Luke Chapter 1
1:1-4. Luke states his purpose and method. He wants to supplement Theophilus’s knowledge of the grounds of
Christian certainty. He also wants to give his own summation of the gospel events which, already in Luke’s time, are
being committed to writing by various authors. As to method, Luke combines his knowledge of other writings with
the eyewitness testimony of people he knows. He also lays claim to a comprehensive understanding, not only of
historical data, but also of its theological significance. Theophilus means “Friend of God.” By the way Luke
addresses him he appears to have been a man of high standing.
1:5. Herod (the Great) ruled from 40 until 4 B.C. Course of Abijah is one of the several divisions of Jewish priests.
Elisabeth, too, was of priestly descent.
1:6.This does not mean they were sinless, of course, but that they served God faithfully. Blameless means no
accusation could justly be made against them.
1:7. Mention of their age underscores that a pregnancy for Elisabeth was by this time highly unlikely. Since there
was no mandatory retirement age for priests (unlike Levites), Zechariah may have been old indeed.
1:9.This would be a sacred moment in Zechariah’s life, for no priest could offer incense more than once in his
lifetime. Many never had the chance at all, there being an estimated 18,000 priests at this point in Jewish history.
1:13. Perhaps Zechariah’s prayer for a son is referred to. However, it is more likely that in his priestly function he
was praying for the salvation of Israel. (See Dan. 9:20.) John (meaning “The Lord Is Gracious” in Hebrew and
Aramaic) would then be God’s instrument in answering this prayer. Perhaps both prayer requests were being
granted at once in an unforeseeable way.
1:15. John was not necessarily a Nazarite (Num. 6). For one thing, there is no mention of his hair remaining uncut.
God’s Spirit, not intoxicants, would infuse him from conception with a yearning to make God’s will his own. See
Ephesians 5:17, 18.
1:17. He shall go before him: See Malachi 3:1 where God promises to send a messenger in advance of His own
coming in judgment. On Elijah see 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2. Both he and John were entrusted with the call to
repentance.
1:19. The only other angel named in Scripture is Michael (Rev. 12:7).
1:20. Zechariah's speechlessness serves to chasten him for his apparent skepticism. One may think it a harsh
measure, but God who dispensed this judgement knew his heart. And the promise remained secure; Zechariah was
merely prevented from easily spreading the news around.
1:23. He would be free to depart for his home on the day his duties ceased.
1:24, 25. Jewish women regarded childlessness as a severe reproach. Elisabeth may have hid herself out of a
sense of consternation before God and
man. She came to be thankful, but the initial shock of the unexpected (and in human terms quite impossible) must
have been considerable.
1:26. This was the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy.
1:27. Espousal (similar to our engagement period) was, under the Jewish law, as binding as marriage. It lasted
about a year, during which time the
woman's purity was maintained.
1:28. The world translated highly favored issued of all believers in Ephesians 1:6.
1:29. Mary doubtless wondered why she should be addressed in such exalted terms.
1:31. JESUS means "Yahweh Is Salvation."
1:32. David's throne: See 2 Samuel 7:13.
1:35. By a process we cannot explain, Mary will find herself with child through no human agency. Conceived by
God, Jesus would see of sinless
nature, though no less human due to that fact.
1:38. Contrast Mary's response with that of Zechariah ( v. 18).
1:46-56. This passage is called " the Magnificat," based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate). It is
rich in Old Testament imagery: Jesus' coming was fulfillment of Old Testament promises.
1:58. Her reproach ( v. 25) is now completely removed.
1:65. Fear came: The working of God produced a unique sensation among a people where not even a prophet had
spoken for centuries.
1:67. His divinely empowered praise compensates for the months of being mute.
1:69. Horn of salvation would mean " A Mighty Deliverer." Horn is an Old Testament symbol for power. See 2
Samuel 22:3.
1:73. See Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-6; 22:15-18.
1:78. Dayspring means "dawn" and figuratively refers to the coming if the Messiah. The clause should be
translated, "Dawn from heaven will visit us." That is, the Messiah from heaven will come to help us. God's messianic
deliverer is often expressed as the bursting forth of a great light.
Luke Chapter 2
2:1. Taxed: A census was to take place. Augustus's reign was from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14.
2:2. Syria was the large Roman province of which Judea was part. The capital was Antioch. Under this
administration came smaller political divisions such as Judea, which was ruled by Pilate at Jerusalem from A.D. 26
to 36.
2:3. Each was to return to his original birthplace.
2:4. Micah 5:2 had prophesied that the Messiah, the Son of David, would be born in Bethlehem, like David himself
(1 Sam. 20:6).
2:7. Swaddling clothes were bandage-like strips of cloth wrapped around an infant to ensure that the limbs would
grow straight. Not to swaddle a child would be a form of abuse (Ezek. 16:2-4). This wrapping would aid the
shepherds in identifying Jesus.
2:12. The sign was consistent with Old Testament precedent, in which God confirmed His works by confirmatory
sign. This helped authenticate the messianic proclamation of the angels, and would also strengthen Mary and
Joseph in their assurance of the Lord's continued blessing.
2:13, 14. Jesus' birth creates praise among the angels. God's peace and good will are extended to those "on whom
He sees fit to bestow His grace" (alternate Greek readings). Some manuscripts have the last half of this verse,
reading "and on earth peace among men of good will." This signifies that true peace will be enjoyed only by the
pious. The KJV's reading expressed the divine intention to offer peace and good will to all men.
2:19. Mary kept ... and pondered: Quite possibly she was eventually the source of Luke's rather intimate knowledge
of the details of Jesus' birth. See verse 51.
2:21. Eight days: See 1:59. Leviticus 12 gives the Old Testament basis for the practice of circumcision. (See also
Gen. 17:10.) Jesus was as much a Son of Abraham as any of His generation.
2:23. See Exodus 13:2, 12.
2:24. See Leviticus 12:8. It is indicative of the relative poverty of Jesus' family that they could not afford to offer a
lamb as part of the cleansing and dedicatory ritual.
2:25. Simeon had his heart set on the messianic hope, which alone could bring consolation in his troubled land and
day. Thus he was open under the Holy Spirit's influence for God to impart special insight to him.
2:27. By the Spirit: The Spirit guided him. He thus came to be in the right place at the right time.
2:29. Thy word refers to the promise of verse 26.
2:32, 33. Here for the first time the parents hear the startling prophecy that Jesus' significance will extend even to
the Gentiles. This would be surprising even if it had not come from an apparent stranger.
2:34, 35. Jesus' coming will bring deliverance, but also division and anguish. Both redemption and judgement are
bound up in His advent.
2:36, 37. Like Simeon, Anna was of unusual commitment, and had been blessed, being a prophetess, with special
spiritual insight.
2:40. Jesus' progress may be compared with that of John (1:80). The former overshadows the latter from the very
start.
2:42. A Jewish male became a full member of the religious community at age 13. By age 12 would be undergoing
preparation for this.
2:46. Doctors were rabbis, teachers of Jewish law.
2:47. This may be due not only to Jesus' person but also to a careful upbringing by His parents. The Old
Testament placed great responsibility on parents to saturate their children's minds with Scripture (Deut. 6:7).
2:49. Wish ye not or "Did you not realize?":There is a certain tension between Jesus' responsibility to parents on
the one hand to His heavenly Father on the other.
2:52. The picture is one of consistent and well-rounded growth. There follows a gap of nearly two decades in Jesus'
life. When we see Him again, He is prepared for the task set before Him.
Luke Chapter 3.
3:1. Luke is about to speak of the real beginning of the gospel (see Mark 1:1; Acts 10:37), the preaching of John
the Baptist. He sets the stage by giving a political overview. Tiberius was emperor of Rome during A.D. 14-37.
Allowing for uncertainties in how ancient reigns were reckoned, Luke gives us a date of about A.D. 28 for the start
of John's ministry. Pilate ruled from A.D. 26 to 36. Herod (Antipas, a son of Herod the Great) ruled over a tetrarchy
(an area compromising one-fourth of a larger division) that included Galilee. Jesus calls him a fox in 13:32. He killed
John the Baptist. Philip's domain was northeast of Herod's. Abilene lay northwest of Damascus.
3:2. Annas had been high priest during A.D. 6-15, but continued to wield influence in later years. Caiaphas was
ruling high priest from A.D. 18 to 36. Modern scholars debate the precise origin of John's ideas and preaching.
Luke gives the major answer.
3:3. Luke, more than the other gospels, stresses repentance. John's baptism was an outward confession of an
inward response to John's message. It was symbolic of another, greater baptism (v. 16). Forgiveness before God
and reconciliation to Him always presupposes owning up to the symptoms of our alienation from Him. Biblical trust in
God presupposes repentance toward God. See Mark 1:4 for the expression "the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins."
3:4-6. See Isaiah 40:3-5.
3:7. It was believed, with good Old Testament support, that the messianic reign would be accompanied by God's
judgement against all evil. In the Cross this did indeed occur. The wrath spoken of here, while it may have some
relation to Jerusalem fate (A.D. 70), relates more directly to Jesus' second coming. See 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.
3:8. Some apparently believed that, despite wayward lives, they would be saved due to being ethnic Jews. John
reminds them that God demands both trust and obedience- each is incomplete without the other.
3:11-14. Personal response to God brings with it practical expression. Meat is food in general. People are not
expected to come out of the world (see 1 Cor. 5:10) but to be loyal to their God in the midst of their secular
responsibilities.
3:15. The people wondered if John might be the Messiah. The expectation of Simeon and Anna (2:25, 38) had
spread considerably.
3:16. A latchet was the thong holding a sandal on the foot.
3:17. Fan would be a shovel-like implement. Wheat was threshed by beating it, then flinging it into the air so that
the wind would carry off the lighter chaff. The wheat would fall to the threshing-area floor. Garner is a barn or
storehouse.
3:19. Him refers to John the Baptist. See Mark 6:14-29.
3:23. As was supposed: Luke does not lose sight of the Virgin Birth.