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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:76

Verse 76 76.And thou, child Zacharias again returns to commend the grace of Christ, but does this, as it were, in the person of his son, by describing briefly the office to which he had been appointed as an instructor. Though in a little infant eight days old he does not yet observe prophetical endowments, yet turning his eyes to the purpose of God, he speaks of it as a thing already known. To be called means here to be considered and openly acknowledged as the prophet of God. A secret calling... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:77

Verse 77 77.To give knowledge of salvation Zacharias now touches the principal subject of the gospel, when he says that the knowledge of salvation consists in the forgiveness of sins. As we are all “by nature the children of wraths” (Ephesians 2:3,) it follows, that we are by nature condemned and ruined: and the ground of our condemnation is, that we are chargeable with unrighteousness. There is, therefore, no other provision for escaping eternal death (81) but by God “reconciling us unto... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:78

Verse 78 78.Through the bowels (83) of mercy In so great a benefit Zacharias justly extols the mercy of God, and not satisfied with merely calling it the salvation which was brought by Christ, he employs more emphatic language, and says that it proceeded from the very bowels of the mercy of God. He then tells us metaphorically, that the great mercy of God has made the day to give light to those who were sitting in darkness Oriens, in the Latin version of this passage, is not a participle: for... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:79

Verse 79 79.That he might give light to those who were sitting in darkness As to light and darkness, there are similar modes of expression in Isaiah: such as, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined,” (Isaiah 9:1;) and in many other passages. These words show, that out of Christ there is no life-giving light in the world, but every thing is covered by the appalling darkness of death.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:1-80

After the Ascension and the events of the first Pentecost, which quickly followed their Master's return to heaven, the twelve and a few others who had walked in the company which followed Jesus during the years of his public ministry no doubt often met together and talked over the teaching and the acts of their risen and now glorified Master. As time passed on, a certain number of these acts, a certain number of the public and private discourses in the apostolic company, became adopted as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:57-80

John, afterwards called the Baptist, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, is born. The Benedictus . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:57-80

The birth and development of the Baptist. We now pass from the inspirations of the holy women to the birth of the Baptist. We have before us what one has well denominated "a pious family in their good fortune." £ As this preacher observes, we have here "the mother in her joy, the father with his song of praise, and the little child and his development." We cannot do better than allow our thoughts to group themselves round these three persons in this order. I. CONTEMPLATE THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:59-80

The name-giving, and what followed it. There is a quiet, gentle beauty in the picture of the home life given in Luke 1:58 . The touches of nature in it make us feel our kinship with all the ages. We are told of the flood of congratulations and kind messages which surges towards the happy mother; how the cousins of the priestly families in and around Hebron, and the neighbors scattered over that part of northern Judea, hastened to express their gladness to Zacharias and Elisabeth. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:74-75

Might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life . What Zacharias looked on to was a glorious theocracy based upon national holiness. Israel, freed from foreign oppression and internal dissensions, would serve God with a worship at once uninterrupted and undefiled. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:74-75

The course of the Christian life. These words of Zacharias will very well indicate the course through which a Christian life passes from its commencement to its close. I. IT BEGINS IN SPIRITUAL EMANCIPATION . "We being delivered out of the hand of our enemies." In order to "walk in newness of life," we must be rescued from the thraldom of sin. And there is a twofold deliverance that we need. One is from the condemnation of our guilt ; for we cannot rest and rejoice in the... read more

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