Saviour,
implying deliverer, protector,
and ruler; the horn of salvation
in the house of David denotes
the kingdom of Christ. As he
spake — That is, as he promised;
by his holy prophets, which have
been since the world began — απ’
αιωνος, from the beginning of
ages, the promise being made to
Adam, Genesis 3:15, that the
seed of the woman should bruise
the serpent’s head; and to
Abraham and the other
patriarchs, that in their seed
all nations of the earth should
be blessed. “It cannot,”
however, as Dr. Doddridge justly
observes, “certainly be inferred
from hence, as some have argued,
that there was from the
beginning of the world a series
of prophets, or that every
individual prophet spoke of the
Messiah, which can never be
proved without doing great
violence to the remaining
writings of some of them.” The
words of Zacharias only amount
to this, that the generality of
prophecies in all ages refer to
this great event. See Acts
10:43.
Verses 71-75
Luke 1:71-75. That we should be
saved from our enemies —
Spiritual as well as temporal,
invisible as well as visible;
and from the hand of all that
hate us — From Satan and his
angels, and all adverse power,
and especially from our sins.
This certainly was the mind of
the Spirit that now inspired
Zacharias, as appears by the
whole tenor of Scripture; but
whether he fully understood his
own words is impossible for us
to say. It is certain the older
prophets, in some cases, did not
fully understand the prophecies
which they themselves uttered.
See 1 Peter 1:10-11. To perform
the mercy — Thus he speaks
because our redemption and
salvation have their origin in
the divine mercy, that is, in
his compassion for us in our
fallen state, and in his free,
gratuitous grace, and goodness
toward us. The original
expression, ποιησαι ελεος μετα
τον πατερων ημον, literally
signifies, to exercise, or show,
mercy toward or with, our
fathers. Dr. Campbell translates
the verse, In kindness to our
forefathers, and remembrance of
his holy covenant; the tenor of
which covenant was, that
Abraham’s spiritual seed, being
delivered from their enemies by
the Messiah, should, under his
government, worship and serve
God acceptably through all
generations. The oath which he
sware to our father Abraham — By
which oath he confirmed the
fore-mentioned covenant, that,
as the apostle observes, by two
immutable things, God’s promise
given in the covenant, and oath,
in either of which, much more in
both, it was impossible for God
to lie, all that should truly
embrace the covenant, by
complying with the conditions of
it, in repentance, faith, and
new obedience, might have strong
consolation in life, in death,
and for ever. That he would
grant unto us — For the
salvation here mentioned is his
free, undeserved gift; that
being delivered out of the hand
of our enemies — Especially our
spiritual enemies, the devil,
the world, and the flesh, the
guilt, and power, and
consequences of our sins, (the
Messiah being therefore called
Jesus, because he saves his
people from their sins, Matthew
1:21,) we might serve him —
Might worship and glorify him,
in and with our body and spirit,
which are his; without fear —
Not without a reverential fear
of God, or filial fear of
offending him; a watchful fear
of our enemies, or a jealous
fear of ourselves, lest a
promise being left us of
entering into his rest, we
should come short of it, in
which senses, blessed is the man
that feareth always; but without
any slavish fear of God, or that
spirit of bondage from which the
spirit of adoption is given to
deliver true believers, Romans
8:15; Galatians 4:5-7; 2 Timothy
1:7; and without any tormenting
fear of death, or of any
suffering antecedent to death,
which we may be called to pass
through; to deliver us from
which fear Christ assumed our
flesh and blood, Hebrews
2:14-15. In holiness — Toward
God, in devotedness to his
glory, conformity to his image,
subjection to his authority, and
obedience to his will; and
righteousness — Toward our
fellow-creatures, that is, in
the continual exercise of truth,
justice, mercy, and charity;
before him — Conscious we are in
his presence, and under the
continual notice of his eye,
setting him always before us,
and aiming to please him in
every temper, word, and work, in
all our desires and designs, our
cares, labours, and pursuits.
Here, then, we have the
substance of God’s great
promise, that, if we embrace and
live up to our privileges, as
true believers in Christ, we
shall be always holy, always
useful, always happy; that,
being delivered from Satan and
sin, from every uneasy, from
every unhappy and unholy
disposition and affection, we
shall joyfully love and serve
God in our whole spirit and
conduct, and that not only on
sabbath days, or times of
peculiar solemnity and devotion,
but all the days of our life,
and every hour of every day;
whatsoever we do in word or
deed, and doing all in the name
of the Lord Jesus, and giving
thanks to God, even the Father,
through him. This is the great
gospel salvation prepared before
the face of, and free for, all
people, Luke 2:30-31.
Verses 76-78
Luke 1:76-78. And thou child —
He now speaks to John his son,
yet not as a parent, but as a
prophet; shalt be called the
Prophet of the Highest — Thou
shalt be the messenger of God
Most High. Our Lord declares
that John was more than a
prophet: that is, he was a great
preacher of righteousness, who
called aloud to the people to
repent, that they might be
forgiven; and he foretold that
the kingdom of heaven was at
hand. For thou shalt go before
the face of the Lord to prepare
his way — Thou shalt go before
the Lord Christ, to point him
out as the Messiah to his
people, and to dispose and
prepare them to receive him as
such by repentance toward God,
productive of fruit worthy of
repentance, and by faith in him
and subjection to him as a
divinely-commissioned teacher, a
mighty Saviour, and righteous
governor. See note on Matthew
3:3. To give knowledge of
salvation to his people — To
preach to God’s people the glad
tidings of salvation, present
and eternal, as attainable; to
show them the way of attaining
it, namely, by repentance and
faith in the Messiah, and to
give all such as should comply
with these terms the knowledge
of their having attained it, at
least in part, by assuring them
of the remission of their sins,
that blessing being a branch of
present, and a pledge and
earnest of future salvation.
Through the tender mercy of our
God — σπλαγχνα ελεους, the
bowels of mercy, a strong
Hebraism, implying God’s tender
compassions for mankind,
immersed as they are in sins and
miseries. “These two words are
often used in Scripture both
jointly and separately. They
signify pity, because that
passion in us is commonly
attended with a motion of the
bowels, especially when the
object of it is one we have an
interest in. See Isaiah 63:15;
Philippians 2:1; Colossians
3:12; where bowels of mercy
signify the most tender mercy.
The word σπλαγχνα, bowels, used
by itself signifies any strong
affection whatever, Philemon
1:7.” John the Baptist gave
people to understand, that
though their case was
deplorable, by reason of sin, it
was not desperate, because
pardon might be obtained through
the tender and unspeakable mercy
of God. Whereby the day-spring —
The dawning day of morning
light; that is, the gospel
dispensation, as superior to the
patriarchal or Mosaic, with
their types and shadows, as the
light of the rising sun is
superior to that of the moon and
stars. This gospel-day dawned in
the ministry of John the
Baptist; and it increased more
and more during the personal
ministry of Christ, and it shone
out with meridian splendour on
the day of pentecost, and
thenceforward, when, in
consequence of the death,
resurrection, and ascension of
Christ, the Holy Spirit, in his
various gifts and graces,
ordinary and extraordinary, was
poured out on the Christian
Church. It is true the word
ανατολη, here rendered
day-spring, may signify, as some
render it, the rising sun: for
Zacharias is here alluding to
the passages in the prophetic
writings which describe the
Messiah by the metaphors of the
light and sun, particularly
Malachi 4:2; where he is called
the Sun of righteousness, both
on account of the light of his
doctrine, and the joy produced
by his appearing. See the note
there, and on Isaiah 60:1-2;
Isaiah 60:19. “Indeed no figure
was ever more happily imagined,
or more naturally applied, than
this which represents the
promised seed under the notion
of the sun. For most aptly may
Jesus be likened to the rising
sun; his doctrine being to the
souls of men what light is to
their bodies. It is altogether
necessary for directing our
steps in the paths of truth and
righteousness; it is exceedingly
sweet to the spiritual taste, by
discovering the most important
and delightful truths; nay, like
the light, it throws a beauty
and pleasantness upon every
thing in this lower world,
which, without the assurance of
God’s reconcileableness, would
be but a dark and dreary scene
to sinners, however noble and
beautiful in itself.” —
Macknight.
Verse 79
Luke 1:79. To give light to them
that sit in darkness — The
Messiah at his coming would
enlighten with the knowledge of
salvation the Gentile nations,
who had long lived in ignorance
and wickedness, the cause of
death. To guide our feet into
the way of peace — And he would
guide the feet, even of the
Jews, into the way of finding
peace with God, peace of mind,
and true happiness, by making
them more perfectly acquainted
with the method of salvation,
and the will of God concerning
them. Such phrases as darkness
and the shadow of death,
describe with peculiar propriety
the ignorant and miserable state
of the Gentile world: and,
probably, the former clause
might be intended principally of
them. But as Christ’s preaching
to the Jews in Galilee is said,
Matthew 4:14-16, to be an
accomplishment of Isaiah 9:1-2,
to which Zacharias here seems to
refer, we must not confine the
sense of it merely to the
Gentiles; for indeed the sad
character and circumstances of
the Jews at this time too well
suited the representation here
made. Such are the elevated
strains in which this pious man,
under the extraordinary
influence of the Holy Ghost,
described the great blessings
which mankind were to enjoy by
the coming of the seed promised
to Adam, to Abraham, and to
David.
Verse 80
Luke 1:80. And the child grew,
&c. — The years of John’s
infancy expiring, he grew daily
in wisdom and stature; and was
in the deserts, &c. — During the
whole course of his private
life, he continued in the
deserts, or hill- country of
Judea, Luke 1:39, till his
ministry commenced, about the
thirtieth year of his age. It is
probable that the deserts here
mentioned were those of Ziph and
Maon, where Saul pursued David.
Though there were several
country towns and villages in
these deserts, yet, as they were
but thinly inhabited, they were
in the Jewish idiom called
deserts. Now it was wisely
ordered, to prevent a personal
acquaintance between Jesus and
John, that the latter should
continue in one of these
deserts, at the distance of
probably one hundred miles from
Nazareth, till the time of his
entering upon his ministry.
There, in a state of solitude
and retirement from the world,
he lived an austere and
mortified life, that his
character might be suited to his
office — the preaching of
repentance, self-denial, and
deadness to the world and sin. |