Luke 1:26-40

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:32

He shall be great ,.... In his person, as God-man; this child born, and Son given, being the angel of the great counsel, the mighty God, and everlasting Father; Isaiah 9:6 which is here referred to; and in his offices, in his prophetic office, being that great and famous prophet Moses spoke of, mighty in word and deed, in his doctrine and miracles; in his priestly office, being a great high priest, both in the oblation of himself, and in his prevalent intercession; and in his kingly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:33

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob ,.... Not over the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, in a literal sense; but over the whole Israel of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles. For as his father David reigned over the Idumeans, Syrians, and others, as well as over the house of Judah and Israel, so this his son shall reign over both Jews and Gentiles: his kingdom shall be from one end of the earth to the other, even over all the elect of God; who in successive generations call themselves by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:34

Then said Mary to the angel, how shall this be ,.... This she said not as doubting the truth of what was said; for she required no sign, as Zacharias did; nor is she charged with, and blamed for unbelief, as he was; yea, it is expressly said, Luke 1:45 that she believed: nor was this a curious question, as whether she should have this son by a man in a married state, or in her present virgin state; for she clearly understood the angel to mean the latter; and therefore her words express her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:35

And the angel answered and said unto her ,.... The angel gave her an account of the manner in which what he had said should be effected, as well as observed some things for the strengthening of her faith, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee . The words, "upon thee", are left out in the Syriac and Persic versions; but are retained in others, and in all copies: the formation of Christ's human nature, though common to all the three persons, yet is particularly, and most properly ascribed to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:36

And behold thy cousin Elisabeth ,.... For though Elisabeth was of the daughters of Aaron, or of the tribe of Levi by her father's side, yet might be of the tribe of Judah by her mother's side, and so akin to Mary. The Persic version calls her "aunt by the mother's side": intermarriages between the two tribes of Levi and Judah were frequent; nor were they at all contrary to the intention of that law, that forbid the tribes to intermarry, which was to preserve the inheritance in each tribe,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible. That is consistent with his nature and perfections, with his counsels, purposes, and promises: every thing that he has said, purposed, or promised, he is able to do, and will; every word that he has spoken, every thing predicted by his prophets, or declared by his angels, and particularly this of a virgin's conceiving and bearing a Son: so that the angel not only answers her question, how this should be, but confirms her faith in it; partly by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:38

And Mary said, behold the handmaid of the Lord, .... In which words she expresses her obedience of faith; she owns herself to be the handmaid of the Lord, and desires to obey him, and be submissive to him as such; and tacitly acknowledges her meanness, and great unworthiness: be it unto me according to thy word ; she assented to what the angel said should be unto her; she earnestly desired it might be, and firmly believed it would be; she set her "Amen" to the angel's message: and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:39

And Mary arose in those days ,.... The Ethiopic version renders it, "in that day"; directly, immediately, as soon as the angel was gone from her; partly to know the truth of things, and to make use of the sign which had been given her, for the further confirmation of her faith, which was very right and proper for her to do; and partly to converse with Elisabeth about the great things which God had done for each of them, and to praise his name together: "and went into the hill country with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 1:40

And entered into the house of Zacharias , &c.; Which was in the above city, and might be well known to her: and saluted Elisabeth; not Zacharias; either because he was not at home; or because he was deaf and dumb, and could neither hear her salutation, nor return it; or because it was not usual for women to salute men, nor men to salute women; See Gill on Luke 1:29 , yet one woman might salute another; and especially Mary saluted Elisabeth, because she came to pay the visit to her, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:26

A city of Galilee - As Joseph and Mary were both of the family of David, the patrimonial estate of which lay in Bethlehem, it seems as if the family residence should have been in that city, and not in Nazareth; for we find that, even after the return from the captivity, the several families went to reside in those cities to which they originally belonged. See Nehemiah 11:3 . But it is probable that the holy family removed to Galilee for fear of exciting the jealousy of Herod, who had... read more

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