GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. CHAPTER I. having had perfect understand FORASMUCH as many have ing of all things from the very taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, CHAPTER I. first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. THE 5 HERE was in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named lus. Theophilus was a friend of Luke's, and probably a Gentile, liv 1. Many. See the first paragraph of the preface to this Gospel. Toing out of Palestine. The term most set forth in order; to arrange. A declaration; an account. Among us; among Christians, with whom Luke ranked himself. 2. Even as they delivered them to us. These words show the source whence the belief of Christians was drawn. They do not relate to the narratives which "many" persons had prepared, but to the belief which existed among Christians. This belief had respect to facts, which had been delivered by eye-witnesses. The word; the word of God, or, the gospel. These "ministers of the word were men who had been personally engaged in the transactions, and who had been employed in spreading abroad a knowledge of the events. They therefore knew whereof they affirmed.' excellent is merely the language of respect and affection; it does not necessarily show that Theophilus was Occupying any official station. In Acts 1: 1, no such term is employed. The first four verses of this chapter are the preface, by which Luke introduced his Gospel to the favorable notice of Theophilus. It would seem that many accounts had been published of the events pertaining to Jesus Christ, which were not sufficiently extensive or accurate, or which were not entirely free from error. From these, and from current report, perhaps, too, from other sources, Theophilus might have derived his information. Luke wished to furnish his friend with an account that might supersede the defective and inaccu3. Having had perfect understand-rate narratives which many had pubing of all things from the very first. He had, with great care, traced all the accounts to the very beginning; so that he was well qualified to write a narrative. To write unto thee in order; to write an orderly, connected narrative. Most excellent Theophi lished. For this purpose he made thorough investigation, tracing the events to the beginning, and drawing his information from the most authentic sources. 5. Herod the king of Judea. See on Matt. 2: 1. || Öf the course of Zacharias, of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren; and they both were now well stricken in years. : Abia. The Jewish priests had become so numerous in the time of David, that he divided them into twenty-four classes, over each of which was placed a chief man,' or ruler. Each class officiated in the temple a week at a time. Of these classes, the eighth was that of Abijah, or, as his name was expressed in the Greek language, Abia. See 1 Chron. 24 10. 2 Chron. 8: 14. 31: 2. The word course, in this connection, is equivalent to the word class. This division into classes was continued after the return from the captivity, though the number of classes did not continue unbroken. See Ezra 2: 36-39. Neh. 7: 39-42. || Of the daughters of Aaron. Both Zacharias and his wife could trace their descent to Aaron. Thus they both belonged to the family of priests. Aaron and his sons had been set apart by divine appointment as the priests, and to his descendants the priesthood belonged. See Ex. 28: 1. 40: 12-15. 6. Before God; in the sight of God, eminently pious. 7. Stricken; advanced. 8. Before God. The temple was regarded as the house of God. Those who were performing service in the temple, or at the altar, were consequently said to be before, or in the presence of, God. || In the order of his course; when it came, in the rotation of the classes, to be the turn of his class to perform the temple service. 9. His lot was to burn incense. Not 8 And it came to pass, that, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto only were the priests divided into classes, but the services of the temple were distributed among the priests of the officiating class, to each one a particular service being assigned. | Into the temple. Reference is here had to that part of the temple in which the altar of incense was placed. The tabernacle, as constructed in the time of Moses, was divided into two apartments, the first of which was called the holy place, in which was the altar of incense. Compare Ex. 26: 33. 30: 1, 6. The second apartment was called the most holy place. See Ex. 26: 33, 34. The temple built by Solomon was furnished with similar apartments; so, too, was the temple which was built after the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The temple in the time of Christ was on the same plan. It was into the apartment called the holy place, or the sanctuary, that Zacharias had gone. 10. Without; outside of the apartment into which Zacharias had gone. There were courts, or enclosed places, in connection with various parts of the temple, which could accommodate numbers of people. At the hour of incense; the time of burning incense. The morning and the evening were the appointed times. See Ex. 30: 7, 8. As many people were collected together, it was probably the evening which is here spoken of. 11. The right side. The right side was anciently regarded as a position indicative of favor, or prosperity. him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy See Matt. 25: 33. In accordance with this feeling, the angel appeared on the right side of the altar. 13. John. A very appropriate name for the promised son. Traced to its Hebrew origin, it means Jehovah is gracious. 15. Strong drink. Like the Nazarites (see Num. 6: 2, 3), John was to be distinguished from other men in regard to his manner of living. He was to be abstemious as to many ordinary indulgences, and to be peculiarly devoted to God. Filled with the Holy Ghost; eminently under a divine influence from his very birth. 16. Shall he turn to the Lord. The object for which John was to come, was a true reformation of the Jews. In many instances, this object would be accomplished. The Jews were in a very corrupt state; and a turning to the Lord was greatly needed. 17. Before him. The word him is by some regarded as referring emphatically to the Messiah, as Jon was to announce the Messiah, and to be his forerunner. There is no difficulty, however, in referring it to the words the Lord their God, which immediately precede. The expression, to go before him, may be equivalent to the expression, to serve him; and John was, in a distinguished sense, to be a servant of God. The times, also, of the Messiah, which John was to introduce, would be eminently the times in which the Lord God would manifest his presence among his peo and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of ple. || In the spirit and power of Elias; possessing a character, a spirit, powerful and energetic, like that of the prophet Elijah. Elijah discharged his office in a time of general wickedness, and he steadily protested against the prevailing impiety. Between Elijah's mode of life and that of John, there was also similarity. See 1 Kings, chapters 17-19. 2 Kings, chapters 1, 2. Compare Matt. 11: 14. || To turn the hearts, &c. This expression was quoted from Malachi, 4: 6. The prophet Malachi had foretold that a prophet was to arise, whom he called Elijah, and whose design would be, to effect among the people a general turning to the Lord, as a preparation for the Messiah's coming. At the time of John's birth, the state of the nation was exceedingly corrupt; both parents and children needed to be reclaimed from error and sin; both in the domestic relations, and in reference to God, a new state of feeling and a new course of conduct were required. || To the wisdom of the just; to the wise, holy disposition and conduct of the righteous. || To make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Another and somewhat stronger method of expressing preparation for the coming Messiah. John was to be the last in the series of divinely-appointed teachers before the Messiah; and, without another divinely-appointed messenger, the Messiah himself was shortly to appear. There was among the Jews a sort of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel, answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. 20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that preparation for the Messiah, as the nation had long been expecting his coming. But they were not in a state of moral fitness for him. There were, however, in the nation, those who would reverently and obediently hearken to a well-attested announcement of the Messiah's approach, and to the exhortation to become prepared, by timely repentance, for his teaching and government. The Lord seems most naturally to refer here to the Messiah, the expected King and Lord, or Master, of the Jews. Thus the official duty of John the Baptist, as the harbinger of the Messiah, was distinctly announced to Zacharias. But it may be asked, Was the design accomplished for which John was sent? To this it may be replied, that, in many instances, there was effected a turning to the Lord, and consequently a preparation for the Messiah. But by far the larger part of the nation, and especially the distinguished men, failed to receive he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, spiritual benefit from John's labors. See Matt. 11:18. 21:32. Luke, 7: 29, 30. And therefore, according to the prediction of Malachi (4 : 6), the land was smitten with the curse of God. 19. Gabriel. Compare Dan. 8: 16. 9: 21. This name is compounded of two Hebrew words which signify man of God. That stand in the presence of God. God was conceived of as a mighty king, having around him servants whom he employed in executing his will. To stand in his presence, then, would mean to be his servant. 23. The days of his ministration were accomplished. See on v. 5. 24. Hid herself; kept herself in comparative retirement. 25. He looked on me; he looked kindly towards me, and mercifully regarded me. To take away my reproach. To be without children was considered, among the Jews, a peculiarly unhappy circumstance. 26. Nazareth. See on Matt. 2: 23. |