Luke 2

1 the world. Lit., “the inhabited [earth],” i.e., the whole Roman empire. So the French say tout le monde, “all the world,” without meaning literally the whole world.

taxed. Rather, “enrolled,” or “registered,” for the purpose of a census: and so in ver. 5.

2. Cyrenius. Dr. A. W. Zumpt (1870), supported by Mommsen, showed it to be probable that Publius Sulpitius Quirinus, the Cyrenius mentioned here, was twice governor of Syria, first, at the time of our Lord’s birth, and again ten years later; and that the Jews were registered by him on both occasions: so that this was the “first enrolment” of the two which he made. This has now been proved to be historical fact by Sir William Ramsay, the great scholar and archaeologist (Was Christ born at Bethlehem? and The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament).

4 lineage (“family,” R.V.). It was a Roman custom to number women and children as well as men (5); and it was a Jewish practice to enrol every one at his ancestral home.

6 while they were there. By this apparently accidental circumstance was fulfilled the prophecy in Micah v. 2.

7 her firstborn. See notes on Matt. i. 25; xiii. 55.

a manger. Perhaps a cave or grotto used as a stable or shelter for cattle.

8 in the same country. That is, in that district; the district of Bethlehem; whose inhabitants would regard it, rather than Jerusalem, as “the city of David” (11, 15).

shepherds. The heavenly message is sent to men who, like the fishermen of Galilee afterwards summoned to our Lord’s service, were diligently fulfilling the duties of their calling.

keeping watch . . . by night. As the flocks were not kept out at night in the open fields between the autumnal rains and the Passover, and as, on the other hand, the pasture is burned up in the summer, it is inferred that our Lord’s birth must have occurred in the spring; but the exact time is uncertain. The traditional date of “Christmas” does not appear until the fourth century.

9 the glory of the Lord. A glory such as be-tokened the Divine presence, “the Shekinah.”

10 to all people. Rather, “to the whole people”; namely, of Israel, to whom the gospel was first to be proclaimed.

11 a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. These three names point to His saving work, His Divine appointment, and His supreme dignity.

12 this [shall be] a sign. Rather, “This shall be the sign to you; ye shall find a babe wrapped,” etc. You will recognise the infant by the unusual place in which you will find Him.

swaddling clothes. Linen clothes in which the new-born infant was tightly bound up.

14 peace, good will toward (among) men. The translation of the R.V., “peace among men in whom He is well pleased,” is a paraphrase of a reading which, literally rendered, is “peace among men of good will.” The difference between this and the ordinary text consists in the addition of one letter (s) to the word for “good will.” The four chief Greek MSS., but no others, have this addition, followed by the Vulgate and the Latin Fathers generally. According to this reading, there are only two clauses in the angels’ song:

“Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace among men of good will.” The great mass of Greek MSS., however, have the reading of the received text and the ordinary English version, which reading is confirmed by the quotations of the Greek fathers generally. The arrangement in two clauses, apart from the difficulty in translation, destroys the symmetry and spoils the sense of the passage. The angels’ song celebrates the incarnation of Messiah, as causing the inhabitants of “the highest” heavens to glorify God; as bringing to the earth “peace”—the reconciliation of man and God; and as thus opening the way for all the blessings which Divine “good will,” or benevolence, can bestow.

19. Mary kept. Mary “kept” in memory and carefully “compared together all these sayings” (R.V.) and events regarding her infant.

22 her purification. Some MSS. have “their purification”; i.e., of Mary (see Lev. xii.) and the babe.

23 shall be called holy. That is, shall be esteemed specially devoted to the Divine service: see Exod. xiii. 13-15; Numb. iii. 11, 12; viii. 16-18; xviii. 15, 16.

24 to offer a sacrifice. See note on Lev. xii. 8. All this was before the visit of the Magi: see note on ver. 39. The offering shows the poverty of Mary and Joseph.

25 the consolation of Israel. The “consolation of Israel” was a well-known phrase among the Jews; derived from Isa. xl. 1; xlix. 13, and referring to the Messiah.

26 the Lord’s Christ. See Psa. ii. 2.

“As the Magnificat is charged with personal feeling, and the Benedictus with national aspiration, so the Nunc Dimittis is the expression of hope for the world” (Principal Grieve in Peake’s Commentary).

30. Thy salvation. Impersonated in the Messiah. Vers. 30-32 are formed from the very words of ancient prophecy: see Isa. xiii. 6; xlix. 6; iii. 10; lx. 1-3; lxi. 11.

31 all people. “All the peoples,” including Israel and the Gentiles, as shown in verse 32.

34 for the fall and rising [again]. There is

35 a sword shall pierce. Mary’s faith as well as her maternal feelings, would be most severely tested by the trials, the sufferings, and the death of her Divine Son: see iv. 29; Matt. xii. 46; and especially John xix. 25.

that the thoughts (reasonings) of (out of) many hearts, etc. Nothing shows more clearly the state of a man’s heart than the way in which he regards and treats the Saviour and His work. This is the touchstone of character: see John xv. 23; 1 Cor. i. 23, 24; xvi. 22; 1 John iv. 2, 3.

36. Aser.** Asher. Some of the exiles belonging to the ten tribes returned to Palestine with their brethren of Judah and Benjamin, and preserved their genealogies: see note on Ezra i. 5: cp. Acts xxvi. 7; Jas. i. 1.

37 fourscore and four years. Probably the length of her whole life.

prayers. Rather, “supplications,” as R.V., a more emphatic word.

39 when they had performed all things, etc. The visit of the Magi (Matt. ii.), the flight into Egypt, and the massacre of the babes at Bethlehem, were probably subsequent to the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. After these events, He would hardly have been taken to Jerusalem. Some, however, think that this journey to Nazareth was taken immediately after the presentation in the Temple; and that after that, Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem. They would, therefore, place Matt. ii. after ver. 39. But it appears better to regard it as immediately following ver. 38; and to understand the evangelist as saying that after (whether immediately or not he does not say) all these things were done, they went to live at Nazareth. Some months, or even years, may have intervened between this visit to Jerusalem and the residence in Nazareth.

40 the child grew. In His human nature Jesus experienced the development of all His powers, in the degrees proper to every age; “becoming full of wisdom”: see note on Mark xiii. 32.

the grace. Rather, the favour of God. 41-52. These verses are all the record given in any of the Gospels of the first thirty years in the life of Jesus. “The solitary floweret,” says Stier, “out of the wonderful ‘garden enclosed’ of those years, plucked in the very crisis of its blossoming.”

41. His parents went to Jerusalem.** See note on I Sam. i. 4.

42 when He was twelve years old. Among the Jews, when a boy entered his thirteenth year, he was called “a son of the law,” and was initiated into its observances. It was therefore a solemn occasion in the life of “the boy Jesus.”

43 the child Jesus. Better, “the boy Jesus,” the days. Including, probably, at least, the preparation, the Passover, and the seven days of unleavened bread.

44 in the company. The number of persons quitting Jerusalem for Galilee after the Passover would generally be very large; and they would travel in company, as Eastern pilgrims in the present day usually do, for the sake of security and society. Joseph and Mary, accustomed to the thoughtful obedience of Jesus, would not be likely to seek Him till they missed Him when the caravan halted, and the several families gathered round their evening meal.

46 after three days. This most probably means three days after they had left Jerusalem; a day for their departure; a day for their return; and a day for their search (Lange).

in the Temple. In one of its chambers or halls, where “doctors,” or teachers of the law, instructed their disciples; to whom they allowed great liberty of question and reply. The attendance of a youth of this age was not in itself strange: but the “understanding and answers” of Jesus surprised the teachers.

49 my Father’s business. “In my Father’s house” (R.V.). The Greek may be translated by either. The boy’s meaning is: To seek me was unnecessary; I was sure to be here. “A child is to be found at his father’s.” In the appellation, “my Father,” there is, as Godet observes, “a delicate but decisive reply to Mary’s words, Thy father and I. Jesus shows in this, His first recorded utterance, that His consciousness of a Divine nature and mission is beginning to be developed.

50 they understood not. It seems necessary that Mary should not fully understand these things, in order that the maternal instincts on the one hand, and the filial submission on the other, might remain natural.

51 was subject unto them. The high consciousness which had manifested itself (49) did not interfere with His self-humiliation, nor render Him independent of His parents. This voluntary subjection showed itself in working at His reputed father’s trade (see Mark vi. 3). From this time we hear no more of Joseph. We next hear only of “His mother and brethren” (John ii. 12), whence it is inferred that, between this time and the commencement of our Lord’s public life, Joseph died (Alford).

52 stature. Or, “age” (R.V. marg.); the gradual development of his manhood from twelve to thirty. How suggestive is this simple statement! A child in whose heart was bound up no “folly” (Prov. xxii. 15); a young man pure in soul from all “youthful lusts” (2 Tim. ii. 22); a son whose consciousness of His Divine origin abated not His obedience to earthly parents; a man so unpretending and genial that He won the favour of others; a servant of God, ever mindful of His high destiny, yet submissively working at His trade in the obscurity of a secluded village; such we must suppose our Lord to have been during the eighteen years of retirement which His Father saw to be the best preparation for His brief public life. And in all how perfect an example to all His followers!

answer the complaints of the Jews; and soon afterwards put an end to his life.